Unanswerable Question, vol. I*

I'm calling this vol. I because I know that there are a myriad of unanswerable questions, particularly relating to the following subject matter.

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Today's Unanswerable Question: "Why do you need that (gun, accessory, magazine, caliber, etc.)?"

It occurred to me after a recent conversation that there is no possible way to answer that question - at least not to people that would ask it outside of a group of gunnies.

I claim no expertise in the field of firearms. I will engage in conversation about guns with anyone who shows interest or even asks a question. What I find is that someone will eventually come along and start in with the "Why do you need..." stuff. What I've found is that there is never a satisfactory answer to that question. Particularly when said thing is not obviously hunting-related. That Kalishnikov-style stock for your 10-22? There is no reason to have that. The military-style sights for your Marlin Model 60 (my brother got him some of those sights. They RAWK)? There is no reason to have that.

Most especially, if the thing is target/competition shooting related or, God-forbid, self-defense related, you most definitely do not need it. Not if it helps faster target acquisition. Not if it allows you to practice more or more economically. Not if it might save your life or save the life of others. NEVER if you just wanted it.

You don't need that thing. You're lucky to be allowed to have a gun at all. Now, if only there were just one gun that had sufficient stopping power, could effectively bring down large game without shredding small game (even varmints), wouldn't over-penetrate, was lightweight for daily carry, and didn't cost a fortune to shoot...

Nah. Not even then. Someone would inevitably come along with "Two is one and one is none."

;)



tweaker