Don’t be afraid to give shooting a try as a hobby

Re: “Two kinds of gun control needed,” Feb. 20.

DEAR EDITOR:

I’m seeing a few deficiencies and some flat out missed angles of your story.

Deficiencies, very clearly is ownership of firearms in urban centres. The majority of the guns residing in urban centres are owned by law abiding gun owners. The only reason that you would think that gangs have more firearms is due to the fact that they are misused and reported as such on a fairly regular basis. I’m a career gunsmith, and as such get to see small slices of the average enthusiasts collection. It is not an uncommon occurrence for the average recreational urban firearms owner to have 20-30 firearms at any one time. Sport shooters and collectors, those numbers can be in the hundreds! And yes in urban centres!

Secondly, I would make a suggestion, that you attend a shooting range, get the feel of the excitement, concentration and talent required to use a firearm effectively. Better yet, attend a competition, such as cowboy action shooting, a throwback to the turn of the century! A great friendly and welcoming atmosphere, everyone is always game to help new shooters. You would get a look at what the real firearms community is like. We all look out for each other, safety is of the utmost priority and you’ll see shooters from 8 years old onwards! This is provided that after reading this article, that someone would be courteous enough to show you the ropes.

Please, do a little research on such things as three gun competition, cowboy action, mounted cowboy shooting, IDPA, ISPC. Even if it’s just some videos on YouTube. See what you’re missing. You may even find a new hobby or talent!