8 Reasons Why INTJs Like Guns

Good news, everyone!

An adoring fan: “Omigosh! Does this mean you’re back?!”

No, it just means I have a new blog for you all to read.

Technically speaking, I never left. I just didn’t have any blog ideas I wanted to write about. But, this! This idea I’ve wanted to cover for a long, long time. The reason why I didn’t do so sooner was because I actually didn’t own very many guns and my experience with them was rather limited. Despite being a gun fan all my life and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, I only fired a gun for the first time a couple summers ago. Since then though, I’ve fired quite a few guns and expanded my collection considerably. As a result, I think I have finally figured out why INTJs like guns.

So, this is the 8 reasons why INTJs like guns.

1. 1. They’re Capable

The first reason INTJs like guns is because they’re capable. 

Truthfully, there are few tools out there that are as satisfying as a gun. You load’em, switch off the safety (if they have one), point, and shoot. Guns work and they work well.

Now, that’s not to say that other tools aren’t as capable, but guns you can rely on to deliver a specific effect. And this is appealing to INTJs because we place such a high importance on competency. There’s nothing more frustrating than when something is supposed to work and doesn’t. Sure, there are some guns that suck, but an overwhelming majority of them can be counted on when your life is at stake. When you need to take the shot, they’re there. When you need to take action, they’re at the ready. When you need to be prepared, they’re great to have for a lot of “just in case” situations. For example: the AR-15 is a very versatile, precise, and robust platform. People own AR-15s for all sorts of reasons, but for the three main reasons, combat, hunting, and personal defense, AR-15s are very good at all three. How does one gun do so much? Well…

The base AR-15 is chambered in 5.56×45 NATO (or its parent cartridge .223 Remington). What’s great about this round is that it’s small and fast. As a result, it’s light, has low recoil, and fragments on impact. This is good news for soldiers because it means they can carry a lot of it, fire accurately even whilst firing full-auto (full-auto is only available on the M4), and because it fragments, it’ll wound an enemy instead of killing him, causing him to call for a medic, meaning one round will take two guys out of a firefight instead of just one. Then, when it comes to defense, the 5.56’s low recoil makes it ideal for shorter and weaker shooters while the fragmentation prevents overpenetration. As for hunting, while there are hunters who have bagged deer with the 5.56 and .223, these are often considered too small to take deer humanely. But, the AR-15 is a modular platform allowing you to switch out the upper receiver for another. Some of the other uppers available are chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39 (the AK-47 round), and even .50 Beowulf. So, these characteristics make the AR-15 a very capable gun and make it worthy of the respect of an INTJ.

2. 2. Technical Specs

Another reason why INTJs like guns is because we love technical specs.

INTJs are nerds for numbers. I’m not entirely sure why, but if I had to guess, it’s probably because they’re an efficient way of transmitting information and they exist in a perfectly organized system, all of which likely appeals to our Te function.

Anyway, because we dig numbers, we love guns because guns use a lot of numbers. Everything from caliber to round capacity, from barrel length to barrel twist, from maximum effective range to overall weight. Some people find numbers vague or abstract, but the INTJ mind feels the exact opposite. Describe a gun to us using nothing more than its specs (numbers), and we can envision a gun almost perfectly. In fact, that might even make for an interesting party game. How well would you do?

3. 3. Self-sufficiency and Independence

INTJs value self-sufficiency and independence highly (Fi). Seriously, it gives us an existential crisis when we consider all the things we don’t know but should in order to survive the apocalypse.

But to take this down to a more mundane level, INTJs often don’t believe in bothering people for things we can do for ourselves. For instance, I work in shipping and receiving, so I often prepare outgoing shipments. In order to do so, I have to scan all boxes/totes/bins going out. There is usually a shipper number associated with each shipment. Now, I could go into the office and ask my supervisor what it is, or I could just go into the scanner, which is basically a mini-computer, and with a tap of a few buttons, find out myself. Guess which one I do? That’s right. So, because I can check the numbers myself, I prefer to do it myself.

