Handgun Laws

[yorkie_chris]

MBK in your poll what are we voting for?

For guns or for the current draconian laws?
Against guns or against the current excessive regulations?

YC, I have stated in the thread, I am asking if people are for or against the current laws

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Ok, in order to stop the derail of the 33bhp thread:

What are peoples views on this?

The current handgun laws were another ill thought out knee jerk reaction to a single instance of one man's mental instability causing the deaths of several people in Dunblane. Whilst I have every sympathy for the parents and families of all who died or were injured in the shooting, the government reaction to it was totally out of all proportion.

Handguns are not a major issue on the streets of Britain, they never have been and they probably never will be. When you look at gun crime figures they were probably greater in the 50s than they were in the 90s.

Over the past 15 years we've experienced more of these knee-jerk laws than at any other point in history - maybe the former government needed to bring in an anti-scum law because they feared competition.

Originally Posted by wyrdness

Personally, I'd prefer that guns had been banned altogether if it could have saved the lives of the 12 people killed at random today by an armed nutter.

It's impossible to know how many lives have already been saved by the current handgun bad, but I'm willing to bet that it's quite a few.

The majority of gun owners are responsible, but that doesn't stop the nutjobs from going on killing sprees. For all we know, todays killer may well have been the very model of sensible gun ownership, right up until the point where he went off the rails.

The line "guns don't kill people, people do" springs to mind here.

I am from a rural area where shotguns and rifles are used in day to day life. I myself had been brought up around them and taught how to use them correctly and in a sensible manner. If there was a blanket ban then there would be thousands of jobs lost on shooting syndicates, gamekeepers, etc etc.

Whilst todays events are tragic, beyond words, I do not believe that a blanket ban on all guns is what is needed. At the end of the day, this guy snapped for some unknown reason. If someone wants to kill that badly, they will do it, with or without a gun.

In 2008, there were 42 gun related deaths, (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-1232069.html) in the UK, mostly in London. Whilst it doesn't say whether the guns were legal or not, it shows that despite the blanket ban on handguns, people have still died.

As for the comment "that doesn't stop nutjobs going on killing sprees" - are you really naive enough to think that banning guns would stop that????

Voted for ban.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Nice to hear the opinion of someone who's obviously never been anywhere near shooting sports or responsible gun owners.

Actually, I'e been clay pigeon shooting a few times, and have worked with three different people who were very active in gun sports. Two of whom were complete heed the baws, and I still can't believe anyone ever let them near anything more than a pee shooter.

P.S. I may not get this 100%, but here it goes...

I mean what I say, and I say what I mean!

EDIT-
We are talking about handguns here, right? I mean what sort of farmer goes shooting foxes with a magnum 45? What is there legitimate use?

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

As for the comment "that doesn't stop nutjobs going on killing sprees" - are you really naive enough to think that banning guns would stop that????

Yes, because most killing sprees take place with legally held weapons. Criminals have guns for other purposes. