How vocal are you about your own firearm ownership?

[SAnewb85]

As the title states, I'm curious how vocal people are about their ownership.

I'm due to pick up my first rifle tomorrow arvo and In my excitement I posted about it on Facebook.
Within minutes I had fellow shooters berating me for "going public" and suggesting I immediately delete my post.

Seems a bit silly to me that firearms ownership is deemed a dirty little secret that needs to be hidden.

Thoughts? Am I an idiot (probably but that's a different conversation ) should I reallybe worried?

[CrackThump]

I post on instagram and fb about my club shoots and hunting.. but I have VERY LITTLE identifying personal information on there..

If you do post firearms related stuff..keep it squeaky clean, be an ambassador for shooting that the anti-gunners hate because youre so clean... gottit.?

Like all online activity, keep your personal data quiet (or absent) and have fun..

I rexkon the more we open our sport up to people in a wholesome, safe and legal way, the better. Ive had 2 guys from work ask about coming to a club shoot as a result of instagram, one of them even had wife-interest too lol

[Patriot]

I don’t have any social media accounts other than enough gun, so I don’t post.Other than that I’m completely open about it and promote guns to anyone who will listen. I don’t understand why gun owners are shy it is completely legal and legitimate to own firearms, just like owning a car.

[CrackThump]

I don’t have any social media accounts other than enough gun, so I don’t post.Other than that I’m completely open about it and promote guns to anyone who will listen. I don’t understand why gun owners are shy it is completely legal and legitimate to own firearms, just like owning a car.

Amen brother.. and the wider community needs to understand that. About a year ago one of those workmates I mentioned saw one of my hunting knives (maybe a 10 inch blade).. his shocked expression was only topped by his indignant outcry " omg how is that even legal". It took a good half hour to get him to reason it through. But the good news is a whole year later he's gonne
come have a go at a skeet shoot at the end of november

[Member-Deleted]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

[Ziege]

very I am always pushing others to get theirs instead of sitting on the fence. gun ownership needs to be proliferated. then the anti's and gov will have to shove off, everyone should be pushing for more friends/family to get at least one firearm.

[Ziege]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

this is the case with anything of value, I worked for the biggest custom stereo place in perth for a while (they have since sold out and most of them changed or dont exist) but back in the pimp my ride days I had a HSV and a full Clarion HX system from custom door pods, dash pod, rear shelf and hidden/unfoldable sub enclosures in the boot, two stereo amps and one massive mono block, whole setup was stupidly expensive ($2400 for the head unit in 2004 money) and the rest just went sky high from there, whole car was stickered to show what it had as it would goto shows along side my bosses skyline, gt falcon and one of the other blokes VW's, (admittedly I dropped the ball on my end as I only went to two shows haha) but none the less, wanna thugs knew from a distance that it was loaded with heaps of very valuable electronics, and it was also itself a valuable car to thieves, had a few close calls with wannabe thieves, one guy tried sizing me up in a parking lot, I showed him a tyre lever and he backed off..

point is treat it like anything else you don't want others to covet or judge you by.

[Member-Deleted]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

this is the case with anything of value, I worked for the biggest custom stereo place in perth for a while (they have since sold out and most of them changed or dont exist) but back in the pimp my ride days I had a HSV and a full Clarion HX system from custom door pods, dash pod, rear shelf and hidden/unfoldable sub enclosures in the boot, two stereo amps and one massive mono block, whole setup was stupidly expensive ($2400 for the head unit in 2004 money) and the rest just went sky high from there, whole car was stickered to show what it had as it would goto shows along side my bosses skyline, gt falcon and one of the other blokes VW's, (admittedly I dropped the ball on my end as I only went to two shows haha) but none the less, wanna thugs knew from a distance that it was loaded with heaps of very valuable electronics, and it was also itself a valuable car to thieves, had a few close calls with wannabe thieves, one guy tried sizing me up in a parking lot, I showed him a tyre lever and he backed off..

point is treat it like anything else you don't want others to covet or judge you by.

Indeed

[SAnewb85]

I'm with all of you so far, the more awareness and understanding the better.

