How many of you own semi-auto rifles?

[rtaylor]

I may or may not but at one time I had absolutely zero interest in an AR platform. I may or may not have bought one when there was a chance we could no longer buy them and it is now one of my favorite guns. My daughters may or may not use them exclusively for deer hunting and at the range they are fun and accurate.

 

[5MilesBack]

Again, what is tyranny? And at what point do you, personally, start stacking bodies?

It's like any other threat out there on a daily basis. How do you determine when it's time to actually draw your weapon in those situations? I would hope when the threat is deemed real and imminent. Until then, you carry responsibly and lawfully.

 

[5MilesBack]

As for defeating a tyanical govt., I have no delusions of doing so either,

Why do you think that is a delusion? Seriously? In the Revolutionary War 3% of our nation at that time actually fought in that war against the British. The British were strong in numbers, strong in training, and a real military force at that time. Yet only 3% of mostly normal everyday citizens took them on and won.

If only 3% of Americans today did the same, we'd have a fighting force over 10 million in number. I'd say the odds would be with us....especially if more than 3% volunteered.

I swore an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States "against ALL enemies foreign and domestic". Those that want to dismantle the Constitution are domestic enemies. I've told my family that if they were to ever come and try to confiscate my weapons that I'd send them out the back and then I'd fight to the death if need be. Their reply......"We'd expect nothing less from you".

 

[JohnnyDesert]

I have one Ar style rifle, really just for the cool factor, and it makes an awesome varmint rifle. I rarely use a high cap. mag, unless I'm just out target shooting. I usually have a 10-round installed for hunting. I personally do not enjoy buying them and building them as much as some of my friends, although it was fun piecing mine together at the time. I like it mainly because it is light weight and compact. Also, I have a nice 10-22 that I mainly use for target shooting, they are just plain fun. To me, a gun is a gun..

 

[FLAK]

Cause I live in Alabama, its required.

 

[ODB]

You asked where the line was in the singular possessive, so individual answers would be expected.

Um, yeah, I know the language. I’m just clarifying that you’ll only act on your/your family’s behalf only.

Again, apparently Donne had it wrong...carry on...

 

[ODB]

It's like any other threat out there on a daily basis. How do you determine when it's time to actually draw your weapon in those situations? I would hope when the threat is deemed real and imminent. Until then, you carry responsibly and lawfully.

Right, a common answer “I’ll know it when I see it.”

Consider this: guns are useless against those who purposefully, peacefully, incrementally, and legally prevent you from owning them. The question becomes, at what point during the peaceful process of disarming a population of gun owners will those gun owners act?

The answer is, legally, never...

Which kind of throws the whole tyranny/liberty question for a loop...

 

[Dos Perros]

For those trying to define tyranny...

It's not like the founding citizens got on boats and floated to England and mounted an attack. They were invaded.
I may not be able to define tyranny very well in an internet chat forum, but I know it when I see it.

 

[Dos Perros]

@Baxterb, I think you're underselling the effect of deterrence.

 

[Antarctica]

Why do you think that is a delusion? Seriously? In the Revolutionary War 3% of our nation at that time actually fought in that war against the British. The British were strong in numbers, strong in training, and a real military force at that time. Yet only 3% of mostly normal everyday citizens took them on and won.

If only 3% of Americans today did the same, we'd have a fighting force over 10 million in number. I'd say the odds would be with us....especially if more than 3% volunteered.

I swore an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States "against ALL enemies foreign and domestic". Those that want to dismantle the Constitution are domestic enemies. I've told my family that if they were to ever come and try to confiscate my weapons that I'd send them out the back and then I'd fight to the death if need be. Their reply......"We'd expect nothing less from you".

The OP's verbatim words...

and the notion that I'd ever defeat a "tyrannical" government with one is humorous

Implied that one, as an individual would take on a govt, which is humorous, and was what my response was directed at.

You are exactly right. Every medium sized revolt or armed conflict since vietnam (and some before, including our own) has shown that no matter the armament, technology, or manpower put against it a motivated group of moderately armed people is extremely difficult to put down.

And our founding fathers counted on that as the final hedge against tyranny. That is what the 2nd is about and that is why the availability of a modern weapon to citizens is important. I fully believe that a group of armed citizens could hold a tyrannical govt at bay and eventually turn it, because eventually soldiers (even those following orders) realize they are fighting against their own in such a situation.

 

[5MilesBack]

The question becomes, at what point during the peaceful process of disarming a population of gun owners will those gun owners act?

