The Times tested the blast waves of several popular civilian guns at an indoor range and found that repeated firing could add up to potentially harmful exposure.
It’s not really a wide blanket. While there might be an uptick they are not the dominant demographic.
On top of that, we’re talking about long term gun range exposure. It’s straight white men and has been for the last since whenever gun ranges became a thing.
Florida checking in. White/Black & Male/Female at my local ranges is pretty much split 60/40.
Also as a member of the kinky commumity I can say a large percentage of my local LGBT commumity are now gun owners. I can’t say how often they practice but more and more are carrying.
Again, this is just my local community in FL. I’m not speaking for everyone.
If the cops in your part of the world are like the ones in mine, its a sure bet they clock way, way more shooting range time than you and your friends do.
Not sure where you’re from, but in the USA, most cops are only required to qualify once per year. The qualifying course uses maybe 15-30 rounds, depending on the department. Also, most cops in the USA will tell you, qualifying is the only time they fire their gun.
So, if you’re in the USA and you go to the range and shoot a whole 50-round box of ammo every six months, you’ll have about twice the practice and range time as about half the cops.
That’s why I said “most cops”. Training requirements vary wildly from state-to-state, county-to-county, sometimes even department-to-department.
The three biggest cities in the US are Chicago, New York, and LA. Chicago is once a year, New York is twice, LA is four times a year, but only one has to be with duty ammo, the rest are with practice ammo.
I’ve heard of quarterly qualifying for SWAT officers or those on task forces that apprehend high-risk fugitives. But, for the most part, your standard beat cop or highway trooper is gonna be once a year.
It may shock you learn this, but, despite what the media portrays, cops in big cities spend 99% of their time doing rather mundane things like traffic enforcement, domestic disputes, and event security.
I would be willing to bet that the average police officer fires very little outside of annual or semi-annual qualifications, though my evidence is purely anecdotal.
Based on my experience, which includes asking many, many cops from many, many different departments and jurisdictions all over the US, you’re correct. Every single one has told me that maybe 10 percent of cops practice at the range outside of qualifying, and only about 1 percent practice on a monthly basis or better, and those guys are usually on a SWAT team or high-risk fugitive apprehension task force, were prior military continuing their habitual training, or also moonlight as an armored car driver or some other high-risk private gig.
You understand that “everyone else” would be white people right? As in the exact reason that people of color and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons go to the range??? You honestly sound like a bigot.
It will never not be interesting to me how lesbians, including my parents, continue to be the least accepting among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in my experience. The number of lesbians I know who are TERFs is insane.
As a European it always amazes me that Americans think that a gun will solve their problems. Even after the problem doesn’t get solved, however many guns there are. Decade after decade. After decade.
And yes, usually I think about some redneck white moron “on the shooting range”, but everyone can be that person it seems.
And as an American I just don’t want to be a completely vulnerable sitting duck if shit hits the fan here. Why do you Europeans think every single owner is an obsessed nut?
What you think about when you picture a range in your head doesn’t excuse othering everybody who isn’t white or delegitimizing their fears.
You would also do well to remember where white people came from… because it wasn’t America. Sooner or later Europeans are going to have to come to terms with their colonialism.
No longer do firearm buyers fit the old stereo-type of being white, rural and Republican.
I think they meant those people. The ones who’ve been at it for decades. At very least they got a head-start at brain-deadness, i suppose. The liberals are gonna have a lot of shooting to do to catch up!
Yup the rural people that are notorious for not needing or using indoor ranges. Im liberal and from the sticks. People in rural areas are close minded and backwards for different reasons, not because of visiting indoor gun ranges that are a hundred miles away and would charge them for more than a friendly neighbors open field or legit outdoor range.
This makes so much sense. Think of the demographics who partake in this and what the average IQ between them is.
People like me?
And all the other lgbt+ and poc I shoot with?
I mean, sure a couple aren’t the brightest crayons in the box, but that’s a pretty wide blanket statement
It’s not really a wide blanket. While there might be an uptick they are not the dominant demographic.
On top of that, we’re talking about long term gun range exposure. It’s straight white men and has been for the last since whenever gun ranges became a thing.
Florida checking in. White/Black & Male/Female at my local ranges is pretty much split 60/40.
Also as a member of the kinky commumity I can say a large percentage of my local LGBT commumity are now gun owners. I can’t say how often they practice but more and more are carrying.
Again, this is just my local community in FL. I’m not speaking for everyone.
