Okay, this is for us non-gun countries. Your country which has always had a strict U.K-type ban on guns suddenly allows a U.S style usage (assume that it's the most lax state of the U.S). Do you go out and get a gun? For me personally I'd go to a range and probably a few gun courses and learn how to fire under pressure. Probably wouldn't own one though. What about you guys and girls?
I'd own one for range firing purposes as I enjoy shooting. It would stay under lock and key and then some if it was kept in my home though.
I don't think so. I never thought I'd enjoy shooting and even if I went to a course, I'd be scared to use it in any situation, I suppose. I would feel safer without it than with (unless I'd gotten myself into some extreme situation, but I still wouldn't carry it anywhere, so...) EDIT: Although I am not sure what exact restrictions there are in the US and UK. Here, a person over 21 can get a license. With it you can purchase, hold and carry a firearm. I would have to search for more details. I know a few people who have or carry a gun with themselves, two out of three are in the military, though. Unless it is police or military, you wouldn't normally see poeple carrying a weapon.
I would just because I like them but not until I'd done a course and bought a gun safe. I wouldn't get one for any self or home defence purpose though.
I'd do it because it interests me, but I'm under no illusion that owning a gun makes me safer, since I'm more likely to shoot myself accidentally (or be shot by someone else accidentally) than I am to use the gun in self defence.
Very very unlikely to shoot yourself - you are more likely to sustain an injury in an MA class I own three firearms and feel neither safer nor less safe...I just have them. That said I can take down a a bear with one of them, which ironically is probably more likely for me to encounter than a home invasion
Why take these courses and not making the extra step to buy a gun? The courses seem useless if you don't have a gun to put your abilities at work if worst come to worst. In my country, in the cities you won't find many civilians carrying a gun. Only gangsters and nut jobs, right wing extremists. In rural regions, where people live close to the boarders and illegal immigrants trespass all the time, people can get a license. In my opinion. military people should be forbidden to carry their gun when they aren't working and move around as civilians. It doesn't make sense. I'd personally would get a gun and lock it somewhere. Just for the illusion of being more safe if guns become more common in the populace.
To quote jim jeffries.... "from time to time, we all get sad....." Personally its not worth the risk, if I lock it up, its no good for SD, if I dont lock it up, someones gonna get shot by accident.
that presupposes a Home Invasion is the only scenario of course....Chadderz explicitly stated "US rules" which allows for carry Not to sound like a gun nut advocate but I can think of several instances where something MUCH more serious was prevented by an armed citizen deploying Now of course it isn't that simple either as the access to firearms in many cases is what made the subsequent deployment necessary, so its a bit chicken and egg and horse/stable door...however, those were not the parameters set out Having lived without them AND with them I can honestly say I prefer with them....but largely because of zombies and bears (or even worse zombie bears)
That Jim Jeffries quote applies to me. I'd be tempted one very bad day to use it. Learning how to use one would be an extension of martial arts training for me. I don't carry Kali sticks with me but I damn sure now how to use one :dunno:
The argument against carrying a knife in the UK for self defence has always been that by carrying one, you are more likely to get stabbed yourself. I don't see why that argument doesn't remain the same with firearms. That said, I'd probably still buy one. All hypothetical of course because the UK will never re-legalise handgun ownership.
Having recently gotten into air guns and now owning an air rifle and a few pistols , I'd likely go the extra step and buy the "real thing" if it were as easy as the US though purely for target shooting/fun, as I don't believe carrying a gun for self defence in the UK is warranted.
I'm happy to report no known accidental shootings in any branches/households of my family- at least back as far as the 1840s.I'll have to check and make sure they were using trigger locks and gun safes. Think I'll stop driving,however.Here in the US you have as good a chance of being killed automotively as from a firearm.So if we're talking making decisions due to stats.... BAN PRIVATE AUTOS! SUPPORT MANDATORY MASS TRANSIT!
Figures.In spite of the American gun nut stereotype the biggest gun nut "group" I notice where i live is immigrants.From anywhere.Especially the well to do.I imagine because many come from places where outside of the military/LEOs it's forbidden in law if not practice. Well, them and the indigenous Americans.
i have a gun: a ruger 10/22 carbine. it's for me and my brothers and buddies to go to the range and target practice together. i suppose i could use it for varmints, but i live in an urban metropolis, and i don't think anyone would appreciate dead squirrels or rats around. i do not keep it in my home; i pay for storage at the range. i have three small children and i don't think it's a good idea to keep it around. maybe ever. it's not really a defensive weapon, although i suppose in a pinch it's better than nothing. i really enjoy shooting the ruger rifle. in general, target shooting is very fun; and, it's a skill worth knowing i believe. i've considered buying a glock g17, again for fun. but i would have to pay to store that too, because i definitely would not keep a handgun at home.
Come on man, you know that's a crap straw man argument. It's not even an argument. Like.... it's not even really worth arguing over at this point.
can you ride on your gun to get to work every day? put another way, do you see how your analogy has failed? also, how do you reconcile the fact that countries with very strict firearm laws have huge differences in gun-related deaths compared to the usa?