The Next Best Thing

What attracts us to guns?

There are many aspects to collecting and shooting guns that are very enjoyable. You have the fine craftsmanship in well made arms to admire, the intellectual aspect involved in reloading, the thrill of finding that special rare firearm, the camaraderie you share with fellow gun owners, the knowledge that you can protect yourself and your family if need be, the history of firearms, the pride of improving your skills, and countless other aspects of our hobby that makes it so fulfilling. We see guns as more than tools. They are objects of affection for many of us.

I feel the most primal aspects of guns are the most appealing to us. They make fire, light, and loud noise. This is the biggest attraction for me. I love the feel of the controlled chaos that firing a gun represents. The power contained in these wonderful little packages we call ammo, is manipulated and put to work for us. We control this large force. There is something very attractive about that.

Now, the next best thing to this rush of firing of a gun is lighting fireworks. I love it, and have loved it since I was probably 7 years old. It is the same thrill for me really. My Dad would give me a coffee can full of Black Cat firecrackers to play with. I could spend hours blowing up stuff with them. I was the scourge of the ant mounds that were anywhere near my area of operations. Coke cans cringed at the thought of me finding them. They would be subjected to repeated lit explosive charges being shoved into their mouths if I found them. I had ways of dealing with these insurgent aluminum fiends!

This addiction, I mean pastime, was engrained in me from that young age. Independence Day is my second favorite holiday, after Christmas. I love the 4th of July so much, that I start thinking about it in the winter. The rocket's red glare has a very different meaning to me than what Mr. Key wrote about. :)

I love shooting fireworks on the 4th. I have done it my entire life, and have spent small fortunes on these mystical creations. Last year I discovered wholesale fireworks. For anyone that spends a decent amount of money on fireworks, let's say $300 or more, this is the way to go. You get deep discounts. Really good discounts. You can, for example, get an entire case of firecrackers for less than $50. The case would contain 16,000 crackers. Other typical examples are the popular artillery shell assortments. A premium assortment at a fireworks stand can cost upwards of $150. You can get six of them in a case for less than that wholesale.

Now this is not going to save you money. The effect of cheap fireworks, lets you do what you have always wanted to do. Put on a giant show! It is kind of like reloading. Freeloaders don't save money on ammo, because they generally shoot a lot more than the poor guy buying his stuff at the gun store. The discount on pyrotechnics is much vaster than ammunition however. Seasonal stands sell their explosive wares for a tremendous markup usually. You can' blame them really. In Texas, for example, they are only open three weeks a year.

I am already planning my shoot for this year, and am hoping to place my first order this month. I can already smell the powder burning!