Anti-Second's knowing you own

[ignium]

What experiences have any of you had with anti-Second's who found out you own a firearm?

 

[Mikey]

I usually just pull my CCW and that shuts them up.

Really though I try to explain to them why and if they don't want to listen I tell them to screw off.

 

[Jose]

I honestly could not give a rat's ass what they think.

ETA: I like the idea of pulling up my shirt up my right side and letting them get a peek..

 

[dwarven1]

26 years ago my sister found out I owned guns and gave me a half-hour long lecture on how owning guns was "opening yourself up to the path of violence". (Yes, that's a direct quote).

In August, I took her 17 year old daughter to an Appleseed Shoot and in September I gave her son a Ruger 10/22 for his 21s birthday.

I believe that the old saying is "Revenge is a dish best served cold". Both of her kids love to shoot. Hey, if you can't enlighten one generation, get the next.

 

[Weerd Beard]

26 years ago my sister found out I owned guns and gave me a half-hour long lecture on how owning guns was "opening yourself up to the path of violence". (Yes, that's a direct quote).

Wow! That's pretty some pretty thick rhetoric! I picture an open mouth and a closed mind....

I believe that the old saying is "Revenge is a dish best served cold". Both of her kids love to shoot. Hey, if you can't enlighten one generation, get the next.

Good work, Ross!

A Big thing I do is invite them to the range. I grew up in an anti-household in a liberal town, so I used to be one of them. Up in Northern Maine, a good friend offered to let me throw some lead down range. I wasn't exactly excited about it, but I though it might be interesting just to give it a try.

Well look where that go me!

All of the Antis I know have never handled or seen a gun in a safe controlled setting, and they have been fed enugh bunk info that they have some pretty strange idea on how guns operate, and how the people who own and use them act.

Most are VERY suprised at all the redundant safty rules we have, and how controlled and safe a good gun range is.

Just as a word of warning, if you ever take an anti to a gun range, don't take their political veiws for granted. You'd be suprised how many people who are "Afraid of guns" will sweep you with the muzzle after they've confirmed it was unloaded.

Me: "I TOLD you to keep the gun pointed down range!"
Anti: "But its unloaded!"

Projection can be a bitch!

 

[EddieCoyle]

I had an anti neighbor (a very nice woman) that came up to me one day when I was loading my car to go to the range.

She asked me, "What is all this? I see you putting this stuff into your car a few times per week and then going out, where do you go?"
I said, "To the range."
She asked, "The driving range?"
I replied, "Nope. The shooting range. There are two rifles in that case, 4 handguns in that bag, and another two on my person. That metal can has a few hundred rounds of ammo in it."

She was clearly horrified. All she could muster was, "I can't believe there's a place nearby where you can shoot this stuff." I explained to her that there are actually 8 gun clubs within 15 driving minutes of where she stood.

I asked her if she'd ever shot a gun (she hadn't) and if she's like to come along. She mumbled something about not wanting to be a part of the "gun culture" and declined. I told her that the invitation was standing, and if she ever changed her mind, I'd teach her to shoot.

Since then, she's asked about it several times, and I think that someday soon, she'll probably change her mind and give it a try.

When confronted by an anti, I'll usually invite him or her to the range. If they decline, then I'm with Jose in the "not giving a rat's ass what they think" camp.

 

[SiameseRat]

If it gets too thick I either walk away, or ask them what would be the first thing they wished they had if they were being raped or were watching their wife or daughter being raped. If they don't say, "a gun" I know they're full of crap and walk away anyway.

It's rare though. Most people I've spoken too are either supportive, or say something like, "oh- I don't like guns" to which it's easy to say, "I understand, but if you ever want to try shooting feel free to ask me" and leave it at that.

 

[Jose]

If it gets too thick I either walk away, or ask them what would be the first thing they wished they had if they were being raped or were watching their wife or daughter being raped. If they don't say, "a gun" I know they're full of crap and walk away anyway.

It's rare though. Most people I've spoken too are either supportive, or say something like, "oh- I don't like guns" to which it's easy to say, "I understand, but if you ever want to try shooting feel free to ask me" and leave it at that.

I like that approach. Particularly the first part.

My wife was sort of an anti. Grew up in a house w/o guns. Father is a doctor, so she probably heard the guns are the evil crap.

