Is gun ownership an addiction?

[OddBeMe]

Two thirds of gun owners say they own multiple. Why?

Yes it’s an addiction

No it’s not

A total of 36 votes were cast: 5 girls and 31 guys. See detailed results

[Anonymous]

Dunno. I don't know a ton of total gun nuts that try to own as may guns as possible. Everyone I know who owns a gun also only owns as many as they need. Either only enough for self defense, or enough for self defense plus some for hunting.

I do know one person who's an exception to that though. He's amassed a ridiculous collection of guns, gun parts, gun accessories. Duplicates of the exact same gun even. He's also a hoarder of everything other than literal garbage, so it could easily be argued his problem is not necessarily an addiction to owning guns specifically. Without his more generalized hoarding problem, he might have ended up being a totally normal gun guy. He certainly was before he developed the hoarding issue.

[OddBeMe]

I will say “gun nuts” aren’t the ones committing most gun crimes. So I’m not totally against arsenal owners, I just want to understand. Then thread the needle on gun control.

[Opinion Owner]

I'd agree with that. I don't understand the drive some people have to amass guns either, but I don't think it's inherently an issue, just odd.

[OddBeMe]

You’d think they’d want to be out in front of gun control. Let some safety regs cut down on needless killing and you can keep your goddamn arsenals.

[Opinion Owner]

Yeah... I've heard a couple people try to argue against that point. Dunno how I feel about the arguments though.

[FreyaRed]

2/3 of tea drinker have several sorts of tea in their kitchen. Why?

[OddBeMe]

Interesting point. I guess I could see hunting rifle, handgun, shotgun- like flavors of tea…but some of these guys have multiple types of handguns. That’d be like having multiples of a certain tea flavor and never drinking them.

[Jersey2]

Black tea comes in many different flavors but everyone has their favorite. So at the end of the day they may have several handguns such as a.32, .38, 9mm, .45. The.32 is a pocket gun so they can carry it when wearing shorts on hot days, the 9mm is for inside the waste band carry, the.38 is an old cop gun that was cheap and its fun to shoot, and a.45 because that is what they used in the Army and qualified expert on. Anyway, those are my handguns and my reasons. I only carry the.32 and 9mm. The 9mm is the only gun in my house loaded and I do not keep a round chambered even when I carry just to cut down in accidents. I will simply take an extra second or two to chamber it which may cost me my life.

[Jersey2]

Oh, and I rarely carry. Only when I am in an area I don’t trust.

[HighValue]

There are legitimate reasons to own multiple.

1 long range scoped rifle. (only necessary for hunting and in the case of riots or war.)

1 medium to long range iron sight rifle for quicker target acquisition.

1 shotgun. Though powerful at short range, just the sound of racking a round in one often ends the threat, preventing the need to actually use it.

1 loaded handgun in every room of the house because you can't choose where you will be when a criminal breaks in. (Think restroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, near computer desk.) That is 6, plus more if there are multiple restrooms or bedrooms.

1 smaller handgun for conceal carry.

So 10 + is reasonable.

[OddBeMe]

“A loaded shotgun in every room of the house”

Yeah, no issues there.

[RebelinSteel]

If they are proficient, trained in the use of each one, fully understand safety, have them controlled in regard to access by others that are not fully trained, then not a problem. It is when you are not proficient, are not fully aware of safety for each weapon, let others have access to them, that is then when people should not be allowed to posses weapons. Also if you infringe safety or legislation on one you lose the rest. Nothing wrong with owning multiple firearms.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

My military dad has a large collection.

Throughout the years, he's been handing down some of his precious collectibles to me and my brothers.

I certainly will take good care of them because they have sentimental value to me.

My brothers feel the same way too.

A few times each year, we'd all "fire away" in the shooting range with dad to show him how well we've been maintaining his gifts to us and how good we've gotten with our shooting skills.

We all have a deep respect for firearms and, despite our arsenal, we would not encourage others to buy guns unless they have been well-educated to generally handle them properly and have the discipline to stay away from conflict and violence.

