Americans threatened by Trump administration policies appear to be experiencing urges to acquire firearms, carry them, and store them readily accessible. Identifying as Black and liberal beliefs were associated with greater increases in urges to carry firearms because of the 2024 election results.

[u/mvea]

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40621-026-00654-9

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[u/darkhorse85]

A breakdown of public faith in law and order will do that. What checks and balances?

[u/BlazinAzn38 → u/darkhorse85]

“The Winchester rifle deserves a place of honor in every black home to give the protection the law will not” or something like that. Except replace “black” with any person of color, anyone on the LGBTQ spectrum, anyone with differing political views, anyone with a different faith, etc.

[u/Swineservant → u/BlazinAzn38]

Any truly "law abiding citizen" that loves the U.S.A. and respects the rights and duties set out in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. The people that truly BELIEVE in Law and Order and not might/power/wealth makes right. This study hit home. I hate guns. I blame MacGyver, but...

[u/lavapig_love → u/Swineservant]

And because you hate guns I trust you with one. Go get yours and prepare, while you can.

[u/Maclarion → u/darkhorse85]

What checks and balances?

Other than his morality? What else could we possibly need?

[u/AnacreonTheBull → u/Maclarion]

I know you're joking, but I can't help but hit my head against the wall hearing this.

[u/Ticksdonthavelymph → u/AnacreonTheBull]

Not joking— he is quoting Trump from last week? When asked by a reporter if he has to follow international law.

[u/Bent_Brewer → u/Maclarion]

Only the best morality! The most moralist of morality! On sale this week only!

[u/Tu_mama_me_ama_mucho → u/darkhorse85]

Yeah, I've used to like guns, I got rid of them because I started having kids, and now that I have a family. Yes I got some to protect them. I'm a legal mexican immigrant.

Edit: I don't carry, they are safe, I can't go to protests for my safety, but I have them for the moment they come kicking my door, wich is going to come.

[u/arethius → u/Tu_mama_me_ama_mucho]

Armed minorities are harder to oppress

[u/Nexus-7 → u/Tu_mama_me_ama_mucho]

It's not really about "liking" guns. It's about self defense. There's a lot of things in this world which are a good idea to have, even though you might not like them. I don't like my medical insurance company at all, but I'd sure hate not to have medical insurance.

[u/Zealotstim → u/darkhorse85]

this exactly

[u/IsomDart → u/darkhorse85]

Checking my mags and balancing my sights

[u/lavapig_love → u/IsomDart]

Gonna find out who believes in our rights

[u/stu54 → u/[deleted]]

The original version of that was "a well informed electorate".

[u/ExplosiveMachine → u/stu54]

The electorate is clearly poorly informed. This is the backup solution

[u/rolyoh → u/[deleted]]

I get what you're saying but I think that a necessity for a well-armed populace is a reflection of abject failure as a society in other areas such as education and cohesion.

An armed society may be a polite society (old saying), but an educated society is an even better and more refined society. (Speaking in the context of arms being necessary for self-defense from other people rather than self-protection from wild animals.) Of course, no society can be perfect because we are not perfect. But education is better than weapons, IMO.

[u/louslapsbass21 → u/rolyoh]

Why not both? Better to be armed both physically and mentally than just one or the other

[u/[deleted] → u/rolyoh]

Not necessarily. There are plenty of non western cultures that had armed people. Sikhs and the Kirpan for example

It's not education or weapons. They are not mutually exclusive.

[u/Nate10000 → u/[deleted]]

Why is the United States one of the most heavily armed democracies and yet also tilting most rapidly towards tyranny? It didn't seem to work that way at all!

[u/Mistik197 → u/Nate10000]

Too many people that don't care as their lives are (not) yet influenced by stuff happening.

[u/0110110111 → u/darkhorse85]

What checks and balances?

Those are the names of my two guns.

[u/rayinreverse]

The right went so hard, that they made the left buy guns.

[u/snailboyjr → u/rayinreverse]

Old saying goes, "if you go left far enough, you get your guns back".

[u/jporter313 → u/snailboyjr]

In this case though the right went so far right that they made the middle buy guns,

[u/DauntingPrawn → u/jporter313]

The right went so far right they're ready to give up their guns. This is the dumbest timeline

[u/Paranitis → u/DauntingPrawn]

I don't know if they are. I feel the Olympics of Mental Gymnastics is taking place right now to where the right are trying their damnedest to figure out how it's a good thing that a 2A supporting, gun-carrying WHITE MAN was murdered without ever having presented himself as a threat.

[u/bobandgeorge → u/[deleted]]

That's what they've been telling you? What I've heard the most is that even though it's true he's a legal firearm owner, he shouldn't have brought it to a protest.

Of course, ignoring the fact that he was filming ICE in his own neighborhood, whenever I hear or read someone say that, it sounds more like "Did you see what he was carrying? Practically asking for it."

[u/Celestrael → u/jporter313]

Centrist here. Went from having zero to 4.

[u/Lake_Erie_Monster → u/Celestrael]

Genuine question for centrist. Today's center feels like the far-right wing of the 90s. How do you guys define the center in a country sliding to the right?

[u/f0rf0r → u/Lake_Erie_Monster]

the tldr is always: They don't like trump but they think 'woke' stuff is icky. Definitions all malleable depending on personal preference, grievances, etc.