When I bought my first gun she was horrified. I bought a Mossberg 9200 shotgun without telling her. Her horror soon passed and all was normal. Now she's all OK with it.

A week ago I was out of town and before I left I locked up my two carry handguns in my gun room. The second day I was gone we talked on the phone and she asked where the revolvers were. I said I locked them up. She then asked why, and the tone of her question led me to believe that she actually wanted one around. I said "honey, I locked them up because they are of no use to you. You do not know how to use them. I have asked you if you wanted to learn over the years and the answer has always been no. Since you do not know how to use them, and since I do not think you still have the fire to kill someone threatening you and our daughter, you are best without them."

She was kinda stunned I said that, but she said she understood. I then said to her that the door was still open to learn how to shoot, and that she needed to think about just exactly how far she was willing to go to defend our only child in the case that I am not around.

I will bring this up again in the near future.

 

[MaverickNH]

My closest buds are not exactly anti, but pretty much hear only what the media spouts. Life-long NYers now living in MA and VT.

On our last camping trip, we spent a few hours debating the issue and it kind of came down to what the 2ndA says. When pointing out that none of the rest of the 2ndA was much about anything but individual rights, they relented. The debate surged on via email, but when Parker (DC) came down, they started thinking I wasn't just a gun nut.

The NY/MA fellow has never seen otherwise and the NY/VT fellow a transplant not exposed to VT culture in the "Big City" of Burlington. But they now are questioning their first impressions.

 

[dwarven1]

Wow! That's pretty some pretty thick rhetoric! I picture an open mouth and a closed mind....

Nah, just a Bryn Mawr graduate... with a degree in the humanities. And someone who graduated high school in the Summer of Love - 1969. Don't get me wrong; I love my sister, and she and her hubby have raised two GREAT kids - but she's so far to the left I don't think she can see the center from where she is.

A Big thing I do is invite them to the range.

She's got a standing invitation from me any time she gets up the nerve to do so. I got my mother to the range, and I thought I'd NEVER see Mom with a gun in her hands. Boy, was I wrong!!

I'm hoping that when my niece gets her Liberty Trainer Rifle next year she might be able to get her mom to go shoot. My sister might take it better from her daughter than from her little brother. Who knows? We persevere - one anti at a time.

 

[FPrice]

She's got a standing invitation from me any time she gets up the nerve to do so. I got my mother to the range, and I thought I'd NEVER see Mom with a gun in her hands. Boy, was I wrong!!

Dwarven1, aka Ross, converting anti-gunners one female at a time!

 

[dwarven1]

I'll let the women on this board convert the men-folk by example.

 

[9000S]

Cold.

... I said I locked them up. She then asked why, and the tone of her question led me to believe that she actually wanted one around. I said "honey, I locked them up because they are of no use to you. You do not know how to use them. I have asked you if you wanted to learn over the years and the answer has always been no. Since you do not know how to use them, and since I do not think you still have the fire to kill someone threatening you and our daughter, you are best without them."

She was kinda stunned I said that, but she said she understood. I then said to her that the door was still open to learn how to shoot, and that she needed to think about just exactly how far she was willing to go to defend our only child in the case that I am not around.

I will bring this up again in the near future.

woooooo weeee! wowsers. Stone cold jose, stone cold. But without a doubt the best and safest move on your part. I am sure it will get her thinking about how far she would be willing to go to defend herself and your child you got. Really lays out the scenario to her in black and white.
Will love to see how that pans out. Keep us posted!

 

[Nickle]

26 years ago my sister found out I owned guns and gave me a half-hour long lecture on how owning guns was "opening yourself up to the path of violence". (Yes, that's a direct quote).

In August, I took her 17 year old daughter to an Appleseed Shoot and in September I gave her son a Ruger 10/22 for his 21s birthday.

I believe that the old saying is "Revenge is a dish best served cold". Both of her kids love to shoot. Hey, if you can't enlighten one generation, get the next.

And that 17 year old is going to ANOTHER Appleseed next month, much closer to her home.

Sooner or later, I'm going to have to visit her parents, and yup, I'm going to invite them to go shooting sometime, if for no other reason than to know how firearms work, and how to make them safe.

 

[Nickle]

My closest buds are not exactly anti, but pretty much hear only what the media spouts. Life-long NYers now living in MA and VT.

