Is it time to talk about guns?

I'm thinking of getting one.

I thought about because I went to REI. And then, remembered bears.

A little background... I've been in the wilderness before; probably more than most people... but this was when I was 14 or 15.

Well, now I want to be able to take my wife to San Gorgonio or Joshua Tree, and that's it. Not other places, just those two. Or maybe over near Point Mugu on the southern California coast.

And I thought, then realized it may be completely and fully appropriate to bring a gun for bears.

Now I'm thinking about it more and realizing that there may even be the need for safety from other campers.

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Anyway, the store recommended a long gun but I'm thinking about that and I'd rather have something easier to wield.

The problem becomes my red flag checklist. I'm a firm believer in gun background checks, but I don't know if I can pass one.

When I tried to join the military, they declined my card saying with a false imprisonment (yes, I'm a **** douchenozzle...) on my record, while technically not a violent crime, they still couldn't issue a weapon because it's coded as a domestic violence issue.

And so I told the woman who was tending the counter, "brown & black, gun" and she understood and said "7mm".

But I want a handgun instead.

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Gun safes are neat, but I think I'd like to store it out of the house. I want a locker for it somewhere, but I don't know if that's a thing.


Anyway, you can fully restrict the ability of someone like me to get a gun and there are other options.

But bears are a pain.

 

Here is the one I want. smith-wesson-model-629-revolver.jpg (1200×450) (sportsmans.com)

One of the problems with some of these guns is the way my mind interprets or perceives the weapon itself.

Is it chrome, like "50-cent" the rapper or something (I don't know if 50 has a chrome one... )?

Is it long or short? Is it black & brown, silver, or black? What is my "ethos" (not the Starbucks water that is also named "ethos") when I interact with that gun? Do I think I'm a hero or a villain?

To me, it's a little like wearing a wristwatch. Do I want it to be a metal band, or a leather one? (Mine is a "Mickey Mouse"-ish leather band).

Am I trying to look intimidating?

How I interpret that gun, is more important to me than how anyone else interprets it. It's the exact opposite of choosing what kind of car I drive; which is largely determined by how it looks to everyone outside the car. I'm not aiming for a luxurious interior then...

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That's where I think we are on guns. And when it comes to that, what do I understand about the AR-15? It's a controversial weapon now...

Perhaps reinventing its design would help improve perceptions of it...

As you see from my discussion of perception above, I value functionality. And the weapon I chose is practical. I'm not controlling for recoil when I'm killing a bear. And the gun is smaller. It fits in my hiking backpack better than a different one.

Maybe a more practical, and less "intimidation-oriented" design is in order for the semi-auto rifle lines.

 

Who are you again?

Fine, we're done here.
I appreciate your honesty about being in a news bubble and thus ignorant of not only the other side of the story on what you're being fed but also the stuff that one side avoids telling you about. That puts you at about 25% knowledgeable in the complex issue sphere, at best.

So what you think of as your opinion, those of us who hear both sides call a halfpinion.

Which is a pity because you seem like a smart guy. And a nice guy to know in person.

But since you don't take news stories and political issues seriously then we have nothing to debate. Talk to me about motorcycles or something that interests you enough to look into what various viewpoints on it are. Maybe hiking, backpacking, the wilderness. Anything but politics and political issues like guns and election integrity which you're so stubbornly one-sided about.

 

But FOX isn't news, it's opinion.

 

I suggest you join a class on self defense and firearm proficiency and safety before you choose. There are many considerations beyond those you've mentioned. Ownership carries with it a lot of responsibilities and dangers which would be of utmost value to you prior to wielding. Plus if you're going to survive an aggressive encounter, reflexes have to be developed ahead of time.

There are education and training opportunities all around the country. Google firearms training along with your area to see what comes up then you can start inquiring.

 

Fox is clearly delineated into two sides, one side is news and one side is opinion.

The opinion side gets the attention from the left leaning outfits outfits, particularly CNN, who like to bash them (it goes both ways, Fox opinioners bash on CNN too).

 

I wish it were that simple.

My life is so weird... I just feel like it's a true issue of personal safety and peace of mind.

But I fully understand what you mean. I've only ever been camping like that for 3 or 4 days in San Gorgonio and 7 in Joshua Tree when I was an adolescent, then for 7 & 14 days in Northern Idaho and Montana when I was almost 15.

that was ages ago.

We saw moose, and a bear (one animal, not several, and not often, no...). Then every now and then, you read there was a mountain lion attack in southern California, and always someone is bitten by a snake.

As another example, in the context of surfing, there are constantly issues with sharks.

What are the odds? Similar to lightning strikes.

But I like to feel that I'm protected in the event of disaster, and I'm more in control of the situation of a grizzly or unruly group in the wilderness.

I would rather be comfortable and share my lean-to. I would like to cook and feel safe that a bear doesn't smell it. But that's not me.

I respect your decision though to ultimately not need that level of protection. I wish it weren't so darn complicated for me.

But if I end up with a mountain to climb, I think I'll keep a gun; for bears more than hikers, whose behavior is much easier to misunderstand than that of the grizzly, who is easier to understand.

 

The real issue with a gun vs. bear situation is that you need to see and decide to kill the bear before he even knows you exist. Otherwise you'll just piss him off and they'll know which bear killed you because of the gunshot wound.

 

It has two sides because one side is opinion; and the other is pure stupidity which is puked out by idiots who never finished high school.

 

Yeah... I don't watch CNN


FOX is opinion though, and even FOX admits they are entertainment... Not news.

 

I noticed the guy in that picture is dark or Black. Why don't they test the contraption on some P.O.S. Republican Trump supporter who wants guns to use against the rest of us?

 

My feeling is that I'm not really safe, and the sleeping bag story is a possibility in my heart and mind; whether or not the odds support the conclusion doesn't change the fact for me.

I thought about where I will holster it, and I'm feeling like a nice chest holster would be cool, if there is such a thing.

You're definitely right about the backpack straps though. You're also right about keeping it in my pack... that's not fast enough.

If ever you get a chance, gauge the impression you get when you look at someone's car who has roof bars on or a bumpersticker laden back window on their car expressing om, namaste, and patagonia, or REI...

I'm not getting that they're a serial killer, no... But I don't put it beyond them to resort to something outlandish either.

Further, it isn't only them, or even really or necessarily them I'm worried about. What if I am followed?

The "what ifs" are really paranoid, and if I have so many concerns one could argue perhaps I should stay home.

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I posted this here not only to participate, but also to offer my perspective on the overarching issue of gun ownership.

I also feel there is a genuine rational fear, and a danger of wildlife attacks.

I fully understand however that this is not the popular route, and respect everyone's decision to try and live a normal life without packing heat as it were...

Thank you!