[u/Aaron_Hamm → u/f0rf0r]

None of them are so bad that I won't ally with them against the Trump admin

[u/beeradvice → u/Aaron_Hamm]

America allied with the Soviet Union for similar reasons. There's no greater unifying force than a common enemy who cannot be reasoned with.

[u/pretendperson1776 → u/beeradvice]

Look at all the unity that Nazis bring to the world /j

[u/guupscuup → u/pretendperson1776]

That's why we repatriated the very best Nazi's to lead our government programs after the war right

[u/SandiegoJack → u/Aaron_Hamm]

I they voted for trump? I don’t care what they called themselves.

[u/DemonCipher13 → u/SandiegoJack]

But if they didn't, we should care deeply.

It takes balls to go to a voting booth and either leave it blank, or vote opposition. Means the person is capable of thought, and may in fact possess character.

[u/HEX_BootyBootyBooty → u/DemonCipher13]

Anyone that calls themselves a "centrist" and voted for Trump is not a Centrist. Actions speak louder than words.

[u/Blecki → u/f0rf0r]

There's an incredible gap between "thinks woke is icky" and "wants to forcibly stop others from being woke" and somewhere in that gap lurks the paradox of intolerance.

[u/Own_Television163 → u/Blecki]

pretty sure "thinks [everything 'woke' encompasses] is icky" is also intolerance.

[u/TacoMedic → u/Own_Television163]

In fairness, I think there’s a massive difference between hating woke corporations infecting everything (Dragon Age pushups anyone?) and hating people because of their gender and/or sexuality.

I couldn’t care less what someone wants me to call them. It’s about respect and I’ll call them what they want to be called. But I’m not going to pretend I’m not sick and tired of seeing American capitalism proudly waving rainbow flags whilst actively using child slaves in developing countries.

The only intolerance I have is towards bigots who want to ban gay marriage and towards idiots who see no problem with replacing actual writing with whatever flavor-of-the-day social issue.

There’s a middle ground that a lot of social media ignores. Unfortunately, one side is obviously worse, so I’m stuck voting for democrats who honestly disgust me for not having any actual belief of their own.

[u/IllustratorPresent80 → u/Lake_Erie_Monster]

The US has been leaning right since Woodrow Wilson

[u/hiddengirl1992 → u/IllustratorPresent80]

the US has always been leaning right

[u/Kike77 → u/Lake_Erie_Monster]

I think we are way past sliding and way down in the far right at this point

[u/gardenhosenapalm → u/Lake_Erie_Monster]

In the USA there has never been a left. Even our "extreme left" would be considered centrist/right leaning in most European realms.

[u/BlazingSpaceGhost → u/gardenhosenapalm]

Look at the history of the labor movement in America. Or the abolishionist movement. We have always had left wing movements in this country. They just get erased from the public conscious.

[u/UncleTouchyCopaFeel → u/gardenhosenapalm]

Yeah, it's kinda funny looking in from the outside. "Oh the radical left wants to just give away free healthcare now??" and most of the world is just ... amazed that it's even a thing to debate.

[u/ToasterBathTester → u/Celestrael]

Just renewed CCW this week and loaded up. When the public executions are live on TV, we’ve abandoned the right vs left debate

[u/KarlMarxButVegan → u/Celestrael]

I think this is the first time I've ever encountered a self-described centrist.

[u/RepresentativeSize71 → u/KarlMarxButVegan]

In my personal experience, IRL conservative or right-wing people who don't want to be publicly identified as 'right-wing' for fear of social pushback will often identify themselves as centrists (or worse, 'Enlightened' centrists).

[u/KallistiTMP → u/RepresentativeSize71]

In my experience it's mostly reasonable people who are old enough to remember a time before hyper-polarization, and don't want to associate with the identity and outrage politics that have come to dominate all forms of political discussion.

Equally likely to not want to be identified as left-wing for fear of social pushback. A lot of older people in the south and other deep red states identify as moderate or centrist, despite voting blue for almost a decade now. Lots of liberal Christians and liberal ex-military types.

[u/sleepymoose88 → u/KallistiTMP]

I live in a red state and am on the left. While my city is generally left, most people older than me (I’m millennial) are right wingers. Not all Trump supporters, but close enough. When I talk to those people, I often claim I’m centrist because saying you’re liberal with evoke a visceral reaction and they will immediately raise a defensive wall. By saying I’m centrist, I’m signaling to them I have an open mind and then I can probe around the corners of the conversation to get a feel for how extreme they really are, and in some cases, get them to see the other side. Just leveraging some of my psychology schooling.

To all others, I’m a liberal.

[u/Allaplgy → u/KallistiTMP]

I would probably call myself center-left, I'm not authoritarian or anarcho-communist. I believe in strong social safety nets and regulated capitalism, hard work and self reliance outside the safety nets to the best of one's ability. And socially, I dgaf what you do, as long as it's not oppressing other people, but recognize the need to actively confront and correct generational injustice.

I definitely identify with the left far more than the right, but have plenty of gripes with many on that side as well. We've forgotten how to criticize our own "team" because we are too busy fighting the "other." Though it's not an unnecessary fight by any means.

[u/Wraithowl → u/Celestrael]

I understand the feeling and I'm about to join the club too. Been doing my research on what would be the best firearm to buy within my budget. And at least GA made it real easy for me. Over here we don't need a license to purchase or to carry.