On our last camping trip, we spent a few hours debating the issue and it kind of came down to what the 2ndA says. When pointing out that none of the rest of the 2ndA was much about anything but individual rights, they relented. The debate surged on via email, but when Parker (DC) came down, they started thinking I wasn't just a gun nut.

The NY/MA fellow has never seen otherwise and the NY/VT fellow a transplant not exposed to VT culture in the "Big City" of Burlington. But they now are questioning their first impressions.

If you get them out and about up in the Burlington area, I can try to make the time to get them out with a couple of 10/22's. We can teach them a little about shooting, and maybe get them hooked.

BTW, most Vermonters don't consider Burlington to be part of the state.

 

[Len-2A Training]

And that 17 year old is going to ANOTHER Appleseed next month, much closer to her home.

Sooner or later, I'm going to have to visit her parents, and yup, I'm going to invite them to go shooting sometime, if for no other reason than to know how firearms work, and how to make them safe.

Nickle . . . and if that doesn't work, perhaps you can give them the "Eddie Eagle" lecture . . . that if they find a gun, don't touch, leave the area and find their child that knows enough to make it safe!

 

[jon]

To be honest. I don't really run into too many Anti's. Probably a few reasons for this.

1) Majored in Mech. Eng. in college. We for the most part are a logical bunch. and for the most part think guns are cool (how many purely mechanical devices are still out there). Heck I went to school with a few that were against working for military contracters, but none had a problem with guns or owning them. The few non engineer friends I had were Criminal Justice. One is a local yokel cop and the other works for I.C.E. in Miami.

2) My major hobbies all involve motors and dirt for the most part. Needless to say that hobby seems to correlate well with gun owners.

3) I work for a company that encourages obtaining an LTC. Yesterday I got to help take down a M240. One of my "bosses" was a ranger.

Of the few anti's I have run into one I shot down right off. and a few others fairly quickly after that.

the only one thats a PITA is a fomer roomate of my GF.

Female, majoried in Poli-Sci and works for the Center for Women's studies at Harvard. needless to say she is a bleeding heart liberal. also needless to say she is woefully biased and therefore uninformed. I enjoy arguing with her about things as he bias is also her weakness.

 

[Pilgrim]

25 years ago, my wife told me that she didn't want any guns in the house..and that was that. Rather than make a big deal of it and as I didn't really have much interest, money or time, I sold the one gun that I had that I brought back from Germany while in the Army. (wish I hadnt, but no big deal at the time)

Now look at her:

One day my lefty bro-in-law was over and I was showing him my AK. His response was, "Well thanks for putting another assault rifle on the streets!" He is so far to the left that after knowing him for almost 50 years, (since we were kids) I'll never attempt to convert him. BTW, he's a teacher and so is is socialist wife. [sad2]

 

[jamz]

I like that approach. Particularly the first part.

My wife was sort of an anti. Grew up in a house w/o guns. Father is a doctor, so she probably heard the guns are the evil crap.

When I bought my first gun she was horrified. I bought a Mossberg 9200 shotgun without telling her. Her horror soon passed and all was normal. Now she's all OK with it.

A week ago I was out of town and before I left I locked up my two carry handguns in my gun room. The second day I was gone we talked on the phone and she asked where the revolvers were. I said I locked them up. She then asked why, and the tone of her question led me to believe that she actually wanted one around. I said "honey, I locked them up because they are of no use to you. You do not know how to use them. I have asked you if you wanted to learn over the years and the answer has always been no. Since you do not know how to use them, and since I do not think you still have the fire to kill someone threatening you and our daughter, you are best without them."

She was kinda stunned I said that, but she said she understood. I then said to her that the door was still open to learn how to shoot, and that she needed to think about just exactly how far she was willing to go to defend our only child in the case that I am not around.

I will bring this up again in the near future.

Heh, yeah sort of like my wife. She's okay with me owning guns, but fully admits she has a nasty, illogical visceral negative reaction to guns. last week I was travelling, and I was on the phone with her, and she thought she heard a noise downstairs, which turned out to just be a door slamming in the wind.

She was only a little worried about it, and asked " Ah well, we'll be okay the rest of the night, right?"

I said "yeah, probably."

"What do you mean 'probably'?"

"I mean chances are you'll be fine. I can't guarantee it, though, what do you want me to do, predict the future? The chances of some kind of home invasion are very very low, but they are still there."

