Is this the "Best Of Times" for Gun ownership in America??? (Poll)

[smtimelevi]

Anytime you can buy a gun of your choice, without a background check or any other infringement of the 2A is a good time.

Be well.

This. ^


No such thing as a CHL, you just did it and it was legal. Thats America. Supposed to be a free country.

 

[Texan2]

I bought guns before the GCA of 1968. Those were good times! I remember seeing Ye Old Hunter ads in the magazines for rifles by mail order for as little as $12-$20 and I bought a Swiss 7.5 rifle for $19 and a Mauser for $30. The selection was poor- mostly Milsup rifles and pistols. Ammo was cheap, again mostly Milsup but I can remember shopping for a new Chevy truck with no options and std transmission for $2200 and passed on it because I didn't want to go into debt that much for a vehicle! That was a friggin' fortune!

After 1968, things got rough. The GCA didn't cause much trouble with the 4473 form, it was what went with it. Shortly, all ammo was restricted and you had to sign a log book and show ID for anything including shotgun shells and even a box of .22's! That was rough! The worst part though, was the attitude of lawmakers. Gun owners were trashed every day and made to feel like criminals. After every gun related incident, Lawmakers jumped on the bandwagon trashing gun owners and calling for gun confiscation. We took a lot of crap as the NRA was attempting to get to 1 million members. I actually got OUT of the gun and shooting sports because I was tired of taking crap from every 2 bit politician! The idea that gun ownership was a Constitutional right was dumped on every day. It was only for official government force members to own guns. That was a rough time!

I was in Chicago and had one of the first FOID (firearm owner ID) cards ever issued. The tide was running against us. Skokie, ILL passed an outright ban on firearms ownership and every day, more Chicken Shxt laws were being passed. A heavy blow was struck when the NRA had it's non profit tax exemption pulled. We were all under constant attack.

The ammo registration passed away as it was so cumbersome that the government was choking on paper and vendors screamed non stop about it. Soon, shotgun shells then .22's then, finally, all ammo was exempted. Those were the worst of gun ownership times!

Then the Assault Weapons Bill came up to be expired ten years later. NRA exceeded 2 million members and succeeded in running some mouthy politicians off and overturning some awful anti gun legislation. Then Supreme Court decisions affirmed that gun ownership was every citizen's right! Still, NRA membership grew and politicians thought twice before they opened their mouths to trash gun owners. They made a statement, NRA tuned them onto the radar and POOF! the guy was gone!

Today, landmark court cases have been recorded to secure our rights. The CHL licenses are almost universal today while in the 60's, that would have been unthinkable! Politicians now keep their damned mouths shut and stay off of our backs because they know opening their mouths has become political suicide.
Never in my life have I seen so many products, services, firearms, types of ammo, holsters, clothing or related products for the firearms past time!

That progress can be traced directly to the growing strength of the NRA. When the NRA was small and weak, we took a ton of crap. When the NRA grew strong and membership boomed, politicians started to take cover. I credit the NRA with MOST of the progress we have made. The NRA formed the hub around which all of our pro gun efforts revolved. The NRA formed a nucleus and common ground for tens of thousands of individual pro gun groups and staunch individuals. The NRA was the "point man" of our efforts.

Some of you guys may hesitate to send your yearly dues to the NRA. Gun ownership was Hell before the NRA became strong and it's the best investment I've ever made in my shooting sports involvement.

How do I know about the progress we have made? In the words of the late Elmer Keith: "Hell, I was there!"

Flash

Great POV.....thanks for sharing your years of experience with those of us that weren't there.

 

[London]

Pre 1930s: Nothing banned, everything you could ever want was for sale if you had the money... and as long as you were white. Nowadays it's the opposite. I'd say it's about even. We've won some, we've lost some.