cool45auto
Member
The ones you read, that is. Seems like everytime I go to BooksaMillion to look at the latest gun mags I get some strange looks. Yeah, they're looking at Playboys and the like but I'm the one getting the raised eyebrows.
Are you afraid to look at gun magazines?
- Thread starter cool45auto
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Justin
Moderator Emeritus
Gotta learn to enjoy it.
You haven't had fun until you've sat in a Barnes & Noble cafe in New Jersey reading a copy of American Handgunner and drinking a latte'.
You haven't had fun until you've sat in a Barnes & Noble cafe in New Jersey reading a copy of American Handgunner and drinking a latte'.
Mark Tyson
Member
I think I'm going to try that.
HogRider
Member
Optionally you can carry open (if legal in your state) - I can almost guarantee you nobody will raise an eyebrow because you are reading or buying gun magazines.
The weird part is that most newsstands around here (SF) don't even sell gun mags. I have to go to the big chain stores to buy them (B&N, Borders) - and even then their selection is usually small.
Even the ones that have Playboy on the rack sometimes don't have any gun mags.
You're right though, the clerks are usually pretty timid when buying them.
Even the ones that have Playboy on the rack sometimes don't have any gun mags.
You're right though, the clerks are usually pretty timid when buying them.
son of a gun
member
When you see those eyebrows raising blurt out "that's just like my machine gun." they usually will get the hell out of ther lickidy split.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I've noticed when I buy gun magazines at my local Barnes & Noble, the clerk doesn't insist on seeing my driver's license before accepting my check, whereas if there were no new issues in the racks, some of the clerks can be very annoying.
tcdrennen
Member
I haven't been in a Frye's electonics/computer store (a Kali chain for you Easterners ) for a while but one of the things I've always liked about them was the GOOD selection of gun mags displayed right along and equally with all the others in their (fairly big) magazine racks.
) for a while but one of the things I've always liked about them was the GOOD selection of gun mags displayed right along and equally with all the others in their (fairly big) magazine racks.redhead
Member
Several years ago (pre-911) I had purchased a copy of Shot gun News while out of town. While I was waiting for my flight home in the airport departure area, I pulled it out of my carry on bag, and started thumbing through it. While I was doing that, the folks deplaning started walking past me. Most didn't pay any attention, but one man stopped very close to me, turned and stared for a few seconds, then walked on. Hm. Maybe I shouldn't be reading at this in an airport - there might be questions for me. Oh well.
A while ago, I had just gotten my new copy of American Handgunner, and took it with me while I went to get the oil changed in my car. While I was waiting and reading the magazine, a mother with two young daughters, probably 6 and 8, came in and sat near me. One of the little girls whispered to her mother: "Mommy! Pictures of guns!" They both were very wide-eyed. I didn't say anything and I think the mother was a little embarrassed, and shushed them. It was almost like I was reading porn in public.
A while ago, I had just gotten my new copy of American Handgunner, and took it with me while I went to get the oil changed in my car. While I was waiting and reading the magazine, a mother with two young daughters, probably 6 and 8, came in and sat near me. One of the little girls whispered to her mother: "Mommy! Pictures of guns!" They both were very wide-eyed. I didn't say anything and I think the mother was a little embarrassed, and shushed them. It was almost like I was reading porn in public.
45-auto
Member
I choose to live in a small, rural kind of setting where rifle racks are common in pickup trucks and people take a week off for elk or deer season.
Nobody gives you a second glance if you're thumbing through a gun mag in the grocery store.
Now, if you were reading some propaganda from PETA or wearing a Handgun Control T-shirt, you would probably draw attention.
Nobody gives you a second glance if you're thumbing through a gun mag in the grocery store.
Now, if you were reading some propaganda from PETA or wearing a Handgun Control T-shirt, you would probably draw attention.
Dionysusigma
Member
Happened to me once in a bookstore. I was flipping through one when I noticed someone staring at me. It was my mom (who's an adamant anti) When I looked back down and saw the page I had stopped on, it was a story about AK-47s (which also didn't help the situation.) Me: "Just remember, I'm on your side." She sighs heavily, groans, and says "Just keep them away from me."
Parents. And she's the one with marksmanship medals from summer camp when she was 12!
(PS: She claims her medals were won "Back when [she] was young and stupid." *sigh* )
When I looked back down and saw the page I had stopped on, it was a story about AK-47s (which also didn't help the situation.) Me: "Just remember, I'm on your side." She sighs heavily, groans, and says "Just keep them away from me." Parents.
And she's the one with marksmanship medals from summer camp when she was 12!(PS: She claims her medals were won "Back when [she] was young and stupid." *sigh*
)Mulliga
Member
I was afraid of looking at them when I was under 18 (cause technically you can't buy one if you're under 18, so why are you looking at it?).
Now I read them without fear. I usually just go on down to Borders/Barnes and Noble/Books-a-million and get a pile of them and skim through.
Now I read them without fear. I usually just go on down to Borders/Barnes and Noble/Books-a-million and get a pile of them and skim through.
Mastrogiacomo
Member
Mothers can be like that...my mother wants me to get a better job and be able to take care of myself. Well, as a woman seeing what unarmed women go through, I'm looking into a better job in armed security for the income -- no one's really hiring, I don't care what people keep saying about the economy turning around. With that income, I want to buy more guns -- just for the heck of it and return to martial arts, this time maybe an Israeli style.
Hopefully, I'll get a full-time Federal job in time. I'm going for the Homeland Defense Certificate program at Curry College -- the only such program in the country and want to continue to take whatever classes, firearm related or not, to make me a stronger candidate. Think she'd be happy for me? Supportive? "You're really serious about this Chinese thing, aren't you?" "Ah, gee Ma -- what gave it away over a ten year period?"
