Gabby Giffords Still Appreciates Gun Culture

Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords owns a Glock 9 that her husband gave to her years ago to use for target practice. It's the same type hand gun she was shot with in an assassination attempt.

The difference in the two, husband Mark Kelly says in an interview with CNN airing Tuesday night, is the gun used to shoot Giffords held a magazine with 33 rounds.

"This, when it's full, holds 17," he added, referring to his wife's gun.

“She’s a gun owner. She’s from the West,’’ added Kelly, who gave the gun to his wife long before she was severely wounded in the head in January 2011.

Despite her brain injuries, which make speech difficult, Giffords has become a national advocate for new restrictions on firearms.

According to an advance CNN article on the interview, Giffords says she enjoys target practice outside her mother's house in the Arizona desert.

Kelly also takes turns with the Glock, blasting away at pots and water bottles as his wife and mother-in-law watch.

The former Arizona lawmaker and Kelly said their love of guns make them more credible in their support of background checks.They have founded Americans for Responsible Solutions to push for gun laws.

Giffords was shot in the head and six others were killed by Jared Lee Loughner, who opened fire on the congresswoman and some of her supporters at an outdoor gathering more than two years ago.