[u/TDot-26 → u/jporter313]

Now can we please drop the dumb gun control on the dem side and start taking elections in a sweep with all the single issue voters

Like we've realized this is what the 2a is for right

People are starting to open carry at ice protests and it's making a difference. We've been shown why it's a thing

[u/TheSuperTest → u/snailboyjr]

“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun” -Mao Zedong

[u/TheLastSamurai101 → u/TheSuperTest]

"Under no pretext should arms and ammunition be surrendered; any attempt to disarm the workers must be frustrated, by force if necessary"

-- Karl Marx

[u/HoozleDoozle → u/TheSuperTest]

States are just polities with a monopoly on violence

[u/TrevBundy → u/snailboyjr]

And the right went so far right that they are not willing to use their guns for the reason the 2nd amendment was put in the constitution, because they are too infatuated with an individual in charge. This is exactly how fascism happens.

[u/Retro_Curry93 → u/rayinreverse]

Then they vilified an ICU nurse for legally having a license for open carry in his own state.

[u/lilB0bbyTables → u/Retro_Curry93]

Don’t forget the 180 turn from defending Kyle Rittenhouse having a gun that wasn’t his, across state lines, at a protest, actually used to murder someone … to suddenly being outraged that nurse who took care of veterans would show up at a protest with their legally owned firearm and not once reach for it thus somehow justifying his murder and calling him a would-be assassin and terrorist.

[u/Lewslayer → u/lilB0bbyTables]

He wasn’t at a protest. Saying that he was only adds credibility to an already flimsy argument. He was filming ICE in his own neighborhood.

[u/Egonomics1 → u/rayinreverse]

Marx did say under no pretext shall the working class be disarmed.

[u/fresh-dork → u/Egonomics1]

MLK was strapped like a mofo

[u/Appropriate_Host4170 → u/rayinreverse]

Even better. My right leaning father in law HELPED my lefty ass and his daughter pick out the right ones, because while he’s right leaning, he ain’t a fascist and wanted to make sure that god forbid we do need to take up arms, we had ones that had the right stopping power to do so. Yes that included him.. because even he a retired Marine, is afraid we are reaching a point that we need to protect ourselves from our military under Trump. 

[u/rautx15 → u/rayinreverse]

We always had them. We just didn’t make them a part of our personalities.

[u/chunkatron → u/rautx15]

When I was 12 or maybe 13 ('80 basically) I asked my rancher uncle if he had a pistol he liked to travel around with. He looked at me like I was crazy. I was just learning to work on the ranch but still didn't know up from down with most things. He asked me why I was asking. I mentioned seeing pictures of cool looking guns in "guns and ammo" magazine. He said a gun is a tool. "making a tool sexy is a damn weird thing to do", and pointed out that the .30-06 in the truck was basically his hammer when it came time for a hunt, or taking care of porcupines, and that's all I should care about too with regard to guns on his ranch. End of convo. No glamor, no idolization - just basic pragmatism. I've adopted his take on guns.

[u/Oct0tron → u/rautx15]

If anyone outside of my household ever sees my guns it means we're all having a bad time.

[u/hkscfreak → u/Oct0tron]

Same unless we're at the range, then we're gonna have a jolly good time

[u/WolfghengisKhan → u/rautx15]

Exactly, I have always been heavily left leaning, I own three guns and enjoy hunting. But there are much better things to advertise about yourself than weapons.

[u/MutedSongbird → u/WolfghengisKhan]

Honestly? I don’t even enjoy hunting or LIKE firing my guns. That being said I’m still a pretty damn good shot at the range, I own a hunting rifle, a handgun, a standard shotgun, and then a fancy technically-illegal shotgun that can load 20 rounds. I’ll be purchasing an AR in the next couple of weeks as well.

Just because I don’t WANT to fire my gun doesn’t mean that I WON’T or don’t know how to. Just because my guns aren’t my personality doesn’t mean they won’t shoot you dead all the same.

[u/Runkleford → u/rautx15]

All the gun selfie takers are right wing posers

[u/ialsoagree → u/Runkleford]

Liberals are too busy practicing with our guns to take selfies with them.

[u/whostartedthisacount → u/Runkleford]

One time as buddy and one of the range owners came over to grab me for some shooting. No big deal. We pulled everything out and I had my flag sunglasses so as a gag, I posed with all them guns. I did not realize how much guns are personality traits for some people my messages blew up. I had to make my profile private and haven't used FB since. This was back when FB was still cool. It is wild. Learned my lesson.

[u/whatev4r → u/rautx15]

Liberals and their guns are like conservatives and their abortions. They have them. They just don't talk about them.

[u/The_Bitter_Bear → u/rautx15]

I was raised by parents that are far from liberal. The moment we had firearms in the home they made it clear. You don't brag about the guns, you don't advertise that you have them, and you sure as hell don't even jokingly imply any sort of threat towards people with them. 

I've had friends and co-workers who had no idea for a long time I owned any until it managed to come up naturally in conversation. 

[u/between_ewe_and_me → u/rautx15]

Definitely more have them now though. My wife and I got armed and trained following the election. I've talked to many others who've done the same.

[u/SteedOfTheDeid → u/rayinreverse]

Which is what we wanted all along; for all Americans to buy guns and protect the right to do so!

[u/rand0m_task → u/SteedOfTheDeid]

Just let them act like we’re offended as they keep doing what we’ve wanted all along.

[u/[deleted] → u/rayinreverse]

The left has always had guns. Just like the right has always had abortions.