"You're not making me feel any better."

I just kinda shrugged over the phone, because I can't guarantee that she and the kids will be okay. She has a very good, reasonably defensive mindset, but cannot yet get past the point of utilizing a weapon, actual defensive violence, etc. I'm waiting to see what this develops into, as I travel every week.



As far as antis go, I don't really run into them much, except online. Most people are too polite to make a case out of it. I outed myself at a manager's leadership meeting last week, and told people that I owned and shot often, and was competing in IDPA. At the end, lots of people came up to me and asked a lot of questions about it, and seemed really interested, including my boss. We've had a couple of firearms conversations since.

 

[Chris]

My wife and I got married in 1999. I had just got my renewal under the post 1998 laws (my LTC # was 108) and realized that everyone was going to have to take a class. So... In the summer of 1999, my entire wedding party and an extended list of friends and relatives all took a basic firearms safety class. The only person who missed it was my wife's father as he was working in Prague at the time. No idea how many went on to get a license (A large Number had FIDs that were soon to expire) but it was one hell of a party.

Most anti's I run into get the "come on down" offer. Heck, when I worked in an office, my class schedule was posted under my nameplate outside my cube. I had a few people take classes, but most just either talked openly about guns, or ignored the subject. Hey, as long as they are not trying to tell me what I should do, I'm perfectly willing to allow people to dislike firearms.

As I told a co-worker about 10 years ago: "You don't like guns, I don't like golf. I won't bring up my hobby if you don't bring up yours. Now how about them Red Sox?"

 

[matt1956]

Nah, just a Bryn Mawr graduate... with a degree in the humanities. And someone who graduated high school in the Summer of Love - 1969. Don't get me wrong; I love my sister, and she and her hubby have raised two GREAT kids - but she's so far to the left I don't think she can see the center from where she is.


She's got a standing invitation from me any time she gets up the nerve to do so. I got my mother to the range, and I thought I'd NEVER see Mom with a gun in her hands. Boy, was I wrong!!

I'm hoping that when my niece gets her Liberty Trainer Rifle next year she might be able to get her mom to go shoot. My sister might take it better from her daughter than from her little brother. Who knows? We persevere - one anti at a time.

You know... I actually got my mom (Hippy, flower child) turned by addressing it as a RIGHTS issue, and not a gun issue. When I really explained the reason and meaning of the second and expressed upon her that if in the 60's the government flat our squashed the 1'st, what would she and her friends have to do to fight back?

she has actually asked to go to the range with me since then.

 

[dwarven1]

Nickle . . . and if that doesn't work, perhaps you can give them the "Eddie Eagle" lecture . . . that if they find a gun, don't touch, leave the area and find their child that knows enough to make it safe!

Well, her father grew up on a farm in the mid-west, so I suspect that he knows what end of a gun the bullet comes out of. Who knows? Maybe he's just humoring my sister.

One day my lefty bro-in-law was over and I was showing him my AK. His response was, "Well thanks for putting another assault rifle on the streets!" He is so far to the left that after knowing him for almost 50 years, (since we were kids) I'll never attempt to convert him. BTW, he's a teacher and so is is socialist wife. [sad2]

It's a shame that a TEACHER is so illogical as that. Have you pointed out to this pointy-headed liberal that the "assault rifle" is in your SAFE and NOT on the streets? Or does he think you're going to go juramentado with it in downtown Plymouth?

 

[Nickle]

Nickle . . . and if that doesn't work, perhaps you can give them the "Eddie Eagle" lecture . . . that if they find a gun, don't touch, leave the area and find their child that knows enough to make it safe!

Len, you don't know the half of it. We're probably going to turn that young lady into an Instructor, and then she can really work on them.

Some of you talk about "Anti-Gun" coworkers. Strangely enough, I've had to suffer through a couple of them. When you know where I work, and the "additional job" that is a requirement to work there, it gets STRANGER. Martlet ought to be shaking his head when he reads it, as it is the same employer, different program.

 

[doobie]

From my mom: I hate guns. Why do you need a gun? I didn't raise you to play with guns.
Response: Because it is fun to go to the range and shoot a tight grouping at 100 yds +.

