David Yamane
davidyamane.bsky.social
David Yamane
@davidyamane.bsky.social
Sociologist at Wake Forest U. Gun Curious. A.k.a., the Bob Ross of Guns. davidyamane.com

https://linktr.ee/lightoverheat
Pinned
To fully appreciate why people own guns, we need to understand the individual & communal pleasures associated with shooting. These are the pleasures that led me to fall for guns. New essay in @contexts.org by @sagepub.com and @asanews.bsky.social.

OPEN ACCESS: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
How I Fell for Guns - David Yamane, 2025
David Yamane on the 'serious leisure' of shooting.
journals.sagepub.com
Looking forward to talking about changes in American gun culture on @whyy.org Studio 2 with James Reeves and @franklangfitt.bsky.social this Tuesday at noon Eastern livestreamed on their YouTube channel.

www.youtube.com/@WHYYPhilade...
WHYY
WHYY is greater Philly’s NPR and PBS station. We enlighten and inspire through information when you need it, entertainment when you want it & education when it counts - TV, radio, online & in the comm...
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February 1, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Kicking off year 3 of Virtual Book Club with an exciting new book on women who shoot. Register for the book club by 2/6 to enter for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Direct reg lnk in comments.) @routledgebooks.bsky.social

youtu.be/jQm0fahTCqg
BOOK GIVEAWAY: "A Gun of Her Own" for Upcoming Light Over Heat Virtual Book Club (LoH #150)
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtu.be
February 1, 2026 at 2:51 PM
30 second video I recorded at SHOT Show and uploaded as a YouTube Short got 3.5 million views and more than doubled my channel's subscriptions. God Bless The Algorithm.

youtube.com/shorts/jSO3R...
Anyone else tired of handloading mags? The Magpie ain't cheap but neither are my opposable thumbs
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtube.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:54 AM
Took advantage of my involuntary layover in PHX to watch John Correia make sausage. In this case, his analysis of the shooting of Alex Pretti. The thought & care he puts into his analysis is impressive. Educating not trying to score political points. Light Over Heat.

youtu.be/rRl_BNfgIHo?...
January 28, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Amid the heated debates over law enforcement, protest, and civilian gun carry, how about a light-filled conversation between two PhDs about gun collecting? @firearmshistorian.bsky.social joins me for part 2 of our discussion.

youtu.be/eRaDU0GWS8s
More on Gun Collecting with Firearms Historian and Smith & Wesson Expert Michael Helms (LoH #149)
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:06 PM
When back the blue comes into conflict with carry everywhere.

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
ICE Is Failing the Legitimacy Test
America’s most fundamental values are at risk.
www.theatlantic.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:45 PM
There was no gift link option so maybe this is not pay walled?

New Video Analysis Reveals Flawed and Fatal Decisions in Pretti Shooting vp.nyt.com/video/hlsfmp...
vp.nyt.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:10 PM
It's not left vs. right according to @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social but liberal vs. illiberal. And in that divide, intellectual curiosity and humility are key. They are central virtues in my approach to guns in America, also. #guncurious

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/25/o...
Opinion | The Most Important Question Is ‘What if I’m Wrong?’
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Dusting this one off today.
January 26, 2026 at 6:20 PM
SHOT Show Day 4 Reflection: It's about personal relationships in the end.

open.substack.com/pub/lightove...
It's About the Personal Relationships in the End
Reflections on Day 4 of SHOT Show 2026
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Gift link to an article in The Atlantic about gun rights and tyranny, written by a liberal black man.

www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...
Minneapolis Is a Second Amendment Wake-Up Call
The federal killing of a Minnesota ICU nurse should worry every American.
www.theatlantic.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:11 AM
NYT gift article about gun rights responses to Minnesota gun carry criticisms.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Gun Activists Bridle at Suggestion That Pistol Justified Killing
www.nytimes.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:59 AM
SHOT Show Day 3 Reflection: The most important part of the week was the spotlight on suicide prevention work.

open.substack.com/pub/lightove...
Suicide Prevention on the Gun Culture Agenda
Reflections on Day 3 of SHOT Show 2026
open.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:17 PM
I recorded one product video at SHOT Show. A 30 second short for an automatic magazine loader that I liked. It has over 1 million views now. 😂😂😂

youtube.com/shorts/jSO3R...
Anyone else tired of handloading mags? The Magpie ain't cheap but neither are my opposable thumbs
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:13 PM
SHOT Show Day 2 Reflection: There is much more to American gun culture than just self-defense. At the same time, there is plenty of Gun Culture 2.0 on display here at SHOT.

open.substack.com/pub/lightove...
Gun Culture 2.0 is Alive and Well in Las Vegas
Reflections on Day 2 of SHOT Show 2026
open.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:16 PM
SHOT Show Day 1 Reflection: The full diversity of America’s gun cultures (plural) is on display here. Hunting, collecting, sport/competitive shooting, law enforcement, military, tactical, wacky stuff people want just because, aspects of gun culture yet to be named.

open.substack.com/pub/lightove...
19 Acres of Gun Culture(s)
Reflections on Day 1 of SHOT Show 2026
open.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:12 PM
This week on Light over Heat, the first of a two-part conversation about gun collecting with firearms historian Dr. Michael Helms (@firearmshistorian.bsky.social).

youtu.be/iOpgw-uhvao?...
Talking Gun Collecting with Firearm Historian and Smith & Wesson Expert Michael Helms (LoH #148)
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Day 1 of SHOT Show was great for all of the friends & colleagues I had a chance to see. #1 was Michael Bane, which was appropriate because I am gathering data for my long-shelved GUN CULTURE 2.0 book, and I stole the idea from him back in 2012.
January 21, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Excited to see my book displayed at Wake Forest's ZSR Library after all these months. Still hawking these if you're interested. Slide into my DMs!
January 16, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Last week, Alex Young and I talked about him taking me on my first hunting adventure in January 2025. This week we step back and get more into the history and sociology of hunting. Please enjoy!

youtu.be/O7cTdd45u5g?...
Gun Culture 1.0 is Dead! Long Live Gun Culture 1.0! More Hunting Talk with Alex Young (LoH #147)
YouTube video by Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 9:02 PM
I was happy to make a small contribution to work by Frank Langfitt on liberal gun owners, which aired recently on the Golden Globe-nominated Up First podcast on @npr.org.

www.npr.org/2026/01/11/n...
Why More Liberals Are Buying Guns : Up First from NPR
Since President Trump’s second inauguration, more liberals, people of color and LGBTQ folks say they are buying guns and getting training. This is the latest in a trend that researchers, gun clubs and...
www.npr.org
January 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM
First day of 22nd year at @wakeforest.bsky.social. Still excited to get started.
January 12, 2026 at 1:53 PM
This is great news.
January 12, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Light Over Heat in Sin City.

A.k.a., Building Bridges in Las Vegas: Why This Year's SHOT Show Matters.

open.substack.com/pub/lightove...
Building Bridges in Las Vegas: Why This Year's SHOT Show Matters
Light Over Heat in Sin City
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Please read and consider signing this petition to support the National Links Trust's efforts to promote and protect public golf in the DC area in the face of a hostile takeover by the President.

c.org/DR7CjxnhWj
Sign the Petition
Keep DC’s Public Golf Courses Out of Political Control
c.org
January 8, 2026 at 4:18 AM