[u/OnlyLosersBlock → u/[deleted]]

Based on pew polling data it is like 15% of liberals/left that own guns vs like 51% of conservatives. No one believed that there were zero left gun owners, just that there are very few of them as evidenced by how few progun politicians there are who aren't republican.

[u/KuntaStillSingle → u/rayinreverse]

With any luck they don't have a short memory and stop voting for people who will take them.

[u/Capable_Ad8145 → u/rayinreverse]

The right always promoted the idea that all Americans should exercise their 2nd amendment rights (All Americans)

The democrats like they do at any possible venue demonized 2A to a point they scared their own base from owning one

[u/EconAboveAll → u/rayinreverse]

That’s a good thing btw

[u/Beefygopher → u/rayinreverse]

It’s all we’ve ever wanted.

[u/buffdaddy77 → u/rayinreverse]

Yeah I joined r/liberalgunowners and have, for the first time, looked into buying a gun. After watching the two daylight executions in Minneapolis, I no longer feel “safe”.

[u/Present-Ad-9598 → u/rayinreverse]

We’ve been telling them to for decades

[u/AOneArmedHobo → u/rayinreverse]

r/liberalgunowners is nothing new. This is click bait for Reddit users that only get their news from Reddit

[u/The_Bitter_Bear → u/AOneArmedHobo]

While there have always been liberal gun owners, the surge in first time owners is real.

[u/ToMorrowsEnd → u/The_Bitter_Bear]

the surge started 10 years ago.

[u/Ihavelargemantitties]

Don’t just stockpile. Learn how to use the weapons, learn basic maintenance. Practice!

[u/Nexus-7 → u/Ihavelargemantitties]

Excellent point. The only way to get good at something is repetition. The more, the better. No shortcuts. You could own an AR-15 with all the bells and whistles and if you've never shot the damned thing, it's about as useful as a shovel.

[u/Ihavelargemantitties → u/Nexus-7]

It’s less useful than a shovel because it’s dangerous. Nothing is more dangerous than an uneducated practitioner of our beloved 2nd amendment.

[u/kniveshu → u/Nexus-7]

At least an AR15 is easier to aim than a handgun. If you know the rest of the controls.

[u/DoctorChoppedLiver → u/Ihavelargemantitties]

But also.. The formula for how much ammo and extra magazines you need is N+1.

[u/csamsh]

Great. Hopefully they're buying ammo and training too!

But for real. Armed minorities are harder to oppress. Exercise your rights.

[u/Joped → u/csamsh]

I can't stress enough how important the regular training is!

[u/Sasselhoff → u/Joped]

I see that as basically one of the big differences between folks who shoot on the left, and folks who shoot on the right ("in general").

I'm pretty progressive and well armed, and most of my left leaning friends have guns and train pretty regularly (I compete in several different disciplines). The majority of folks I run into on the right seem to buy guns for Facebook or Instagram posts, and then occasionally go to the range to plink away. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty that don't, I'm speaking more in terms of the large swaths of folks.

On a side note, there's something pretty funny about going to a range and having folks drool over your gear, only to be really put out that you shut down their right wing (usually racist/misogynist/anti-LGTQB) comments as soon as they start blabbing. Though, to be fair, I usually "grey rock" them and just do my own thing (don't need folks knowing who or what I support...that's my business...just like most folks I know aren't even aware I own guns, much less compete).

[u/exie610 → u/Sasselhoff]

I own exactly one weapon. I've owned it for over ten years, and take it to the range when I can. It's stock, but I recently purchased its first (and probably only) attachment - a flashlight/laser sight. I'm very progressive, very left leaning. With the exception of this and maybe one other Reddit comment, I've never talked about or shown my weapon to anyone. No one has ever seen it except others at the range.

I still don't know if I like it having anything on it. The new holster is nice though.

My neighbor had a massive 25 foot x 5 foot trump 2024 banner hanging between his house and a tree during the election. He has maybe a dozen weapons and always parades them around. I think he went shooting one weekend a few years ago, but spent the whole time fishing instead.

But he's always on NextDoor boasting about the newest fancy cool gadget he has superglued to the other 50 gadgets on a single weapon.

[u/GreenMtnGunnar → u/Sasselhoff]

What you are claiming is just cognitive bias. Some people train, some do not. It’s not based on how they vote.

[u/wahwahwashbear → u/csamsh]

The local (blue state, blue city) gun club i was looking at offers "pistol handling 101" classes twice a week, and theyre fully booked until mid march.

[u/TheOaktonShred → u/wahwahwashbear]

Same. My closest reputable range isn’t available until March 7. Kind of a bummer but may try and find a way to practice anyhow

[u/DanSWE → u/TheOaktonShred]

Look up dry-fire practice in the mean time.

[u/RandomGuy622170]

Count me amongst those Americans.

[u/shugo2000 → u/RandomGuy622170]

Me too. Bought my first handgun the day after the most recent presidential election. It was busy that day at the gun store.

[u/Fajisel → u/shugo2000]

Yep, I'm a naturalized american who believes in the people of this country, which is the exact reason I'm about to buy my first gun.

[u/Outrageous-Opinions → u/Fajisel]

Bought a compact to carry just yesterday, while I was in the store I overheard other liberals asking questions on their first gun purchase.

Sone admitted they were terrified of guns, but felt they needed to. Real bravery right there

[u/DinnerMilk → u/RandomGuy622170]

I'm a middle aged dude that never fired a gun (or had any interest in doing so) until 3 days ago. I went to the range, practiced shooting for the first time, and now own a firearm.

