This iReport is part of an assignment:
Gun ownership in America
Why I own guns.
Owning a total of four guns at the moment, he says they are mostly for hunting purposes and that he has a handgun strictly for self defense. "I personally believe it is my job to protect myself and my family and to ensure that I have the tools, equipment, and skills necessary to do so," he says. "We need to make the laws we have work for us, not just try to make new ones."
- Anika3, CNN iReport producer
I am a gun owner, and I own not only one gun but four different guns. Each gun has its own unique purpose and roll. I have a muzzleloader that is my primary deer hunting weapon, it is a single shot weapon that is very accurate to 200 yards and allows me eat healthier due to venison being so lean and to save money by purchasing less beef. I have a 20 gauge pump action shot gun that serves as a wonderful deer gun in thick growth areas where my longest shot would be about 75 yards. It also doubles as home defense weapon with its excellent stopping power and an easy to aim red dot scope; either my wife or I can grab it and be confident in the event of an intruder. My third gun is a .40cal handgun which is 100% for home and self defense. I purchased this gun when I came back from a tour in Iraq. I had always known that there was a chance I could be caught up in an armed robbery or something similar, but when I came home it really hit me that I was more at risk in my own neighborhood due to not being armed than when I was in Iraq. I have the concealed carry permit for my state and I do carry. One thing the Army taught me was that you can never be over prepared, because no matter how well you plan things out, nothing ever goes entirely according to plan and you have to be ready to respond. My fourth gun is a youth sized single shot 20 gauge shot gun. This was my first “real” gun, or a gun that was not powered by air or a spring, and it will be my daughter’s first gun as well when she is old enough.
Now, many would call me a gun nut and dangerous person for owning just one of these weapons. Many more would gnash their teeth and shake their fists for owning all four. Add in that I am already planning on teaching my child to use and respect guns and now I’m just plain insane, right? Wrong. The reason is simple; guns do not kill people, people kill people. I own and carry guns to prevent people from killing me or my family, and to provide cheaper and healthier food for us. I agree there should be limits to who can own a gun; however one thing that I have seen firsthand is that no matter how hard you try, if someone wants a gun, they will find a way to get it. So make smart laws that are simple to enforce; make anyone who buys a gun go through a background check to ensure they don’t have a history of violence, bar the sale of fully automatic or silenced guns unless the purchaser has gone through an additional background check and federal licensing process, limit access to high capacity magazines (over 30 rounds for semi-automatic rifles and pistols) to those who have a federal license. But one thing that should not be done is to try and take away the guns of the many who do the right thing because of the few who decide to do the wrong thing. You never know, I could be the person saving your life the next time one of these sick and disturbed people surface.
Now, many would call me a gun nut and dangerous person for owning just one of these weapons. Many more would gnash their teeth and shake their fists for owning all four. Add in that I am already planning on teaching my child to use and respect guns and now I’m just plain insane, right? Wrong. The reason is simple; guns do not kill people, people kill people. I own and carry guns to prevent people from killing me or my family, and to provide cheaper and healthier food for us. I agree there should be limits to who can own a gun; however one thing that I have seen firsthand is that no matter how hard you try, if someone wants a gun, they will find a way to get it. So make smart laws that are simple to enforce; make anyone who buys a gun go through a background check to ensure they don’t have a history of violence, bar the sale of fully automatic or silenced guns unless the purchaser has gone through an additional background check and federal licensing process, limit access to high capacity magazines (over 30 rounds for semi-automatic rifles and pistols) to those who have a federal license. But one thing that should not be done is to try and take away the guns of the many who do the right thing because of the few who decide to do the wrong thing. You never know, I could be the person saving your life the next time one of these sick and disturbed people surface.
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