This is where the pew-pews come in…

See, with guns, many things become possible that weren’t before, or at the very least, much, much easier. A gun allows you to defend yourself. It gives your words authority, whether you’re pointing it at a tyrant, robber, or someone who is frustratingly friendly for their own good. The gun allows you to stand on your own two feet. Further, many guns can be used for hunting.

To put it another way, a gun is empowering; self-empowering. That may sound weird coming from an INTJ since we tend to give off powerful and competent auras, but it is true. One of our greatest fears is losing the power to fend for ourselves. We absolutely loathe the idea of completely depending on someone else because what if they fail? Sure, INTJs also fail, but it’s much easier to blame and correct ourselves than it is to blame and correct another. And so, because we fear losing our power, we covet those things that give us our power, whether that be a stable income, our vast libraries of knowledge, or our guns.

4. 4. Solitary Sports

And speaking of being independent…

Being introverts, we strongly prefer our own company a lot of the time. This can make getting into sports difficult as most sports are team-oriented. Not only does this mean we have to interact with others, but on a team, everyone has a job to do, meaning we have to depend on others or have others depend on us. Therefore, it should be little wonder why INTJs don’t like most sports. But there are some that do allow us to compete alone. Enter firearms; boomsticks allow us to indulge in some form of sport solitarily. Now, sure, there are a lot of people who do competitive shooting, so there are a lot of people to run into, but generally speaking, most shooting sports are done with a team of one. And if your main goal is to simply become a better shot for the sake of it, you can pursue that goal with little to no involvement from anyone else; it’s just you, your piece, and the target.

5. 5. History

Guns feature widely in history, and INTJs love history. Sure, we don’t love it as much as other subjects, but INTJs have been known to be history buffs. (INTJs like to collect information and knowledge.) Part of the reason why we do this is in search of the answer to everything (Ni), but we also do it so we can be prepared for anything. Having as much knowledge as possible allows us to read between the lines of a situation and be able to accurately predict what will happen next. Essentially, by knowing the past, you can predict the future, which is perhaps the ultimate form of empowerment. It prevents us from making a lot of mistakes.

But, getting back to the guns…firearms feature heavily in history, as I’m sure you know. If you study any of the great wars, it’s hard not to cover any of the armaments from such conflicts. By studying these events, INTJs gain a greater appreciation for their pieces because some firearms research cannot be done cheaply, easily, or without shooting something. But, by studying past battles and conflicts, by hearing the stories of those who were there and saw the desolation for themselves, we can learn, albeit second-hand, what sort of power we truly wield in our hands when we hold a potential battle implement. And this, in turn, helps us not only be prepared for anything, such as tyrannical governments or foreign invaders, but it also helps us respect the power and capabilities of our weapons.

6. 6. Machines

If an INTJ is going to be jazzed about numbers, chances are good they also like machines. 

Now, that may sound weird calling guns machines, but they are–they have moving parts and some of those parts move in conjunction with others parts you move yourself. For instance, a gun can’t chamber a new round until you work the action, rack the slide, or pull the trigger. Doing so causes a bolt to rotate, a spring to extend, or a loading ramp to be lowered and lifted. But, why do INTJs like that?

INTJs like efficiency and competency; we like things to be done well and performed quickly without any waste in effort. Sure, break open guns and muzzle loaders have their charms, but there is something really satisfying about lever, pump, and revolving actions along with, of course, semi and fully automatic weapons. Watching a Desert Eagle be fired in slow motion is especially satisfying because it lets you see a type of action usually reserved for rifles placed into a pistol. But, I’ve mentioned competency and efficiency before–is that all there is to it? No.

