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Understanding Gun Culture

3K views 34 replies 22 participants last post by  GLS_1956 
#1 ·
"Gun Culture" is a huge term used to cluster anything to do with guns and shooting sports together. Sometimes I forget how absolutely HUGE this "culture" is and how many people it includes. For example you have all these sub-groups; hunters, hand loaders, target shooters, collectors, survivalists, professional shooters, casual everyday gun owners, CCW holders, and cowboy action shooters. The list is ever expanding and includes people that just own a gun for protection but don't consider themselves as part of the culture. All of these are part of the "culture". The sub-groups surpass religious, political, gender, race, and social boundaries and yet we still view some of the groups as a little bit crazy.

I bring all this up to start a dialogue between the sub-groups. What does your group offer the Gun Culture as a whole? What group hurts the others the most? How can we bring others who are not shooters into the fold? What about the gun culture bothers you?
 
#2 ·
From the perspective of someone living in the UK I have always viewed the term 'culture' with regard to the millions of American people who enjoy shooting as a derogative term invented by the media and 'liberal' anti gun crowd. In fact the term as used, has no meaning in my copy of the Oxford English Dictionary. In my view 'fraternity' would have been a better term, but of course it does not carry the same intonation as 'culture'.
fraternity .... body of men associated with some common interest etc etc .. Oxford Illustrated Dictionary.

I do believe the use of the word culture should be avoided.
 
#3 ·
I think we can work with that. Culture may not be the best term but its the most used over here. I thought of using "brotherhood" or "family" but culture seemed to fit better.
 
#4 ·
Oh well, "Fraternity" implies a Segregation by Sex, and that is also NOT applicable to our 'Hobbies', and even that term is not fully inclusive of all who partake in the Enjoyment of Firearms and their related subjects.

There are so many of both sexes who have enjoyed 'Gun sports' down through the Decades, we should look for a Term that is both inclusive and not pejorative in connotations.

The Anti-Firearms 'Crowd' seems to like using "gun culture' in a Negative manor, ignoring inconvenient facts and emphasizing some misstated Statistics to move their Agenda forward.

What I think is: I am a Long time 'Gun Comfortable none LEO' person that still tries to get out to the Range monthly to 'exercise' one or more firearms using my Hand Loads to put holes in Paper at various Ranges, now sadly reduced due to my aging body no longer tolerating multiple Hundred Yard walks over uneven terrain.
I have limited my hand-loading of late to Small capacity and Small caliber cartridges as I am limited in the amount I can spend on components (Powder is Expensive and so are primers and bullets suitable for my purposes but a pound of powder goes a Lot Farther as charges of 1.2 to 2.0 Grains than in charges of greater size. and things like 44-40 and 30-06 both need bigger charges and more expensive bullets to provide Accuracy even at my current ranges out of my firearms.

I can Thank my Father for introducing me to Firearms early in my life and instilling his respect for them SAFELY Handled and used. He Spent time with me and involved me in 'club competitions with both .22LR and CMP Center fire Rifle and Pistol competitions so I learned to appreciate accurate placement in a timely manor in order to meet the match requirements.

Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
#5 ·
I simply enjoy target and tin can shooting and casting and reloading.
I can't stand golf, don't really care all that much about watching sports on TV....unless it's too cold and rainy to go to the range or reloading bench in the garage.
Never considered it a culture...just a hobby. Like fishing. Are fishermen considered a culture? I don't know, think I will go resize some brass.
Gary
 
#6 ·
The liberals frame the debate through their media accomplices. That's where these terms originate. The enemies of freedom devise the most derogatory labels in an effort to impugn our beliefs.

How many times have we heard the term 'the gun lobby' or 'reproductive rights'? The true terms are 'the gun rights groups' and 'the abortion lobby'. The second amendment is found in the 'Bill of Rights' after all.

I make a concerted effort to use the correct terms when debating or opining, not those that the media conjures up.
 
