Tbh my views on guns for defense are more like fire extinguishers. If you actually need to use them, shit's already gone sideways beyond all doubt, but you'd rather have immediate access to one.

yes

I wanna be at least prepared for when shit goes sideways.

Good. Also, keep in mind that some ranges have rules against going alone, mostly to prevent suicides

Suicide at a range?

Rentals

Ah.

Have you guys heard of a phenomena called "call of the void"?

I get those random urges when I'm otherwise mentally sound.

And for legal reasons, I'm not suicidal or have attempted suicide.

That's pretty normal, just your brain recognizing potentially dangerous serious and going "what if?"

But like, you get those random thoughts about "I wonder what would happen if I did this?"

I worry if those calls of the void would y'know hinder my eligibility of self defense with a firearm.

Just practice and do drills with it

They'll form both muscle memory and reflexes, as well as sorta "desensitize" you to those thoughts

Kinda like after driving in a car for a few months you just stop thinking about every little bump and sputter, you get used to it being part of the process.

Yeah, I guess I can think about it like that.

Like driving a car.

That's a good way of presenting firearm experience to someone who has little to no experience using one.

I remember firing a .22 rifle when I was a kid, but that experience has become too foggy for me to go off of. I need fresh memories in handling a firearm and to better understand them.

Might as well pick up another .22, they're good starting points to hammer in the basics.

Alright hear me out this thing is actually kinda cool

Yeah, Matebas are pretty sweet. I just wish that they get their import shenanigans straightened out, I want one of their new runs

The OG imports are straight up unobtanium

@Rusty_Fork The first thing that I had thought of when I saw that was the Mauler from Halo 3

Cursed

@Rusty_Fork https://youtu.be/YaTxXqQksIA?t=796

Nice

@Erby you mean imagination? That just means you have an active imagination. When you get those thoughts, You know you will never do the thing you are pondering. The thought of you holding the power to do such a thing scares you, doesn't it? It's natural. Just remember you are in control and even though you could have the ability to do such a thing you won't. If you are not aggressive nor do you have sociopathic tendencies then firearm ownership should not be scary. Remember that if your brother supports Biden then you really should not trust a guy who would vote for a dementia ridden candidate. Being a loner in school or from the way you phrased it i guess you would get defensive when people picked on you, you know you wouldn't kill them. So yeah if you're that worried get some training, take a class on handguns or rifles.

Anyone worried about hurting someone would not yet be insane enough to go on a murder spree.

@TheYotedOne thank you for that. It helps me feel better.

no problem man.

and yes i would recomend you get a gun, although yes do go to the range with friends, just incase of a bad malfunction or you get hurt.

but dont get really nervous around them, remember its only a tool, and when its in your hands you will use it responsibly.

☝️

It is human nature to be uneasy and nervous about things we don't understand

You'll get over it once you get acclimated

the gun community tends to be an open armed and welcome. that is until you say the AR is better than the AK or vise versa. in that case you alienate 1/2 the community and now you're in flame wars in comment sections defending your rifle. other than that its open armed and welcome.

Lol true

The truth is the AK and AR guys are both just jealous because they know they'll never be as cool as the Brown Bess Flintlock Musket guys