See, in order for guns to work efficiently and competently, a lot of planning has to be done. Now, we may call it “engineering”, but “engineering” really is just a fancy version of planning. And as you should know, INTJs love it when a plan comes together–when all the pieces fall into place. And that’s why we’re machine and technology junkies–because we can appreciate the amount of planning that goes into making machines and technology, making them work, and making them work well, like a well-oiled machine, if you will. (It’s almost like destiny.)

And speaking of engineering and making things work, that brings us to our next point.

7. 7. Complexity and Innovation

While it is true that the simplest machines are best because fewer moving parts means fewer things can go wrong, (think of the revolver, AK-47, pump-action shotties, and Glocks), but firearms can also have unique complexities, that while redundant or ridiculous, still deserve to be lauded for their unique innovation.

For instance, we have bullpup rifles and shotguns which put the bolt carrier group and firing pin all in the stock allowing for an overall shorter design while keeping the barrel full length. The downside is that the trigger is in its usual spot, so a long lever has to be attached from it back to the firing pin. Plus, if a round fails to fire properly, hot gas is more likely to be sent into the shooter’s face. A really interesting design bullpups, what with their advantages; but at the cost of some unique disadvantages.

However, two of my unnecessarily complex favorites are the Mateba Autorevolver Unica 6 and the Chiappa Rhino. Both were designed by Emilio Ghisoni and possess unique features for revolvers. Starting with the Mateba, despite being a revolver, it actually operates a lot like a semi-auto pistol where with each shot fired, the frame slides back, cocking the hammer and rotating the cylinder. The other unique characteristic of the Mateba, which the Rhino shares, and being one of the reasons why the internals of both guns are so complex, is that they both have a barrel aligned with the 6 o’clock position of the cylinder rather than the 12 o’clock position. This does help combat muzzle flip and felt recoil while potentially aiding natural aiming techniques, but forces a unique grip. But, what does this have to do with INTJs?

INTJs love complex systems. Whether they’re complex engineering, twists and turns in a story’s plot, the intricacies of how languages “work”, or trying to understand how the major and microscopic forces of the universe interact, that’s all up an INTJ’s alley. Admittedly, our favorite thing about these complex systems is breaking them down and understanding them, but seeing them in action is also quite pleasant. Why? Well, it goes back to my last point: we love it when a plan comes together. And when a lot of dynamic parts of a plan fall into line perfectly, few things can capture the satisfaction we feel at that moment. The only way for it to be more euphoric is if it’s our plan coming to fruition.

8. 8. Style

It may be odd to think of a gun as a fashion accessory, especially since they have more utility than most accessories, but that’s exactly the sort of accessorizing an INTJ is likely to be into: an object that has some use other than looking good (Fi-Se). This is part of the reason why an INTJ might own a BMW 328i, a Belgian Groenendael, or a specific weapon. The BMW is a stylish, quick, and classy vehicle that can get you from point A to point B. A Belgian Groenendael has a long, dramatic black coat, but is known for its intelligence, loyalty, and strong work ethic making it an ideal choice for companionship, protection, and farm work while looking cool as hell. And then with a specific firearm, let’s use the Chiappa Rhino again, being a competent weapon, chambered in the very effective .357 Magnum, which is ideal for self-defense and hunting, due to the gun’s design, it also makes quite the statement. (I personally have chosen the Rhino as my “iconic gun”.)

Further, certain guns do have a certain aesthetic about them. AR-15s are sleek and modern, 1911s have a robust, retro-modern appeal, and while “tactical shotguns” are cool, the coolest shotguns have wood stocks and forearms displaying rugged looks while possessing an impressive aura. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

Conclusion

Typically, this is where I would sum up the blog with a flourish–a classy, yet succinct conclusion. Unfortunately, that won’t happen here because the conclusion is too simple to flourish. It is simply that INTJs like guns for the above reasons. They’re empowering (Fi), they’re cool (Se), they satisfy our inner nerd on multiple levels (Ni-Te)–they simply fit the INTJ aesthetic. INTJs like guns. That is all.

Can you think of any other reasons why INTJs might like guns? Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for your patronage.

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