Dating and owning a gun..or three or ten

[Towmaster21]

I will warn you now, this will be a somewhat long, funny yet interesting read. I have a few questions, musings and just general observations. If you are thin skinned or one of those uptight PC clones...run.



I have been single for alot longer than I would really care to admit. Part of this is my geographical location, my resistance to being at the bar three nights a week on a regular basis, my employment, my just general self and now I have been told because I'm a gun freak. I never really found that to be a cross to bear, I find it funny to be called a gun freak, and will find it even more hilarious when I'm holding my own against looters, hordes of zombies or the local cub scout pack gone rouge. I have had girlfriends in the past who have gone to the local sporting goods store thinking I was going to be of some help picking out sandals or hiking shoes only to find out I have ninja like skills and have teleported to the gun section. Its just who I am, I like shooting, for fun and to hone a skill that heaven forbid I may someday have to use. I just never thought it would be something that could be held against a person as if it somehow made them sprout fangs and nasty body odor. I was out on a date last month and ran into a friend who asked if I had made it to the range to shoot lately. I replied I had not as of yet but when I did would give him a call. My date... who probably had more invested in her shoes and purse than I did in ammo said "So you like to hunt/shoot?" I admitted the affirmative and was thinking of a subject to steer out of this when she replied "Well I guess I can understand having stuff for hunting but I don't see why anyone needs one of those AK-47 things...those just kill people".... maybe it was my inner asshole coming to bear or maybe it was the snotty "where is my mixed foo foo drink" way she said it but I replied "Yeah I don't see why anyone would want just one either....I have three". I wasn't too upset when she emailed me a few days later and said she just didn't feel a spark.
So I suppose my question(s) here is what the hell happened to women? Or for that fact men? I'm going to be 35 next month...and I'm fishing in the 26-40 something age range. Have women bought into the nightly news and twilight movies, followed by a dose of I found it on the internet so it must be true mania? And have men gone so metro/politically correct that the instinct to protect and grow a set is gone. Have the traits of stability, responsibility, maturity, and kindness given way to debt, clothes, car, bad attitudes and god knows what other devil may care tendancies? Boyfriend and Girlfriend should have things in common but fashion tips and make up? Maybe my way of thinking is 20 plus years old? Mind you I'm not on match.com sporting a profile picture of me in full face paint with chest crossed linked belts of .308 holding an M1, though maybe thats the ticket.
At any rate maybe this is more of a rant, but I would like to get some feed back from both the male and females on this site. Have you brought up hunting or shooting and got looked at like you were going to instantly open fire? Have your boyfriend/girlfriends been intimidated by the fact you own/carry?

 

[John A.]

I liked your answer to why anyone would want an (one) AK.

Be yourself. If your date can't handle or accept that, you're better off to keep looking than to "settle" for anything less. And especially that.

People where I live are pretty open about guns. While most of the girls I know don't really "love them", they're usually alright with them and know how to use them.

 

[Towmaster21]

Oh trust me I don't know how to be anyone but me, just trying to gain some insight. Just makes a person pause when their hobbies get construed as something thats a deal breaker

 

[John A.]

In my eyes, her behavior is the dealbreaker

 

[MikeD]

In my eyes, her behavior is the dealbreaker

+1


I don't care if the women in my life shoot or have any interest but if she is not on board with the fact that I own, carry and shoot then the the I agree there is no spark. There are some things that I will not compromise on.

Although, I had a similar discussion with my dad when I showed him my newly built AR. I pointed out that his semi-auto .308 deer rifle was really no different and it went downhill from there. We just don't talk about such things any more.

 

[LTB45]

I see that you are in Montana.
I find it strange that the women there are not more into the shooting sports.
I can tell you that there are plenty of women that I know that are quite happy to go on a date to the range.
But then I am in a unique position being involved with a grass roots gun rights organization.
The women involved are more than happy to go shooting one day and the next day head up to the state capital to prevent another BAD gun law from being enacted on. They are all "Gun Freaks"

I am lucky that after only a couple of tries at marriage :shock: , I finally found the one for me. She was not much of a shooter when we first started dating but a couple of trips to the trap field and she was hooked.
If I could suggest, maybe get involved with a gun club and meet the folks there. There may be single women that already shoot. Or maybe the married ones have sisters or friends that would like to get into shooting.
Always remember the hunt itself is half the fun!
The right woman for you is out there.

