Do you own a gun?

[Gutwrench]

Apparently after the US (120 per 100) it is the Falkland Islands. (62 per 100)

Well it does take Britain a while to get there.

 

[Gutwrench]

The short answer is yes.

The long answer is I sold all I had about ten years ago. I detested carrying concealed and never felt I’d need to again. (Well, maybe I’ll throw it under the seat if I travel, but I hate that too so.....)

Then my wife wanted to learn to shoot. I helped her to get lessons and she progressed up to combat competitions. She bought several guns in the process, but when we divorced she left one for me. It’s in the safe somewhere.

 

[User.45]

To answer the question: yes, I own firearms. That's as much as I'll ever speak about them. I don't stroke them lovingly, post photos on message boards, obsess with the specifications, I treat them as the deadly weapons that they are, keep them properly secured and do not carry them outside of my home.

the people I consider mature enough to own a gun also wouldn't really need a gun to diffuse situations. It's paradoxical.

 

[User.45]

Then my wife wanted to learn to shoot. I helped her to get lessons and she progressed up to combat competitions. She bought several guns in the process, but when we divorced she left one for me. It’s in the safe somewhere.

Another emotional rollercoaster

 

[Eric]

The short answer is yes.

The long answer is I sold all I had about ten years ago. I detested carrying concealed and never felt I’d need to again. (Well, maybe I’ll throw it under the seat if I travel, but I hate that too so.....)

Then my wife wanted to learn to shoot. I helped her to get lessons and she progressed up to combat competitions. She bought several guns in the process, but when we divorced she left one for me. It’s in the safe somewhere.

My extremely Conservative father-in-law has more than I can count. He came down to visit us here in CA (from Oregon) and "had" to bring them all, even though he has a perfectly good gun safe at home. Among them were an AR 15 and a Tommy gun and half of my neighbors are cops so I had to carry all that shit in the house, took like 4 trips.

I was worried what would've happened if he were stopped with all of them. The stuff we do for family lol.

 

[Yoused]

the people I consider mature enough to own a gun also wouldn't really need a gun to diffuse situations

People get angry with me when I say that guns make people stupid, but when a person is armed, that removes a limiting factor on their behavior, which, I firmly believe, makes them somewhat more likely to step into a dangerous situation. "Somewhat" is not a binary value, rather, every individual would experience varying levels of "more likely".

 

[Gutwrench]

Another emotional rollercoaster

That me,

 

[User.45]

People get angry with me when I say that guns make people stupid, but when a person is armed, that removes a limiting factor on their behavior, which, I firmly believe, makes them somewhat more likely to step into a dangerous situation. "Somewhat" is not a binary value, rather, every individual would experience varying levels of "more likely".

The Weapons Effect is real.

In 1967, Leonard Berkowitz and Anthony LePage conducted a fascinating study.[1] First, participants were angered by a person pretending to be another participant (called a confederate). Next, participants were seated at a table that had a shotgun and a revolver on it—or, in the control condition, badminton racquets and shuttlecocks. The items on the table were described as part of another experiment that the researcher had supposedly forgotten to put away. The participant was supposed to decide what level of electric shock to deliver to the confederate who had angered them, and the electric shocks were used to measure aggression. The experimenter told participants to ignore the items on the table, but apparently they could not. Participants who saw the guns were more aggressive than were participants who saw the sports items. This effect was dubbed the “weapons effect.”

 

[User.45]

People get angry with me when I say that guns make people stupid, but when a person is armed, that removes a limiting factor on their behavior, which, I firmly believe, makes them somewhat more likely to step into a dangerous situation. "Somewhat" is not a binary value, rather, every individual would experience varying levels of "more likely".

Also, that's exactly what happened in Kenosha or most recently in PA. Once the guns are drawn, problem solving degrades.

 

[Huntn]

No. I'm neither a policeman, soldier or serial killer so I've never seen the need. Plus its highly illegal in my country.

A pistol, not a hunting rifle, yes?

 

[iMi]

Oh. Let's not even get into how it turned out for the former Yugoslavia.

Didn't know about Finland, but it explains why - as I recall - they have the highest rate of school shootings in Europe.