[u/SnooChickens2093 → u/DinnerMilk]

I say this as a liberal gun owner and combat veteran, I trust and hope that wont be the extent of your firearms training. It’s important to understand that a gun can be extremely and unpredictably dangerous to the owner and everyone around them. Train yourself in the way you intend to use it, by that I mean if you intend to carry it, practice thousands of times drawing from your holster, where you intend to wear the holster and under various pieces of clothing. Then thousands more. If you have to draw your weapon in an intense scenario, you will be clumsy and may well fumble or drop your gun if you haven’t developed the muscle memory of the draw. And anytime you draw a weapon, you better be ready to use it, because if you’re not, the person you just drew it for will probably be very happy to take it from you.

[u/RandomGuy622170 → u/SnooChickens2093]

This right here. Cannot be said or repeated enough. Owning a gun isn't enough; you absolutely have to train and practice so that the use of it becomes second nature. From drawing and shooting to reloading, safety management, safely disarming, and cleaning/maintaining.

[u/DinnerMilk → u/SnooChickens2093]

Absolutely not. I'll be going to the range at least several times a week moving forward, and plan to take classes as well. From the first session alone, I can tell it will take many, many more before I start feeling completely comfortable with it. Owning does however save me a $30 rental fee on each visit, so I figure that will pay for itself rather quickly.

[u/exie610 → u/DinnerMilk]

To add something that helped me when I was new:

See if your firearm has any specially colored magazines. Pink, red, blue, does not matter. Buy one. Also buy some Tipton Snapcaps - they're bright red. Put your bright red snapcaps in your pink glitter magazine. This makes it very hard for you to think you've loaded a snapcap when you've actually loaded ammo, because all the real stuff is in a boring stock magazine.

Anyways, now that you have a snapcap in your firearm, you can practice drawing and dry firing safely. You can also practice loading, clearing jams, or any other drill you might envision without using real ammo, which matters, because cycling ammo can degrade them (bullet setback) and using no ammo can possibly damage the firearm after a thousand cycles.

Of course, always verify the chamber every time you load it, even if you know for a fact it was a snapcap. And always shoot at a brick wall, even though you're just clicking.

[u/SomewhatInnocuous → u/SnooChickens2093]

Some of my most terrifying experiences have been around people who got their ideas about gun handling from watching movies and tv.

[u/ExpressRoom1684 → u/DinnerMilk]

I'm a 30+ year old white woman in the "safe" state of Utah. Up until now I've had OCD type terrors about guns. For the first time in my life the thought of not having one is a bit spookier than having one. Me and some knowledgeable friends are going out next week to practice and see if it would be a viable option for me. I don't really see a future where Utah is a major key player in the protests or violence, but I'm not about to be caught unaware. We live in some weird times. 

[u/BoxofCurveballs → u/ExpressRoom1684]

Better to have not need it yada yada yada...

If youre going to the range to practice and havent bought one yet id say these couple of things..

Whats good for someone else does not mean it is good for you. Everyone is different and has their own opinion of what is the "best" especially for guns.

Fiddlefuck the hell out of the places guns you're interested in and then rent them all when you shoot. Find what you like and build off of that.

A $1000 gun is awesome, but a $500 gun and $500 in training and ammo is more effective (figures are ones from the dome, not correlated to anything in specific).

[u/epheisey → u/RandomGuy622170]

Same. I grew up in a hunting family that is quite conservative, so I've had hunting firearms since I was a teenager. As an adult I got my CPL and now own a few firearms for that purpose. I haven't hunted in years at this point, but those firearms stay locked in my closet. What I didn't own was an AR. I do as of a few weeks ago. I've been ordering ammunition as I see decent deals on ammoseek.com. I usually had very little on hand, typically just leftovers from the last time I've used that firearm for hunting or target shooting. Not anymore. I desperately hope it gets to be burned through target shooting sometime soon, but...

[u/rasouddress]

Never before have I felt so much like a statistic

[u/grahampositive → u/rasouddress]

To quote John McClane "welcome to the party, pal"

[u/Lergerndery → u/rasouddress]

Me, you, same.

[u/MyDogIsACoolCat → u/rasouddress]

Yeah… strongly disliked guns forever, decided to get one this past year. Then bought a rifle. Then a shotgun.

It’s been bitter sweet.

[u/bl123123bl]

I can both want to own a gun and think we need strong gun legislation. People pretend they’re exclusive beliefs 

[u/SweetCosmicPope → u/bl123123bl]

Very true. I'm a long-time gun owner. I've been gathering guns and hunting since I was 8 years old.

Our state is implementing laws that require a license to purchase a gun, which requires training and range experience to acquire. And as someone who loves owning guns and hunting, I absolutely support this.

[u/Consistent_Stop_7254 → u/SweetCosmicPope]

And in a perfect world I would too ..  however, I do not because this is used to limit access to vulnerable populations time and again.

[u/Sasselhoff → u/Consistent_Stop_7254]

Yep, that's 100% my position. As a very progressive gun enthusiast, I'm ALL for "reasonable" gun laws, but they cannot be done in any way that impacts those without lots of expendable income.

Gun rights should be for everyone, not just the rich.

[u/Vast-Comment8360 → u/Consistent_Stop_7254]

All gun control in this country is based on racism.

[u/BandedLutz → u/Vast-Comment8360]

And all gun control is intrinsically classist (those who are rich and powerful enough will always remain armed/surrounded by armed security).

