A month ago my father gave me his Winchester 94. After watching an episode of Mythbusters where they put old west myths to the test (a silver dollar proved impenetrable to common period handguns) I felt the urge to finally take it for a test-drive. I called Jeremy and off we went to the New Albany Shooting Range.
I come from a "gun-owning" family. I learned how to shoot b-b guns and 22 caliber rifles when I was young. I know how to take a 1911 45 caliber pistol apart and I know how to clean a rifle. I was taught to respect a gun without fearing it and guns never felt like a status symbol to me. I was put a bit back, then, at the sight of a couple of guys and their dates with their ridiculously tricked out AK-47. They stood there shooting this rifle trying for all the world to look dangerous, but by holding the rifle like they thought it might explode at any minute. By managing to have difficulty hitting a silhouette target at 50 feet, they only managed to look silly. I commented to Jeremy that if I ever had to choose someone to have shoot at me I would look them up.
