Gun control

[Pixxie7]

Following the awful killing last night I am struggling to find why apart from a very few professions anyone in this country needs a gun license.

**in my county. The gunman would have had it removed and wouldn't have got it back. Sadly the firearms dept in Plymouth don't follow the same criteria.

I have a firearms licence and several firearms/shotguns. In this country we already have one of the strictest firearms licensing policy and type restrictions in the world, but still have one of the lowest instance of firearms crime, especially crimes using legally licensed firearms.

Just to put it into perspective, about 60-70% of firearms related crimes in recent years have been committed using handguns, a type of firearms that has all but been banned from personal use for over 20 years, barring a very small number of specific people, or people who live in Northern Ireland who can still own them.

This is a failure of the police licencing department, the fact he had the shotgun returned so shortly before him doing this proves that, it's not a failure of the over 500,000+ legally registered responsible firearms owners in this country. Another licencing failure, just like Dunblane.

I don't see why I should be punished for the failings of the police and for the actions of a single deranged psycho, I don't see why the sport and hobby I have spent thousands of pounds on and gives me enjoyment on a weekly basis should be further hindered, for very little actual reward to the public.

@Biker47

I have a firearms licence and several firearms/shotguns. In this country we already have one of the strictest firearms licensing policy and type restrictions in the world, but still have one of the lowest instance of firearms crime, especially crimes using legally licensed firearms.

Just to put it into perspective, about 60-70% of firearms related crimes in recent years have been committed using handguns, a type of firearms that has all but been banned from personal use for over 20 years, barring a very small number of specific people, or people who live in Northern Ireland who can still own them.

This is a failure of the police licencing department, the fact he had the shotgun returned so shortly before him doing this proves that, it's not a failure of the over 500,000+ legally registered responsible firearms owners in this country. Another licencing failure, just like Dunblane.

I don't see why I should be punished for the failings of the police and for the actions of a single deranged psycho, I don't see why the sport and hobby I have spent thousands of pounds on and gives me enjoyment on a weekly basis should be further hindered, for very little actual reward to the public.

Nothing to say other than 👏

Why do people blame the weapon? Well essentially because there will always be people in society at risk of going on a rampage. It is much safer for everyone if those people can’t easily access a gun. Had he just had a knife, he may not have managed to kill 5 other innocent people so easily.

Such a basic and juvenille argument from people who pluck thoughts from thin air really, more simplistic than “people kill not guns”…. you will always have unhinged people, nasty people, terrorists- why make it easy for people?! A gun holds no other purpose than to kill!

A gun holds no other purpose than to kill!

Rubbish!

My husband uses his to punch holes in bits of paper or smash clay discs in to little bits.

My husband uses his to punch holes in bits of paper or smash clay discs in to little bits vital!

I don't have a problem with firearms generally, but I'm not convinced that many people need a pump action shotgun.

I don't have a problem with firearms generally, but I'm not convinced that many people need a pump action shotgun.

I borrowed one once and found it quite difficult to keep my eye on the target while pumping in the next cartridge. Certainly not as efficient as a double barrel or auto.

Someone needs to lose their job for giving a licence to a man convicted of assault and with MH issues. The police did not use the law correctly, there is not a problem with the law itself.

I’m not sure of the law on removing a licence but he wasn’t convicted. He wasn’t actually even charged. I’d be happy with a mandatory removal of a licence from anyone even accused of assault but I’m assuming that isn’t currently the case.

@Knittingupastorm apologies, I didn't realise he wasn't formally charged. However, I would have thought that someone accused of assault with a gun licence would have a MH assessment as a precaution before giving him his gun back which should have shown up some red flags.

@Ticketchancer

My husband uses his to punch holes in bits of paper or smash clay discs in to little bits vital!

Name a hobby that is 'vital'

And sometimes killing is 'vital' in terms of culling, pest control ect. Guns remain one of the most humane weapons for dispatching animals and those that need them for work or sport do not need any more hoops to jump through to go about their legal business.

Name a hobby that is 'vital’ you weigh up the risk, the risk of a mass tennis racket wielding murderer is slim, a killer that stamp collects you to death even smaller.

And sometimes killing is 'vital' in terms of culling, pest control ect was this killer a farmer or just a psycho with access to a deadly weapon?

Banning motorbikes would save many more lives than completely banning firearms.

Around 300 lives lost every year.

I think in this case if he was intent on killing he would have probably found a way, I just keep thinking of that poor little girl.

@Coogee

Banning motorbikes would save many more lives than completely banning firearms.

Around 300 lives lost every year.

Yes because motorbikes are more easily available. Motorbikes also get you from a to b- what’s the benefit of a gun in a civilians hands? Honestly the way some people talk about guns- it’s like they don’t remember Sandy Hook

@Pixxie7

I think in this case if he was intent on killing he would have probably found a way, I just keep thinking of that poor little girl.

Yes but would probably have not have been able to kill so many- you could argue he could have killed with a bomb but we don’t give a maniac a bomb!

OnlyFoolsnMothers@ fair point.

Farmer here.

Can't shoot for toffee. Rely heavily on 4 or 5 local chaps who love it and are good at it. Most learned at their fathers knee and are now passing it onto their sons and daughters. It's essential we shoot the vermin on this farm.

Our gun licence controls are normally amazing. Like another poster said I don't even know where my dad keeps his gun cabinet keys.

The issue here is the lack of mental health support and possibly issue in the police firearms dept that reissued it. I would eat my hat if the officers in my county would have done that.

Honestly the way some people talk about guns- it’s like they don’t remember Sandy Hook

As that wasn't in UK, then I'm not sure that it tells us anything other than that the existing levels of gun control (last major changes post-Dunblane) have been remarkably effective in Britain's very low levels of gun crime and the exceptional rarity of spree shootings (only 3, arguably 4 since the 1989s)

The issue with gun crime in UK is centred on illegally held firearms.

As that wasn't in UK, then I'm not sure that it tells us anything really try pushing the imagination, to it telling us that guns are incredibly dangerous and the sport the minority enjoy isn’t worth the risk to so many!

I'm not prepared to trivialise this with imagination

The difference between the numbers of spree shootings in UK compared to those in the US is not imaginary.

The existing levels of gun control in this country mean that gun crime is low, and crime using legally held firearms is extremely low. Gun crime here is almost invariably with illegally held weapons. I would rather see action on that

Nobody needs a gun.

But then again nobody needs alcohol. We allow alcohol. Every week woman are raped and beaten
Every week drink drivers hurt and sometimes kill other road users. Everyweek innocent people get beaten up by drunks.

When a shooting happens it gets more publicity than alcohol fueled violence but alcohol fueled violence puts more people in hospitals and cemeteries than legally held guns.

We tolorate all of this because we like a glass of wine.

If we are going ban anything we's better start there.

I was privileged to see inside the ordnance museum once. The scariest part was the number of modified and home made basic guns that had been confiscated. I learned that, sadly, it is fairly easy to modify two pieces of pipe to create a rudimentary firing mechanism. While there's a need for pest and vermin control, I think the UK's gun laws are pretty well thought through. Most of the firearms murders in this country involve illegal weapons. But whoever decided the young man in Plymouth should get his licence returned should suffer the professional consequences, and I am sure that will happen.