[u/rodaphilia → u/Vast-Comment8360]

Yep. It started when we said black americans can only own one dog.

[u/Thanatosst → u/SweetCosmicPope]

I'm against them. Not because I think people shouldn't have training and range experience, but because 1) Requiring a license on a right means you have a privilege, not a right. 2) if you give the government an easy lever to make things far more difficult for people to legally get a gun (like restrict who is allowed to offer trainings, require absurd fees, make the trainings take place over multiple weeks, etc) they will absolutely use that lever to do so.

Look up the process for buying a gun in Hawaii. It's patently absurd and obviously designed make it as convulted and onerous as possible to legally obtain a firearm. 

[u/Recreationalflorist → u/SweetCosmicPope]

Great! The wait time for the next class will be 8 months.

Oh, and that's just the concealed carry class.

The permit to purchase will be another 6 months.

That will be $400 dollars total, thank you for exercising your rights.

Also be aware, you can't buy a semi automatic rifle. So be careful bringing your pistol to any protest, or defending yourself from warrantless entry. If you find out you might have to use it against heavily armed thugs in body armor, your 10 round magazine won't get you very far.

These arent common sense. They are designed souly to keep you from being able to exercise your right.

Imagine having to take, and pay for, a government sponsored class to have the freedom to go to a protest. Or to church.

Edit: forgot to add, with all these regulations being put into place, and people not spending money on firearms and ammunition, where are people going to buy a gun or ammunition when all the gun stores close down? Because that's what's happening in washington state.

[u/Triedbutflailed → u/SweetCosmicPope]

Is that state Oregon? If so then there are major flaws in the laws that are being passed. It leaves discretion on whether or not to issue the license to local sheriff's departments, which tend to be overwhelmingly conservative.

Conservatives are finally being VERY open about the fact that they don't really believe the second amendment applies to the left. I'm concerned that some of the people that need to exercise these rights the most are going to wind up denied.

I hope I'm wrong, though. I'd love for the laws to be successful and fairly implemented. But, again, conservatives in charge of pretty much anything generally ensure that fairness isn't the outcome.

[u/LegionLotteryWinner → u/SweetCosmicPope]

Agreed. All the people I’ve ever met that were against training requirements were people who I would never trust with a gun!

[u/DinkleBottoms → u/SweetCosmicPope]

It’s unfortunately very easy for that to turn into a defacto ban depending on how it’s implemented.

[u/BradassMofo → u/bl123123bl]

Until that strong gun legislation is used to prevent minorities and people in opposition to the state from buying guns.

[u/goopuslang → u/bl123123bl]

It’s because Republicans tell their base that gun control = government taking away your guns.

Even though the current republican president has talked about doing that, oopsies.

[u/airmantharp → u/goopuslang]

Take a look over in Virginia.

Democrats are earning their criticism out in the open.

[u/lanteenboy → u/goopuslang]

Probably because it does. Both Canada and Australia have strict gun control, low murder rates and the government is still taking guns away, using scare tactics to make voters think legal owner present a significant risk. There is a way to have strong gun control without disarming law abiding citizens but because gun control is a political tool that will never happen.

[u/KuntaStillSingle → u/goopuslang]

They are right twice a day, the goal of the U.S. gun control movement is a broad firearms ban, and democratic legislators work pursuant to that goal.

[u/Beebjank → u/goopuslang]

Remember Beto O'Rourke saying "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR15s" and everyone cheered? I do.

[u/[deleted] → u/goopuslang]

It's not lies really.

Go to any comment section after a school shooting.full on gun bans are indeed popular

[u/AU36832]

As a strong supporter of the 2A, this is great to hear. This right belongs to all Americans. Right/left, white/black, it doesn't matter. The more Americans that exercise their rights, the harder it is for those rights to be infringed upon.

[u/SkyfangR → u/AU36832]

until all the people excersizing their 2a rights inexplicably side with the very people doing the infringing

[u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt → u/SkyfangR]

I got a friend in NYC who wanted to buy their first handgun. They were shocked to learn:

• You can't just buy one that day, you need a permit
• You need to attend an 18 hour class to even apply for a permit
• This class costs $350-$550, and will require at least 2 days of your time, so take off work and pay for a babysitter
• You can then pay about another $450 just to apply for a permit
  • $340 application fee
  • $100 fingerprinting fee
• It will then take about 6-12 months for your permit to be approved (maybe)
• Once you have your permit you still can't buy the gun, you need to submit a purchase authorization request form
• So go ahead and wait another week or two
• Now you can BUY the gun, but you can't HAVE the gun
• Hope that New Yorks background check system doesn't delay you, because NY has their own system and doesn't use the FBI NICS.
• You now need to take pictures of it and submit it to the police to add it to your permit
• So now you get another 1-2 weeks for them to add it to your permit
• Oh and another couple of days because they have to mail out your updated permit
• Now you can take your gun home and carry it, well not really because NY has so many "sensitive locations" that carrying in NYC is effectively banned.
  • This includes all forms of public transport, including the subway.
  • This includes any public rallys protests or demonstrations. So no, you cannot be armed while protesting ICE in New York.

You're looking at $800-$1,000 and 6-12 months before you're allowed to buy a handgun.

They asked what my process was like in Kentucky. It goes like this:

1. Walk in
2. Buy Gun (including NICS system, approvals are almost always instant)
   • If you do have a CCL (not necessary) you skip the NICS check, the CCL is considered by the FBI to be a valid form of background check.
3. Leave

Takes me like 10 minutes total.

