People also like guns because it helps them feel like a hero in their fantasies that require guns due to some unknown threat.

I’m sure plenty of them like target shooting, but don’t kid yourself that that isn’t also likely fuelling their fantasies of having a justified reason to use the gun on another person. Surely it’s just coincidence that shooting ranges are using humanoid shapes for those targets.

For what purpose ultimately do you think being a good marksman would actually be used for?

They call it target practice for a reason, and it’s not for shooting more range targets.