I'm a gun guy through and through!

I was raised around guns by a serious gun collector and shooter. My father shot on the Trap and Skeet circuits throughout the 50's 60's and 70's and even into the early 80's before retiring. I've reloaded more shot shells that you would even want to know!!! Talk about slave labor!

This was back before the "all in one" loaders, he just had a simple Mec and we (my brothers and I) had to de-prime and re-size on a different press before reloading on the Mec.

I started shooting when I was a little boy, about the same time I picked up my first bow. I've done both for as long as I can remember but my heart will always be with firearms. I've been collecting them for all of my adult life. The history and nostalgia that come with certain firearms is something bows don't and never will provide for me.

For me a bow is just a tool but guns (especially older or military) are a window to the a past that will never be seen again.

Here is a perfect example......

I wonder who held this 1851 Colt Navy, What battles did it see during the civil war? Wasit at Richmond, perhaps Antietam or Averasborough maybe even Gettysburg. Did it fight in the "Great Indian Wars" or protect a lawman in a western town? I'll probably never know, but that's ok. It's just a gun to most but it "talks" to me.

One more....I can't help it.

I look at this 1917 Colt 1911 and can't help but wonder where it's been. Wasit in the trenches of France safely secured on a "dowboy's" side during WWI. Did it storm the beaches at Normandy or fight Rommel in North Africa in WWII. It might have even seen combat in Korea. My father tells me he saw many many original 1911's during that war.

Rich with history, battle hardened and a life long service to this great country.

I started my hunting with a gun and I'm a Life NRA member, but I don't use guns anymore except for turkey hunting. I hunt ALL the deer seasons using my bow exclusively.

Yes for guns and most of this is due to tradition. Every year the family and some friends meet up in Northern, Wi
for the gun season. Of course dad will not be there this year but the hunt goes on. *sign of the cross*
I currently own Browning 358 BLR, Remington 30-06 Bolt, Remington 12G wingmaster, and 2 Ruger 10/22 for my 2 boys.
1 Hoyt bow for me, 1 browning bow and Genesis bow for my 2 boys.

NRA life member & I love my guns.
As with many things in life wish you had more time to spread over all your passions. I still get to the range and shoot, just not nearly enough.
When it comes to hunting, I prefer archery, but I like shooting almost anything. I don't mind things that go bang

No desire to limit myself. Nothing like a big cloud of black powder espeicaly when the shot dropped the animal in it's tracks and you have no idea what the result was because of the ringing in your ear and lack of vision. I love it all. Archery just requires a lot more of my time. It also offers a lot more opportunities.

I just love to hunt. I hunt with guns as well as bow,and don't change the way I hunt with a gun in my hand. 90% of my gun shots are within bow range.I don't apogize for that, and I don't feel the need to. Some hunt over bait, food plots, etc. with a bow --I don't, but that is fine. Some hunt with guns and not bows, vice versa, and that is fine. The spirit of the hunt, and the motive for hunting is much more important than the method for closing the deal on an animal.I understand all of the 'it's more of a challenge' arguments, but I don't subscribe to them. It's a challenge to consistently have deer, especially mature deer--bucks or does--within close range , repeatedly, and for you, as a hunter ,entering and leaving the woods undetected , repeatedly--stilll seeing the same deer, without their knowing that you are there. The stategy is the challenge, not the method for closing the deal.I will add that having an 'I am a better hunter than you' attitude because you make your choice to only hunt with a bow is self serving and divisive. We need to be mindful of hunting and hunters as a whole, not our own individual, legal and ethical preferential choices.No more so than if one chooses to hunt over food plots or a bait pile where it is legal.

There is a time and place for everything...

I prefer to hunt with a bow-sometimes this doesn't always work out.

I have had two encounters where it become necessary to put the bow down and finish the job with a rifle. I wasn't happy, but it was the right thing to do. I still try to stayvery proficient with firearms. You just never know...

Long range shooting is exciting. I was into it heavy for the past 8 years. I love reloading and working up the loads. But I am pretty well archery nuts these days. If you live in MD and public land hunt, you better love archery. But nothing like getting some sweet revenge on the deer for staying 50 yards out all bow season.

I'll be purchasing a handgun in the very near future. Likely it'll be a 1911 "style" .45 Cal.

I have a Benelli M1 Field that's the only shotgun I've ever or will ever need. I used it extensively for ducks (actually had the super 90....smae gun in black)....doves, Pheasant.

In sitting here thinking.....I don't know if I've ever fired a high powered rifle. I've never had occasion to. Funny....I just thought of that.

Nothing against guns or gun hunting, whatsoever. I think they're likely an addictive hobby......as much as archery, to many. I think some of them are beautiful.....as the colt in BigJ's post is, to me.

On a side note, BigJ.....did you ever read the history about how that gun was tested (prior to the Army choosing it as their sidearm of choice)? Incredible.