Anyone meet opposition from family when deciding to purchase a gun?

[harrisonpainter]

My wife was very much against me having guns around the house until she was assaulted at Keystone at the Crossing a couple of years ago. A guy grabbed her purse and drug her across the parking lot right in front of our kids.

Today I am proud to say she has her CCW and is a better shot than I am!!!

 

[mtgasten]

My wife was very much against me having guns around the house until she was assaulted at Keystone at the Crossing a couple of years ago. A guy grabbed her purse and drug her across the parking lot right in front of our kids.

Today I am proud to say she has her CCW and is a better shot than I am!!!

i think you mean LTCH! lol and good for her! thats a scary story im glad she now has the means to protect herself!

 

[harrisonpainter]

LOL, yes, I meant LTCH. I've been doing some research for a blog post on CCW laws across the country and have it stuck in my head.

 

[churchmouse]

Glad the wife survived and the kids are OK. Does she carry in her purse??? you know where I am going with this.

 

[Slapstick]

To answer the OP's question, yes but a divorce fixed that problem.

 

[davedolli]

All my family is pro gun, and all my wives and girl friends past and present are also.

Dave

 

[harrisonpainter]

Glad the wife survived and the kids are OK. Does she carry in her purse??? you know where I am going with this.

Thanks. It was really hard on the kids, and there are some emotional scars we are working through with them. My oldest daughter is still really scared going in and out of malls, but at least she is more aware of her surroundings, something most kids don't even think twice about today as they are plugged into their iPods.

Oh, and no way, not in the purse.

 

[marcweid]

I think you really need to respect your parents wishes on this. As long as you are living with them they have the right say no. I have to assume since you are living with them you don't have unlimited income. So if you are spending any money on something that they strongly oppose that would not be good. This will only strengthen thier feelings about guns.

I grew up in a house that was totally anti guns. Even though my dad is an army vet. (He says this is the reason) We had no toy guns or anything that looked like a gun and couldn't even play cop and robbers. I had many close friends that went shooting with thier dads and I never understood what was so wrong (I still don't). I did however always respect thier feelings on the topic. Now I own to many guns to count and even just bought my six year old daughter her first one last week, which I then emailed a pic of her and her new gun to them. I also go out of the way to were an INGO, Kimber, Colt or 2A shirt anytime we go out with them. I even open carry when we go out with them. I normally cc but just like to rub it in know that I can.

Point is respect them while you rely on them. When you can fully support yourself then do whatever you want.

 

[Mark 1911]

My parents did not have guns nor anyone else in my family, with one exception that my dad had a .22 bolt action rifle which I have now. Despite the 1 rifle, my parents were moderately to very anti-gun, but they did let me have a pellet rifle in 8th grade. I had my first real exposure to shooting in the Boy Scouts shooting .22 long rifle, I have been in love with shooting ever since. I am 55 years old now, and have a pretty nice collection.

Once I was on my own, I did not consult with family regarding their opinion on guns, I already knew it was negative. However, I was also brought up to live within my means and not buy stuff on credit that I could not pay off at the end of the month. Once you have a piece for self-defense, the rest are extra. Only you know your financial situation, just be responsible financially.

If I were you, I would be more concerned with med school expenses than with their opinion about guns. However, if they are helping you with med school (note that I did say "if"), then I think its only fair that they have some say in the gun decision if only from a financial viewpoint. Only you can answer that question, that's a private matter and no need to answer it here. Just saying, be fair to your folks if they are contributing to your education. If they are spending their hard-earned money on your education, you have to respect their wishes. And to go the extra mile, since they are your parents, you might just want to show them the respect they deserve and honor them, even if they are not chipping in financially. Not because of their opinion about guns, but just because they are your parents.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

My parents were not anti; my dad had a few, but when I was still living at home during my 20s my mom found, not drugs, not booze, not pr0n, but an AR15. This kind of startled them, but I was able to defuse their worries. I'm glad she didn't find the pr0n.

 

[88E30M50]

My guess is that they are just reacting to years of fear built up by the media. They are thinking the thing has a hair cut trigger. That it is just a bump away from going off. Your job is to teach them otherwise by being the example of how to safely handle a gun.

 

[gungirl65]

My daughter gives me a hard time about it sometimes. If I mention guns or going to a gun show she will give me the whole "who are you and what did you do with my mother" thing. She teetor totters back and forth with her acceptance of it. Although I carry when I visit her she has never asked to see the gun and I haven't pushed the issue.

