What got you into handguns? 2nd Amendment? Or just liked to shoot?

[Guest]

I am not a lawyer. It is my general impression that pistol carry licenses do not allow for carry at casinos in CT or NY. Since you were speaking hypothetically - no harm no foul.

I'm no lawyer either nor a person who really gives a hoot..my life is more important to me then my permit being revoked, at least I'll be alive to kiss my kids. Same as the Bronx at a Yankee game same as the bar I'll play pool at some night. I'm a rare bird and definitely don't suggest people to follow my way but my way is my way til i die.


Now after finishing watching "citizenfour", this may have been my last post.

[Morts]

Sorry to hear about your dad. Is he alive? I'd take my then blind step dad out to Orchard Beach in the spring and summer time so he could smell the salt air. He LOVED to fish, and especially on the seas. He was a smart fellow though, realized I was making sure we both got our 20min dosage of vitamin D. Sometimes on the way out I'd stop and get some roasted pork or steam grilled fish from one of the African/Cuban/Caribbean places. We'd sit there and eat. I'd describe in great detail to him what little the girls were wearing, and I'd always allow him to discreetly sip his "medication" while we basked in the sun.


Good times, good times. I buried him about a year ago, he died at home peacefully in his sleep like my dad did a couple of decades or so ago.

Sorry to hear that LHT. He is still here, not in the best health but doing OK. He had a kidney issue and the drugs he was on for it almost just killed him. He is on the road to recovery but at 81 its a slow road. He can somewhat see so he is not totally blind. My Mom slipped on a patch of ice and broke her pelvis a couple months back as well. Its been tough lately, me and my sister both took leaves from work to care for them. They basically both went down at the same time and I spend 3 days and nights there and my sister 4. My house got destroyed by ice dams as well probably over 20K damage. Its been a rough couple months to say the least. Just hoping things will start to get better soon.

[Meketrefe]

I used to go hunting since I was 7 years old and carry a small bag with my sandwich and did as I was told and sit on a rock while I saw sometimes up to 14 to 16 dogs doing their job
from above in the mountain ridge. Little I knew my transition from my 4.5mm air gun to firearms was taking my first shots with a .410 single barrel break open shotgun courtesy of my uncle.
I have been hooked into the outdoors, hunting, shooting since then. I later learned in my life and specially in the service what kind of work and damage firearms can really do.

[Firenailer]

How long since you've had your permit,

LHT

I got my first pistol permit in the early 80's. I bought a Ruger Mark II Stainless Target .22 at Granvilles for my first handgun. Wonderful Pistol, I've still got it!

[phritz]

I've always enjoyed shooting. Like many of you, it was BB guns in the woods with friends, and .22 in the scouts. Shot my first couple of handguns on my 13th birthday at a range in PA. Then I went about my life for about 20 years not giving a lot of thought to owning a gun until BHO moved into the white house. I got my pistol permit thinking I'll just buy one gun. I did buy just one. And then another. And another. And so on...

[FCG LLC]

I got my first pistol permit in the early 80's. I bought a Ruger Mark II Stainless Target .22 at Granvilles for my first handgun. Wonderful Pistol, I've still got it!

Ah Granville's on Central Ave. Bought my first gun from him also. If memory serves me correct, he died when a tree fell on him as he was removing snow from his car?

LHT

[FCG LLC]

I got my pistol permit thinking I'll just buy one gun. I did buy just one. And then another. And another. And so on...

This is Dr. LHT, welcome to the group...TELL ME ABOUT IT!
Shooting is the most expensive hobby I've ever had, in the sense of how much $$$ I dumped into it.

[masterswimmer]

MS,

Does your kid (now grown up I am sure) shoot? He/she/they still live behind the lead curtain?

My son does like going to the range with me. He'll be doing it on his own soon as well.

I spent many a day playing hooky at Orchard Beach.

[Robin'son]

Handgun or long gun Robin'son?

Um, handgun. Wasn't that the question?
Robin

[Celt]

Ive been around shooting my whole life. My father and uncles are all former military so they taught me young. I was born with a cap gun in one hand.

I was always more of a precision shooter and hunter, but had some time with handguns and some sporting clays too.

I slacked off on my shooting during the college years, and only shot prior to hunting season through my 20s. In my late 20s i really got back to shooting, and in a big way, but the pistol permit process was so absurd i didnt bother with it for a number of years. Eventually, i bit the bullet and started the permit process.

[Firenailer]

Ah Granville's on Central Ave. Bought my first gun from him also. If memory serves me correct, he died when a tree fell on him as he was removing snow from his car?

LHT

I believe that's right. That was a nice little shop he had going there.

[FCG LLC]

Um, handgun. Wasn't that the question?
Robin

Yes. Your initial response :

Just thought it might be a good idea to have something handy, you never know. Robin

made me think you picked up a "gun" to have something handy. In NY the process of getting a handgun license/permit is not easy, quick or straightforward, so your response led me to think you got "a" gun.

If you think that was convoluted you should see me at a restaurant trying to figure out what to order!

[swilliams]

Although my dad and both grandfathers had guns when I was young, I never really did any shooting. A black bear issue at our place in PA sent me to the range for the first time. After shooting with a .22 rifle for a bit (isn't that the ubiquitous first gun?), the owner of the range - who happened to be teaching me - asked if I wanted to shoot his handgun. I don't even remember what kind or caliber it was. So I said yes. That was about all it took. Now we have a couple rifles and a shotgun, but I still have the most fun with the handguns. My Beretta is my bed partner when my husband is in the city and I'm out in the middle of the wood with the kids. My husband got a dueling tree for me a couple years ago. It's great practice, but so much fun!!

[FCG LLC]

Although my dad and both grandfathers had guns when I was young, I never really did any shooting. A black bear issue at our place in PA sent me to the range for the first time. After shooting with a .22 rifle for a bit (isn't that the ubiquitous first gun?), the owner of the range - who happened to be teaching me - asked if I wanted to shoot his handgun. I don't even remember what kind or caliber it was. So I said yes. That was about all it took. Now we have a couple rifles and a shotgun, but I still have the most fun with the handguns. My Beretta is my bed partner when my husband is in the city and I'm out in the middle of the wood with the kids. My husband got a dueling tree for me a couple years ago. It's great practice, but so much fun!!

Dueling tree in the yard? When are you both inviting me over?

Was your grandma or mom into guns?

LHT

[Cory]

I shot my parents .22 rifles a few times when I was really young. Eventually I shot their 40 and 45 astra. I started shooting birds in the woods with my BB gun, and eventually my pellet gun. Then one Christmas I got a Marlin 795 .22LR.

Then I joined the Army. I shot M4, M16, M249, M240, M2, Mk19, M500, with a ton of different optics and of course the M9. The M9 really began my love of pistols. I had fired a few of my parents pistols but never had any real solid instruction on much past the safety of shooting them. The Army taught me how to shoot from different positions, and because I hadn't shot handguns to much, I paid attention. I have never qualified anything less then expert on the M9, that I can recall. The weapon just felt right to me. I deployed and carried one on my hip everyday inside the wire, and on my chest outside the wire.

When I came home I was 19. A permit wasn't going to happen despite the NYS law age exemption for veterans. Go figure, we put in a clause saying veterans need not be 21 but then they still won't accept an application. Any rate I got the permit at 21 and carried a Sig P220 for awhile. I got rid of it (regrets were had) and got a Glock 17. I love it. I really enjoy shooting handguns and find them comforting to have handy.