Took Some Antis Out Shooting

[mordechaianiliewicz]

I went shooting this weekend w/ a guy and a girl I know. Both are liberal, flowers, peace and love types. (Shoulda been in their teens in the '60s). They had the attitude concerning me "You're such a nice guy. Why do you own guns?"

But being open-minded they went shooting with me in rural Kansas this weekend. I bought along an AK, a 9mm, a Mosin Nagant, and a .22 rifle. The 1st thing I did was hand the girlfriend the AK after a short lecture on safety rules, and not crossing someone's field of fire.

She looked nervous at first, but her face lit up like a Christmas tree after she shot a little (she was hitting can and bottles set up within 100 yards after only a couple shots). Her boyfriend tried the Mosin, and liked the additonal power.

I can't say they are now rkba firebrands that will join pro-gun orgs, and arm to the teeth, but now they might question a couple of laws propossed b/f throwing blind support to them.

I started as them, an anti-gun idiot who hated firearms. Then, my uncle took me shooting. After that (and the next couple of years), I became a huge 2nd Amendment fan (once I realized how important the 2nd is, and how it stands w/ all other fundamental human rights).

I take antis shooting whenever possible. So, anyone else have a similar story? Anyone else "converting" antis.

 

[armoredman]

I wish I was as successful! Well done, sir!

 

[V4Vendetta]

+1. I congratulate you sir. I've been wanting to take some anti's shooting but I lack some things.

1. A anti.
2. A gun.
3. A range. I'm trying to build a range on my backyard but it isn't finished yet. When it gets finished, I'm inviting you guys over for a celebration. You could invite a anti if you wish, just let me know ahead of time so I can know how many people to prepare for.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Good work...we need more of this. I went to a party last night and had a discussion with alot of "Oregon hippies" (actually mostly 30 something tech workers and medical professionals). They all seemed against guns but alot did seem interested in going to the range. One was a big james Bond fan and when I told him he could shoot a Walther PPK he was very interested. Now I have a reason to buy a PPK.

 

[Third_Rail]

I too was once rabidly anti-gun.



Boy, those were my stupid years.

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

I too was once rabidly anti-gun.



Boy, those were my stupid years.

Please, do tell your experience.

Myself, I grew up in an anti home. My father is a Vietnam vet who had serious problems dealing with the war (he was drafted and didn't want to go anyway). After a short stint in the service, guns were the last thing he wanted to be around, touch etc.

I picked up this similar sentiment. Whenever I heard of any shooting incident I thought "if there were no guns, that wouldn't have happened."

I literally thought people just aren't as violent when they don't have weapons. Then, I found out from my uncle, who I'm very close to he hunts, and grew up with guns. He took me shooting in the fall. He showed the power of guns (to teach respect, an sks tearing up a patch of grass, and a shotgun blowing up a watermelon will do that).

Then, after teaching the rules, he handed me a .22 Ruger. I took my 1st shot, and I was hooked forever.

Ever since, it has been my determination to get as many people as possible to shoot. I realized something. Gun ownership survives b/c of the gun culture. Get people into the gun culture, and gun control dies. No one wants to legislate against themselves and their best interest.

England has no gun culture b/c well b/f the recent bans, no one owned guns, no culture or way of life to pass on. (The same thing is happening in Cali now)

Then, no one will question the chains that they are bound with.

 

[PILMAN]

I don't have a gun yet but I do plan to get one. I wouldn't say I was anti but I was afraid of guns for a long time mainly because my dad owned a ton when I was a small kid and wasn't exactly safe with them. In Illinois you have to have a FOID card apparently I guess to own firearms? His expired and someone reported him and he was in jail for quite a while, he was never the same after that and developed all kinds of mental problems. He's passed away now but I've taken an interest in firearms as of late.

 

[Third_Rail]

Well, my dad is a Vietnam vet as well, and my mother is retired from the Coast Guard (Lt. Cdr.). They are both of the opinion that guns cause crime, and that all guns should be banned (except for the military and LEO, of course!)

