Originally posted by Skuzzy
In the Air Force, I was a pretty good shot. There may have been some things that happened there that sort of turned my interest down.
Thats understandable - as with any hobby - the first impression and experience shapes your opinion. I started shooting .22's and 20 guage shotguns in Boy Scouts - it turned out that our Scout Master thought I was half decent and petitioned my father to buy shotgun so as not to waste my young "talent."
Kinda got hooked after that - when I started out, it was fun as a kid to hold something with such immense power and watch the clay birds explode when I hit them - but as I grew up, I started liking the "sport" for different reasons - groupings, distance shots, etc. As you get more involved and interested, you look at the history and technicalities of firearms very similar to the way we look at aircraft. Advantages, disadvantages, favorites, whats crap, what the "P-51 of the gun world" at the time, etc.
I worked at a rifle range when I was in college and that further encouraged the hobby. Its just what youre surrounded by I suppose. (Marine Corps didnt hurt either)
In addition, the stereotypical gun owner isnt Jeb from 'Bama. Youd be surprised at the people you know that are gun owners and dont make any mention of it. Its not exactly a cheap hobby when your shelling out $1,000+ for decent weapons. Those that collect old military firearms are evenb further seperated from the stereotype - $15,000 for a Civil war rifle is a pricey purchase to watch it collect dust in a show case.
YMMV, 2 cents cashed.