Guns, Guns and More Guns

I got asked today why it is that I will go for a week or two with only Ramen noodles for lunch just to be able to buy a new rifle or pistol. (Mainly rifles, I am from the school of "My pistol holds 10 rounds to enable me time to reach my rifle or shotgun".)

My answer is this:

Everytime I buy a firearm, I am asserting the fact that I am a free man.

Think about that.

No.

Really.

Think about it.

There is nothing freer than a person who is holding a firearm. And I don't mean that in the "I can just shoot them if they try to make me unfree" sense. A responsible person with a firearm has the freedom to provide for themselves in a way that no other person in the human experience has ever had.

They can provide hours upon hours of entertainment at a relatively low cost. I reload. It cost me approx. 40 cents per round to shoot my .308. Let's say I go out to the range for 2 hours, with unlimited cartridges and fire an average of a shot every three minutes for a total of 40 shots. Here is how that breaks down in cost:

40 x .40 = $16.00
16.00 / 120 = approx. $0.11 per minute

Now that is an ENTERTAINMENT VALUE right there.

That same person can provide food for the household.

Look, we all know that vegetarian is an ancient word for "poor hunter". Last season I was able to not only provide for my family, but had enough to give to my mother, my poor, pitiful, city-dwelling brother, and still have enough to donate 50 pounds to the local food bank. I also have a very cool set of moccasins that represent my first tanning experience.

Now the biggie: That same person can provide for the defense of home and hearth.

I am a veteran. A combat veteran. I have been shot at. I am quite allergic to it. Makes me sweat all over. I have seen firearm death, both accidental and intentional. Believe me when I say that it is not something I ever care to see again.

I am also a husband and a father-to-be. This places on me certain responsibilities that go beyond diaper duty (or should that be spelled "doody"), foot massages, holding a job, and cutting the grass. I am personally responsible for the safety and well-being of my family. This means, that yes, Mr. Goblin, if you decide that you want any of the cool little toys in my house, you will NOT get them. I will hold you at gunpoint while my wife calls the police. If you move before they get here, they will call the coroner while I am calling my attorney.

And there you are, why I buy, own, shoot, maintain, talk about, lust for, and yes, in a weird inanimate object sort of way, love firearms.