The flaw in gun culture isn’t the people, it’s the gear

I’ve been frustrated the past couple months with my interactions with the online gun community, and I’m not really sure why. I’m a veteran, own guns, and shoot sports are my favorite way to spend a weekend. I want to be a proud gun owner, proud of the people and the hobby I’m a part of. I’m not, because every time I interact with most of the gun owner community, I’m reminded that our flaw is the gear.<br><br>The gear is an important aspect of the hobby, but it’s only one of many. It’s why I was drawn to shooting sports in the first place, as it’s accessible and appealing to a lot of people. The gear has brought us together, but it’s also driving us apart. I don’t know what the solution is, but I do know we need to be more inviting, more inclusive, and more demonstrative of our passion for the sport and people’s lives that shooting sports can change. I do not want to feel ashamed to be an outward facing gun owner. <br><br>We will never be allowed to be apolitical. If you participate in our sport, you can’t just enjoy it and ignore the politics. The media is a powerful tool, and they paint us in a pretty poor light, which in turn has led to a bevy of anti-gun legislation and anti-gun sentiment. <br><br>But when I venture out to online forums, I don’t see people talking about how shooting has improved their life. They don’t talk about the good people they’ve met or the lessons they’ve learned. I don’t see people talking about the shooting sports as a way to connect with your community, even though that’s exactly what the shooting sports are for the vast majority of us. I don’t see people recommending ranges and coaches and training opportunities.<br><br>What I see is people recommending gear to the exclusion of everything else. We need to be better at promoting the sport, at letting people see the best part of owning a gun is everything other than the gun itself. And we need to be better at helping new shooters meet our broader community. I remember the guy who taught me to shoot a rifle, the guy who taught me to shoot Pistol, all the people who have helped me over the years become a better shooter. <br><br>We don’t talk enough about our sport, about how to grow in it, about what really matters. Even when we encourage people to join, we only talk to them as customers. When we’re reaching out to new gun owners, we should be talking about why we’re here, why we love this sport, and why we want other people in it. We should talk about the gear, but only in the context of how it serves the rest of the sport. We should talk about community, about mentorship, about the journey from n00b to veteran competitor. We need to talk about why we keep coming back to the range. We need to reach out with open arms to everyone who wants to be part of this amazing thing we have. We need to be inviting, kind, and gracious. We need to stop talking about gear and start talking about the sport itself.