If the cops in your part of the world are like the ones in mine, its a sure bet they clock way, way more shooting range time than you and your friends do.
Not sure where you’re from, but in the USA, most cops are only required to qualify once per year. The qualifying course uses maybe 15-30 rounds, depending on the department. Also, most cops in the USA will tell you, qualifying is the only time they fire their gun.
So, if you’re in the USA and you go to the range and shoot a whole 50-round box of ammo every six months, you’ll have about twice the practice and range time as about half the cops.
I don’t think that’s entirely true I think cities and large metropolitan areas are actually quarterly.
That’s why I said “most cops”. Training requirements vary wildly from state-to-state, county-to-county, sometimes even department-to-department.
The three biggest cities in the US are Chicago, New York, and LA. Chicago is once a year, New York is twice, LA is four times a year, but only one has to be with duty ammo, the rest are with practice ammo.
I’ve heard of quarterly qualifying for SWAT officers or those on task forces that apprehend high-risk fugitives. But, for the most part, your standard beat cop or highway trooper is gonna be once a year.
It may shock you learn this, but, despite what the media portrays, cops in big cities spend 99% of their time doing rather mundane things like traffic enforcement, domestic disputes, and event security.
Dunno why the slight condescending tone or the need to try to assert I’m wrong or ill informed but sure.
I would be willing to bet that the average police officer fires very little outside of annual or semi-annual qualifications, though my evidence is purely anecdotal.
Based on my experience, which includes asking many, many cops from many, many different departments and jurisdictions all over the US, you’re correct. Every single one has told me that maybe 10 percent of cops practice at the range outside of qualifying, and only about 1 percent practice on a monthly basis or better, and those guys are usually on a SWAT team or high-risk fugitive apprehension task force, were prior military continuing their habitual training, or also moonlight as an armored car driver or some other high-risk private gig.
And? Is this your hollywood fantasy shoot out with friends and cops?
Seems they also lack humour!
(So American to think people of color and/or Lgbt+ are immune from being what everyone else might be)
Don’t hurt yourself circlejerking too hard.
Go burn that anger at the shooting range, lol.
Gun culture is fucking wild
You understand that “everyone else” would be white people right? As in the exact reason that people of color and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons go to the range??? You honestly sound like a bigot.
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It will never not be interesting to me how lesbians, including my parents, continue to be the least accepting among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in my experience. The number of lesbians I know who are TERFs is insane.
But for the record:
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So it’s only okay when you don’t want to be erased?
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You actually native or do you just like going around lecturing people?
What on earth does my ethnicity have to do with this conversation?
Some see usage by non-native groups of “two spirit” terminology as being cultural appropriation.
As a European it always amazes me that Americans think that a gun will solve their problems. Even after the problem doesn’t get solved, however many guns there are. Decade after decade. After decade.
And yes, usually I think about some redneck white moron “on the shooting range”, but everyone can be that person it seems.
And as an American I just don’t want to be a completely vulnerable sitting duck if shit hits the fan here. Why do you Europeans think every single owner is an obsessed nut?
What you think about when you picture a range in your head doesn’t excuse othering everybody who isn’t white or delegitimizing their fears.
You would also do well to remember where white people came from… because it wasn’t America. Sooner or later Europeans are going to have to come to terms with their colonialism.
What you’re doing is called goal post moving.
I’m european. White people here originate from Africa. Open your mind a bit, most people aren’t from the usa.
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/11/nx-s1-5611025/why-more-liberals-are-buying-guns
These kind of people?
From your link:
I think they meant those people. The ones who’ve been at it for decades. At very least they got a head-start at brain-deadness, i suppose. The liberals are gonna have a lot of shooting to do to catch up!
Yup the rural people that are notorious for not needing or using indoor ranges. Im liberal and from the sticks. People in rural areas are close minded and backwards for different reasons, not because of visiting indoor gun ranges that are a hundred miles away and would charge them for more than a friendly neighbors open field or legit outdoor range.
Hell where I’m at most people just shoot on their property. Don’t need to pay no stinking range or be trapped indoor with your firearm fumes!
Good point! Never considered that.
Is this supposed to be a gotcha?
Sure the demographic has broadened but they are still not dominant the gun owning demographic
I bought a 9mm recently because I’m uncomfortable with the amount of Nazis and the state of this country. Is that the demographic you meant?
I dunno why everyone thinks their one off experience changes this.
Yes you buying a gun has changed the demographic that has been standard since gun ranges existed.