this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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The shift in public perception on weapon ownership when they see actual tyrany in america is very interesting. Ive been 100% pro gun and have gotten so much backlash from family and friends for being so. I dont even own a gun and to me it has been obvious that the government and media were using mass shootings (not actually commiting them as far as we know) to disarm the people.
There are and have always been such a large number of safe, moral, and sane gun owners in this country. Normal people who target practice, hunt, shoot competatively, design guns, modify them, defend their homes, study weapon history, or even just put them on display. It baffles me that anyone could be so against normal hard working americans doing no harm whatsoever.
Not a single person I spoke with was ever against owning a car when I brought it up. I was always given the same "its not the same thing". The common denominators in vehicular violence and gun violence are mental health, education, and financial status. I dont want to compare numbers on how many people are killed in either situation because it does not matter. Human lives are lost everyday needlessly to both of these. But only guns get talked about.
Curious to know if you or anyone else have recently become pro gun, or have you always felt this way?
I'm fairly left leaning, in the US I'd own a weapon. But only because of how much they are a part of life there. Living in a country where gun ownership is the exception, I'm only pro gun in the sense that I like things that go boom. What I like more is the relative certainty my neighbor won't pull a piece on me on a bad day and we don't have to kit schools out with dystopian crap like panic rooms in case some deranged lunatic rolls up.
Dont know if youve been to the US or know anyone here personally but guns are not as prevalent as you might think. Theyre definitely "around" but id imagine many people could go their whole life without seeing one. Obviously you have states like texas where they have an open carry day, You can see people walking around with rifles and ARs. But not including police officers, and millitary personel. I just dont see them. Your paranoia is justafied tho, we definitely see the worst of humanity often enough.
As an American, I largely agree, but had a story that's related.
We had someone in town for work from another country. He asks us if we carry our guns with us or keep them in our cars, because he really wanted to take a look and maybe go out shooting since his home country would never let him anywhere near a gun and that was like the one top "American" thing he wanted to try while he was here. None of us in the group actually had guns on us, in our car, or at home. This sincerely seemed to baffle him. We gave him an explanation much like yours, that the prevalence of guns might be a bit exagerated in the media, but guns rarely make an appearance, and when they do we generally also get pretty nervous because it's so unusual.
Well this discussion was just coming up on lunch and so we go to drive him to somewhere to eat and we get outside and he asks what all those noises were. "Oh, that's gunfire from the shooting range across the road, we kind of forgot about it and tune it out because we always hear it on days with nice weather".
They're only a part of life for the gun fetishists, who only really sprung up after the assault weapon can was overturned. If you are not seeking them out, in most states, you don't see them ever.
I'm not a recent pro gun lefty. I grew up in a rural area with a gunsmith father. I've owned firearms in the past sorta kinda, but recently picked up an AR and 9mm.
Nice, my grandpa is a gunsmith. I met alot of really nice people through his buisness. I guess that gave me a unique perspective on this debate. Being from north east USA not many people ive spoken to have aligned with me.
Congrats on the purchases I was considering getting a 9mm for home defense in my new location. But ive also been considering less lethal devices since most violent encounters my family members (grandpa side) have had were de-escalated by simply brandishing their weapon. Also my SO is very anti-gun Id want something even shed feel safe to have around or in the worst possible case use.
You could always try a .22? Still fairly lethal, but a lot less intimidating. Air rifles are another option. You can do some damage with them too.
I think anything that uses real amunition would probably freak her out if i showed up home with one. Air rifles are a good idea but they are slow to pressurize and the air cartridge ones dont seem to have the needed stopping power. Great suggestions tho im going to keep looking
What about a shotgun loaded with rocksalt? Non letal but everyone would stop whatever they're doing as they'll be writhing in pain on the floor
Im liking this, but this would still require a long discussion with the lady. Ironically i used to shoot glass marbles from a paintball gun and the stopping power on those was amazing i peirced a aluminum sheet metal shed with those. I wish theyd sell something similar but it not be a war crime to hit someone with.
Since you bring up the car analogy, would you be OK with normal people who target practice, hunt, shoot competitively, etc carrying liability insurance for the weapons they own?
I wouldn't mind liability insurance for guns if it's similar to car insurance. Car insurance only covers about $30,000 per person injured/killed, maxing out around $60k per incident.
Unfortunately that low payout amount also means coverage is near useless. Especially when insurance coverage doesn't go to the victims but to other insurance companies.
Car Insurance is Too Cheap
Absolutely, and like sports cars and trucks having higher costs. I believe single fire, burst action, and shotguns would have a lower cost than fully automatic or heavier caliber weapons would. Its relative destructive power would determine its cost to maintain a registration.
They are luxury items after all, no person really "needs" a weapon. Even with government tyrany, molotovs, home made liberator pistols, and the killdozer come to mind as more than viable alternatives.
Automatics and other weapons and explosives already require heavy tax stamps and long approval processes. I've also needed a weapon multiple times in my life in multiple states. I suppose people who live in a sheltered utopia may never need one but I certainly have, along with many people I've known including my father. Wildlife, humans, wild dogs even in cities (pepper spray isn't a guaranteed deterrent, but I go for switchblade first with sidearm as backup), etc.
I know but they were asking specifically about liability insurance. and I summed up the total cost similarly to that of a vehicle as "maintaing a registration" sorry for the confusion.
I wrote this later on in the conversation. It probably seems contradictory but, Im with you man, you cannot be too careful nowadays, but I do strongly believe all of the mentioned situations (except wildlife) do not require a weapon of the caliber i was describing in reference to the liability insurance. sometimes a less lethal option would have been completely viable options. However in the case of animal attacks such as bears, dogs, wolves and coyotes. A slighly higher caliber would be necessary hence why you often see park rangers and handlers with .45/.50 on their hip.
What would you recommend for less lethal home defense? An another user suggested a shotgun with loaded with rocksalt, which has me looking into different non lethal cartridges. This seems like the best option for me and my antigun gf. Im looking for something she could wield in a worst case senarion im not around.
I already carry a quickdraw knife (cant and shouldnt carry a switch in my state) Example of the quickdraw with no springs https://youtu.be/PfIXVvwFnQo