Originally posted by lazs2
raider... A nation of riflemen is not the militia as such. In the revolutionary war the milita "fled" I woulda fled too... they were much better at firing from cover and retreating than standing in a line and taking a volley... many british troops considered them total cowards because they would fire from great distance from behind cover and then flee... when the british had to flee the militia sniped at them from cover..
This was all considered very unsportsmanlike... It has been said that if the militia stood they would have been slaughtered... even their rifles were meant for slow deliberate fire rather than the hogged out british smoothbores that could be loaded even when fouled with many shots.
but... back to a nation of riflemen.... you being on the "rifle team" must know that the more you shoot the better you get.. Alvin York did not learn to shoot in the army.
In the civil war the confederates with their higher rifleman skills (and love of firearms) killed the union soldiers (loafer wearing taxi riders) by a margin of allmost two to one...
The swiss are all excellent riflemen... not because they watch westerns on tv or because they had a few hours practice in the ROTC... but because they love shooting and have military rifles and machine guns in their homes and are required to remain proficient... they have huge shooting festivals and guns are a common sight.
I just got back from the range and cleaning my guns... Their I met a WWII vet and his college age grandson (really good kid) I let the kid shoot my M1 and my 44 mag.. he loved it and was respectful and polite and an extremely good shot. In fact... everyone at the range today was cheerful and friendly... lots of laughing and helping each other out.... some were sighting in huinting rifles but most.... were just out having a really good time... nothing evil about it. everyone was armed... there were no police and no government to make us behave... we all got along just fine and no one shot anyone else.
The kid was saying that his brother lived in Wa. and had a concealled carry permit and how easy it was to get... he simply could not understand why we couldn't all have one.
guns, hot rods and home schooling (or vouchers) there are those that fear anyone who is an individual enough to cherish these things. (paraphrase from Jeff Cooper)
lazs
I agree with the first part of what you say about militia.
Then you jump ahead to the Civil war and that is not the same thing. You said Founding Fathers and I called you on it. The founding fathers knew what a mess the Militia was and you yourself just said "In the revolutionary war the milita "fled" I woulda fled too" Thats all the proof I need to show the militia was not as you put it "I feel that the founding fathers were correct in thinking (as do the swiss) that a nation of riflemen was a good safeguard to freedom..."
By founding fathers you do mean the ones at the time of the Revolutionary war right? I am not aware of any others
Again Civil War is not founding fathers. Now do you mean during the Civil war or the Revolutionary war?
By human nature the more often you do something the more proficient you become. It's not their "love" of guns that makes them good. It's practice and training. lol You can love your gun all you want but if you don't take it and go shoot on a regular basis you are gonna suck with it.
I never said a gun range isn't fun. I have had some great times at them. I mowed my yard today, no one got shot out there either. lol
I don't agree about vouchers either but we can save that for another day.