The sun has risen on the 5th and final day of the 250 Defensive Pistol course at Gunsite Academy, the original course at Gunsite designed and taught by founder Col. Jeff Cooper. The 250 pistol course is now referred to as “The Gunsite Experience.” Perhaps it has always been that way, but today Gunsite is … Continue reading
Following is the second of four end-of-semester student reflection papers for my Sociology of Guns seminar. Background on the assignment and the first reflection are available here. By Henry Mellon Many people have very strong opinions on guns. Some people feel very strongly that people should be able to own whatever gun they want, and … Continue reading
My wife made me do hot yoga today, which inspired a certain feeling captured in this t-shirt. Funnily enough, I bought the shirt recently in the People’s Republic of Berkeley. Continue reading
I am wrapping up my second semester teaching a seminar on the Sociology of Guns. Although the students have one more paper due, today was the last day of class. This week we completed a “Celebration of Learning” symposium, wherein the students each presented their seminar papers to the class. And I returned their graded … Continue reading
In addition to hunting and target/sport shooting, gun collecting can also be understood as a form of serious leisure. Although only 2% of gun owners indicated collecting is their main reason for owning guns in 2013 (down from 4% in 1999), 34% of gun owners in 2015 indicated that collecting was a primary reason for … Continue reading
Continuing my thinking about recreational gun culture as serious leisure that began with hunting, target/sport shooting is the main reason for gun ownership for a nearly 1 in 10 gun owners, and is a primary reason for gun ownership for as many as 3 in 10 gun owners. In 2004 her book, Shooters, Abigail Kohn … Continue reading
In recognition of the opening of the gun deer hunting season in Eastern North Carolina today, some thoughts on hunting and gun culture. In his 1995 essay “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America” — a core reading in my Sociology of Guns seminar this semester — James Wright observed that most guns in America … Continue reading