#7 ·
An exhaustive definition of the word culture:

1cul·ture
\ˈkəl-chər\
noun
: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, place, or time
: a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.
: a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)
Full Definition
1 :cultivation, tillage
2 :the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education

3 :expert care and training <beauty culture>
4 a :enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training
b :acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills
5 a :the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations
b :the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also :the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture>
c :the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line>
d :the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic <studying the effect of computers on print culture> <changing the culture of materialism will take time — Peggy O'Mara>
6 :the act or process of cultivating living material (as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media; also :a product of such cultivation

I dont think the label gun culture is necessarily negative, we just percieve it as so because it originated with the anti gunners and it is often used it in a negative context. Pro gun could be spun as pro violence, patriot as lunatic, terrorist, or cultist.
In the end, i suspect the phrase gun culture, is being used to infer that gun owners were raised or taught to believe a certain way and that we can be retrained to see things their way. It also diverts attention from the constitution and our rights by implying a social system rather than being a major part of our system of "check an balance".

Walt, good idea for an interesting thread. Bet you didnt think it would revolve around one word. :eek:
 
#8 · (Edited)
The media has made the term gun culture negative by adding negative adjectives in nearly every report.
I don't like being described using that term, I'm a gun person, hunter or competitive shooter.
Don't let them label us, they control the conversation through controlling the language.
 
#10 ·
Fantastic post/thread, Walt:

I grew up in Brooklyn, where only the scum have guns, and moved to Florida 20 years ago. I'm 58, a JEW (but hardly a real Jew), and only got interested in firearms two years ago, and as of now, only own two guns.

Where does a guy like me fit into a "gun culture?" I want to hunt Burmese Pythons in the Everglades, and not shoot cute and furry things. I want to go to the range. And I want to feel safer in my home.

Classifying me as being part of a "gun culture" makes no sense. You can't paint everyone with the same brush.

Plus, I'm a horrible shot!
 
#14 ·
IraRat,
Chuckling, it takes practice, and more practice to change from a beginner 'poor shot' to an experienced and capable shot. If you practice Safe Handling of your firearms, you should not shoot your toes in the mean time.
Good luck on your Python hunts.
Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
#16 ·
I grew up with firearms. My great uncle was a gunsmith and gun collector. He used to take me out several times a year along with a trunk load of guns and ammo and turn me loose. My grandfather was a hunter and shooter that taught me gun safety and hunting. He was very seldom without a gun in his hand or on his belt. My father was a big bird and squirrel hunter that took me with him all the time. All these people were big fans of firearms and hunting. We have sports fans, golf fans, tennis fans, basketball fans and baseball fans. All types of fans denote positive impressions. Seems to me that I should become a GUN FAN.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I look at gun enthusiasm as a way to bolster my individual freedom.

I like the shooting sports as a fun family hobby in which to spend some of the best quality time together with my wife and kids better than any other family activity except for camping and hiking.
I also enjoy hunting deer although I must admit that I hunt archery 95% of the time compared to rifle but I spend a lot of money for hunting and shooting gear and supplies so I guess you can say my efforts stimulate the economy along with millions of others who enjoy spending money the same way.

My family is also big into personal protection which is a no brainer when thinking of our founders common sense original intent of the second ammendment.
It all boils down to freedom, fun and survival.

I say survival not because I hunt to survive but in the past many had to hunt to put food on the table....now days it's all processed, packaged and in several varieties in any given store but I prefer to fill my freezer with as many deer as possible during hunting season to have the best meat for my family compared to the unknown crap we are eating from the grocery store.

I don't cnsider myself part of a gun culture....I consider it part of normalcy, the way America was founded by real men with real guts with an understanding of personal freedom because they k ew what tyranny could do they formed the greatest enemy to tyranny by countering it with individual freedom with each individual committing 100% to the cause.

One thing I refuse to do is litter my vehicles with retarded gun stickers, bone collector deer skull and antler stickers to let everyone know how bad *** I am.
Sorry it just screams immaturity to me.....I'm sure people are proud of their right to keep and bear arms and like to tell the world where they stand but after growing up and thinking more like an adult I decided that it's pretty cliche to do the bumper sticker thing, plus most of the time when I get flipped off, cut off or tailgated by some maniac on the highway....9 times out of ten they have a jacked up truck with ghetto wheels and deer antler stickers plastered all over it next to their " salt life" and " Glock" stickers while they listen to pop country music blasting about how they're taking their drunk girlfriend to the lake to drink, screw and spit tobacco cause they're cool like dat.....GAYYYYY!

Thanks morons for making us all look like yahoo idiots......LOL.

As far as sports...Id rather hunt, fish and shoot cause I don't want to contribute to professional ball players who run around acting like animals off the field and get paid big money to play ball for money, not sport.
Sports in America has become nothing but a big money industry and I can't contribute to those overpaid primadonnas.
 