@BangWhizzClack i have no identifying features on my car nor do I post my number plate on socials, I won't ever "advertise" that I own guns by way of stickers or whatever on my car.

I'm a big advocate for people to at least try shooting, at least that way if they hate it they at least have an opinion based on experience rather than outright emotion.

My instagram is going to be 100% dedicated to guns bikes and other various money pit endeavours haha

[bigrich]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

agreed . i talk to people about it , but i'm careful not to be to open and set myself up as a target for crims after a quick buck . no firearm stickers on my fourby

i'm not on any other social media , stuff like facebook can be a goldmine of info for the wrong people

[Member-Deleted]

I'm with all of you so far, the more awareness and understanding the better.

@BangWhizzClack i have no identifying features on my car nor do I post my number plate on socials, I won't ever "advertise" that I own guns by way of stickers or whatever on my car.

I'm a big advocate for people to at least try shooting, at least that way if they hate it they at least have an opinion based on experience rather than outright emotion.

My instagram is going to be 100% dedicated to guns bikes and other various money pit endeavours haha

Just be cautious that if some of your followers may be anti gun and you upload something that could be considered illegal, they may contact police. Steve from ilikeguns on YouTube lost his licence due to a similar situation.

[Member-Deleted]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

agreed . i talk to people about it , but i'm careful not to be to open and set myself up as a target for crims after a quick buck . no firearm stickers on my fourby

i'm not on any other social media , stuff like facebook can be a goldmine of info for the wrong people

Indeed, advertisers don't pay the big bucks for nothing when it comes to social media, it's a goldmine of info :p

[CrackThump]

Haa... "money pit endeavours" .. best description EVER for gun or classic car ownership

[SAnewb85]

Haa... "money pit endeavours" .. best description EVER for gun or classic car ownership

Guns, bikes, 4x4
Expensive and a terrible investment but they're fun and I work my butt off to afford nice things so it's absolutely worth it haha

[boingk]

Another vote for nothing on social media about it, especially if it ties you to a workplace, family, home address etc. I happily talk to friends about it who are interested but don't go posting photos and the like on any identifiable social media.

A good way of doing it if you want to is YouTube. Put up reviews, details, technical info, shoots, etc. A few good examples are 'IraqVet8888', 'Forgotten Weapons' and 'Ozzie Gun Reviews.'

Here's one from Ozzie;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vvRQhVM_E0

[Blr243]

Sharing tasty young wild pork hot with gravy is a great way for the gun nervous types To see the other side .......how dare you use dogs to catch pigs! How can you shoot them ? Really fine tasting meat is very distracting to original thought patterns

[pomemax]

Always in the back of your mind In today's social media world THINK about what you post .
The other thing today some prospective employers look at your social media pages before the interview and your setting should be checked to make sure your not allowing people you dont wish to look at what your posting .
like the young woman at work who is a member of wires /peta ( whatever) who looks at everybody page then calls you a KILLER in a staff meeting HR had to deal with that , shes no longer there .Weird thing is I had never see her before that day I start in the late arvo

[Member-Deleted]

Always in the back of your mind In today's social media world THINK about what you post .
The other thing today some prospective employers look at your social media pages before the interview and your setting should be checked to make sure your not allowing people you dont wish to look at what your posting .
like the young woman at work who is a member of wires /peta ( whatever) who looks at everybody page then calls you a KILLER in a staff meeting HR had to deal with that , shes no longer there .Weird thing is I had never see her before that day I start in the late arvo

Killer!

[wanneroo]

My social media is pretty restricted. I keep Facebook very small to people that have known me for a while and Linkedin mostly with people I have worked with at some point and also I keep my profiles on private. So I readily share video on Facebook of all the gun stuff I do.

In public I don't advertise it as some do with stickers on the car. Some states are not gun friendly and also I don't want my car targeted by criminals thinking guns might be inside they can steal.

[mchughcb]

I think it is very important on online forums to give zero personal information away that can identify you in any way, then join a Facebook page and post whatever the hell you like. Makes sense to me.

[rc42]

I think that we should all be more vocal about this awesome hobby and sport and try to encourage other to join, if nothing else to stick up two fingers to mainstream media who are determined to push their 'guns are evil' agenda.

