For me, it’s several reasons. First and foremost, I believe that the only person who is actually in charge of mine and my family’s safety is me. I don’t live in a rural place, but the best response time from the Sheriff’s office is probably 5-15 minutes for a life and death call. In that time we’d all be dead at the hands of a motivated person.

Second, it’s a hobby. I love shooting. It’s a fun way to spend a day, guns are something to collect and work on. I even reload ammo. It’s a highly technical hobby that is also a good outdoors hobby and something to do with other people. I liken it to golf or fishing. I don’t hunt, and have no interest in hunting, just target shooting and tactical larping.

Third, I feel it’s my duty to be armed. If the time ever came to defend my family, home or county from enemies foreign or domestic, I need the means to do so. This kind of echos point number one, but if anything ever got really bad I know I can get by. And with a few other like minded people, we could be a formidable force.

Lastly, there is truth that the we must exercise these rights to preserve them. A government that strips the people’s right to defend themselves is then free to take everything. While the situation would have to be dire to act with arms, I feel that it would give pause to any tyrant knowing that each square inch taken would come at great cost.

Anyway, that’s just a bit of my philosophy.