I have never fired a gun like that... only a shotgun and air pressure rifles. And then airsoft and paintball things.

I confess that the act of shooting a gun for defence throws me under the woods more or less like you had the experience. To think we need it for defence is terrible. We are so intelligent as a race, and then have to rely on brute force of destruction for such acts. Revolting, at least...

But the times I have tried it had always another "motivation" that drives your brain slightly away from the "bad things". For example, the shotguns were to shoot "clay dishes" launched into the air... and this was really an aim exercise and trying to guess where best to shoot ahead of time. It was fun because of the movement prediction game and reaction challenge. I was not thinking about killing any live things... I was just thinking about trying to hit all the dishes!

It would be nice if, instead of cleaning dishes, we could just shoot them like this, now that I recall this. LOL

So, for me, I still put in my head, that I didn't yet shoot a real gun... a think that kills people, animals, etc. Even if any of the things I have used can actually achieve the same goal. And I think you touched this point... it's the looks, its the reason they exist.

Anywho... I am sure one day I want to experience the same terrible feeling as you did.