Who here shoots (in real life, not in games!) ?

[Corky34]

There wasn't an option for me so i chose "Nope. I dont' and won't be shooting guns." but I'd say it's more like "Nope, I'm not interested in shooting guns".

[Phage]

A .50 cal SMG ?

[sammyc]

OK...lets begin again

I understand your point & question structure & reasoning so no need for me to begin again.

Imo leaving out any mention of live quarry (not discussion of; I don't wish to & wouldn't, here) means there is one Yes for 2 totally different things. It's not a trivial distinction and therefore a fair distinction to ask for in a poll, again imo. I wouldn't be able to click Yes as it stands, therefore wouldn't vote, therefore you'd be a vote down, etc.

However I realise that you are only after very approx stats for poll purposes; that's your prerogative.

[kalniel]

Seriously though, presumably this is one for the overseas users? It's not like many folk in the UK have access or opportunity unless they join the TA.

Presumably you live in a city or large town? Out in the countryside it's the norm rather than the exception. Shotguns only, of course. For myself, I shoot arrows rather than shot for the most part, though I do clays occasionally, so I don't own my own gun, but do own my own bow.

[peterb]

A .50 cal SMG ?

Machine gun

[TeePee]

It's been on my "thing I should do" list for a while. I used to do target shooting at secondary school (we had a rifle range), and it's probably easier now I live in the US.

It's fascinating for me how guns basically don't exist as a "thing" here in Massachusetts, and I drive 30 minutes up the road into New Hampshire and there are billboards for gun shops lining the road.

It might be a lot easier to shoot than the UK, but probably not to own a firearm in Massachusetts. It will be easier once you have your Green Card. NH has much more of a shooting sports and hunting culture. Some of those gun shops in NH will have ranges and offer 'rental guns' for you to try. Most of those shops will be incredibly friendly and welcoming (The Mass-hole culture is very localized!), especially when they hear a British accent. Most will be delighted to have someone interested in shooting, and will help with familiarization and safely. Give it a try, for an afternoon's experience if nothing else, and have fun!

[Saracen999]

I understand your point & question structure & reasoning so no need for me to begin again.

Imo leaving out any mention of live quarry (not discussion of; I don't wish to & wouldn't, here) means there is one Yes for 2 totally different things. It's not a trivial distinction and therefore a fair distinction to ask for in a poll, again imo. I wouldn't be able to click Yes as it stands, therefore wouldn't vote, therefore you'd be a vote down, etc.

However I realise that you are only after very approx stats for poll purposes; that's your prerogative.

Just my 2p, but I can't see how target/luve affects most or even all of those options. Anyone could be interested in either neither or both, without making that distinction.

Personally, I said "target only" as a statement of straight historical fact. That has been my experience. It makes no reference to whether I would have had the opportunity been there, or wish to in the future, do anything else. It makes no judgement call, or expresses preference or intention. Like you, that discussio is one zi have no interest in, even had Zak wanted it.

I couldn't see an option that quite fitted my situation, so didn't vote. If I had, whatever I voted would have been inaccurate in one way or another.

[sammyc]

Just my 2p, but I can't see how target/luve affects most or even all of those options. Anyone could be interested in either neither or both, without making that distinction.

Well as far as I'm concerned they are 2 crucially different things, as different as do you sing? & do you dance? and my answering Yes would depend on the distinction being made.

People have gone on to add bits of specifics in their posts, which is fine, but clarifying target/live in the poll would have cut out the need and wouldn't automatically have spawned discussion (I would have not posted at all, so) - I don't think it need be assumed that people would have ignored a polite request to keep unasked for opinion off the thread.

[blueball]

Ex military, have fired 7.62mm SLR, 9mm SMG, 9mm Browning Pistol and about 5 of these little babies...

http://www.ourhatfield.org.uk/wp-con..._TV_Martel.jpg

[Saracen999]

Well as far as I'm concerned they are 2 crucially different things, as different as do you sing? & do you dance? and my answering Yes would depend on the distinction being made.

People have gone on to add bits of specifics in their posts, which is fine, but clarifying target/live in the poll would have cut out the need and wouldn't automatically have spawned discussion (I would have not posted at all, so) - I don't think it need be assumed that people would have ignored a polite request to keep unasked for opinion off the thread.

I don't agree about it being two different things, but that's why I said "just my 2p".

It's more like asking "Do you sing" rather than whether you ring Country, or Rock & Roll.

As for keeping "opinions" of the thread, as I read it, no "discussion", no turning into pro this or anti-that. I can't, and won't try, to answer for snybody else but I carefully didn't either discuss or state an opinion. I stated a two-word fact on what my actual experience was.

And in the interests of not discussing whether we're discussing, my opinion on the options is that a distinction isn't implied, which is different to your opinion. Okay. Fair enough. And I'm not commenting on it further.

[sammyc]

And in the interests of not discussing whether we're discussing, my opinion on the options is that a distinction isn't implied, which is different to your opinion. Okay. Fair enough. And I'm not commenting on it further.

My opinion is also that a distinction isn't implied, that's the whole point; I would like a distinction.

Where we disagree is whether this particular distinction is as minor as that between one singing style & another - clearly to me it isn't, for the obvious reasons - thanks for your comments, will leave it here also

Not here to stir, in case anyone misinterprets, as I said I would not have posted about the subject itself even had this been a thread that did invite it. I would be interested in what the poll results were if it had been divided down further (so might someone from the other side of opinion the issue) - not to the point of comment however.

[peterb]

I agree that the poll could have been more granular in the questions. It’s a wide topic - one division would be do you have a firearm for professional purposes (gamekeeper, farmer, armed forces) or as a hobby or a sport.

Type of firearm could have been broken down, air weapon, shotgun, rifle etc, and then down to precision target shooting (eg Bisley) or indoor range shooting or moving/pop up target shooting.

But the poll system doesn’t really lend itself to that type of complex multiple option choice.

[sammyc]

^ well fairly clearly the topic only needs to be as either/or for me as 'is anything dead at the end of it?' - anything else is as you say, mere subdivision. But I'm genuinely nitpicking the question structure more than the subject, believe it or not, it could just as well be about anything I would like clarified before answering.

[peterb]

Well you could apply the “Is anything dead at the end of it’ to several activities, archery in particular comes to mind! But the question might have been phrased in two sections as in “do you use a firearm for hunting” wither the options and “do use use a firearm for target shooting” wither the same options.

(The question does remind me of the joke “what’s the difference between a panda and a man on a one night stand? One eats shoots and leaves, the other eats, shoots, and leaves”

[sammyc]

Well you could apply the “Is anything dead at the end of it’ to several activities, archery in particular comes to mind!

It came to my mind too; having said that I'd probably have assumed clicking Yes to archery probably could be taken to exclude "at something/using the next-door neighbours as target practice" (for example).

Two sections as you describe would have done me v nicely & no further ado

[AC81]

I've shot clays a handfull of times but never owned a shotgun.

I own and shoot a rifle, go quite a few times a year as I shoot competition in 22lr. (not to a high standard though)