Mega-Thread: Gun Control Thread

[Ghostpanther]

London needs knife control https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/05/uk/uk...ntl/index.html

This part...Britain's government is under pressure to stem what has been described as a "national crisis." Prime Minister Theresa May faced a backlash on Monday after rejecting claims that years of steep cuts to police forces had contributed to the rising number of knife attacks. She is flat out wrong. Police presence is a vital tool in helping to prevent street crimes.

Odd thing is, here in Ohio, we have stricter knife laws than we do for guns.

[petej0]

As will banning so called assault rifles. What are they going to do when the next mass shooter kills several people using only a handgun, like the highest school mass shooting death toll did at Virginia Tech? Ban magazines with over 10 rounds and then they might be faced with a shooter who has practiced changing magazine quickly and it makes no difference at all. Guess they would want to only allow single shot shotguns? :P

However, I am not against red flag laws if they are handled within the restrictions we have for due process.

I agree, I am against anything that violates someones due process. This "red flag" legislation is just the newest "silver bullet" to appeal to the masses. When I was in basic training, we had a dude that claimed he was "suicidal" after getting a "Dear John" letter. During that time (not sure if it is the same) in the mid 90's if you claim you are suicidal, they take your belt, boot laces and assign you fellow soldier/recruit to shadow you. Is that the lengths we are going to do with adults who are "flagged"? Are we going to take away their firearms, knives, bats, car, kids and assign them a friend to shadow them?

Right now if a couple is having marital issues a guy can go "murder suicide" on his family. I get it, it is terrible and we should seek to stop it. What are the signs we should look for? A couple arguing? Couples go through their rough patches. Does that mean we should go in and remove all weapons from the home each time there is a rough patch? Or maybe we remove the kids? Or maybe we remove one of the spouses and force them to stay somewhere else temporarily, at tax payer expense? The question is to what extent are we to intervene? In the end, all it really takes is the husband to overpower his wife.

[Ghostpanther]

I agree, I am against anything that violates someones due process. This "red flag" legislation is just the newest "silver bullet" to appeal to the masses. When I was in basic training, we had a dude that claimed he was "suicidal" after getting a "Dear John" letter. During that time (not sure if it is the same) in the mid 90's if you claim you are suicidal, they take your belt, boot laces and assign you fellow soldier/recruit to shadow you. Is that the lengths we are going to do with adults who are "flagged"? Are we going to take away their firearms, knives, bats, car, kids and assign them a friend to shadow them?

Right now if a couple is having marital issues a guy can go "murder suicide" on his family. I get it, it is terrible and we should seek to stop it. What are the signs we should look for? A couple arguing? Couples go through their rough patches. Does that mean we should go in and remove all weapons from the home each time there is a rough patch? Or maybe we remove the kids? Or maybe we remove one of the spouses and force them to stay somewhere else temporarily, at tax payer expense? The question is to what extent are we to intervene? In the end, all it really takes is the husband to overpower his wife.

Some good points. Also, a mass shooter or family killer, may not show any signs at all which would prevent them from a having a firearm. Sometimes, anti-gun laws, are only " feels good " legislation.

There is also this update...Trump just said in a news briefing, when asked about banning the AR-15, " Banning any particular firearm has at this moment, no appetite in Congress". Which basically means in the Republican controlled Senate.

[Svifnymr]

Ban magazines with over 10 rounds and then they might be faced with a shooter who has practiced changing magazine quickly and it makes no difference at all.

Parkland shooter used 10 round mags for his AR since they fit in his duffle bag better.

However, I am not against red flag laws if they are handled within the restrictions we have for due process.

Yeah, red-flag or commitment laws should be a thing, with plenty of oversight. I don't think it's just a gun issue though.

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This popped up in my newsfeed, it's an opinion piece, so don't nag about sources: https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...ant-than-ever/

[Ghostpanther]

I sometimes do not agree with Judge Napolitano, a Fox news legal commentator, but this time he is correct. Watch the video. The article itself is also a good read.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/judg...rsonal-liberty



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Parkland shooter used 10 round mags for his AR since they fit in his duffle bag better.



Yeah, red-flag or commitment laws should be a thing, with plenty of oversight. I don't think it's just a gun issue though.

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This popped up in my newsfeed, it's an opinion piece, so don't nag about sources: https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...ant-than-ever/

Yep, does not take much practice to quickly change magazines.

It is certainly not just a gun issue.

Good article and the AR-15 can be a excellent home defense weapon if one uses the correct ammo and pays attention to their surroundings. Which is actually important no matter what firearm you use. Also, far more people each year are killed with handguns than with semi-auto rifles. The attack on the AR-15 is just political posturing.

