Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns confused and concerned

I have shot and owned alot of handguns in the past six years,guns that range from .22's to the 30-06 encore.I carry a glock 19 in and it usually stays locked in the truck under the seat because I dont need someone to see me with it and cause any problems(I have a permit).I have been wondering to myself if I should just sell my handguns to avoid a problem.This might sound stupid to some of you but I have felt this way for a while.I dont think that everyone needs to do this I still think that you should own whatever guns that you want as long as that you are a safe and ethical person.I dont know why I am bothering you guys and gals on this board about this,I think that I just needed to vent my feelings about it.I have no intentions on dropping my pistol permit intirely but I really cant see were they are needed in my life at this moment.I tried the handgun hunter thing but it doesnt get me going anymore like it used to,for one I cant get my confedence up because I am not as accurate in hunting positions as I need to be(I do pretty good off the bags I dont have treestand that doubles as a benchrest either).I dont have any real resons to feel like this just something in my gut.I guess that I need to here from some of you guys and gals to see if I am the only one or not that feels this way.sorry about my long ramblings and thanks alot for listening!!!<P>P.S. I still love to hunt and shoot so its not that I am just growing tired of those things just the handgun part that is making me wonder.

I personally will keep all of my guns, long and short. That said I don't know what kind of problems you are talking about, if you have a ccw permit just keep and carry what and how makes YOU comfortable and don't worry about other people. It's none of their business. Here in Fl. the only caveat is to be discreet, showing or flaunting is called "reckless display" and is a misdemeanor. That's why it's called a "concealed carry permit" nobody is supposed to know you have it but you.<B>Never give up a right, you never know which one will go next.</B><P>------------------<BR><B>T LEE</B><BR>Remember: There is no such thing as OVERKILL. Just a generous margin of SAFETY! <P><B>APATHY.....Freedoms greatest enemy!</B>

<BR> Swamp it really sounds as if your suffering from "induced guilt" concering your handguns. Its what happens when sensitive careing people are bombarded from all the anti-gun tripe that the media invades our homes and lives with.<P> We have a whole generation being raised now being taught that guns are inherently evil, the whole while these same kids are being completely insensitized to violence from the same media *****'s whom have sold their soul's to violence and the gun in order to make a buck.<P> Imagine the kind of hypocrite that say's they hate gun's yet will sit thru a movie like "The Matrix" enthralled with all the firepower and bloodletting.<P> If you are concerned you dont have the temperment to own a firearm thats your business. But make your own mind up, dont let yourself be brainwashed. You havnt done anything ; You shouldnt feel guilty about the crimes other's commit..........10

Swampfox, not sure if I entirely understand your reasons. The handgun hunting part I understood, but not the part about potential problems. I�m assuming you mean if someone sees your Glock and calls the cops on you? <P>Anyway, not to feel alone. I grew up in sunny SE Florida where it is pancake flat and high power rifles are not really needed or used too much, so I was a handgunner from way back. Before they enacted the carry laws there in �86 I carried a .45 mostly legally under the seat but occasionally in a briefcase (strictly a no-no in those days). Never needed it but where I lived and worked it was NOT being paranoid to have one.<P>Now living in a tiny town in Idaho. Got a concealed carry permit but I never carry except for the rare early morning trip down the highway due to my on-call status to fix some computer problem. The rest of the time, why bother? Chances of violent crime here are practically nill. Is this somewhat similar to your reasoning? I see you live in Fulton NY. I lived in Utica (actually 16 miles south in Bridgewater) for a few years and again, personal violent crime was not a worry. <P>As to hunting, for the past few years I�ve noticed that the front sights on my revolvers have been getting fuzzier and fuzzier. Where I used to be able to pick off a ground squirrel at 75 yards with the .41 Mag, now it�s all I can do to hit a brightly colored soda can at 50 yards with the Ruger .22. Been working more and more with scoped rifles instead.<P>So now I have a safe with 12 handguns of which I only use three on any consistent basis, the Ruger .22 target pistol for plinking, a Ruger .45 Blackhawk carried when hiking through the forest and a .45 Kimber in the nightstand (which realistically I need about as much as meteorite insurance, but it does feel nice in the car console at o�dark thirty going to the �big city�). I�ve thought about selling off the rest and have actually had them on a table at a gun show, but only sold one.<P>But recently I figured, why sell them? Do you need the money? Are they in the way or posing some hazard? Talking specifically about your Glock under the seat, what would be the consequences of someone seeing it? They could sic the cops on you but it�s a legal carry, isn�t it? Even in safe Idaho, we had a woman run off the road and beaten almost to death on the freeway about 10 miles from my house at 3:00 AM � which is why I carry that Kimber. So who knows when you might need it? Better to carry it for 20 years and never need it than to not have it that one time in your life when it would prove invaluable.<P>Before this gets too long, I�d just say to hang onto your handguns. I�ve got mine well oiled in the gun safe and there they will stay. Remember when the price of assualt rifles went sky high? Who knows when another stupid gun law will come up � banning or restricting the new acquisition of handguns with barrels under 5� or something? You might sell them then and turn a tidy profit. Or just wait and sell them 20 years from now. They are not as profitable as a dot com stock, nor as volatile, but they keep their value at least against inflation. And who knows, you might change your mind and then you�d be thinking, damn, I sure wish I still had that good old so and so. Among my handguns are three S&W�s that aren�t made anymore. I searched long and hard for excellent examples of each, I doubt they could be replaced for twice as much as I originally paid.<P>Don�t know if any of the above applies or coincides with your thoughts but just wanted you to know that you aren�t alone in thinking them.<P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Jim in Idaho (edited April 25, 2001).]