I bought a PT 58 last time I visited her over memorial day weekend. I showed her the gun, she thought is was neat and was a little excited about it. We went to Big R later to look at the guns and she acted interested in shooting my guns. But her opinion changes daily. When she was growing up the world was a safer place and guns weren't part of my life then so it will just take her some time to adjust to the idea and get use to her momma carrying a gun.

 

[coorslight]

I'm living with my parents while I try getting into medical school and they have no experience at all with guns (not liberals, quite the opposite, they've just never handled them and know they're deadly weapons, etc) and they're kind of being annoying about the whole me getting a gun thing.

Seems like most of you just grew up with guns, but...anyone with similar stories? How did you deal with it?

I have a safe full of firearms, none of which are deadly weapons(unless I was to flip out and go on a rampage then that's what the media will label them as) I am sure a lot of you have the MEDIA labeled (assault rifle) most people I know own a MDR (modern defensive rifle) Now that I have that out of the way let's get to your issue, you need to slowly introduce them to firearms, after all it is a hobby and a sport just like anything else. I don't golf it is much to dangerous(more people die each year on golf courses than actual accidental shootings, think i'm kidding look it up.) I wish you luck in trying to persuade them, it can be a tough road for some, it just takes time, others are to stubborn and set in their ways.

P.S. When dating my now wife of 29 years I told her that I don't stop at bars on the way home from work, I don't sit in front of the TV on sunday's watching sports, GUNS are my only hobby and you will go before they will. We have a great marriage and I have a safe full of guns.

 

[johnb62]

I have a safe full of firearms, none of which are deadly weapons(unless I was to flip out and go on a rampage then that's what the media will label them as) I am sure a lot of you have the MEDIA labeled (assault rifle) most people I know own a MDR (modern defensive rifle) Now that I have that out of the way let's get to your issue, you need to slowly introduce them to firearms, after all it is a hobby and a sport just like anything else. I don't golf it is much to dangerous(more people die each year on golf courses than actual accidental shootings, think i'm kidding look it up.) I wish you luck in trying to persuade them, it can be a tough road for some, it just takes time, others are to stubborn and set in their ways.

P.S. When dating my now wife of 29 years I told her that I don't stop at bars on the way home from work, I don't sit in front of the TV on sunday's watching sports, GUNS are my only hobby and you will go before they will. We have a great marriage and I have a safe full of guns.

I explain this to my wife from time to time. (except the she will go first part) I don't golf, drink, go to bars. Guns are also my only hobby. Too funny. We will have been married 29 years next week. Anyway, I have been into firearms since my early teens and she knows it is part of the package. My wife used to shoot with me some but not much anymore. I do still get a few dirty looks when I bring a home a new toy.

 

[johnb62]

There is some really good advice in this thread. My son was not excited about guns at all. I took him to the range a few years ago. We did some shooting. He started with my P22. Moved up to my G17 and then a 45. He was putting holes in paper and started getting excited. We heard full auto fire in the bay next to us and the gentleman there let him shoot a full auto 9mm. It was a game changer. My son now likes to go shooting with me.

A big shout out to the great people at Red Brush. Almost 30 years ago in the early days of the range I was a young married man with virtually no resources to buy nice guns or afford to shoot much. A gentleman (who is currently the club president) there allowed me to shoot his competition 1911 and AR15. That was a game changer for me as well.

That is something I try to pay forward every chance I get.

 

[Ragenarok007]

I was in your same position once, only my dad did have a couple .22's and an old Remington Mohawk shotgun he used for hunting when he was younger. What I did was I got a really cheap Mosin Nagant for $80. Its bolt action so its not as threatening and its a piece of history, kinda like an old musket or something. Anyway, its cheap enough that you won't lose much money in the worst case scenario, but its not as scary to most people who aren't in the gun culture. Once they warm up to that, get something like a Remington 870 so you can rabbit hunt or something. Then get a handgun. By then they will be used to your proper handling of firearms and it won't be such a big deal. Incidentally, you might take a firearm safety course to help that... which is a good idea for everyone anyway when they begin collecting firearms. And talk a lot about safety. maybe show them how it works, then hand it to them like you are showing it off. And when your dad or whatever covers you with the barrel be like, "Hey, wait a second... you aren't supposed to ever aim a gun at anything you don't intend to destroy, even if you are certain its unloaded."

 

[INcountryboy]

I am so thankful that I have never met any opposition from my family about my guns. They understand that guns are my hobby. I only get minor remarks about the money I spend on guns from my girlfriend's mother, but then again, she isn't a huge fan of guns either. My advice to the OP generally follows that of others in this thread, educate them about guns first.