What's happened to our sport?

I absolutely feel the same way. I've got some bolt actions and my 54 cal flinter and that's all I want. My step son is always harping on me to buy one of those military style guns and what I tell him is that with a good bolt action I could get one if I really needed one , if you know what I mean.....Besides, I recon there'll be plenty of them laying around when the time comes .......................

If people don't like the game and say it has been ruined then why did MLB break attendence records this year? Steroids has helped a select few stay healthier and stronger for the long haul of the season. That's obvious. It's wrong and I hope they fix it. Media plays a big role in this too. Imagine if there was all of this news hype in the 20's and 30's when guys were just starting to hit more double digit homeruns per year? They would be scrutinized just as hard and people would be looking for answers. Bottom line is it's still a great game and always evolving.

Not all of us are wannabes, some of us are has beens and some of us still are well trained elite tactical soldiers.

I support every law abiding citizen owning firearms. I really do not mind assault rifles, (I own one).

To each their own, as long as their right does not infringe upon the rights of others. I will soon be purchasing an AR-15 that I have wanted since I left the service. I do not need it, I want it and I am sure I can buy it today.

I am not so sure about tomorrow.

I am not on code yellow, I also choose shotguns for home defense. I live on a farm and it does not matter much to me who comes through the door late at night, terrorist or burglar. The justice doled out would be equally swift. So in a very long winded way, I have all of the hunting guns I need, I just have a long list of guns I want. A black one is next on the list.

" Only a Criminal or a Tyrant is Afraid of the Armed Citizen."... This Government wants to Disarm the Citizens so as to have Complete Power and Control over them.* Every Tyrannical Government in the Past has taken away the Guns to Prevent any Serious Opposition or Rebellion .* History continues to repeat itself because the New Generations who come along don't know or tend to forget about the Past and will say it will not happen here.* The People are the Masters of Both Congress and the Courts, not to Overthrow the Constitution, but to Overthrow the Men who would Pervert it.*

I see that "hunting rifles that look like military rifles" question earlier today was close to a last straw for you, too.

I have to admit the newest, fanciest military rifle I've owned is a Swedish 38. Once upon a time Uncle Sugar let me play with an M-16, and that was fine, but I've had no desire to shoot one since.

I have no problem with real riflemen who know what they're about having these rifles. The problem is that today's delayed adolescence makes me worry that too many are "playing army" like a ten-year-old, but with real rifles. It's the identification of which group is which that makes me nervous. It also seems the confrontational aspects just play into the gun-grabbers' hands, at least to a degree. After all, they aren't on TV talking about the dangers of trapdoor Springfields and Colt SAA's.

As for American Rifleman, they're getting articles from the cooperation of the gunmakers, and the manufacturers are trying to grab market share on the military-style arms. The makers of fine doubles aren't scrambling over such a big market. Pity.

It's the prohibition effect i.e. "I'm going to get mine before they ban them." If you want to make something popular in America, ban it. In 2 hours, everyone will want whatever it is. In America, if you banned elephant crap, people would sell their assault weapons in order to get pach poop on the black market. Bet on it.

I got started shooting military weapons years ago when I learned you could get an SKS for under $100 and the ammo was dirt cheap. That was around 1991. Let's face it. Having a "military" weapon that's meant to shoot 100k rounds with cheap ammo is the way to go for a 100 yard plinking shooter. I don't hunt, and I don't have a 500 yard range. Shooting a pie plate at 100 yards is fun in the sun. Having a precise .22-250 is a waste for me.

As far as the fascination now, it's all media and image. Holding an AK-47 makes us feel strong, safe, and macho. "The man can't take me because I have THIS!" It's comical in a way, but I feel it too when I hork up my Bushmaster. Of course, it's utterly unrealistic because if "the man" showed up outside our door with 10 or 20 trained guys, none of us much would stand a chance. We'd get one or two of them, but our collection of seven AK47's and our 2,300 round stash wouldn't do us much good 10 on 1. BUT, holding that AK47 sure does make us feel like we could.

Terrorists, to me, have nothing to do with it. I mean, if terrorists attack, they're not coming to my house. They're coming to the concert, shopping mall, or whatever. I'm not packing my G3 there. I'm going to have a mundane Glock or even more mundane Taurus.

Give me a 100 year old Carl Gustav with blue metal and real wood anyday!

Actually, the evil black rifle is not for an invasion of Islamic terrorists, it's for when the opportunity comes to check off my list of neighbors that don't quite get freedom, liberty and individual rights.

I think it’s the media. All these movies showing the good guys and the bad guys packing an “assault” rife and high capacity pistols that lures the public to buying them.

But these tactical weapon have their place, I wouldn’t want to be guarding my home in a major city with a single shot rifle of any kind in the event of social collapse. Then there are the folks that just enjoy shooting them.

The wife and I have less than 10% semi-auto guns in our collection. We prefer older guns and admire quality wood stocks and the old bluing effects.

Some older gun cranks have seen the shift in what guns are now “in”. I showed my grandson an old French made matchlock pistol and he laughed at it. He had no clue that ugly pistol could trade for a stack of tactical weapons.

I say take it in stride, who knows the old European Cape guns could be the next craze if its in a “sick” movie.

I honestly think you can appreciate the right of the people to own what they want. At the same time I think you see the same news that America watches every day. I also think you are aware of the SPIRIT of Good Americans and the sacrifices they are willing to make to keep America free.

I think the choice of certain weapons may lead us to see a 'different' psyche in "our' Americans today... be happy.

While i own several EBR's and several thousand rounds of ammo for those ebr's, I only do so because I enjoy shooting them, my kids enjoy shooting them, and most importantly, it's my right (God given and recognized by the Constitution) to own them. I'm not one to criticize you or anyone else for the firearms they choose to have in their collection. I own my fair share of bolt actions, pumps, leverguns, single shots, rolling blocks, falling blocks, trapdoors, and and wide assortment of pistols as well. It does get a little tiresome to see an ebr in every firearms monthly publication, given some mystical status as the "perfect" weapon. But still, i do not now, nor will i ever begrudge someone for owning them. When my less than conservative relatives ask me why i own ebr's, my reply is always the same.

The next war for American independence will not be fought with muskets. Yes it gets a chuckle, it's meant to, and at the same time, there's that hint of truth in it as well.

I think part of it has to do with history. From 1994 - 2004 black guns where "banned" I think when the ban sunsetted people still saw black guns as forbidden fruit and now we are where we are.

Most of my collection is made up of black guns but not all of them.

My rationale is because they are the most fun to shoot.