I voted number 4. Firearms have been a big part of my entire life from childhood to the present. I was in the Army in the 80’s. At one point, I worked as a Gunsmith. Adherence of the Gov’t. to the Second Amendment has formed my political views. If I were physically able and had the coin, I would attend as many Handgun/Carbine classes as possible.
Larger lifestyle. Started with air guns and hunting by the time I was 6. Then into the Corps at 18 and started my own collection. Moved from there to security and LE, CCW along the way. I usually handle an empty weapon at some point on most days merely as a familiarity exercise. My wife hates that I dry fire and practice reloads in the evening, even if it’s just a few minutes.
With the exception of a budding WWII collection, my firearms are mainly serious use. Most of the hunting guns have given way to tactical stuff, some of which could still be used for hunting if need be.
To me a hobbyist would be someone whose range trips center around pleasure. Most of my trips center around training and competition. I actually find it difficult to get “just for fun” range time. Not that all shooting exercise isn’t enjoyable, but sometimes I get to the point where I find myself making excuses to not go. That’s when I have to go and relax and just have some fun with guns. Otherwise, it gets to become a chore and you won’t go as often as you should.
I’d be interested to know how many people haven’t been to the range in the last 2-3 months, and why.
Both. They aren’t mutually exclusive. My hobbies are a part of my lifestyle and my lifestyle is my hobby.
Larger lifestyle because of what they represent not just locally or nationally but globally.
They embody one of the few things that uniquely states I am an American. they say:
I’m different. My nation was built after yours on certain precepts. Individual ownership of a firearm being one of them and a distinct message that says we will remain independent of the “global governance” and take solid pride in what our Founding Father’s wanted. That we are free men.
In contrast to those out of control (nation) states where firearms ownership (AKA possession) is a matter of survival; I see it here in America as a greater lifestyle choice that keeps/ has kept our country from devolving into one of the weakened and out of control nations.
Firearms are one of the fibers with which our freedoms is woven. many in our nation have forgotten that. And they would be the ones who want to let the UN be a “stabilizing world force” and marginalize our independence by joining the “new world order.”
Whoops…sorry I didn’t mean for that to become a rant.
Larger lifestyle, in regard to profession. What I am is what I do, and vice versa.
I’m one-dimensional and boring, in other words.
This.
Thanks for posting, Todd.
Larger lifestyle. Being proficient with a handgun and rifle, for me, go hand in hand with knowing unarmed combat skills, staying in shape, reading, and monetary discipline. I want to do all I can to handle whatever may be thrown my way. Keeps me young and gives me options.
I chose option #4 but I would say they are part of a lifestyle and part of a hobby.
My carry gear and serious range time are dedicated to a lifestyle with the purpose of protecting myself and those that I love. The guns are part of this lifestyle.
On the other hand, I have guns I don’t carry. I do not own them for defense. I hunt with them, shoot competitions with them and tinker with them. These guns are part of a Hobby that I have had since I was younger. This fascination and love of guns has carried over into my lifestyle but I still do some things just for the sake of having a hobby.
In conclusion, I would say guns are my hobby and a defensive mindset is my lifestyle.
Jeremy45
I chose #4.
I love guns, I really do, but collecting them is for rich folks. If I were a rich man, I’d have a wide variety of cool modern stuff and older weapons with historical significance, but I am not, so I’ve got small modest selection of stuff I’ve deemed useful. I shoot some more than others, but they’re all functional. And as much as it makes people cringe, I’m not afraid to admit that I have guns for shooting people, should the need arise. I don’t even hunt, though I have no real qualms against it other than a general dislike for boredom.
If left at that, I’d say #3 probably fits as well, but truthfully I do consider them to be part of a bigger picture than just me liking to shoot them or even wanting to be able to defend my family. It’s a lifestyle/mindset issue – part of being free, as free as one can be in today’s world at least, is to be armed. No matter your views or the political climate, a man can’t say he’s free if he’s powerless to resist the control of others --don’t misunderstand, I’ve got no disillusions of one-man Rambo badassery in the face of tyranny, but you can’t even draw a line in the sand, when your stick has been confiscated.