From dad: Why do you need a gun? I guess I don't have to visit you anymore. I hate guns. When I was 12 I got a gun for my birthday and my mom took it away from me.
Response: When you come next time I'll take you and mom to the range.
His response: I'm never touching a gun. Your mom and I were going to take a "Police Academy Bootcamp Course" and we didn't take it because you had to fire guns.

I'm still working on my parents. I think my mom will go to the range with me when they visit. My dad will take some more time.

Guy at work: What does someone need a guy for?
Response: Because if someone is breaking into my house in the middle of the night, you think he'll wait the 2 minutes (being generous) that it takes the police to get to my house to not kill me? Or that he won't use me as a hostage when the police show up? No, I'm going to mace or shoot them if they come near my bedroom.

/Jason

 

[Jose]

Guy at work: What does someone need a gun for?

Response: the Carr brothers.

 

[MaverickNH]

Annual Homeowner's Association meeting tonight - met the one new neighbor who moved into 1 of 19 homes in our NW Bedford, NH cluster development (which is tucked into the woods). Just moved up from MA.

She had big concerns about replacing the No Trespassing/Hunting signs that ring our property - we don't have enough land to hunt on and just want to let hunters know they are coming to homes, and to keep out the snowmobiles/ATVs - plenty of trails out there without driving on our meager lands. She's been hearing gunfire every evening since moving in 6 weeks ago, so I had to let her know most of that is the trucking company 1/2 mile away throwing pallets off the dock. But some is gunfire in the distance - lots of woods up here.

From the way she kept saying she wouldn't know the sound of gunfire from other such sounds, I got the certain impression she was not a 2ndA supporter. I just couldn't help noting there were at least seven ranges within a 20min drive if she wanted to get to know what gunfire really did sound like.

Maybe I blew my cover?

I even mentioned that the local PD used to shoot informally in the woods up the road when I moved in. Once they got a call from someone who just got a window shot out and the PD said we have some men nearby who will be right over Yep - a stray shot somehow crossed Rt114, opposite the direction of fire, so the Chief had to put the nix on the site.

She was also nervous about the coyotes we hear every night - we love the sound. When I said maybe that's what the shooting she heard was - people after the coyotes (I was just pulling her leg), she seemed conflicted about whether that might be a good thing. I almost said that, with small children playing outside she might consider carrying a gun in case the coyotes attacked, but thought the better of it...

 

[Jose]

Mav, you should have gone full frontal on her. Maybe she would move back to "safe" Mass.

 

[Wildweasel]

I work in a haven of libs. (Umass) and live in the happy valley. (thankfully my hometown hasn't gone to the dark side YET,still rural enough)

I usally have to educate them on the common issues the news gets wrong on purpose.
(you know the old semi auto full auto things and mass gun laws.) and often I have heard More sensible laws! and then I tell them what a lawfull gunowner/collector has to go through now. they are often shocked.

I often also hear "Its ok that YOU have them Glenn We just don't want non- qualified people to have them." I then ask what they mean and try to interject some logic other than "I feel"

I am careful who I talk to about it and how loud, Heck the U sent out a Pamphlet a few years back on work place safety that describes most all of us here as potential work place killers. (signs- do they EVER talk about GUNs do they have GUN magazines around ? do they HUNT? )

And most of my current Male co-workers either don't shoot anymore because "the wife hates guns" or where raised in a non-gun household. I just ask the guys who wifes say no if they ever get to visit their manhood? (you know the type never get to make ANY decisions. )

One is a ww2 collector that I will be able to turn given time. (the idea of shooting the 1919 semi off the back of my ww2 jeep is too much to bear!) and I will get him his FID at the least.

I turned one of my old bosses to the good side years ago, they went from "I don't want a .22 in the house" to being an instructor and hardcore gunny.

so there is hope but it is oppressive at times.

 

[C-pher]

Guy at work: What does someone need a guy for?

I usually ask, why do people play darts? When they say, "because it's a sport of eye hand coordination," or something along those lines...I just stare at them until they get it.

I haven't run into any antis that are so adamant that they badger me about my collection. All my friends know...and thier wives will just come into my basement and just roll their eyes. LOL!

But no one ever gives me any grief over my guns...

 

[bpm990d]

And most of my current Male co-workers either don't shoot anymore because "the wife hates guns" or where raised in a non-gun household. I just ask the guys who wifes say no if they ever get to visit their manhood? (you know the type never get to make ANY decisions. )

So very sad and pathetic.

B