Cabela's transports gun owners to rally

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- The NRA is getting some help from the sporting goods store Cabela's for today's rally in Hartford.

A trip to Cabela's is nothing new for many gun owners, but this was a little different because they lined up and got on a fleet of rented buses. Buses that took them from the East Hartford store, across the river to the Capitol complex in Hartford.

Hundreds made the trip.

"I think they're infringing on our right to protect ourselves, our right to hunt, shoot, possess, everything," said Jim Thompson, of Colchester.

Politicians started talking about changing the state's gun laws right after a man with an AR-15 killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary.

However, many gun owners say proposals like banning guns with military-type features only deals with cosmetics. And a limit on magazine size doesn't sit well with those worried about Cheshire-style home intruders.

"You need the ammo to stop those thugs before they rape your wife, molest your children or murder your children, or murder all of you," said gun owner Richard Pieczarka. "So that's why you need the ammo."

Everyone there understands the desire to do something in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings, but they say what the legislature is proposing are the wrong things.

"Banning weapons or any hardware is easy to legislate," said Middletown resident Peter Spinner. "Taking on the complex issues we face as a society that leads us to violence can't really legislate that. That's really tough, so legislators don't want to go there."

However, should any gun laws change because of Sandy Hook?

"Nah, not really. You have to enforce the laws you have now, that should straighten out the problem," said Burt Kirschvaun, of Ansonia.

And the gun owners say they'll use their first amendment rights to protect their second amendment rights.