Swampfox,<BR> <BR>As with any decision involving personal rights, you should do what you feel is right for you. But 10point made an astute observation, you seem to be suffering some kind of guilt feelings for possessing and legally carrying a hangun. My feelings are exactly the opposite, I would feel guilty if I did not possess and carry a handgun. Why?<BR>Because I am skilled enough in its use, that it could save my life, more important, one of a member of my family, or that of someone unknown to me who was being attacked. I hope that unlikely situation never develops, but if it does, I certainly don't want to be thinking, "I sure wish I still had my gun", when it occurs. And don't forget, merely the display of a weapon stops the biggest majority of potentially serious situations before they go past the threat stage. It is your call, but don't let the uninformed and unarmed public's opinions sway you into making a decision which could be fatal to you or someone else.

Hey guys thanks alot for the answer.10 nobody is getting me down about it all of my friends are shooters and my family doesnt care if I have one or one thousand.I went out to do some plinking with my 22 and it made me feel alot better.I guess that because I hadnt been shooting in a while it made me feel like they werent needed anymore.I have been really busy(trying to buy our first house and my wife is getting close to her due date-first child) I sold my 44mag to buy my encore and that just added to the"guilt trip"so to speak,I figured that if the 44 was good the 06 has to that much better WRONG.The only thing that happened was that I got rid of a gun that I loved and could shoot really good for one that I couldnt shoot worth a damn(not the guns fault mine WOW DID I SAY THAT)So after my shooting session I went to the gun shop and traded my glock and my encore in on a 11/87 and a ruger super blackhawk 44.Yea I lost some money but that is what I had before and I was alot happier.One of the reasons I bought the encore is that in the southern part of my state it is shotgun or handgun only so I thought that with the encore I could really reach out and touch them,but I got kicked in the a** on that one!I still have my 357 to ride around with and to keep for protection so I will be happy at least until I go to that damn gun shop again and see something else I want.Its a good thing my wife doesnt know,but then again she wouldnt know if I brought a different gun into the house anyways!Thanks guys this helped alot,so will the 44 holes at the range tommorow heheheheh!!!

<BR> If you really need some excitement buy a .454 Casull. Now that will pump you up..........10

I shot a woodchuck today............I feel so much better!!!!!!!!

swamp-you may be going through new baby wonders or anxiety. Make no rash decisions or sudden moves now. It will all work out. I too am waiting on our first, and that is my motto.

Swampfox, I am glad you worked through your issues. Your family is a hundred times safer with you carrying that without.<P>Ever wonder how many stupid people really love the W. Harrelson movie "Natural Born Killers"? Probably more than a few. And there are stupid folks everywhere, all the time. You never know. I'm sure that Mc Donald's in Killeen, TX was a nice quiet spot to eat lunch for many years until craziness came calling...someone like you could have given the suicidal ba$tard what he came for with much less loss of innocent life. I, too, carry daily, and I am in the middle of Iowa. <P>But we have gangs, drug wars, and bad boy wannabes here same as anywhere, and though it has been awhile (5 yrs) since I have had to, twice I nearly had to kill another person who was endangering me, threatening my life. Both times the appearance of a largebore pistol in my hand caused the BG to suddenly remember a pressing engagement elsewhere. Thank god.<P>But both times I had 2 or 3 pounds of squeeze on a 5 lb trigger.<P>My question: Why O Why did you sell your Encore?!?!? I LOVE MY .454!!!<P>And .223...and soon .300 Whisper...<P>Regards,<P>Jonesey

JONESEY,I have read some of your other posts(handgunning turkeys)thanks for the reply. O.K. back to the question I sold the encore because it scared me to shoot it(I am not afriad to say so either-so mabye i am a big puss)and I really missed my 44.The places that I like to hunt dont give much more than a 75 yard shot so I dont need all that power.The encore is a very nice gun but not my cup o tea.I wuold love to have a super blackhawk in 454(among a long list of other things)for the bears but my 44 will have to do(just bought our first house and have our first child on the way next month)see you later keep in touch