Tony Grist
This is the sixth of several student gun range field trip reflection essays from my fall 2024 Sociology of Guns seminar. The assignment to which students are responding can be found here. I am grateful to these students for their willingness to have their thoughts shared publicly.
Previously posted reflection from Fall 2024 are available here: Reflection #1, Reflection #2, Reflection #3, Reflection #4, and Reflection #5.
Reflections from previous semesters of Sociology of Guns are available HERE.
By Nick Sebastian
On Tuesday, August 27, two classmates and I drove to Mocksville to participate in the range field trip. In many ways, my experience there was very similar to my previous experiences with firearms. When I first asked myself the questions “what did I learn?” and “what did I find appealing (or disturbing)?” I had somewhat of a hard time answering them. I believe this is because of how my previous experiences have shaped the way I approach the use of firearms. When I thought more deeply about it, I realized that this trip was actually more different than I had thought from my previous experience with guns.
My prior understanding of the culture of guns in the US is relatively basic. I do not have incredibly strong opinions on issues such as gun control. However, many of my family members and close family friends have opposing views on the role of guns in the United States, and I feel I have benefited from having a multifaceted perspective on the topic of firearms.
An example of this within my close family is demonstrated by my parents. While they both do not like guns, they have varying reasons as well as different approaches to whether my brother and I should understand how to use one. My mother does not like guns at all, nor does she understand them. Her knowledge of firearms is very limited, and it is apparent when she makes arguments against them. This was a main reason that I wanted to take this class, as guns are a controversial topic in the US and I want to have an educated standpoint from which to develop an opinion.
Similar to my mother, my father also does not like guns, but his dislike comes from a complete understanding of what firearms are capable of. Despite this, he thought it was a good idea to teach me and my brother how to use firearms. He believed it to be a necessary skill, and believed that it was important for us to understand guns whether he wanted us to own them or not.
When I reflected on learning and practicing using guns with my dad, I realized that it was different from my most recent range visit in Mocksville. Some aspects remained largely the same- safety and proper handling of firearms were the most prominent parts of each experience. However, while shooting with my father was enjoyable, he taught me in a strict, cold, and functional way. I am very grateful for this, as it taught me that firearms should be treated with respect, and it allowed me to focus on developing proper skills. This teaching also gave me an attitude towards guns where I thought of them purely as a weapon, for use only in necessary situations such as hunting, self defense, or military use. This is relatively different from my experience at the range.
While safety was still the priority, the teaching and environment seemed more geared towards a basic understanding of guns, while encouraging us to have fun in the process. I have used firearms recreationally before, but this was the first time that I acutely noticed the difference between the strictly functional learning I had done in the past and shooting with an element of intended enjoyment.
Thinking about this dichotomy has already broadened my perspective on the role of guns in the US, especially with regard to recreational use of firearms. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the range, and it gave me an experience that will be very helpful to developing my understanding of gun culture in the US today.
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