Speculation about guns and gun laws have resurfaced recently over growing tensions and atrocities in the news. Citizens have strong opinions about guns: whether to get rid of them, or maintain them. Although it seems to be an immovable decision, instead of rejecting the use of guns, it might be useful to learn more about them, and more importantly, how to safely handle guns.

The second amendment states that citizens of the U.S. have a right to bear arms, and while some oppose this statement claiming that it is outdated, the majority of Americans still contribute to gun sales each day. With the insurmountable power the NRA (National Rifle Association) has over the country, citizens must understand that a change in gun laws cannot happen overnight, even if such changes were proposed. Guns tend to have a negative connotation; people assume that guns are always intended for harm and violence, but this is not the case. A very slim margin of people acquire guns for such intentions, and even then, it is difficult to obtain a weapon with such obvious negative intent.

John Pope, employee and shooting instructor at Target World (gun store and shooting range) in Chalfont, PA answered some questions on gun safety and gun purchases.

With perpetrators of mass shootings having mental and anger issues, Pope was asked what type of background checks he performs at Target World.

“We make customers fill out both Pennsylvania and federal forms that are mostly required for handgun purchases. We also run them through an instant background check, required by law, that tells us exactly if it is safe for the person to purchase a gun. If they don’t pass the check or leave inadequate answers to questions, they don’t get a gun,” explained Pope.

Red flags signal that a customer might have cruel intentions, such as a history of alcoholism, handling a gun incorrectly, and following through with a “straw purchase.” Straw purchases occur when a gun is purchased by one person but is intended for another person. If the actual user of the gun can’t come to purchase it himself/herself, it is probably because that person is not allowed to purchase a gun, so they have someone else come in and purchase it for them. Some think that even though they don’t pass the background checks and can’t purchase a gun, they are still permitted to come in and shoot, but Target World enforces the law that states that they are not allowed any sort of possession of a gun. The range/store has turned people away numerous times for many different reasons. 

“Just yesterday, we could smell alcohol on this person’s breath and we just asked him to leave. He wasn’t trying to buy a gun, he was actually trying to go out on the range and shoot, but we said ‘absolutely under no circumstances,’ and we asked him to leave,” Pope explained, emphasizing the security measures taken to ensure the safety of gun usage.

The background checks aren’t the only safety precautions Target World instills. Employees ensure that customers knowledgeable of exactly how to shoot a gun in a safe manner, meaning that their finger never touches the trigger until they intend for the bullet to leave the barrel. Target World is so safe that their bad comments listed online are from annoyed customers who wish they weren’t watched so carefully while attempting to make purchases and use guns in the shooting range.

“We have many negative comments from customers saying things like ‘they didn’t let me shoot my A-R pistol,’ or ‘they didn’t let me shoot in an unsafe manner.’ There’s one negative comment that said something like, ‘I didn’t know I needed my mommy’s permission to shoot here’ by someone under 21 years old, and if you’re under 21, you can’t shoot here alone,” stated Pope.

Target World follows the four rules of safety before those who wish to shoot actually fire their guns in the shooting range.

1. Always assume the gun is loaded.
2. Keep the barrel pointed in a safe location.
3. Keep your finger off of the trigger.
4. Know your target and surroundings.

Such precautions are taken in order to ensure that bullets do not stray from the targets and hit the ceiling, the floor, or anyone else.

“We also make sure that the guns purchased are not for violence. One of the first questions we ask customers is ‘what is the primary purpose for this gun- self defense, home defense, hunting, target shooting?’ Actually, a lot of our guns are sold for sport, either for competitions or for bull’s eye shooting,” said Pope.

With everything occurring in the news, some say that guns bigger than a handgun should not be sold, but this explains why some might be interested in guns of various sizes. It can be used for target shooting, competitions, sports, and hunting. Each activity may require a different type of gun, none of which are created and sold to inflict harm.

“A gun is a tool, just like a golf club or a frying pan. There are different uses. Handguns are usually for self defense, but if you take out the rest of them, you get rid of a list of different activities which about 75% of users participate in,” explained Pope.

Pope himself grew up in the southern state of Georgia, where his childhood was largely balanced by his experiences with hunting and shooting for sport.

Although many pro-gun activists are from the south, it is not uncommon for an interest in shooting to develop. Some customers come with a desire to own a gun, while others come for different reasons. Most new shooters who come into the shooting range or for classes don’t come with intent to purchase guns. Some just come in based on interest in guns and curiosity of the activity and are determined to learn how to both handle a gun safely and shoot a gun safely. They come for information purposes in classes like Target World’s “Basic Handgun 101” class or the all women’s class which fill up almost as soon as the event is made online. Newbies will come and learn about guns and shoot for an hour, and according to Pope, “if you don’t provide a safe environment for new shooters, most may not want to shoot again.”

While approximately 75% of gun sales are for activities, there are still a great amount of people who purchase a gun for protection. The question is, if you intend to purchase a gun for safety purposes, which one do you use? Pope stated that the gun that one practices with will prove to be the most beneficial, because it is what the person is most experienced with. If you don’t practice shooting, don’t plan on using a gun at all. There are other factors such as what fits best in your hand, the weight of the gun, and the recoil, but what is most important is the comfort level a person feels when handling a gun.

Besides protective purposes, guns are in demand even after incidents like mass shootings occur. Mass shootings and school massacres seem to occur more often, and although the speculation about gun laws persist, the demand for guns keeps rolling in. Of course, it is a matter of public record, but with an increased interest in guns, the public creates an increase in gun sales. Although there has been an increase in women coming to the range and attending classes, Pope shared that every type of person you could think of walks in and wants to learn about guns.

The knowledge of gun safety can be very useful. It’s good to know how to fire a gun in case there is a scenario that demands its use for protection. There is a fear stigma around guns, especially among America’s youth, but Pope revealed the secret to conquer this fear.

“No fear is irrational. If its a feeling inside you, it’s not irrational, it’s real. I would say the best way to get over a fear of anything is to try it. There are many opportunities to try it, whether it be in a shooting range or a class. You don’t have to shoot high caliber guns, you could shoot a ‘22 which has no recoil and no loud noise,” said Pope.

Guns aren’t for everybody, but it is surprising how much anti-gun activists are interested in shooting. People who hate guns and oppose gun usage come in all the time just to learn how to shoot.

“It really is strange because sometimes, they’ll come in hating guns and they’ll leave smiling and will come back to do it again. I think people underestimate the sporting side of it. They don’t realize how target and bulls eye shooting can be fun,” explained Pope.

Pope recommends that people should come to shoot when they are ready even though they offer training at 12 and up. No one should be forced into it because if you aren’t comfortable with it, it builds fear and dread of shooting which could be unsafe. It is up to the individual person to come forward and decide that they want to learn how to shoot.

No matter what a person’s views on the gun debate is, it is important to understand that the use of guns is not always scary and harmful. Learning about guns in a safe and secure manner, whether it be at Target World, or another shooting range, is the best thing you can do to educate yourself on the truth behind gun usage.