I had to share this here since bikes seem to fall in this line too Its from Vince Buckles new blog
An Addiction?
January 23, 2012
We have a heard it from someone in our lives. Someone who doesn’t share the passion for shooting sports or collecting that we do. Sometimes it is said jokingly and other times compared to a gambling or drug problem. If you are new to shooting and collecting firearms, you may not have heard it yet. It is not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN. Undeniably someone in your circle of family and friends will make the remark that you have a firearms addiction. I have heard it countless times. Those who say it usually do not take consideration into the fact that my career and livelihood for my entire adult life has been gunsmithing. However it’s not me that I want to talk about. It’s the guy who breaks his back all week working overtime so that his family can have what they need and when he has some extra cash, he adds to his gun collection or takes his collection to the range on a day off, in the process burning through hundreds of dollars in ammo.
I happened to be blessed with a wife who has embraced firearms culture, and children who are interested in guns and shooting. My parents both support my love of the industry and my father has become quite the gun enthusiast himself. Unfortunately I know a lot of guys my age and older who do not have family supportive of their passion. Some of these guys I feel bad for, and some I do not. The ones who I feel bad for are the guys who go to work every day, keep their bills paid on time, take care of their family first and foremost both financially and through spending quality time with them. These guys deserve not to be hassled by loved ones about how many guns they own or why firearms are such a part of their pastimes.
Then there is the OTHER guy… this guy probably doesn’t stop at a one toy buying habit. I know these guys. These guys never made the transformation to adult. They get paid Friday, go to the gun show on Saturday and spend half their check on some overpriced crap with every plastic so called tactical accessory bolted to it, and hit up the video game store on the way home to pick up their newest XBox first person shooter game.I have gone to gun shows with these guys and I on the way home they ask me ” can you keep my gun at your place for a while so my wife doesn’t know?’
Back to addiction. Addiction is basically being hooked on something that gives you a thrill or makes you feel good in the short term. Most people like to hide and deny their addictions. Most addicts spend money on an instant fix or high that reaps little if no reward. It is not uncommon for an addict to disregard bills, family commitments, work priorities, and the value of money. However most guys who are in the habit of spending their money on guns and at the same time are slacking off on their real life responsibilities are probably more addicted to the high of getting something new than anything else. They just happen to like guns as part of their list of new toys not acquired yet.
To the guys that do their part, bust their ... and treat their family well…. If firearms are your passion and your hobby after you have taken care of your adult responsibilities, then this gunsmith says God Bless and enjoy the lifestyle of collecting and shooting firearms. If you wait until money is right and are not putting your finances at risk then it is not an addiction, it is a passion. A passion you will likely keep for a lifetime and one that you can share with your family. It is not about the thrill of spending money or getting something new, it is about the enjoyment of collecting and shooting quality firearms as a reward for your hard work and dedication to your family.
An Addiction?
January 23, 2012
We have a heard it from someone in our lives. Someone who doesn’t share the passion for shooting sports or collecting that we do. Sometimes it is said jokingly and other times compared to a gambling or drug problem. If you are new to shooting and collecting firearms, you may not have heard it yet. It is not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN. Undeniably someone in your circle of family and friends will make the remark that you have a firearms addiction. I have heard it countless times. Those who say it usually do not take consideration into the fact that my career and livelihood for my entire adult life has been gunsmithing. However it’s not me that I want to talk about. It’s the guy who breaks his back all week working overtime so that his family can have what they need and when he has some extra cash, he adds to his gun collection or takes his collection to the range on a day off, in the process burning through hundreds of dollars in ammo.
I happened to be blessed with a wife who has embraced firearms culture, and children who are interested in guns and shooting. My parents both support my love of the industry and my father has become quite the gun enthusiast himself. Unfortunately I know a lot of guys my age and older who do not have family supportive of their passion. Some of these guys I feel bad for, and some I do not. The ones who I feel bad for are the guys who go to work every day, keep their bills paid on time, take care of their family first and foremost both financially and through spending quality time with them. These guys deserve not to be hassled by loved ones about how many guns they own or why firearms are such a part of their pastimes.
Then there is the OTHER guy… this guy probably doesn’t stop at a one toy buying habit. I know these guys. These guys never made the transformation to adult. They get paid Friday, go to the gun show on Saturday and spend half their check on some overpriced crap with every plastic so called tactical accessory bolted to it, and hit up the video game store on the way home to pick up their newest XBox first person shooter game.I have gone to gun shows with these guys and I on the way home they ask me ” can you keep my gun at your place for a while so my wife doesn’t know?’
Back to addiction. Addiction is basically being hooked on something that gives you a thrill or makes you feel good in the short term. Most people like to hide and deny their addictions. Most addicts spend money on an instant fix or high that reaps little if no reward. It is not uncommon for an addict to disregard bills, family commitments, work priorities, and the value of money. However most guys who are in the habit of spending their money on guns and at the same time are slacking off on their real life responsibilities are probably more addicted to the high of getting something new than anything else. They just happen to like guns as part of their list of new toys not acquired yet.
To the guys that do their part, bust their ... and treat their family well…. If firearms are your passion and your hobby after you have taken care of your adult responsibilities, then this gunsmith says God Bless and enjoy the lifestyle of collecting and shooting firearms. If you wait until money is right and are not putting your finances at risk then it is not an addiction, it is a passion. A passion you will likely keep for a lifetime and one that you can share with your family. It is not about the thrill of spending money or getting something new, it is about the enjoyment of collecting and shooting quality firearms as a reward for your hard work and dedication to your family.