 

[megawatt]

Been on many dates and have met many women that find shooting interesting and eventually wanted me to take them out shooting. Things are a little different here in Sin City, most girls (that I have met) also would not mind hitting the strip bar, which I found suprising at first when I moved here 8 years ago. I am 45 years young and have been lucky enough to encounter more pro gun ladies than anti, but am aware they are both out there.

 

[megawatt]

Just curious, if your a gun fanatic then how many guns do you own? No right or wrong answer just curious.

 

[Tom396]

I just have to share this from thetruthaboutguns.com:

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/0 ... women-ask/

Here's a small part of it:

"...Why do you feel that you need to carry it all the time?

Implicit in the question: you don’t need to carry a gun all the time and what the hell’s wrong with you? There are lots of standard replies to this one, from “Because cops are too heavy” to a bunch of heavy stats about crime mixed with hyper-local anecdotes...."

Take care. Tom Worthington.

 

[rjpoog1989]

I'm also in the market for a woman who is interested in shooting sports and the outdoor lifestyle. I can't say I'm single because I own guns, but my ex left me to move to the big city and I refuse to deal with traffic. I want a girl with passion about the outdoors, and I'm sure she's out there. If she doesn't like that I own and shoot guns on a regular basis, then it's just not meant to be. Happy Hunting (for women that is)!

 

[Itsricmo]

I have had girlfriends in the past who have gone to the local sporting goods store thinking I was going to be of some help picking out sandals or hiking shoes only to find out I have ninja like skills and have teleported to the gun section.

hahaha this is awesome! I know exactly how you feel! I have however settled down with a fine lil miss

 

[Sfd714]

My girlfriend thinks its a race to the gun section

Sent from behind the hood of a long nose pete.

 

[Itsricmo]

I'm also in the market for a woman who is interested in shooting sports and the outdoor lifestyle.

Move to Central PA... It's a way of life out here! lol 1 of 5 females in my Fiance's family DOESN'T hunt or shoot. I continue to say that my Fiance can shoot a .243 and .22LR better than me haha I still hold the World Championship for Skeet and Large Bore Rifle Shooting

 

[Rossignol]

I too disappear in a place with guns and ammo, from walmart to bass pro.

I'm just a couple years older than you, but I've been married 16 years and met my wife and began dating a couple years before that. For me, my interest and evolution into a gun freak happened through out the course of our adult lives.

My oldest daughter will soon be 14 and has been shooting with me for about three years.

On another note, I have a friend at work who is 12 years younger than me and has been married for just a year now. His wife will sometimes call him and ask to go out to the range for date night.

I don't know that any of this is particularly helpful other than to say they are out there, there are women who either like firearms and shooting or are open to the ideas of owning firearms for sport shooting and or hunting. But don't compromise on bein you, and as you have already said, you won't, so good for you!

Ill agree, if you're lookin, check out the ranges and clubs. I also agree that these "old fashioned" values seem to be out of style. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" have faded and pop culture has created an image that is emulated by both young men and young women that is almost sickening to me. I'm blessed and fortunate to live in an area that still for the most part, heralds these old fashioned values.

Keep your head up man, don't settle or compromise. Maybe also mention pretty early in the relationship your interests.

 

[Towmaster21]

That is one of the more sickening things I have noticed and thats just in society in general....the lack of manners, common sense, maturity, and responsibility. I'm most definetly looking for an air headed Hilton or Kardashian clone, unless its for target practice. Its sad that old fashioned values have not been transfered into new age life. I would like to find the mix, someone who is responsible but at the same time isn't a prudish school marm. Unfortunetly the shooting group I do belong to up here isn't much for social interaction and of the people I have met, are in their elder years or married. One of my friends suggested church...not that I'm against a God its just that some of his more fanatical followers scare me.
And yes I live in Montana, you would think this would be a fairly easy task...but not so much for reasons I can only speculate on.

 

[Fronty Owner]

can't help you out on your women problems. Mine doesn't mind having the guns, she just questions why I feel "the need to spend that much on a gun that sits in the safe most of the time".
At this point I explain, I dont have that caliber, that size, that brand, something, and move on to Im moving this much extra into savings for the next few months so I can get it.

Really, all I can say is be yourself. Maybe start trolling the local gun shops and range for a girlfriend? you may end up spending a bit more on ammo...