So the antis are kicking around this article. I’ll let you read the whole thing. First up this was written by a typical anti-gun person, meaning somebody who knows NOTHING about guns or gun laws*, so I take this with a grain of salt.
Still from the story two people are hiking through some White Mountain trails in New Hampshire (BTW I’ve hiked these very trails many times) and they encounter two guys one carrying “a large semi-automatic M16 type assault weapon”, and according to them at low ready rather than slung. Allegedly they asked if the gun was an airsoft replica and the answer was:
He said no and that the gun was “very real and very loaded.” He proudly opened the “magazine” and showed us it was full of cartridges about the size of my fingers.
yep
Who knows, if it was a semi-auto “M16 type gun” we’re talking an AR-15…and .223 is pretty small for rifle rounds. Or it was something that shoots “finger-sized” cartridges (which even the .308 rounds that an AR-10 or an FAL eats are smaller than my wife’s tiny fingers), either way their nomenclature and use of quotes around “Magazine” lead me to believe they know nothing about guns.
So let’s first have a peek at the facts as they’re presented. The guy is carrying a rifle in the New Hampshire national Forrest. So far no foul, open carry is legal there, and the law doesn’t make distinctions between handguns and long guns. The gun was allegedly carried “at the ready”. Now if true this is bad form. When carrying a handgun one must have a holster for it. Having a gun in hand can be considered a threat. I certainly would think that. Of course rifles don’t have holsters (some companies make “Scabbards” that carry the gun in a pouch on your back like a samurai sword) but the next best thing is a sling. Now with AR-15s the latest thing are the single-point tactical slings that carry the gun across your chest, and it can be steadied with a hand and appear to be in low ready. We’ll just leave that out there, if you’re going to carry a long gun, sling the weapon, or use one of thems scabbards.
Now let’s go over something these people didn’t discuss. Its the white mountains of New Hampshire. On the Lincoln Woods trail which is near by my family encountered a pair of Moose walking up the trail. Thankfully it wasn’t a cow with a calf, or a Bull in his rut so they posed no danger (still the fuckers are HUGE so even a docile one can be intimidating) but that’s not to say they can’t.
Furthermore those woods are home to Coyotes, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, and there have been attempts to re-introduce wolves. These things are a reason why I’m saving my pennies for “Project Bear Gun”, and certainly a rifle isn’t a bad idea either.
But let’s get to the bottom line. They hiked their hike. They took their pictures, they enjoyed their day. Nobody was hurt, and no laws were broken. But they really didn’t like seeing that icky gun (tho they were intimidated enough to speak with the guy carrying it).
These are the made-up problems of the antis. There isn’t any harm done, or and honest concern, hell there isn’t even any FEAR! (BTW I was in Boston once where a homeless person was having a psychotic episode and being very angry at shit that wasn’t there….I didn’t ask him about his life story, or his problems…I got away to a place he wasn’t. That’s what REAL concern looks like. The could have left the park, and they could have taken a different trail, nope they stayed on the trail with the guy with a gun…that says a LOT)
Nope, they just don’t like our life choices and wish we’d change them for their own personal consideration.
Nah, no thanks!
*BTW have you noticed that the people who don’t like Cafe Standards or speed limits or car import laws know a thing or two about cars? The people who are black civil rights activists know a lot about Jim Crow laws and the various laws and events in the Black civil rights movement. Drug lobbyists know about medicine, medical conditions, hospitals, and FDA testing requirements….but if you’re a gun control activist you don’t know an AR-15 from a 10/22, or a Colt 1911 from a Colt Python.