My father has a handgun she doesn't even know about. I have five -- three of which my father is aware of, all five my mother's in the dark about still. Boy will they both be surprised...
You can imagine how she feels seeing me look at guns on the Internet -- I can't even find them in stores near where I work. Talk about a boring lunch break...
and return to martial arts, this time maybe an Israeli style.Hopefully, I'll get a full-time Federal job in time. I'm going for the Homeland Defense Certificate program at Curry College -- the only such program in the country and want to continue to take whatever classes, firearm related or not, to make me a stronger candidate. Think she'd be happy for me? Supportive? "You're really serious about this Chinese thing, aren't you?" "Ah, gee Ma -- what gave it away over a ten year period?"
My father has a handgun she doesn't even know about. I have five -- three of which my father is aware of, all five my mother's in the dark about still. Boy will they both be surprised...
You can imagine how she feels seeing me look at guns on the Internet -- I can't even find them in stores near where I work. Talk about a boring lunch break...geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Just 2 hours ago...
I'm waiting in line @ KMart, and my 2 year old, who's sitting in the cart, ignores the sesame street coloring books and cosmopolitans, and instead snags a copy of "The ultimate 1911 guide" (or something like that) off the shelf and starts flipping through it looking at all the pretty pictures of handguns.
I got the
from the sheeple behind me, whose 14 year old daughter was reading Cosmopolitan, to which I replied "at least my daughter has good taste in handguns"
I'm waiting in line @ KMart, and my 2 year old, who's sitting in the cart, ignores the sesame street coloring books and cosmopolitans, and instead snags a copy of "The ultimate 1911 guide" (or something like that) off the shelf and starts flipping through it looking at all the pretty pictures of handguns.
I got the
from the sheeple behind me, whose 14 year old daughter was reading Cosmopolitan, to which I replied "at least my daughter has good taste in handguns"BerettaNut92
Member
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I can't read
Actually no I never get any weird looks...not more than usual at least.
Actually no I never get any weird looks...not more than usual at least.
Don Gwinn
Moderator Emeritus
Uhhhh. . . . no. A good rule in life is to try not to do anything solely for the purpose of either avoiding getting "funny looks"--or to provoke them.
If you like reading gun magazines but you're afraid of what strangers will think, try to articulate why you care what they think.
If you don't really like reading the magazines all that much, but you do it to flaunt them in front of people who can be counted on to be outraged, you're a poseur. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's for your own good.
If you like reading gun magazines but you're afraid of what strangers will think, try to articulate why you care what they think.
If you don't really like reading the magazines all that much, but you do it to flaunt them in front of people who can be counted on to be outraged, you're a poseur. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's for your own good.
10-Ring
Member
The last time I had to go on a business trip I bought 3 or 4 mags for the trip...man did I get the looks! I don't mind the looks
I don't mind the looks
Justin
Moderator Emeritus
Don-
I was trapped in NJ for 3 months with nothing.
nada
zip
Not even a single-shot air pistol.
Do you have any idea what it's like going from shooting at your school range once a week, as well as indoor practice in your apartment with an airgun to absolutely nothing?
I do believe I nearly went mad.
The gun rags and their pretty pictures were all I had...
*sniffle*
I was trapped in NJ for 3 months with nothing.
nada
zip
Not even a single-shot air pistol.
Do you have any idea what it's like going from shooting at your school range once a week, as well as indoor practice in your apartment with an airgun to absolutely nothing?
I do believe I nearly went mad.
The gun rags and their pretty pictures were all I had...
*sniffle*
twoblink
Member
I hear that in TX, a gun magazine and playboy WAS the same thing
BryanP
Member
Are you kidding? The reason I don't subscribe is because I enjoy the looks I get when I buy them. Of course down here I can get a decent selection of gun rags at the grocery store.
PromptCritical
Member
Just last month I was on a plane reading G&A. The chick next to me noticed what I was reading but gave no indication that she had a problem wiht it. What really annoys me here in Kali is that you're more likely to find a copy of "High Times" than any gun magazine. It's absolutely ubsurd.
Tamara
Senior Member
In Cleveland, Georgia?!?
Are you sure they're not just trying to read over your shoulder?
Wildalaska
member
In Alaska they sell Hunting Books in the Safeways.
Last week I ran over to the local yuppie/greenie/liberal/lefty/intellectual used book hangout(hey hows that for generalizations!), ie Title Wave Books (by the way you can find them on the web it is a fantastic used book store) to see if they had a Pynchon I was looking for, whilst bending over evidently the butt of my BHP was showing (one of the few times Ive even carried a full size recently), one of the pierced nose/tongue sales girls walked by and said "Your HiPower is sticking out", I said thanks and walked away, later wondered...hey how did she know it was a Hi Power....
Must be those shelves of used Gun Books
WilddontletemfoolyaAlaska
Last week I ran over to the local yuppie/greenie/liberal/lefty/intellectual used book hangout(hey hows that for generalizations!), ie Title Wave Books (by the way you can find them on the web it is a fantastic used book store) to see if they had a Pynchon I was looking for, whilst bending over evidently the butt of my BHP was showing (one of the few times Ive even carried a full size recently), one of the pierced nose/tongue sales girls walked by and said "Your HiPower is sticking out", I said thanks and walked away, later wondered...hey how did she know it was a Hi Power....
Must be those shelves of used Gun Books
WilddontletemfoolyaAlaska
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