[OddBeMe]

Collecting hobbies are obviously addicting. And really don’t have anything against fun collectors. Theyre not the ones shooting up schools. Their kids might be the ones to steal an assault rifle from the unlocked shelf. Lol

[DeeDeeDeVour]

We all have vaults for our collections.

[BoopBoopBeep]

Same reason chefs have multiple knives or carpenters have different hammers. I don't actually know anybody that has multiple of the same exact gun. May look like that to non-gun guys, the same way I bet all my hammers look interchangeable to most people.

[OddBeMe]

That is if you use each gun for a specific purpose. You may think you do, but 99% of the guns life is you whacking off to it…

[BoopBoopBeep]

Yep... and sometimes i whack off to redheads and sometimes i whack off to blondes...

[jamesgoldman]

I don't know but you need guns for different purposes

I'm English where the main line of legal firearms will be farmers who generally have 3, a shotgun and a rifle for pest control and a bolt gun for putting down livestock that has to be destroyed

[TenderFantasy]

People collect things. From stuffed animals to books and video games, board games. In this case, they're guns.

[Jersey2]

It’s an interesting hobby. Guns can be a lot of fun. Gang bangers kill but they don’t know much about guns as they just borrow a stolen one and shoot it without much practice or thought. Its not the guy with 10 guns you should worry about. Its the kid who never owned one legally with something to prove or the mentally unstable.

[OtterMan68]

For some, it's a fetish: the people who post photos of their arsenal or post Christmas photos of their well-armed family in front of the Christmas tree (Nothing says Peace on Earth; Good Will towards Man and Happy birthday, Jesus than an AR-15)

For most it's for protection or sport, and some collect antiques. The rest as I said - it's a fetish.

[MemeSupreme]

that shit probably like pokemon cards for some peeps

[wHolLyGoTgodgods]

Most people like to collect guns being that law didn't permit it , you needed a permit but now you just can't be a felony and you collect them and you have to be of age or gun laws in the United States is flexible now.

[Drewtate]

Home defence, target shooting, hunting, conceal carry, back pack gun, vehicle gun may all require a different gun or guns.

[Drewtate]

It's like how a fisherman might own multiple rods.

[matchrestore]

I don't know many people that own one or two guns. They either own none or a dozen or more it seems. Sounds like a compulsion to me.

[Joshydavid25]

Some people just like to collect them just as things like car models, or action figures.. Or they like to make sure they are able to defend themselves well..

[strateguy632]

addiction is like smoking cigarettes... that is nothing like having a few guns for hobby or self defense or even a collection.

[Juxtapose]

No.

Wanting to surrender your right to defend yourself along with everyone else's is an addiction to an abusive, authoritarian state, however.

[Sevenpointfive]

one gun against the democrats isn't enough. what happens if your neighbors have to shelter with you? do you have a gun for them?

[normalice]

It is an addiction to the delusion of self reliance, yes.

[strateguy632]

smoking is addiction. addiction doesn't mean bad. everybody smokes.

[Dargil]

It's a Constitutional Right. I'm addicted to the Constitution. So, Yes.

[Redstang88]

Same reason I own more than one tool or pair of shoes

[Kingofkings1992]

Are people who own multiple cars car addicts? Are people who own multiple pieces of furniture addicted to furniture? Are people who have more than one kid addicted to having kids? See how silly your logic is?

[exitseven]

I say no but I am currently looking at assault rifles to add to my arsenal

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

No but anyone that has more than 7 guns is probably mentally crazy to an extent.

[OddBeMe]

7 is awfully specific. Any reason for 7?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

1 handgun to carry.
1 handgun for the car.
1 handgun for the house.
Shotgun to inflict some serious damage in a close distance.
1 rifle for hunting if they are into that bs.
And two different assault rifles with 30 round magazine just in case if you assault rifle jams.

[disgustingweebtrash]

Gun ownership is a good thing. Even Marx said that arms and ammunition should never be surrendered by the people.

[msc545]

Fear can be an addction. That in turn leads to too many guns sometimes.

[goaded]

A feeling of power, too, I imagine.

[Zestyassmf1997]

Different firearms serve different purposes.

[ShadezMcgee]

No it isn't.

[serenalovesramen]

i want a gun