So, today I'm sporting a rather lovely burn above my right eyebrow from an errant .22 case over the weekend. It's real noticeable and I've been asked repeatedly about it.
So I tell people the truth, that it happened at a gun range while shooting a pistol. However, I don't stop there. I go on to show them the 2 other burns on my arm, the hole in my left hand where the action caught me, and if appropriate, I peel back my shirt off my shoulder to show the bruising left by firing Sasha. I also tell them that I normally go to the range at least once a week, sometimes twice if time (and the Mrs) permits.
The good thing is this usually starts a conversation. I can talk about how I reload my own ammunition, how I teach my daughters firearm safety, and other things about "living la vida loaded" (Hey! I think I've found my new tag line!). When I talk, I talk as if I were talking about baking bread or mending a hole in a wall.
I used to be pretty quiet about my hobby. I don't want to "Scare Whitey", as Uncle puts it. I want to show people I'm just an above-average Joe and that firearms are nothing more than tools that can be used for entertainment as well as self-protection.
And, as more and more people know about, and eventually accept my hobby, I will talk more about how I feel about gun control, the responsibilities of gun owners, self protection, etc.
Maybe I change a few minds. Maybe not. Time will tell.