The Six Benefits of Firearm Ownership

America has a long history with firearms, and they have played an important role in its history, including helping the United States achieve its independence and become the great country it is today. But, when it comes to portraying firearms in the media, the focus is nearly always on the cons of firearm ownership, never the pros.  

But, clearly, with so many Americans choosing to exercise their Second Amendment rights and own a gun, there have to be upsides to firearm ownership. If there weren’t, why would so many Americans choose to part with their hard-earned money and go through background checks and meet other qualifications and regulations just to purchase a firearm?  

If you’re on the fence about owning a gun but haven’t taken the time to think about the benefits of owning one, here are six benefits to consider:  

1. Owning a firearm provides protection for yourself, your family, and your property.

Protecting yourself and your loved ones is a basic human right, and possessing a firearm provides a big advantage or, at the very least, helps even the playing field against those who intend to do you harm. Calling the police might be a viable option if there’s enough time, but if push comes to shove and you need immediate protection against a threat, having a firearm—and knowing how to use it—could save your life or the life of someone you love. Period.

2. Owning a firearm provides peace of mind.

This is similar to Benefit #1, but with one slight nuance. While you may have to deploy your firearm for it to protect you, you don’t ever have to actually use it to enjoy the peace of mind it provides. Just knowing that you have it and it could save the life of someone you love provides a feeling of security. Hopefully, you’ll never actually have to use it, but you’ll sleep better at night knowing you have the option if a threat presents itself.    

3. Owning a firearm makes hunting easier and more humane.

If you’re a hunter, using a firearm is the easiest, safest way to bring down game. Yes, there are other methods such as using a bow and arrow or spear, but a firearm puts the greatest distance between you and a potentially dangerous game animal. It’s also typically the most humane method of hunting, since a well-placed shot from a gun is more likely to bring down an animal and minimize its suffering than, say, a single arrow that may or may not have found its mark. And you can get a second shot off faster with a gun than with a bow and arrow, so if your first shot is off, you have a better chance of bringing an animal down by getting in a second shot before it runs off.   

4. Owning a firearm teaches you responsibility.

With great power comes great responsibility, and owning a powerful firearm requires you to be knowledgeable, safety conscious, and to exercise the utmost of care every time you use or even just handle it. At the very least, you should know the four basic rules of gun safety. And there is no very most. Owning a gun requires constant, never-ending vigilance because slacking off or dropping your guard even just once could result in injury or death.

5. Owning a firearm opens up a world of shooting recreation and sports.

One reason firearms are so popular is because they’re just plain fun to shoot. And the more skilled of a marksman you become, the more fun shooting is. Shooting activities include hunting, trap and skeet shooting, and shooting competitions like 3-gun, to name but a few. Not to mention that it can be a whole lot of fun to just practice target shooting at your local range or out in the desert, a deserted field, or a grove of woods where shooting is permitted. Want to get involved in shooting activities but not sure where to start? The National Rifle Association’s Competitive Shooting Division offers a wide range of shooting events for total novices through world-class competitors. 

6. Owning a firearm lets you exercise a basic Constitutional right.

With all the heated debate over firearms these days, it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle that owning a firearm in the United States is a basic right given to citizens by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. It does not make you a “gun nut” or a “right-winger” or any other label overused by the media. It makes you a citizen of the greatest country on Earth exercising a right bestowed upon them by one of the greatest governing documents in the history of the world. Firearm ownership isn’t a Republican/Democrat thing, either. It is for anyone—regardless of political view or party affiliation—who chooses to exercise their right and qualifies under the governing laws and regulations. So, don’t be afraid to exercise your right to own a gun. You are not doing anything wrong, and you are not making a statement of who you are—other than you’re a citizen taking full advantage of your Constitutional rights.

If you’ve been on the fence about why you might want to own a firearm, hopefully some of these benefits will help you make a more-informed decision. Even if that decision is that firearm ownership is not for you. Because, if you’re not ready for the responsibilities that comes along with firearm ownership, then it’s better for everyone that you opt not to own a gun. And, just as the Second Amendment grants you the right to bear arms, it also grants you the right not to bear arms if you so choose.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Just make sure you consider the pros just as carefully as you do all the cons you see on television on the nightly news.