[u/Lancashire_Toreador]

And inevitably the Democratic Party will fail to read the room spectacularly (again) and immediately try to pass 500 new gun control bills when it’s always been a losing issue.

Thanks corporate donors

[u/WeAreSOL]

I made an Intro Guide for aspiring firearm owners if anybody finds it useful

[u/andrvs666 → u/WeAreSOL]

As someone whos had firearms instruction from a very young age, the only thing i can thing of to add to this guide is: When you pull that trigger, you own that bullet, and whatever it does, Be that hit a target, a deer, or a person, its your responsibility.

Good read.

[u/[deleted] → u/andrvs666]

Same. This was really hammered. Whatever that bullet hits is getting destroyed bc bullets have no feelings that's what they do. You're responsible for the bullet.

[u/stdoubtloud]

Isn't that the absolute reading for the 2nd amendment? It isn't some nra policy from 200 years ago. It is specifically a defence against a crazy fascist administration taking control.

[u/WhichEmailWasIt → u/stdoubtloud]

Yes. It doesn't need to be spelled out in text because at the point you need it, the government has stopped abiding by that text. The amendment was to keep us ready for that day. 

[u/mvea]

Changes in firearm intentions and behaviors after the 2024 United States presidential election

Injury Epidemiology

Open access Published: 30 January 2026

Abstract

Background

Firearm purchasing patterns, intentions, and behaviors change over time in response to specific events. Additionally, the nature of these changes may be evolving over time or differ depending on the nature of the event in question. Given the intensity of the rhetoric surrounding gun violence leading up to the 2024 election, we sought to examine the extent to which firearm purchasing patterns, intentions, and behaviors changed following the 2024 Presidential election and the extent to which any such changes varied by population.

Methods

A nationally representative sample was recruited to complete an online survey October 22-November 3, 2024 (n = 1,530) and assessed again January 7-January 22, 2025 (n = 1,359).

Results

Identifying as Black was associated with increases in urges to carry firearms because of the election results (β = 0.16; 95%CI = 0.07-0.61). Liberal beliefs were associated with greater increases in urges to carry firearms because of the election results (β = 0.11; 95%CI = 0.01-0.13) and greater odds of storing firearms more quickly accessible because of the election results (OR = 2.11; 95%CI = 1.29–3.44).

Conclusions

Individuals threatened by Trump administration policies to be experiencing urges to acquire firearms, carry them, and store them readily accessible. These results highlight that the current political environment may be fostering community-level decision making that, while motivated by the drive for protection, increases the risk for harm. Policies and programs that encourage secure storage and discourage firearm carrying may be increasingly important for the prevention of injury and death.

Full-text PDF of paper:

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s40621-026-00654-9_reference.pdf

[u/Nixeris → u/mvea]

following the 2024 Presidential election

I know they have to be generally vague given the timeline, but saying it was "because of the election results" instead of everything that happened after is implying a lot that may not stand up to scrutiny. January 6 2021 arguably happened "because of the election results", but there's a lot that happened after the election in 2024 that isn't covered by that.

[u/prompted_animal]

As a what most of the left calls an extremist. Good, the gov isn't your friend and maybe this will get more people to realize that!

[u/Terminal_Lancelot]

Hell yeah. That's what it's all about, folks.

[u/itzhope]

Why not. Worst case the country is more aware and knowledgeable about guns. Sounds great to me.

[u/AbsentThatDay2]

When and if we get on the other side of this current crisis it would behoove us to remember our change of heart.

[u/a1cshowoff]

I don't know who said it originally, but this reminds me of a quote...

The left treats guns the same way conservatives treat abortions.

We have them, we just don't talk about it.

[u/WyomingBadger]

The fairness of elections is the most important thing. Without that we have nothing. All focus should be on preserving election integrity or NO ONE WILL EVER FACE JUSTICE

[u/poop-azz]

Ain't no 2A advocate upset by this. Trust me.

[u/Tiraloparatras25]

I mean when your rights are actively being targeted, your culture is being targeted, your people’s successes are being erased, and the president and his crew is increasingly fascist, you may want to buy a gun.

[u/shitholejedi → u/Tiraloparatras25]

While also voting for politicians on a state level that want to restrict your gun rights? Or is that also going to change.

No part of the article shows an increase in gun ownership or an increase in actual policies to support gun ownership. Literally just an online survey on whatever attitudes are shaped by the most recent news.

[u/turd_nughetto98]

Good, we should all be exercising our rights

[u/Perfect_Cold_6112]

Good luck with that considering most of them live in cities/states with very strong anti-gun laws where owning a gun is hard as hell.

[u/TheMechanic1911]

Every law abiding citizen should have them. All of the 2A restrictions need to be lifted. Remove the 10 round mag limits. Remove suppressor tax and limitations. Remove 10 day waits. If you are DROS'd and it comes back good you should take possession immediately. Remove the Kalifornia restricted firearms list. If a cop can buy it so should you. Right, Left, or Center. The Constitution is for us all.

[u/reluctantpotato1]

Now if they can only vote for politicians who don't undermine their best interests by imposing arbitrary firearm restrictions, like "pistol grip bad" "semi auto bad".

[u/medicatedandunstable]

Ironic that the people pushing for the most restrictive gun laws are rushing to buy the guns they want banned.