For any post that you make avoid identifying information that points to your address but assume that your address will be traceable so focus on the activities rather than the firearms that you own.
Also, assume that the police firearms licensing people are going to read every post and look at every picture with a view to taking action against you if they can.

[Am88]

I don't say much about what I own to anyone really, no one needs to know my possessions, where they are located or their worth, and most people with half a clue in the non gun side of things know just from the word Sako that there is dollars there. Guess I'm just paranoid, I'm a fly under the radar type, no social media.

[Bello]

Hello all
I agree, we need to make our sport more prolific with the public. I also agree that we need to be carful with our sport. I think that the left wing media has demonised a fun sport. As I am only a young fellow, , I have heard stories from old timers who say that schools used to have 22LR for shooting targets. School cadets would use guns, such as 303. In the cadets we had SLR Rifles, well they weren't real, one of the officers was great with meccano and used to make SLR's for us to do drills and parades.
My mate tells me of the days when living in the bush he would take his 22 to school. He would hand it to the bus driver who held onto it till he got to school, then my mate gave it to the school principal till the end of the day and he would go and upset rabbits in the afternoon.
Those days are gone.
But we can in time present a rational and positive case for our sport. There will always be idiots and criminals types who do silly things with guns, as they do with alcohol and cars etc etc. We need someone to be the face of our sport, an organisation who will stand up for what is right and just for out sport. They need to be at the forefront of advertising and the media. Get the word out. Have cadets back in schools. Let kids them learn the correct and safe use of firearms from a young age. teach them our sport s not illegal or vile. It can be safe fun and rewarding.
Look at all the good people on this site who without hesitation will offer advice to anyone who asks. Give their time and experience (experience takes a long time to get), without asking for anything in return.
We are a good bunch of people, we don't always agree on every thing, but we are no different to any other sport.
WE NEED A VOICE.

[Bugman]

Unfortunately social attitudes, opinions etc have changed especially with regard to firearms, ownership, usage etc. For myself I tell very few people and definitely do not supply any info to any social media outfits.

[Farmerpete]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

Wait the media tells me the police are all about crime prevention. If they're doing their job i shouldn't have to worry. right? Can't I just blame the local station sergeant for failing to prevent a firearms theft??

On another note I tell everyone I own a well polished shotgun, it makes them think twice about dating my daughters.

[Member-Deleted]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

Wait the media tells me the police are all about crime prevention. If they're doing their job i shouldn't have to worry. right? Can't I just blame the local station sergeant for failing to prevent a firearms theft??

On another note I tell everyone I own a well polished shotgun, it makes them think twice about dating my daughters.

How old are your daughters?

Well, VICPOL wouldn't accept such blame, but they are willing to prevent you from protecting your stuff while also blaming you for it's loss.

[mchughcb]

I think police have intimidated most shooters into a quiet little corner. There can be issues with security, like if someone knows where you live, where you work, or what your car and plate are, and they know you own firearms, they could try and rob you. Kinda like you wouldn't advertise having a bunch of gold at home or whatever. But I make it a point to not have visitors unless they are also shooters and I am willing to trust them.

I've been followed before while driving, thankfully they were amatuers and it was a quiet night so I noticed and took turns until they left me alone, but just be aware that if you park on the street and your car has a sticker advocating shooting, it could make you a target for crims and cops. I wish it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it is.

If your details are secure and you can't be traced by your social media, I say have at it.

Wait the media tells me the police are all about crime prevention. If they're doing their job i shouldn't have to worry. right? Can't I just blame the local station sergeant for failing to prevent a firearms theft??

On another note I tell everyone I own a well polished shotgun, it makes them think twice about dating my daughters.

Wait until they hit 30 and you will be wanting to know if the suitor has a heartbeat.

[Ziege]

hahahaha

[Member-Deleted]

Wait until they hit 30 and you will be wanting to know if the suitor has a heartbeat.

FarmerPete will be waiting for the day some idiot decides it's a good idea to get married so Pete doesn't have to pay for them anymore

[bladeracer]

Anybody that knows me knows I'm a shooter.