[Ghostpanther]

This case, can be a example of why open carry laws should be re-looked at....https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-man...art-police-say

An armed man reportedly wearing body armor and pushing a shopping cart at a Walmart store in Missouri on Thursday led a store manager to pull the fire alarm and sent customers fleeing -- but an armed off-duty firefighter was able to detain the man until police officers arrived, Springfield police said.

How do you guys feel about open carrying in public? Personally, I never have in public. Out here on my homestead, I do a lot. But I do not want people out in the public knowing I am carrying a handgun for several reasons. One, I do not want others to feel uncomfortable around me, causing possible unnecessary panic and also, not have a bullseye on myself in case of someone trying to rob or kill several people in a place I happen to be in at the same time.

[Stormdash]

I support open carry, I don't think public policy should be built around hoplophobia, but I don't think I'd personally do it. I more like it personally because it would change wardrobe options considerably if you didn't have to worry about incidental display.

[Ghostpanther]

I support open carry, I don't think public policy should be built around hoplophobia, but I don't think I'd personally do it. I more like it personally because it would change wardrobe options considerably if you didn't have to worry about incidental display.

Why would you not do it personally? And true, I have to consider what I am going to wear every time I dress to go to town to be sure I am not printing.

One of the reasons I really like my Ruger LCP II for conceal carry. Very easy to conceal and very lite weight.

[Reaper0329]

How do you guys feel about open carrying in public? Personally, I never have in public. Out here on my homestead, I do a lot. But I do not want people out in the public knowing I am carrying a handgun for several reasons. One, I do not want others to feel uncomfortable around me, causing possible unnecessary panic and also, not have a bullseye on myself in case of someone trying to rob or kill several people in a place I happen to be in at the same time.

It depends.

If someone has a pistol on their hip, that's 100% fine with me. I have no issues. I struck up a conversation with a woman in Walmart a few months back; she had an open carried Glock 43 on her hip (bit skimpy for an OC choice, but who am I to criticize?), and we talked about open carry. I thanked her for carrying, as I haven't been able to get my concealed carry permit yet (trying to find an open weekend is like trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow these days) and knowing she was lawfully carrying was comforting, in a sense.

On the other hand, there was the guy who recently got detained (I don't know if he was formally charged, as I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the topic) for loitering outside a Walmart in fatigues and holding an AR, and there was a picture of a guy recently in a Dunkin Donuts with his AR slung over his shoulder like it was a purse. I don't argue that Dunkin' guy doesn't have the right, but I confess that an AR (or really any long gun, short of a bolt action) would make me a little uncomfortable. It wouldn't bother me a bit seeing that guy in, say, Gander Mountain or the gun shop or on the outskirts of town, but the same guy with the same gun in a Dunkin' or staking out a Walmart....

It's less, to my eyes, a matter of legality insomuch as it is a matter of taste. Yeah, Dunkin' guy can take his AR15 with him to grab a latte, if the laws allow. Fine. I don't know that Dunkin' guy necessarily should.

Am I alone in that thought? I'm pretty staunchly 2A, obviously, but that strikes me as a "you're making us look bad" sort of thing.

[Ghostpanther]

It depends.

If someone has a pistol on their hip, that's 100% fine with me. I have no issues. I struck up a conversation with a woman in Walmart a few months back; she had an open carried Glock 43 on her hip (bit skimpy for an OC choice, but who am I to criticize?), and we talked about open carry. I thanked her for carrying, as I haven't been able to get my concealed carry permit yet (trying to find an open weekend is like trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow these days) and knowing she was lawfully carrying was comforting, in a sense.

On the other hand, there was the guy who recently got detained (I don't know if he was formally charged, as I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the topic) for loitering outside a Walmart in fatigues and holding an AR, and there was a picture of a guy recently in a Dunkin Donuts with his AR slung over his shoulder like it was a purse. I don't argue that Dunkin' guy doesn't have the right, but I confess that an AR (or really any long gun, short of a bolt action) would make me a little uncomfortable. It wouldn't bother me a bit seeing that guy in, say, Gander Mountain or the gun shop or on the outskirts of town, but the same guy with the same gun in a Dunkin' or staking out a Walmart....

It's less, to my eyes, a matter of legality insomuch as it is a matter of taste. Yeah, Dunkin' guy can take his AR15 with him to grab a latte, if the laws allow. Fine. I don't know that Dunkin' guy necessarily should.

Am I alone in that thought? I'm pretty staunchly 2A, obviously, but that strikes me as a "you're making us look bad" sort of thing.

Some excellent points.