If guns improved public safety, the USA would be the safest place in the Milky Way. Of course, to avoid being hypocritical, as a 6'3" 220 pound male it's probably much easier for me to oppose guns. But I consider guns the shortest way to escalate conflicts to the most extreme and the people I consider mature enough to own a gun also wouldn't really need a gun to diffuse situations. It's paradoxical.

There is a mountain of evidence showing that (1) gun ownership does not make you safer. The incident of a firearm being used by a civilian in a successful self-defense case is very low. (2) the suicide rate, accidental injury and death, on the other hand is considerably higher. (3) There is higher likelihood that the gun you own will be used by a criminal against you. (4) Most people don’t seem to realize that taking someone’s life is an extremely profound and consequential event. It has legal implications besides trauma. (5) Judging from the incidences of police misuse involving guns, one can safely assume that a civilian who is NOT receiving ongoing training would likely react even more poorly in a stressful situation that would require the use of firearm.

The answer is simple. We own guns because we want them. It creates a false sense of safety — baring any significant social unrest, where firearm ownership may prove to be beneficial. Check this out... it will crack you up.

 

[Apple fanboy]

A pistol, not a hunting rifle, yes?

If I’m out hunting it’s with a Nikon DSLR and lens.

 

[Eric]

If I’m out hunting it’s with a Nikon DSLR and lens.

The only thing I take is pictures, the only thing I leave is footprints.

~Jennifer Aniston (South Park)

 

[chagla]

No, but I think I should consider it. The way things are going.. :|

 

[Huntn]

If I’m out hunting it’s with a Nikon DSLR and lens.

I was asking about the legality of hunting rifles in the UK.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Yes I'm an owner, but I can't carry here in NYC. When I stayed in the south, I rarely carried. And never felt completely comfortable doing so.

People get angry with me when I say that guns make people stupid, but when a person is armed, that removes a limiting factor on their behavior, which, I firmly believe, makes them somewhat more likely to step into a dangerous situation. "Somewhat" is not a binary value, rather, every individual would experience varying levels of "more likely".

From my teen years of illegally carrying in NYC. I swear, there's some mystical force that always brings trouble your way when you carry, even when nobody knows you're strapped.

 

[Arkitect]

I was asking about the legality of hunting rifles in the UK.

Here is a link to an article that shows the range of stuff you are allowed to own legally in the UK.
(2016, but I don't think things have changed much.)

Take a look at the guns you can legally buy in the UK

The UK banned handguns in 1997, but citizens are still able to own and shoot some shotguns and rifles with a license.
Shotguns and rifles may be licensed by applying for a certificate through the local police force, according to the government's guide on gun-licensing law.

The local authority will carry out a series of checks — including interviews, criminal-records checks, and a visit to the person's property — before granting permission.

For firearms other than a shotgun, applicants must give police a "good reason" for wanting to own one. Hunting or being a member of a shooting club, for example, might be seen as good reasons. Self-defence won't be considered a valid reason.

 

[iMi]

People get angry with me when I say that guns make people stupid, but when a person is armed, that removes a limiting factor on their behavior, which, I firmly believe, makes them somewhat more likely to step into a dangerous situation. "Somewhat" is not a binary value, rather, every individual would experience varying levels of "more likely".

Excellent point. In fact, you hear people say exactly that -- I feel safe and confident when I carry. I think you're absolutely right. It shifts the fight and flight response decisively in the direction of fight. Any incentive to de-escalate is reduced.

I was at the range last week. In the lane next to me was a couple. I can only assume it was her first time shooting a gun because at some point, her male companion asked "how do you feel?" and she responded -- Empowered.

Just look at Kenosha and what happened there... Any redneck with a gun who just barely let go of his mommy's tit is acting like a bad-ass John Wicks. We already know the results of that...

 

[iMi]

Also, that's exactly what happened in Kenosha or most recently in PA. Once the guns are drawn, problem solving degrades.

I responded to a previous comment in a similar way before reading what you wrote. Couldn't agree more.

 

[iMi]

I was asking about the legality of hunting rifles in the UK.

I don't know about UK, but I grew up in Poland. Grandpa had every kind of gun you can imagine. It's a lot easier to purchase a long gun there. I remember my father had to go through a process to obtain a pistol and license to carry. He was threatened by some business people. Probably Russia mobs (seriously... not even a joke).

We used to go hunt with grandpa a lot. He was born and raised German, so shooting things kind of came naturally to him (too soon?)