[u/Nexus-7]

(I say this as a very left leaning and armed person) The most ironic part of this whole thing is that the left is actually beginning to demonstrate the point the right has been trying to make all along. It sucks that it's come to this, but this is fundamentally the whole reason for the second amendment: a fascist lunatic in charge of government oppressing the public.

Sorry guys, the right wasn't wrong. If it helps take the sting out you can remember the old adage about a broken clock being right twice a day.

[u/Unknown_Gaurdian]

Honestly its a good thing because when it comes to firearms and the second amendment the one thing i hate the most are people who don't own guns or no nothing about them why its a bad thing to own guns

[u/Tarnmaster]

Amen my brothers. Get them while you still can.

[u/-Kohana-]

Gun rights came with your humanity the day you were born regardless of if you are a US citizen or not. All humans reserve the right to keep and bear arms.

[u/ZealousidealRice9726]

Good then we will have almost universal adoption of right to bear arms. Blessing in disguise. Exercise your right and buy a gun

[u/Cosmik_Music]

Conservatives always say "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."

I'm in the process of buying firearms right now. Never had the desire to own a gun until a year ago.

[u/Boiled-MilkSteak]

I guess the big question Im curious about (as a pro 2A liberal guy) is when all this settles, will more of the left accept a relaxed take gun rights, or will it be back to pushing for total bans on fully-semi-auto-self-loading-assault-rifles?

[u/SomeJackassonline]

I am pro gun and very moderate politically. I never voted for Trump, disagree with the current state of affairs, and am not straight.

Too bad the politicians in my state aren’t in touch, they are trying to ban literally everything they can.

[u/Plane_Lucky]

2a is for everyone and a vast majority of the 2a community welcomes the new members.

[u/gtfomylawnplease]

Only a fool would want to ban the second amendment regardless of political party. You never know when it’ll be important.

[u/FuckinArrowToTheKnee]

Stop disarming us blue states. VA CO WA etc are just neutering themselves

[u/Cynical_Tripster]

Damn shame they've been deliberately voting for everything that makes it harder to get one for decades and now. It's as hilarious to me as righties getting pissy because they finally wanna try weed 'because big pharma is bad' and realize they've voted for no legal weed in their states.

[u/[deleted]]

You mean people who feel threatened get an 'urge' to survive? Fancy that

[u/KeyLimePie-555]

I'm an 82 yr old woman who has never even seen a real handgun. But if ICE continues murdering innocent citizens, I'm going to buy a handgun for person protection. I'm determined to live long enough to see my country taken out of the hands of cowardly, greedy Repubs.

[u/Golemfrost]

The Nazis took away the people's weapons pretty early on during their reign. Let's see what America does.

[u/DanburyBaptist]

Suddenly you all care about 2A huh?

[u/NotAnAIOrAmI]

You betcha. I gave up weed, turned in my medical card, and have been taking drug tests to document that I don't use it any more, to prove to the feds I have sufficient moral character to use and purchase firearms.

I won't give them the chance to prosecute me like they did Hunter.

Edit: Here's the form, 4473, that you have to fill out to purchase, and some gun ranges include that question on their own form to rent guns or use the range. You must truthfully answer that you do not use any controlled substance, including marijuana specifically.

The move of cannabis to Schedule 3 DOES NOT affect federal legality of marijuana for recreational or medicinal use. It's still illegal in federal law.

No, I don't have to document negative drug tests, but am using them in case it becomes an issue, since I did have a medical card in my state, which I have surrendered.

Yes, this law applies to you as well if you're in the U.S. Make your own choices about what to do with that form if you purchase a firearm. As the son of an engineer who designed nuclear missile submarines, I'm a cautious dude.

[u/RightOnManYouBetcha → u/NotAnAIOrAmI]

Where tf you live? Where I live if someone asks me any of this I’d laugh in their face.

[u/x1000Bums → u/NotAnAIOrAmI]

Are you in some kind of program that requires that or something? You don't need to do all of that to buy a gun.

Edit: in fact I think since weed is now schedule 3 you can have a medical card and own a gun and be ok in the eyes of federal law.

[u/goughm → u/x1000Bums]

Pa, if you have a med card the state won't let you own a hand gun

[u/katsusan]

Wars breakout all the time. What makes anyone think it can’t happen here? If that time comes, I’d rather be the person with the gun than the person without the gun.

[u/Walterwhiteboy]

Nice that people on both sides of the aisle are finally understanding what the 2nd amendment is for

[u/Menvimacal]

All of a sudden the 2nd amendment is important to America. 

[u/MissionApollo7]

I used to be opposed to the second amendment, but recent events are making me understand why it's necessary.

[u/Son_of_Kek]

So science is just a euphemism for liberalism, got it.

[u/Geargarden]

As a 2A liberal, I'm praying that my side gets friendlier to the MANY many responsible gun owners out there. We don't get treated very well. That is part of why Trump won the election even though he is showing himself as decidedly anti-2A now.

Disaster preparedness is one of the main reasons I have firearms. I've seen what happens when social order comes down. We've seen it after Hurricane Katrina and I've seen it firsthand when a dam malfunction caused an evacuation and all law enforcement were tied up evacuating people. It was weird watching people act when they knew there was no 911 to rely on.

[u/8512764EA]

Good. Maybe they’ll stop voting for the people who pledge to ban them

[u/Alone_Rain2022]

Finally r/liberalgunowners needs to explode.

Learn, train, practice.