I lived in Florida which is where I acquired the majority of my collection. After moving to North Carolina I began hunting a lot more so I acquired more rifles and collectibles. I like things that make loud noise and I have a lot of space and a lot of wild game as well as predatory animals that could feed on my livestock so I use most of them now in one capacity or another.
I do not have a single individual in my circle of friends who thinks background checks or preventing felons from owning guns is a good idea in any way shape or form. However, they all feel they are gun nuts in the sense that they love collecting and utilizing them in one fashion or another. We live in an open-carry county that is extremely rural and most folks carry "snake guns" and shotguns or rifles in their vehicles. Guns are as stated by others considered tools here and it isn't going to change. Some people are fanatics for collecting music, cars, or ceramic turtles. I would consider gun nuts the same. Generally, very touchy folks and young college kids consider people who call themselves gun nuts to be irresponsible gun owners.