I’m just curious about firearms and camping

[UK-Corlett]

This will make not make me friends but here goes:

Never seen one, never used one, never needed one.
I am amazed by the positive response to "can I take a hand gun to a public place?"

That’s all a bit glib from a European who doesn’t have your history or problems, Sorry. But there is an interesting point.

Read these statistics:
According Home Office figures, there were 58 firearms-related deaths in 2006-07. UK Population 56 million

1988 UK Criminal Justice Act Section 139
Possession in Public Place
It may be an offence under the Criminal Justice Act to carry a bladed or sharply pointed instrument in a public place
Exemption: Folding pocket knife with cutting edge less than 3 inches (non-locking).

It turns out it's safer this way! Clive

[dreadcptflint]

I haven't packed a firearm when camping. I do occasionaly camp where bears are known to wander through and last year we had a moose go through camp. I do own firearms. I would however carry when I go farther into the bush and when I teach my kid how to use them. (He is only one right now).

[GregJ]

Clive,

Europe is a very different place than the US. Population density in the US is much lower and in places you are your only support.

That said, I've camped most of my life in public camgrounds around the Pacific Northwest and never had or felt the need to "carry." Lot's of people, rangers, state police... If you do, keep it put away.

I have some land in centeral Oregon, 30 miles deep in cougar country, I might have something there

[raprap]

Generally I don't carry a firearm. That is, not a firearm as far as the laws of most states are concerned. You see I like black powder and black powder are not considered firearms in most states and commonwealths. However, my 50 caliber Hawkin, my Brown Bess, and my 44 Remington ball and cap have stopped a rampaging Banbii, a reckless Flower, and a charging Thumper.

Rap

[moto403]

Mr. Hall
if your still in iraq i would recomend having as many firearms with you as possible at all times. but if your stateside and in a campground you'll generally find that most RV er's are not the defending against type(mostly.... though i have met a one i woulda liked to at least kick real hard).
But i am comforted by the knowledge that there are people around who can take a shot or two while i'm getting a reload for my sling shot.

so as they say in the military "DON"T ASK DON"T TELL" and all is fine by me.

felix

P.S. maybe there is a shooting range near by, good excuse atleast!!

[madjack]

Clive, it is an interesting difference in cultures...by age 8 I had been thru firearms training and had my "own" .22 rifle and a 410 shotgun...I have essentially never been without a firearm, anywhere I have gone since then...even in high school, I usually had a rifle or shotgun in my vehicle(all us boys did)...even though I have travelled in and with some hard company both in the woods and in the cities, I have never had to pull a weapon to protect myself...like I said, a very interesting difference in cultures and laws........
madjack

[MSG Hall]

black powder are not considered firearms in most states and commonwealths. Rap

Ha! At age 16 I got my first Ruger OldArmy… I still own one today. My uncle insisted that my cousin and I be protected if we were going to be off on our own. We would camp in the Allegany mountains for weeks at a time. Bear, Dogs and drug growers were the biggest threats. We only “needed” the guns twice. A rabid dog (and that could have turned out real bad with out the gun) and a car of drugged up hippies that wanted our camp, and everything in it. There was a bear incident, but he only wanted food, so we watched from the tent while he tore our cooler apart… then he went away.

I guess getting shot at makes one a bit paranoid. I don’t know if I will ever be without a gun ever, for the rest of my life. Clive, look at like car insurance. You hope you never will need it; odds are you won’t… but if that one chance in a 1000 happens, you’re glad you have it.

[UK-Corlett]

Madjack, SFC Hall

Yes very much a cultural thing. I completely accept the wilderness bear in the woods defence, no problem with that.

As an English man I forget just how removed from gun’s I am. Our airports are protected by armed police, and it’s just about the only place I will come across a proper gun. (I am not talking air rifles, shot guns etc, but a proper gun with the sole purpose for and designed to kill). And when I do it’s really shocking and takes me back. I double take, as it’s surreal and incongruous. This is how I know it’s not normal for me.

I am not a whip or anti anything it’s just strange to see one. If I was out with our Mr Hall I would want one and to be trained in its use. My dad fought in the desert against Rommel etc. God rest his sole. I am a Scout leader and one of my ex-Scouts is in Afghanistan refuelling helicopters.

My own feeling is that I know people who I would be happy to own a gun but I also know a whole lot of people who should not be let any where near one. So the options are we all have one or no one has one. Toss of the coin I prefer the later.

Clive

[Miriam C.]

Clive, if no one had one over here I might not either. That would limit me to shotguns. Got my vote. Truthfully over here a shotgun will garner more respect and less a need to fire than a handgun. It is harder to keep out of sight though.

[elmo]

Clive, if no one had one over here I might not either. That would limit me to shotguns. Got my vote. Truthfully over here a shotgun will garner more respect and less a need to fire than a handgun. It is harder to keep out of sight though.

Best home protection is a shotgun.

[Q]

I've been camping all my life and now spend at least 3 months of every year camping out, almost never in campgrounds. I don't carry a gun and have never had a situation where I thought it would be nice to have one.

Q in Oregon

[Mike C.]

Never leave home without one, just don't advertise it.

[asianflava]

There are some shooting ranges in Las Vegas and Orlando where you can go there and rent a fully automatic weapon, buy ammo and shoot them. It's very popular with European and Japanese tourists. People from here do it too because full auto weapons aren't available to everyone.

[rbeemer]

There are some shooting ranges in Las Vegas and Orlando where you can go there and rent a fully automatic weapon, buy ammo and shoot them. It's very popular with European and Japanese tourists. People from here do it too because full auto weapons aren't available to everyone.

Hmmmm........

I guess it is not a good idea to design a teardrop with a gun turret

[hursttool]

I think the rule of thumb is don't ask don't tell I do alot of tent campingin my area I do not carry a gun of any type when I camp outside my normal area I have a .22 hidden away my wife nor my kids no where it is do to the fact I don't want them to get near it and I always use safty looks on my weapons... I would say tuck it away but don't tell