"Gabrielle Giffords Gun Control Super PAC Raises $6.5 Million"

[Paladin]

9. You and CTYankee have accurate memories as to gun ownership in years past.

One deer rifle, one shotgun, and one .22 rifle, and people used to consider themselves well-armed. Pistols were for law enforcement types or felons, and if you had a military rifle, like, say, a 98 Mauser, you sunk some time, effort and money into "sporterizing" it, so that it resembled a Winchester Model 70 hunting rifle as near as possible, rather than a battlefield relic. There was an entirely different mindset that went with such firearms---a lot healthier mindset than we see on display these days, where ownership of any number of military-styled rifles and shotguns, and as many semi-auto pistols as possible, is the new template.