They beat that mindset into me, where it stayed until one day helping the neighbor.

I was fixing his computer (poor guy is a cripple - only survivor in the room when a boiler exploded where he used to work) and noticed what I thought was an airgun in the open closet. I asked him about it, as I loved (and still love) airguns, and to my horror he told me it was just an old .22, not an airgun.

He saw the shock on my face and inquired why in the heck I was surprised at a gun, to which I replied that I had used a .22 years ago in Scout camp, but had been banned from using it (at the request of my parents) and hadn't used one, nevermind seen one, since.

He showed me how to see that it was unloaded, etc. He taught me the 4 rules of gun safety, and with my parents' reluctant permission, we went to the range. Did he have me shoot the .22? No, of course not.

My first shot out of a gun in years was a .30-06!

I've been hooked since, but I used to think of guns as only a toy to be used at the range, nothing more.

Finding a wonderful woman, who I've since married, changed my mind on that. I now find that human life is truly worth protecting with the best means available - even if that means firearms.

And that's my story, Reader's Digest style.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Well done!

If I ever meet any anti-Second Amendment bigots in Colorado, I'll take them shooting.

 

[shermacman]

I salute you, Sir!
It is one of my favorite jobs, taking an anti to the range and seeing that grin!

 

[springmom]

Me too

I too was once rabidly anti-gun.



Boy, those were my stupid years.

LOL!!!! My son looked at me today at the range, after I'd blasted the bejeebers out of my second target, and asked "Where did my timid mom who hated guns go?"

Hubster answered: "She moved to Houston!"

When the kids were little I didn't want any guns in the house, and wasn't real happy even when the boys wanted the big super duper Super Soaker water guns. I was worried about the "culture of violence" that I saw developing in music, video games, TV and movies, and I wanted to keep them from that. I'd like to think that, even though I went too far in that direction, I may also have inculcated the rationale...that human life is far more important than the media ever shows....did get in there too.

Hubster bought a .22 pistol some years ago for a birthday present and got me to shoot that, but it was in fact not until we moved here to the Houston area that I decided that I would get a handgun of my own. I worried whether it would change me, as a person, to carry. It has. I am more confident, I walk unafraid where I used to be a frightened deer flitting from safe spot to safe spot. I do not court trouble; as an Orthodox Christian I pray daily "that we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentence" and for "deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger and necessity" and I do not wish to go looking for it. But neither do I need to fear the daily tasks of my life; I do not fear being at home, do not fear walking the dogs, do not fear walking out to the car from the store, do not fear being the last one there at choir practice when I lock up and turn out the lights. I have changed, and, I think, for the better.

My children and my husband agree.

Springmom

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Well done!

If I ever meet any anti-Second Amendment bigots in Colorado, I'll take them shooting.

Just go to Aspen and as where the nearest gun range is...you will find some.

 

[redranger1]

i was once anti anti-gun. heck i still am!!!

 

[default]

I've gone to the range with friends who were anti or at least neutral on RKBA issues a few times. Each trip was safe, educational, and fun for all. I don't know that I made any RKBA zealots in one informal outing either, but there are now several people who shot some cool guns at a safe range in the company of a sane person they knew and trusted and had a great time, and hopefully learned something. That right there is at least a little bit of innoculation against any gun-control nonsense they might encounter.

I myself was passively anti for much of my life, although I knew further gun control legislation of the types that are commonly proposed would be ineffective and counter-productive. I also liked guns in and of themselves, due to a lifelong love of military history, interesting machines, and movies, particularly ones with neat firearms. I figured, a few years ago, as long as this crazy stuff was legal, I might as well go for it. My strong belief in RKBA, for philosophical and political reasons, came later.

So might it be with any anti we take to the range for a day of shooting. Assuming the range is safe, and your guests are carefully supervised and patiently instructed, at worst you'll have some people who acknowledge the appeal of guns but still think they're "bad". More likely they will start to suspect they've been sold a bill of goods about firearms and firearms owners by the anti-gunners.