Respect is a big part of it. Another problem is that they aren’t seen as actual tools. They’re probably more often a male enhancement device than a tool.

They should be viewed as a tool for the production of meat, for the efficient removal of varmints. In the worst case they are a tool for the defense of self or others. That worst case scenario is actually very rare.

Tools and toys can be interchangeable. However: some pretty strict laws govern the use of toys like sports cars.

My shooting tools are mostly polymer stocked or gripped. Plain, cheapest base model I can get. Then I take them apart and work on the mechanisms to make them mine. I don’t have a lot of them, just have a few for my particular use cases.

I really like them. I get pleasure from using my tools. I also really like my lathe and my daily driver small truck. I’ve also taken them apart and worked on them.

I think this attitude should be required if one is going to own and be responsible for such a dangerous tool. There should be an interview process or something to weed out dumb fucks and the mentally unstable. After all, the militia was supposed to be well regulated. It’s not particularly complicated.