There are many people who attend hundreds of hours of training as their hobby. They are “training junkies” i.e. training is their hobby/recreation. Many do not carry a gun outside of their shooting school, much the same as many police and military (even SF “Operators” :eek:) do not routinely carry firearms outside of “work”.
If a civilian analyzes their needs and takes one carbine class, three pistol classes, a driving class and gets EMT certified, it would probably make a lot more sense than taking six carbine classes. But some guys do it anyway. It’s fun, challenging, and in the end, it’s their money to spend as they see fit.
GOLF CLUBS!!!
i love it.
Definitly a Lifestyle. Growing up, my Hero was McGuyver. He always did the right thing, protected folks, and built cool stuff out of commonly available items. I was in Boy Scouts, and always took pride in myself. During High School I fell in with the “Wrong Crowd”. I smartened up real quick though and took a correspondence course from N.R.I., I never finished, but I did land a job as a Department Manager due to my Charisma and Knowledge of Firearms. I served the Public well in my six years as a Gun Salesman and small time Gunsmith. 9-11 happened and I went to war. Firearms served me well there too. Now, I’m on VA disability, so the gunfightin’ is done. I still work on guns, allow folks to sight in in my yard, and help the firearms community when and wherever I can. I still come to this very forum, everyday, without fail. I have the Glock Logo on my right Bicep.
Nowadays, my friends usually refer to me as McGuyver, or Crazy Dave. Both are hard faught for and well desrved Nicknames. War is in my blood. My Grampa was in WWII, and he was my first Hero. Problem with him is he taught me Modesty. But that’s a good thing.
When my Son was born I could swear I smelled Hoppes #9. He’s going to be a Warrior too. I think Family Values plays into it a lot, when you determine if it should be a Lifestyle or a Hobby;)
Your question makes my head hurt rob…
I think the modern firearm has probably changed and affected the world as we know it on the same levels as the internal combustion engine and air conditioning. I’ve always been fascinated with them as tools, protection, art, collectables, investments, etc…look how many various forums we have. Black powder makes me yawn but I don’t put down the guys who ga-ga over them as I understand the disease.
I guess for me it went from a hobby to lifestyle as soon as I got my ffl…
If you shoot purely for fun it’s a hobby.
If you shoot because it’s part of your day-to-day job it’s a lifestyle.
There are a thousand shades of gray in between.
I voted “Lifestyle: firearms are a lifestyle in and of themselves” but I can see how “Lifestyle: firearms are part of a larger lifestyle” would also apply.
It’s hard to categorize most people into on hard and fast compartmentalization and I’m even more unconventional then most.
I disagree that the only way for it to be part of a lifestyle is for it to be part of your paycheck. In fact I would argue that there are thousands of LE that get paid to carry one for which even their duty weapon is not even remotely part of their lifestyle.
I voted #4.
To me, firearms are a big part of my life. I love to talk, look, feel, drool, shoot, train, drool, converse, gain inspiration (for future acquisitions/builds)…compete when time permits.
I’m not a door kicker, I’m just a guy who spends a lot of his time with his “hobby” 
Chose option #4.
All of the above could apply to some degree.
Firearms are primarily about preparedness for me.I would consider that a larger lifestyle(some may call it a hobby).
Well as someone said what do you mean by “lifestyle”? For me lifestyle means shooting or preparing for a shooting is a huge part of if not your daily life. Its the means by which you live. If it’s your lifestyle your ass depends on your skill/training/equipment and those of the guy to the right or left of you. If you’re just a civie CCW than this obviously doesn’t hold true. Most of our lifestyle involves sitting behind a desk and typing on a computer. Does this mean you can’t or won’t use the gun in a non-hobby manner? Of course not but then there is no end to the circular logic of this debate… one might say that all hobbies are part of a lifestyle but then the relevance of this thread becomes increasingly tenuous.
For the LEOs you’re referring to it is part of their lifestyle they just don’t know it yet. That doesn’t change the fact that most of the rest of us shoot because we like it.
You can disagree if you’d like but there is a big difference between your “lifestyle” and those in the sandbox who deal with incoming and outgoing fire as part of their regular “lifestyle.” Again you view “hobby” as a pejorative, I do not.
You, me and everyone else who CCWs does so because we shoot as a hobby. I don’t know of a single person who CCWs who doesn’t also like to shoot as a hobby. Why is this a bad thing?