National Rural and urban gun owners have different experiences, views on gun policy

[Joe Link]

Gun ownership spans all types of American communities, but it is particularly common in rural parts of the country. Among adults who live in rural areas, 46% say they own a gun, compared with 28% of adults who live in the suburbs and even fewer – 19% – in urban areas, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Rural and urban gun owners, in particular, differ in many ways. Three-quarters of those in rural areas (75%) say they own more than one gun, compared with 48% of urban gun owners. And while protection tops the list of reasons for owning a gun among both groups, gun owners in rural areas are far more likely than urban owners to cite hunting as a major reason they own a gun (48% vs. 27%, respectively).


Rural gun owners also tend to become gun owners at an earlier age. Among rural Americans who own or have owned a gun in the past, 47% say they became gun owners before they turned 18; just 27% of current or past gun owners from urban communities say they were younger than 18 when they first got their own gun. (Federal law bans the purchase of firearms from licensed gun dealers by anyone younger than 18. However, in many states, minors still can legally possess guns.)

Rural and urban gun owners have different experiences, views on gun policy

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[MadDuner]

I'm so glad to have grown up in a rural, non-socialist republik area.

We used to walk to school and bring our guns (in nice weather of course)... then shoot them on the way home. Everybody's guns would be stacked in the corner until school was out.

My childhood was a hoot!

 

[techieguy]

My 8th birthday present was my Marlin 39A Mountie, 40+ years later I still have the rifle. What other present do I have from my childhood... yep the firearm will last a lifetime and will be passed onto one of my three boys.

 

[badbob85037]

I remember at age 13 mid 60', my friends and I would all strap our .22's on the handlebars of our bikes and ride out to shoot or hunt rabbits. This was 35 miles North, West of San Francisco. We never shot each other or had any accidents. We all had passed the NRA Safety course at the jr high school we went too. No NRA Nothing in California now.The states now teacher in place of the NRA: 1. always hold your hand gun side ways when shooting at hood rats.2. never have your head lights on while doing a drive by. 3. don't be discouraged by the number of innocents you have killed or injured. 4. you are more likely to get a hit doing a drive by bayoneting which are only done in California. If you were to do that in California today they would not only arrest the kid, the whole family would be facing state terrorist laws, held without bail until Hell freezes over.

 

[Joe Link]

My 8th birthday present was my Marlin 39A Mountie, 40+ years later I still have the rifle. What other present do I have from my childhood... yep the firearm will last a lifetime and will be passed onto one of my three boys.

That's awesome that you still have it! My most treasured possessions are guns I inherited from my grandfather.

I'm so glad to have grown up in a rural, non-socialist republik area.

We used to walk to school and bring our guns (in nice weather of course)... then shoot them on the way home. Everybody's guns would be stacked in the corner until school was out.

My childhood was a hoot!

I remember at age 13 mid 60', my friends and I would all strap our .22's on the handlebars of our bikes and ride out to shoot or hunt rabbits. This was 35 miles North, West of San Francisco. We never shot each other or had any accidents. We all had passed the NRA Safety course at the jr high school we went too. No NRA Nothing in California now.The states now teacher in place of the NRA: 1. always hold your hand gun side ways when shooting at hood rats.2. never have your head lights on while doing a drive by. 3. don't be discouraged by the number of innocents you have killed or injured. 4. you are more likely to get a hit doing a drive by bayoneting which are only done in California. If you were to do that in California today they would not only arrest the kid, the whole family would be facing state terrorist laws, held without bail until Hell freezes over.

Crazy how much the times have changed

 

[techieguy]

That's awesome that you still have it! My most treasured possessions are guns I inherited from my grandfather.
Crazy how much the times have changed

I also have my Step Father's rifle that he hunted with since the rifle was brand new in the 50's, I'm not a hunter but my son used it last year when he went hunting with his Father in Law....and told my son that this was his Grandpa Bob's rifle and to ensure he took care of the rifle while it was in his possession as its not replaceable.

 

[Joe Link]

I also have my Step Father's rifle that he hunted with since the rifle was brand new in the 50's, I'm not a hunter but my son used it last year when he went hunting with his Father in Law....and told my son that this was his Grandpa Bob's rifle and to ensure he took care of the rifle while it was in his possession as its not replaceable.

It's good to hear the rifle is getting used like grandpa would have wanted. I also inherited my grandpa's rifles, a Ruger M77 in .243 for deer and a Weatherby Mark V in .300 WBY MAG for elk. I'm not a hunter either but I think I'm finally going to take my buddies up on their offer to take me this year.