Over the years i have used many firearms and actually owned five, four at one time.

Some have been used as tools to do a job, such as yesterday there was young buck roo laying in the paddock not far from my house with a broken leg. I used my .22 to destroy him humanely. Roos long back legs are suseptable to breaks and bucks can do that by fighting with other bucks.

Others have been procission instruments. One i had was .17 calibre and used for precise fox shooting. Head shooting foxes out to 200 yards and no pelt damage. Pelts were worth a lot and mate and myself got 300-400 a winter. I swapped that for a fire pump when pelt values dropped and i found it harder to go out all night.

I like the ability to get game at a range beyond my ability to use say a throwing stick and i admire the precission that goes into the firearms manufacture. Reloading ones own cartriges is also an interesting and rewarding hobby. Most firearms stocks are made of quality timber and my prize possesion has a stock of highly polished Walnut with nice grain and is a piece of beauty in itself.

So there are a number of reasons why men can be attached to firearms. I found it quite satisfing to know that my rifle could shoot a 1" group all day, if I was good enough and i look after them. They ride on a babies cot mattress in the ute back untill the game is spotted.

Precission instruments deserve to be well cared for.

In relation to the suicide incident. One does not need a firearm for that. Next to my road to town is a large tree that even today has bark off it where several years ago a bloke did away with himself by driving at high speed into it. Evidence was found for this conclusion.

No doubt people will continue to think up all sorts of reasons why there is an attraction to firearms.

Dear Hasbeen,

So if people dish it out they should be able to take it?

Not the way I normally play mate but hell you're the one setting the rules.

What an insular old fool you are. Don't you read any news? A high proportion of mass shootings in the States at the moment involve ex-servicemen. You would have these folk, a large proportion of whom are highly trained in the skill of taking lives, many of them traumatised and on medication, having carte blanche with weapons?

Thank god we are in the hands of people like o sung wu and not you and your ilk.

You really must stop blowing your trumpet and start thinking outside you own little square.

Don't know what happened to the third last sentence of my post above.

It should read:- In relation to the suicide incident, one does not need a firearm for that etc.etc.

Hi (again) HASBEEN...

Actually the heat is most agreeable for my poor old arthritic bones, thank you.

By the muddled way you're talking you seem to suggest you're the elder brother to Methuselah ? This 'young' copper to whom you refer, and feel necessary to berate, is only doing his job. If you don't like it pal, lobby the politicians to have the law changed. And for your information, I'm also a Vet. Were you ?

You're going on about how you and others had to train 'em ? Train who, for what, and with what ?

You seem to have a real hang-up about young people. Young people trying to do a job !

In case you've not noticed, it's the young people who'll ultimately rule the world, and more importantly, look after you and me in our advancing dotage.

We were all young once...even you. Why don't you offer some constructive comment, instead of attacking people trying to work.

It's these morally corrupt Politicians, who should feel the sharp edge of your tongue, not some baggy arse young copper doing what he's paid to do.

Should you feel so undervalued, yet over skilled, why don't you pop along to the next 'domestic' episode, where some bloke is waving around a knife, threatening all and sundry, including the kids of the family. It's often the young constable(s) who are confronted with such an explosive situation, who have to deal with it ? And as they say, you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

Cheers.

apologies for being a former cop
o sung wu,
I have often said that there are too many cops & not enough policemen. I for one accept your apology.
Poirot,
Hasbeen was someone who joined the armed forces & did things most men can only dream about, so to have a go at him about blowing his own trumpet ? Well, at least he's got something to blow his trumpet about. What does the average Labor voter have to trumpet about ? Massive deficits, ruined communities, unaffordable wages, mass dumbing, hell one could almost get all of them together & call them a brass band.

'evening to you CSTEELE and BANJO...

It's absolutely terrible these mass shootings in the US. I can only hope that doesn't happen here with the frequency it does over there.

Port Arthur, Hoddle Street in Melbourne, I understand the killer, Julian Knight is seeking parole, after dispatching seven innocent soul's !

I'm off the thread, I'm sorry, however I must share with you all - It's my understanding, an eminent silk in Melbourne, is prepared to assist Knight with his quest for parole...'PRO BONO' ! God help us !

This individual should NEVER be released, if necessary a special Act should be legislated to ensure any attempt of release is totally thwarted. As I said, God help us !

Gee BANJO, a .17 Remington has a very flat trajectory, steeping out at the muzzle, around 4020fps + or - with a 25 grain HP or similar. Hit a substantial blade of grass, could alter POA thus POI. It's little wonder you can successfully take a head shot with it. Reloading your own is the only and least expensive option I reckon.

I agree with you totally, a F/A is a tool, and as such should be well looked after if you value it's optimum performance.

Thanks to both of you for contributing to my unremarkable thread. It was BELLY's earlier Topic that got me thinking.

'Night all