The answer is, legally, never...

We have a process in America for fighting tyranny legally. As soon as unconstitutional laws get passed we use those means to do so. That's what we did in Colorado. Unfortunately those attempts never went anywhere. But when they try to enforce one of those unconstitutional laws, that's when we take a stand. Not to act in offense, but to act in defense to that. Remember....the Minutemen didn't wage an offensive war against the British by going to them, they waited until the British came for them and then defended themselves and our nation.

 

[ODB]

@Baxterb, I think you're underselling the effect of deterrence.

Passive deterrence? Bear in mind a large % of those running against the current president are not bothered by the “gun culture.” The needle is not moving in gun owners’ direction. A (R) president ended bumpstocks on a whim...so much for deterrence.

But I do have thoughts on the stages of gun restriction and at what point deterrence would be effective. A hint: it won’t be by AR proponents. ARs will be long gone by the time the average gun owner say “whoah.”

 

[ODB]

We have a process in America for fighting tyranny legally. As soon as unconstitutional laws get passed we use those means to do so. That's what we did in Colorado. Unfortunately those attempts never went anywhere. But when they try to enforce one of those unconstitutional laws, that's when we take a stand. Not to act in offense, but to act in defense to that. Remember....the Minutemen didn't wage an offensive war against the British by going to them, they waited until the British came for them and then defended themselves and our nation.

“Not to act in offense....” a very conservative notion, and the primary reason gun owners are getting hammered. Gun owners have to go on the offensive (politically of course) to move things forward. Standing by fighting a defensive fight has got us where we are.

The Minutemen could not reach England, they had to fight a defensive war. You see the difference here is they had the WILL to fight. I just happen to think in this day and age people are too busy, truly unconcerned ( when taking into consideration the entirety of the lives) to do anything at all. We detest politics/politicians so we do not become them; we let others fight the battle for us, and then complain we lost.

This isn’t just about guns, it’s about so many other things. We complain about teachers and schools but how many of us become teachers?

We made our problem by our own conservative tendencies, it will ultimately be what defeats us en masse.

 

[Dos Perros]

Passive deterrence? Bear in mind a large % of those running against the current president are not bothered by the “gun culture.” The needle is not moving in gun owners’ direction. A (R) president ended bumpstocks on a whim...so much for deterrence.

But I do have thoughts on the stages of gun restriction and at what point deterrence would be effective. A hint: it won’t be by AR proponents. ARs will be long gone by the time the average gun owner say “whoah.”

I don't think it would come to that. I think there can be effective deterrence in the current state.

 

[ODB]

I don't think it would come to that. I think there can be effective deterrence in the current state.

I hope you are right. I just don’t see it. We ha e a new generation of gun owners whose sole connection to the gun is food procurement. Meaning, if it isn’t used for getting food, who cares? A poster a few pages ago made this exact inference. Bernie Sanders on Joe Rogans show talked about all the hunters going to the woods...the 2A has become conflated with leisure activities...

 

[sndmn11]

Um, yeah, I know the language. I’m just clarifying that you’ll only act on your/your family’s behalf only.

Sounds like you are trying to milk a bull.

No, your statement is incorrect.

 

[Dos Perros]

I hope you are right. I just don’t see it. We ha e a new generation of gun owners whose sole connection to the gun is food procurement. Meaning, if it isn’t used for getting food, who cares? A poster a few pages ago made this exact inference. Bernie Sanders on Joe Rogans show talked about all the hunters going to the woods...the 2A has become conflated with leisure activities...

You're painting with a broad brush. There are also people who have never hunted in their lives or previous to recent events buying them for reasons already mentioned. It's obviously a very nuanced issue.

 

[5MilesBack]

I just happen to think in this day and age people are too busy, truly unconcerned ( when taking into consideration the entirety of the lives) to do anything at all.

Yep, plenty of sheep in the nation today. I doubt they'll change from that anytime soon. They'll just go along with whatever the government tells them to do. They also probably don't even know what the Constitution is, or even the history of our nation. Hence the 3%'ers.

 

[ODB]

Sounds like you are trying to milk a bull.

No, your statement is incorrect.

Nah, Just trying to see where people are. I honestly think the vast, vast majority of gun owners never give it a thought. It’s too much fun to shoot guns versus all the work that goes into developing a clear rationale on things like this.

 

[Still Hunter]

let me see ............public forum...

that's a nunya!