I am pro gun control, but if I was in the USA, I’d have a gun. No sense being caught without one when the bad guy appears with one.

Mostly, I enjoy target shooting as a hobby. Hunting is big in my area as both deer and feral hogs need to be culled.

I also feel there’s a greater chance of widespread civil unrest than most people understand, and that folks in my area will likely have to defend themselves to some extent if it breaks out. For various reasons, the people who are most important to me aren’t likely to be prepared for that, so I figure I should be ready to some extent.

Florida

I didn’t ever want one until Trump threatened Canada and now I’m getting licenced. Just in case. That and winter survival training refresher. Hadn’t done any of that since Scouts long ago.

I’d still die but maybe I last 20 minutes longer.

Shooting clay pigeons on the farm is fun, and sometimes a pest needs taking care of.

Everyone I hook up with always asks if I have protection so I figure I might as well get some. 🤷‍♂️

Firearms for defense are for eliminating an imminent threat. Over a year ago now, I estimated that an imminent threat of some kind was not out of the question. I didn’t know exactly what then, but I could feel it in my bones. I live in a reasonably safe almost rural area; my estimation was based on the political climate. I am sad to say that I am only more certain now that I will need to eliminate an imminent threat at some point.

Although I didn’t know what an imminent threat would look like, I felt it was important to have a firearm then because if you wait until you need a gun, it’s way too late. I wanted to acquire, practice, make sure everything was working properly, practice, take classes, practice, get the right holster, practice, get comfortable, practice, stock up on ammo, and did I mention practice?

Im American. All the people who think the laws were never meant to apply to them already have more guns than I have friends. And when they die, their likely rotten kids will get them. I can either accept that I live in a country where only terrible people have guns(this includes the cops). Or I could do something about it and take my sefety into my own hands. Really simple choice at the end of the day.

I hunt. I also like to shoot at targets. Currently looking for my next gun that is going to be used for long range bird hunting. Thinking of a 6.5x55SE (6.5 sweedmoor :)) because it’s actually cheaper than anything other than 22lr and handgun cartridges over here in Scandinavia.

Been thinking about getting into hand loading because my .338WM is quite expensive to shoot but that will probably have to wait for next year.

I’ve been called the f word a few times since the election so I’m not going to become some homophobe’s victim

I don’t have my firearms license yet, but I’m planning to get it soon. As for why I want guns (and why my dad, and my fiance and her family own guns), they’re for hunting, pest control (mostly rabbits and possums), and target shooting.

1. A gun is useful tool for acquiring meat in a sustainable way. Shout out to venison!

2. I am a trans woman. There are a lot of armed right wingers that would love to see me dead. They can try, but I’m not going to give them an easy time of it.

I like shooting as a sport. Not into hunting but hitting targets is fun.

I grew up in a family of overly-armed suburban conservatives, so inheriting a significant number of guns was always a given. A few pieces have sentimental value tied to the relatives who originally owned them. I don’t use any of them, though. Hunting never interested me. Target shooting is fun once in a while, particularly trap and skeet, but I have too many other priorities vying for my time and money. If I were to get back into target shooting I would switch to archery.

need? no need. want/have? I tinkered and shot target with my (now passed) stepfather and we bonded over the science and nerdy parts of it. do i carry? nope.