#19 ·
I'm not sure I could articulate it any better than this other than the bumper sticker thing, I don't have any because I prefer to keep a low profile, it doesn't bother me if anyone else does though, it's a mark of the novice which we all were in the beginning.
Ditto on the pro ball sports with the exception of girls beach volleyball...ha..ha
 
#23 ·
Walt 45

Thanks, I was wondering when "GUN NUT" would surface. I have called myself that for the past 20 plus years, if not longer. some people hear that and think it is derogatory, I consider it an honor.. I am also one of those (Pronoun People) that hate those PC people.

(it took me years to convince my wife that "BI#$H" was a term of endearment. She thought I was a "BIKER" when we met) Long story!!! (that's a inside joke between me and my better half to those with no sense of humor)

anyway, with the anti-gun media out there, we are ****ed if we do and ****ed if we don't.

Just my 2 cents
 
#24 ·
I am very proud of my American culture, and a portion of that was secured by, and is defined by, the gun. Whether or not there is a separate culture around guns themselves, I couldn't say, but I am 100% positive that guns are integral to the American culture I was raised up with.

How does my handloading, shooting, hunting, and defense of home, family, God and country contribute to the American culture? Well, I believe with all I am that the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, is a divinely inspired document. I further believe that the 2nd Amendment is there to ensure all other amendments can be secured.

One way I contribute to American culture with my use of guns is by helping fund conservation with Pittman-Robertson excise tax dollars. Another way I contribute is by raising my children up with a knowledge of firearms, such that our freedoms might be retained and our leaders might be constrained.
 
#28 ·
Broom, that deserves a double like. But i could only press it once...

As for me, I just love to shoot, Period. Rifle, pistol, shotgun, doesn't matter. I like to hunt, but do not because of the addittional hassle of finding a place around here that is not crowded. I can spend hours at the range and only wish the clock would slow down and ammo would magically appear. I would go paint balling in a blink if a few guys my age were going. Hence the screen name I chose.
While, I would defend the life and liberty of family and friends with a butter knife if need be, i have no aspirations of overthrowing our government, playing vigilante, or taking on hordes of zombies. I just really would rather be out in the woods, in a field, or at the range with gun in hand on a nice sunny day,,, than sitting here on the couch typing this. Its just too dark out right now. ;)
 
#31 · (Edited)
I noticed it's usually a friendly community among people in the firearm enthusiast community. Just meeting new people at the range every time you go is nice. I can't make a trip down there without some guy talking my ear off half the time I'm there lol. But it's still nice. Get a lot of knowledge and help out there. I belong to a bunch of groups. I'm a small time hunter, I go plinking and paper punching, I collect firearms, I'm a reloader and more. I guess you could call me a hobbyist. It's something I really enjoy doing with my spare time. When I'm at home watching TV, you'll find me sorting through range brass or preparing brass for a reloading cycle, Or I might be cleaning a firearm. I'm always doing something related to my firearms. I even enjoy paintball and airsoft myself. I'm really liking some of these new airsoft guns they've come out with that run on Coleman propane. They give you a close feel to a real firearm and I can shoot biodegradable bs in my backyard without spending much money at all on "ammo". I haven't gone to a paintball match in a few years now though. I still have all my gear tucked away in storage though. Might have to try and drag it all out sometime.
 
#32 ·
Gun Culture, Gun Fraternity, Gun Society or Gun Nut. I don't know which applies, or which doesn't. All I know is that guns and shooting have been part of my life as long as I can recall. I pulled my first trigger at age 5 or 6. Dad held the revolver, a .22, in both of his hands I stood between his arms and got to reach around and pull the trigger.

Dad grew up on a Kansas farm in the 1930s and 40s, guns were a part of his life growing up. Then he went off to serve in WWII needless to say firearms were integral to his life then. After the war dad came home, went to college married my mother and started a family. Dad also continued to hunt, shot competitive trap and just bought guns because he liked them. He considered them art, which they are and beautiful pieces of engineering as well, which they are as well.

His three children, all of us boys, were taught to shoot and were taken hunting, hunting was used to teach us the value of life by the way. We grew up, I grew up, with guns being an every day fact of life, nothing extraordinary, nothing uncommon.
 
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