Do people just have no clue about their guns?

Question

Based on some of the question on here I would have to say that there are peopel who own guns that have no bussiness owning them! I'm NOT saying its not your right, NOT saying I'm anti gun. I am saying I'm for safety for safety sake. Anybody else?

Based on some of the question on here I would have to say that there are people who own guns that have no bussiness owning them! I'm NOT saying its not your right, NOT saying I'm anti gun. I am saying I'm for safety for safety sake. Anybody else?

Wow this is agreat response, better than I had hoped. It looks like just about everyone understood what I was saying. I wasnt saying "there should be a law" however. I feel that everyone should be able to own a gun and further more, if you think that mayyybe someday you might possibly want to own, or even fire a gun, you should take a safety course and get your permit before its made impossible for the average person to get a permit. Yes I do think those days are approaching.

What made me ask this question was a posting I saw in here from someone asking what they should do because of a part on their gun that wasnt working correctly. This person went on to say that even after finding it wasnt working as it should they continued to fire that gun! Maybe I'm just a little picky, but I would never. But then again I'm one of those who doesnt store loaded, cleans after every use, and has a humidity controled gun safe. Yes it is simple to operate a gun. But theres so much more to owning.

KNight in burnet... I really felt I needed to reply to you. You are right. I have to say it. And I think that yes the purpose of "yahoo answers" is to help someone, no matter the question, and to take it a little farther I should say I think that you are right, it is our responsibility to help the person out who doesnt know that answer.

Answer 1

Nick, I have asked myself the same question.
But, the reason they ask those questions is to learn.
I have spent hours on my belly, working with novice shooters.
in the Corps I instructed kids on the use of weapons.
As long as they ask and I can help them understand what they are doing and hopefully keep a few alive, I figure it's worth it.
It's the questions that seem too stupid to answer, that need answers.
Don't you agree?

Answer 2

Bound's hubby here:

First, I am surprised with some of the questions I see here. It is not that they are dumb. It's just that the people are demonstrating (or admitting) that they don't know something. As a teacher I pound into my students that the only dumb question is the one that is not asked.

There are four components to gun ownership: safety, operation, effective use and maintenance. As a number of the answers here just indicated, many of the participants believe knowing how your gun works is all there is to gun ownership.

Safety should be second nature. It is not something a gun owner should even have to think about. Safety should happen just like breathing... it is a reflex action.

Operation can be learned from the owner's manual quite easily. This has been reflected by some of the gun owners/forum participants that are addressing this specific question. Sadly, a talented primate could be trained to load and unload a gun (this is not an insult, this is an emphasis of a wrote process). Operation is simple, even a caveman could do it.

Maintenance is like operation. You could either learn it from a book or a patient mentor that is familiar with your firearm. Maintenance of a firearm should be reflective just like bathing yourself.

Effective usage of a firearm takes time, patience, practice and skill. Very few people are naturals that can place the shot exactly where they want it, first time and every time. There are two types of shooters... those that get a gun and think they know how to shoot and those that have been taught by people that knew their sport and the firearm.

What this question highlights is that some people here do not have the patience to take the time to either learn the sport and the firearm properly or they do not take the time and exercise the patience to teach the novice the sport and the firearm properly. The questions we must ask ourselves are: how much do we really know about what we're doing when it comes to firearms and how many people have we properly introduced to their firearm and our sport.

We can't condemn those who are willing to ask questions to understand, but we can police ourselves to give the best answers we can within our skill and experience. Only then can we appropiately build our ranks and continue to enjoy the rights that we hold so closely and cherish.

Good luck and teach someone how to shoot safely!

Answer 3

It is my belief that every gun owner should have to take some sort of safety awareness class before the first gun is to be owned by them. I have seen many times at the local gun range unsafe practices that have unfortunately lead to the death of a shooter once. I cannot express enough gun safety, even to children. I have exposed my daughter to firearms and she knows what they can do and has no curiousity about them anymore but knows not to touch Daddy's guns. There should be a requirement of a completed safety class before being able to own a firearm. If then the person is does not use safe practices all I can say is "You can't teach common sence"

Answer 4

Gun ownership comes with a commitment to safety and responsibility. That basically goes without saying but it's best to remind folks frequently.

It's too bad our schools and government agencies don't think like they did say 100 years ago, when firearm safety and marksmanship were encouraged and taught in schools and as part of civic functions. At one point in our history, Americans were the second-best marksman in the world (the Swiss, as a nation, have always and always will be #1...shooting is a religion there!).

You statement is where I start to object. When people see a wrong today, they automatically say stuff like "Well, there should be a law.....".

As soon as laws about the eligibility for gun ownership start, that's when your God-given rights to defend yourself by owning the tools for this purpose start to erode.

It becomes a "privilege" at that point that the government "grants" you and it's no longer your right.

Answer 5

I have owned at least one fire arm since my father gave me a .22 rifle on my 8th birthday. I have always been frustrated by news reports about a officer's "service revolver" (when it was a semi-auto) or a perpetrator using a automatic pistol or rifle when it was a semi-automatic. We are as a nation becoming more and more ignorant about practical facts and shifting out knowledge to such things as what celebrity married some other celebrity. Who could possibly care!

Answer 6

I think there are alot of people on here who don't have any business owning guns. However, with most of the questions that are asked by people who have no business owning guns, I think it's quite possible that the gun was probably a family heirloom, or something like that. If these people do use the guns, then I hope they know which end the bullet comes out of.

Answer 7

What is there to know about guns? Most people get all of their knowledge from Hollywood, which ignores realism for the sake of action. But usually guns come with instruction books. It not hard to read. And most everything beyond that -for example realizing that they're not toys- should be common sense.
P.S. I'm just getting into shooting. It doesn't seem like it takes any advanced knowledge. I have no idea how people can be so ignorant.

Answer 8

In some case I do not think these people are gun owners but rather are interested in becoming gun owners.
I really like that most people in this little corner of answers usually try to be helpful and not abusive.

to DCI-row if you lack an instruction manual fora gun contact the manufacturer they will usually send you one free

Answer 9

I have wondered the same thing. I have guns and hunt quite regularly and would not be caught dead in the woods with many of the people on this forum.

Answer 10

To many people have these old hand me downs that their grandfather or father left them and they don't have a clue what it is or how to use it.Also way to many have firearms that haven't ever shot one and don't know what to do with it.Ownership of any firearm is a big responsibility.Safety is the first rule to learn before operation.After you learn safety then its time to learn the function or operation of the weapon.