And yeah, it does depend on the weapon and situation. I have seen on occasion some in our local Walmart carrying a handgun in a hip/belt holster and it did not bother me at all. But if a guy came there with body armor on, combat outfit and a rifle, loaded to the hilt with ammo? I would certainly take notice out of serous concerns. Which is why maybe open carry also needs to have some reasonable restrictions.

And yep, even gun owners who have their firearms lawfully, can bring unnecessary attention to the debate, with questionable actions. And make it look bad for the millions who are responsible gun owners.

[Maneo]

This case, can be a example of why open carry laws should be re-looked at....https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-man...art-police-say

An armed man reportedly wearing body armor and pushing a shopping cart at a Walmart store in Missouri on Thursday led a store manager to pull the fire alarm and sent customers fleeing -- but an armed off-duty firefighter was able to detain the man until police officers arrived, Springfield police said.

How do you guys feel about open carrying in public? Personally, I never have in public. Out here on my homestead, I do a lot. But I do not want people out in the public knowing I am carrying a handgun for several reasons. One, I do not want others to feel uncomfortable around me, causing possible unnecessary panic and also, not have a bullseye on myself in case of someone trying to rob or kill several people in a place I happen to be in at the same time.

Personally I only open carry during the summer months.

The funny thing is I think, that in itself has defused more then a couple situations.

One instance springs to mind, I went into a quick shop to get drink. This guy was yelling at the girl behind the counter. I walked in grabbed my soda went up to pay for it. Stood 6 ft behind the guy cause I wanted to pay for my drink, and asked the young lady if there was a problem as the guy was still acting in a threatening manner. The guy turned around and looked at me (measuring me up I assume) up until he saw the gun on my hip (the great equalizer) and stormed out of the store. The young lady asked me to stick around till the cops arrived. When they showed up I dropped to my knees and put my hands on my head, the young lady was so confused but I wasn't going to risk getting shot

[Ghostpanther]

Personally I only open carry during the summer months.

The funny thing is I think, that in itself has defused more then a couple situations.

One instance springs to mind, I went into a quick shop to get drink. This guy was yelling at the girl behind the counter. I walked in grabbed my soda went up to pay for it. Stood 6 ft behind the guy cause I wanted to pay for my drink, and asked the young lady if there was a problem as the guy was still acting in a threatening manner. The guy turned around and looked at me (measuring me up I assume) up until he saw the gun on my hip (the great equalizer) and stormed out of the store. The young lady asked me to stick around till the cops arrived. When they showed up I dropped to my knees and put my hands on my head, the young lady was so confused but I wasn't going to risk getting shot

Glad that ended well for you! They can defuse a threatening situation. I know several cases personally of that happening. I am not against open carry per say, but I do think there has to be some reasonable limitations on it. Walking into a store all decked out in combat gear, body armor and carrying a AR-15, may be going too far. I see no issues with open carry if it is just a handgun in a holster on a person's hip. I still would not do it myself however, based the reasons I posted earlier.

[Galactis]

Just take all the guns away already. Just ban all of them. I don't have one, can't afford one, and if I ever did need one to protect myself. STAND YOUR GROUND and DIE LIKE A MAN.

[Svifnymr]

Am I alone in that thought? I'm pretty staunchly 2A, obviously, but that strikes me as a "you're making us look bad" sort of thing.

Florida doesn't have general open carry, but you can open carry when hunting/fishing or on your way to hunt or fish. So they've had a few open-carry fishing events to "prove a point", but... meh.

It's like bump stocks, I don't want them banned (especially florida's vague law that applies to other stuff), but I don't have one and never planned to get one. I am in favor of open carry being legal, but don't think it's appropriate for most environments. Like I support free speech but wouldn't support someone screaming anti-semitic stuff outside a synagogue or racist things at an NAACP meeting or whatever.

If you're taking your AR to a friends house and toss it over your shoulder and stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way, it makes some sense, but as a demonstration? Eh. It falls under the "blocking traffic" protests, I get it, but it doesn't seem a useful thing.

[Ghostpanther]

Just take all the guns away already. Just ban all of them. I don't have one, can't afford one, and if I ever did need one to protect myself. STAND YOUR GROUND and DIE LIKE A MAN.

How much would they need to cost for you to afford one? I saw a sale on the Taurus Spectrum .380 auto recently for $119.99. Granted, not a top of your line firearm, but it gets good reviews and would be a decent handgun for self defense. Better than no gun for sure. For home defense, shotguns can be had for less then $200.

[Maneo]

Just take all the guns away already. Just ban all of them. I don't have one, can't afford one, and if I ever did need one to protect myself. STAND YOUR GROUND and DIE LIKE A MAN.

says a typical internet tough guy who probably has never been in altercation in his life, but hey he does watch MMA and go to the gym.

