Carry a gun?

There's a perception that our gun laws are very tight. For most guns, they are. For shotguns, they are fairly lax.

On the subject of guns for self defense. In the home, certainly, a shotgun is a wonderful tool for self defense. As to carrying them in public? No, I'd rather people were not allowed as most knives are supposedly carried "for self defense" and look where that has gotten us.

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

As to carrying them in public? No, I'd rather people were not allowed as most knives are supposedly carried "for self defense" and look where that has gotten us.

+1

Originally Posted by Ruffy

This road rage guy should count himself lucky that he's still alive. Credit to your mate's unit for defusing the situation.

I don't expect Police to tell the difference. As far as I know, it's never been legal to wave any weapon at someone, so treat them as if it was real. Real, replica, imitation, toy or "table leg" should not be acceptable defence. Armed plod are trained to shout very loudly. If you pay no attention then expect to get shot dead!

It's not the ownership that's the problem it's the way the weapon's used. But before we combat unlawful use with a general right to bear arms we should support and improve the police resources for dealing with that threat.

Very well said! A few questions that you might want to ask:
Do those who make policy really understand the nature of firearms? Do our Police forces and Constabularies actually understand the issues? And I mean at the top level.
Do knee-jerk reactions really solve the problem? Has the banning of the ownership of legal pistols and handguns really made a difference?

I don't think that senior Police officers and policy makers do understand the issues, and whats more I don't think that they really give a damn about making a difference - they're only interested in their pension (and votes)......

BUT I do not think that a right to bear arms would solve a single thing - it would just make it so much worse!
I've shot Air rifle, Shotgun, .22 rim, 9mm, 0.45 black powder, 0.303; both at clubs and in the field (by that I mean pheasant shooting and pest control).
It is quite easy for me to kill someone at 50 yards with a 11.5 ft lb .177 air rifle, now imagine a place where everyone had a Sig 9mm, or a .45 revolver.....

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

There's a perception that our gun laws are very tight. For most guns, they are. For shotguns, they are fairly lax.

On the subject of guns for self defense. In the home, certainly, a shotgun is a wonderful tool for self defense. As to carrying them in public? No, I'd rather people were not allowed as most knives are supposedly carried "for self defense" and look where that has gotten us.

Not if you're the one who has to redecorate!

Originally Posted by Caddy2000

Not if you're the one who has to redecorate!

Tell me about it, white walls and cream carpets with the original sculpted plaster means it'd cost more to redecorate than any one robber could make off with on their own. Still, it's the principle of the thing and besides, I'm sure the house insurance people would be understanding.

It'll be the smell of the flesh that has been imbedded in the wall!

Originally Posted by Caddy2000

Do knee-jerk reactions really solve the problem? Has the banning of the ownership of legal pistols and handguns really made a difference?

Yes it's made things worse. And the government doesn't make knee-jerk reactions, the electorate do. The government just cynically jumps on the bandwagon, eroding freedom further just so they can score a few extra votes.

Originally Posted by Swiss

It's these BB replica's which can be bored out and turned into live round firearms with relative ease. So if you happen to get shot by one of these conversions I wonder how pathetic it would seem.

Originally Posted by Grinch

You can't bore out a BB gun to a real gun, its impossible, I hope your jesting. Only blank firers can be changed in that way.

Grinch, you're right, but the easiest to convert was the Brocock air gun that used individual air cartridges like a proper revolver. These are now FAC only and can't be traded or transferred if you have one.

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

There's a perception that our gun laws are very tight. For most guns, they are. For shotguns, they are fairly lax.

On the subject of guns for self defense. In the home, certainly, a shotgun is a wonderful tool for self defense. As to carrying them in public? No, I'd rather people were not allowed as most knives are supposedly carried "for self defense" and look where that has gotten us.

We're into the realms of right to defence there I think, UK law still says you have to retreat first, ridiculous really.

There are ways round the knife carry law, cut throat razor with a blade less than 3". I know somebody who was selling them on ebay and they were like the clichéd hot cakes.

[yorkie_chris]

So, the government banned pistols and self loading rifles, gun crime soared. And IMO increased the appeal of weaponry (gangsta rap culture etc.)

All this did was take guns out of the hands of people who enjoyed using them responsibly, and the only reason they were banned is due to police not doing their job properly in checking who they were granting FAC to.

I'd definately carry a gun if it were legal, and think that licensed, legal concealed weapons are a good idea, look at the murder rates in places where the law allows this, much less than cities with total gun bans!

My take is that generally people see guns as evil, which is ridiculous, I can guarantee that no gun has EVER killed anything. It's the people who cause the problem!

Google Tony Martin, whats everyones opinions of him?

Chris

Tony Martin may not be the best example - he did shoot a lad in the back who was running away, and he shot him with an illegal firearm........

I still think that carrying any type of weapon in public for 'self defence' says a lot about our society, and it's mainly bad!
How many people on here have ever been mugged? And out of those how many were threatened with a knife or a gun?
just interested.......

The biggest question that is currently burning away in my head (apart from when will the whiplash go away), is why do we put so much faith in the tabloids? Why do we allow ourselves to be whipped up into such a frenzy?
I think that's why I love Kaiser Chiefs latest song, and the lyrics:
We are the angry mob,
We read the papers every day,
We know who we really hate,
But we're so easily swayed............

The tabloids may be the largest single source of media, but it's all sensational ****e!