Here in Wyoming, it seems as if everybody owns a gun. Whether you are an avid hunter or big on self-defense, guns are a huge part of the culture out here in Wyoming and have been for a very long time.
However, guns are still dangerous weapons, and no matter how careful you are, accidents still happen. According to usafacts.org, more people per 100,000 people in 2023 died from guns (21.6/100,000) than from motor vehicle accidents (16.8/100,000) in Wyoming. Keep in mind Wyoming has an approximate population of about 600,000 people and a total number of registered firearms of around 132,806. This places Wyoming gun deaths at over 50% above the national average.
According to FindLaw, “Wyoming law does not require a license, permit, or registration to buy or own a firearm. Wyoming sets the minimum age to buy a long gun (rifle or shotgun) at 18 and the minimum age to buy a handgun (pistol or revolver) at 21. Wyoming adopted a permitless carry law for residents in 2011.”
With all of this being said, the opinions on guns, even at the high school, are unsurprisingly strong, especially after the gun law that just passed allowing people to carry guns in places like airport lobbies. Read More: (https://www.nraila.org)
Sophomore Sean Gallagher owns an AR-15, AK-47, 12-gauge, 45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and more guns, which he uses on the shooting range and for hunting. But when you own as many guns as Gallagher does, accidents are prone, and this is something Gallagher is very aware of.
“I think that accidental discharges could be better prevented by ejecting the mag and clearing the chamber of any live round,” Gallagher said. “They may also be prevented better by teaching younger kids and people who are new to guns about the basics of gun safety like not pointing it at others, etc.”
Recently, Wyoming gun owners have faced the lifting of restrictions on guns, and now more than ever, dangerous people are out there. And with the rich culture of hunting in Wyoming, guns are a large part of Wyoming’s lifestyle.
“When you make gun restrictions stronger, you are stopping good people from getting weapons to hunt with,” Gallagher said. “Also, it’s not like it would stop the bad people from hurting people because bad people will always find ways to hurt others, and by stopping the good people from having easier access to weapons, you would be leaving them like sitting ducks to waiting for the bad people to come and harm them.”
Another sophomore, Mason Green, owns a 10 mm, but he doesn’t use it for hunting or target practice.
“I use it for bears for protection,” Green said. “[Which is why] I think people should have the right to packing firearms without a license.”
When some people think of firearms, they think of them as a dangerous weapon and something to be feared, but Green argues that isn’t the case.
“I think people need to not be scared of them,” Green said. “Because most of us who have firearms and don’t use them for wrongdoing.”
While guns are undoubtedly dangerous, it is readily apparent that they are only as dangerous as the holder chooses to make them.
“I think it’s a source of protection, I think that it’s a good thing for the right, mature people to be able to use to take advantage of that,” sophomore Kate Mainwaring said. “I think the gun restrictions are good as is because the right people who have the right training for guns should be able to take their guns where they want, and I think most accidents can be prevented by just not being an idiot with your gun and knowing your gun, knowing your gun safety.”
All in all, unsurprisingly, guns are a very large part of students’ lives here in Wyoming, especially in the sophomore class.
