Sooo... I went to a gun show today.

[lumberjack_jeff]

First time. I was prepared for a right wing crazy-convention.

To my surprise, I didn't see any McCain hats, signs, shirts, jackets or pins.

The only political statement I saw was one Obama button. :headbang:

Other than that, I didn't find anything I need.

[fulllib]

1. Awesome!

I cringed as I clicked on your post, preparing myself for what I would find. I was pleasantly surprised!

[Santro]

2. same here

let's keep our hopes up!

[thunder rising]

3. For as much as the Pukes think they are manly men, I am the veteran son of a veteran and I'm a Dem.

I, like my dad, did not have weapons in the house for the longest time. But, the last 8 years has forced me to rethink that policy. Like either Web or Tester said, with laws like the Patriot Act in place, maybe we should keep our guns. The inference is that guns are not just for sporting or hunting, they are to protect the freedom of this nation.

Get this straight, if you outlaw high powered automatic weapons, only Blackwater will have high powered automatic weapons.

[Brucie Kibbutz]

4. The thing Republican gun owners don't understand...

... is that "Patriot" Act style legislation will eventually require disarming citizens.At some point, they wouldn't be able to continue the expansion of their power if people were actually able to fight back. They would tell us the same thing the gun grabbers in our party say to us. "We have to do this so we can keep you safe."

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. The last 8 years has convinced me that the militia crazies had a point. n/t

[FLyellowdog]

5. Thank goodness you're pro-gun but with sense!!!

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. I'm still convinced that there are rational gun control policies...

... that don't infringe excessively upon my rights. But as a practical, political matter, I think there are much bigger fish to fry right now.

I've never owned a gun, but now that I live in the country - sometimes WAY out in the country, I feel compelled to revisit many of my views.

[TxRider]

14. And we have many already.

We already have controls on fully automatic weapons, we already have controls on anything over .50 caliber..

We already have a waiting period for handguns..

None of those seriously infringe....

[Tejas]

15. Your thoughts on policies aside,

buy a .22 rifle such as a Ruger 10-22 or maybe a Marlin etc and plink cans with it. It can be not only challenging and fun, but it'll take your mind off of day to day life and politics etc.

Don't do it just because you live somewhere away from civilization, try it as a sport.

[Hangingon]

6. I was at a gun shown yesterday and found it non-partisan,

Saw a couple of signs but not many. Sales of AKs, SKS, and AR-15s as well as standard capacity magazines were brisk. Lost of large package ammo being sold too. Definite feeling that an AWB gun control act is coming.

[jeepnstein]

7. I hope you're wrong.

If it happens, the other side will pound us again like they did in 1994. He who ignores history is doomed to repeat it.

[SteveM]

8. The SAXET gun show in Austin, TX is pretty multi-cultural...

I have gone to this show for years (got a Stevens 311D SxS and a Ruger .357 revolver for reasonable prices), and have noticed a great variety of races, nationalities, a sizable number of women, and even gays who didn't mind strutting their stuff, esp. after they had just made a purchase. The individual merchants (both FFL and indies) were quite helpful with folks sporting half a head of purple hair and hardware placed in challenging body sites.

[Hangingon]

12. I was at the SAXET gun show in Corpus.

Fairly wide variety of people. Still lots of oilder guys with hearing aids (shooter's consequence). Lots of women looking for pistols. Some of the vendors selling uppers and lowers were predicting big price increases after the first of the years. An SKS cost at least $290.

[aikoaiko]

11. A lot of people are stocking up on things on previous AWB reauthorization attempts.

Mags and lowers.

And there is widespread speculation that ammo will be taxed excessively. Is there any kernal of truth that Obama proposes to increase ammo tax (or has in the past)?

[raimius]

13. yes,

Apparently, he supported a 500% increase in the federal taxes. (Chicago Defender, 12/13/99) From what I can find, it seems he wanted that ban to apply to firearms and ammunition "most commonly used in crimes," but I cannot find any specifics on what that would have covered. However, .22LR, 9x19, .25ACP, .38, and .32ACP are fairly common in crimes. Other proposals against "armor piercing ammo" have included just about any rifle round out there (determination based off level I or level II vests...)

[old mark]

16. Back just before the second Clinton election, the owner of a gunshop

I was browsing was raving about the "commie Democrats", etc, and I said, "You know, I'm a Democrat." The only other customer looked over and said,"Yeah, me too."
We had a good laugh about it, but the shop owner was speechless.
I guess he never imagined that maybe half his customers were Democrats......


mark