A Co-Worker Wants to Go Shooting

I'm writing this, because today a co-worker asked me to take him shooting and I hope to have a story like like the one Countertop Chronicles posted.

Countertop tells us he converted one or more people to gunniehood. If anything makes me think we are winning back our gun rights, it is the growing number of people who are buying and shooting guns. These people overcome the many impediments that stand in the way of any new gunnie. Let's look at a few of those impediments:

Federal Law: Federal laws on gun ownership are onerous. Just the fear of breaking a law accidentally may be enough to convince people to stay away from guns.

State Law: State laws vary from lax to incredibly strict and one must take lawyer-like care to not break any of them. Bruce of mASSBackwards has been waiting 100 days for a gun license that Massachusetts state law declares is to be given in 40 days.

Society: Too many people see gun ownership as anti-social if not down right creepy.

Media: Though part of societal opprobrium, the media demonizes guns at every turn. Every Tuesday Alphecca assembles a "Weekly Check on the Bias" post. He includes positive stories, but anti-gun stories far outweigh the positive.

Places to Shoot: As we've become more urbanized, there are fewer places to shoot. Gun clubs are hard to find and sometimes harder to join. Public ranges are expensive and there are too few.

Cost: Jeez, this is a big one. Guns aren't cheap and ammo costs more than it should. If I were getting into guns now, I would think twice about paying $500.00 for a quality handgun and $10.00 to $15.00 per box for practice ammo (if I were buying a self-defense gun and not a plinker).

The fact that so many people hurdle these impediments is heartening.

I work in Massachusetts, and almost all of my co-workers are gun fearing liberals of the first order. The guy whose going to the range with Bill and me is a history buff and a bit conservative--at least compared to the rest of the office. He knows I collect historical military arms and he's always wanted to handle and shoot these weapons. Now he will have his chance.

I'm debating what to take. I have an M1 Garand that’s a must for him--he specifically asked if I had one. Bill has a 1903 Springfield that'll probably go. Perhaps, we’ll do a World War II theme and include my K-98, and my Mosin-Nagant. Then there’re handguns to consider. Oh the decisions, the decisions.

I hope my co-worker enjoys his shooting time. My ulterior motive is to get to join the Nation of Riflemen. I’ll even help him wend his way through getting a Massachusetts gun license (shudder). I’ll let you know how it goes.