Are gun laws U?

[Backwoodsgirl]

In light of recent attacks in NZ, the increase in knife and gun crime in the UK, shootings in the US and France. What do people think are reasonable options for weapons related laws?

It's clear that none on the current system around the world are perfect.

I am a Brit in the USA, and a gun owner, I also have a concealed carry permit. and I am interested to see what people see as reasonable.

I think the UK’s weapons laws are fine. I think the US’s gun laws are ridiculous.

There is no reason for any ordinary person to carry a gun. They should be banned completely except for the armed services, police under controlled curcumstances and, again under controlled circumstances some hunting weapons. I despise “concealed carry” egomaniacs

I think the UK’s weapons laws are fine. I think the US’s gun laws are ridiculous.
This, because encouraging people to arm themselves doesn't lead to fewer incidents of violence involving weapons

I'm British and I find the idea of people being allowed to carry guns at all totally ridiculous.

Yep, Merryoldgoat has it about right. Though I accept that some states in the US have more reasonable laws than others, as a generalisation it's on the money.

A lot of Americans seem to believe that because gun control wouldn't completely stop all gun crime everywhere, there's no point.

But we introduced a handgun ban in the UK after the Dunblaine massacre, and have had very little by way of mass shootings ever since. By comparison, the US has multiple mass shootings every year, and ready access to firearms.

(And that's really just the start - there's solid evidence that restricting access to firearms reduces overall suicide rates too. A substantial portion of people who might have killed themselves with a gun just don't kill themselves, rather than finding an alternative method.)

I say this as someone who has gone target shooting a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't think there's anything innately wrong with enjoying guns as a hobby. I just don't think civilians need to be able to have them at home, or carry them around. A system where you could purchase guns but they had to be permanently stored at a range or hunting lodge would allow people to continue sports shooting, without having deadly weapons lying around at home.

Yeah, I agree with the above. I’d also love to know why someone feels they need a concealed weapon?

I wonder when the US will ever learn.

I agree with Bertrand - laws should be designed to keep the number of authorised gun carriers to the absolute minimum.

Of course, I realise that gun crime is usually carried out using illegally held weapons, but anything that can be done to reduce the number of guns in circulation, licit or illicit, should be done.

But we introduced a handgun ban in the UK after the Dunblaine massacre, and have had very little by way of mass shootings ever since.

That's a bit simplistic though as there's essentially been three gun massacres in the UK: Dunblane, Hungerford (before Dunblane) and Cumbria (after Dunblane).

British gun laws are sensible imo. As far as knife crime goes that needs to be addressed through policing and earlier interventions, both of which are underfunded.

*@FortheloveofJames
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Yeah, I agree with the above. I’d also love to know why someone feels they need a concealed weapon?

DH and I applied for our concealed permit primary as a ass covering exercise. During hunting season we carry a handgun as a backup. If we put a coat on which covered the gun on our belts it's concealed.

Having the license means we don't have to think about things like that.

I think the UK’s weapons laws are fine. I think the US’s gun laws are ridiculous.

I'm British and I find the idea of people being allowed to carry guns at all totally ridiculous.

Agree completely with both of these. I also hate the argument that come out after any shooting of “well if only the victims had guns” as if its in any way reasonable to suggest that people should have to be armed to go to the mosque (or school, or shopping centre, or nightclub etc etc).

No one sees the solution to knife crime as being to license knives and let people carry them around in the street “for protection”.

I repeat. Concealed carry=ego too big for comfort.

Bertrand do you not think paranoia plays a part rather than solely blaming ego?

US guns laws are complicated. Each State decides for itself whether it gives permits for open carry or concealed. In some States you don't need a permit to open carry so long as the gun is not loaded.
When the OP talks about having a 'permit to carry a concealed weapon' they're not boasting but merely using the proper legal wording.
Glad I live in the U.K. with our gun laws.

Agree that US gun laws are beyond ridiculous.

We are in the UK and have a shotgun at home. It's only used for clay pigeon shooting. Keeping it at a gun club wouldn't work as my son competes and can travels hours to competions leaving very early in the morning and not getting home until late evening. Usually on a Sunday so couldn't even take it back the next morning before work. The gun is required to be kept in a locked cabinet and even I'm not allowed to know where the key is kept as I'm not a license holder.
US gun laws are barmy.

You know that rather unkind joke about how do you know if someone’s a vegan- don’t worry, they’ll tell you? Same applies to concealed carry.

There is no reason for any ordinary person to carry a gun. They should be banned completely except for the armed services, police under controlled circumstances and, again under controlled circumstances some hunting weapons. I despise “concealed carry” egomaniacs

Agreed. No normal person would the feel the need to carry a gun.

Australia had a mass shooting about 20 years ago and immediately introduced gun reform basically similar to what is mentioned above. Result is/was no more mass shootings. I imagine New Zealand will be introducing similar reforms in the aftermath of the recent horrific events. If Americans had reacted in a similar way after their first mass shooting, thousands more wouldn't have been murdered since.

I also hate the argument that come out after any shooting of “well if only the victims had guns” as if its in any way reasonable to suggest that people should have to be armed to go to the mosque (or school, or shopping centre, or nightclub etc etc).

Exactly.

Just imagine if some of the people at the mosque in NZ, or general passers-by, had also had guns. There'd be a lot more than 49 people dead once people started shooting randomly in the hopes of maybe killing the original gunman.

The gun laws in the USA vary state by state. Some states are extremely strict. So those saying the US laws are too lax are you saying all states?

When you read the stats about the number of toddlers killing people with guns in the USA I don't see how there can be any reasonable gun laws other than allowing those who absolutely need them to have them.

@BertrandRussell

You are entitled to your opinion, and that's ok.

So are you saying that you prefer open carry?

So are you saying that you prefer open carry”

My views are obvious from my post.

The FBI have estimated that there are over 200 million privately owned guns in the USA. Saying that private gun ownership should be banned there is a nice concept but completely impractical. How the heavens would you organize, fund, find, compel the collection of that many guns?