So when two individuals come into my home w/machetes I just "stand my ground and die like a man"? Curious how does that work for my 2year old son after I am dispatched? Cause contrary to what you likely believe, an individual w/a knife or baseball bat will make quick work of an individual w/out one, and guess what even if you have a melee weapon yourself and are as young and as strong as the assailant it is still likely to end badly for you. However since cowards like this are like hyenas, they look for those that appear weak non threatening etc etc.

A firearm is the great equalizer. Grandpa may be an easy mark, for these thugs but they think twice in areas where Grandpa can carry and might be a crack shot.

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How much would they need to cost for you to afford one? I saw a sale on the Taurus Spectrum .380 auto recently for $119.99. Granted, not a top of your line firearm, but it gets good reviews and would be a decent handgun for self defense. Better than no gun for sure. For home defense, shotguns can be had for less then $200.

not even looking at going to a pawn shop and such. Can find them even cheaper.

[Ghostpanther]

Florida doesn't have general open carry, but you can open carry when hunting/fishing or on your way to hunt or fish. So they've had a few open-carry fishing events to "prove a point", but... meh.

It's like bump stocks, I don't want them banned (especially florida's vague law that applies to other stuff), but I don't have one and never planned to get one. I am in favor of open carry being legal, but don't think it's appropriate for most environments. Like I support free speech but wouldn't support someone screaming anti-semitic stuff outside a synagogue or racist things at an NAACP meeting or whatever.

If you're taking your AR to a friends house and toss it over your shoulder and stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way, it makes some sense, but as a demonstration? Eh. It falls under the "blocking traffic" protests, I get it, but it doesn't seem a useful thing.

So it seems you do see the need for some restrictions on open carry. Right? Like the guy in Mo, with the body armor on and doing it clearly just to see what type of response he would get. That needs to be addressed in any open carry laws, I believe.

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says a typical internet tough guy who probably has never been in altercation in his life, but hey he does watch MMA and go to the gym.

So when two individuals come into my home w/machetes I just "stand my ground and die like a man"? Curious how does that work for my 2year old son after I am dispatched? Cause contrary to what you likely believe, an individual w/a knife or baseball bat will make quick work of an individual w/out one, and guess what even if you have a melee weapon yourself and are as young and as strong as the assailant it is still likely to end badly for you. However since cowards like this are like hyenas, they look for those that appear weak non threatening etc etc.

A firearm is the great equalizer. Grandpa may be an easy mark, for these thugs but they think twice in areas where Grandpa can carry and might be a crack shot.

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not even looking at going to a pawn shop and such. Can find them even cheaper.

Oh yeah. Now some carry conceal licenses can be expensive in some states. Ohio is not too bad, but it still cost me $130 overall. For the training class and first time background checks for the license. Thankfully, we do not have to retake the class room training when we renew our license in 5 years. Then it will cost $55.

[Maneo]

So it seems you do see the need for some restrictions on open carry. Right? Like the guy in Mo, with the body armor on and doing it clearly just to see what type of response he would get. That needs to be addressed in any open carry laws, I believe.

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Oh yeah. Now some carry conceal licenses can be expensive in some states. Ohio is not too bad, but it still cost me $130 overall. For the training class and first time background checks for the license. Thankfully, we do not have to retake the class room training when we renew our license in 5 years. Then it will cost $55.

I was fortunate, since I was a contract cop on a military base I was able to by pass much of the cost.

[Ghostpanther]

I was fortunate, since I was a contract cop on a military base I was able to by pass much of the cost.

Nice. And if you are active military, you do not need to have a carry conceal license to carry concealed here. And only need to be 18. Just need to carry a military ID to show you are active military.

[Ghostpanther]

I found this poster's comments interesting, which I saw on another forum.......

The number of privately owned firearms in US increased from 185 million in 1993 to 357 million in 2017. Almost twice the # of firearms, in that same exact time:
——————————
“Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware

National rates of gun homicide and other violent gun crimes are strikingly lower now than during their peak in the mid-1990s, paralleling a general decline in violent crime, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data.

Compared with 1993, the peak of U.S. gun homicides, the firearm homicide rate is 49% lower and there were fewer deaths, even though the nation’s population grew & the number of guns doubled.

Despite national attention to the issue of firearm violence, most Americans are unaware that gun crime is lower today than it was two decades ago. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, today 56% of Americans believe gun crime is higher than 20 years ago and only 12% think it is lower”

And here is the link which proves his statistics...https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013...ublic-unaware/



The death rate from firearms has increased some since 2010. But not as much as some would think when looking at the increases of gun ownership during the last 9 years.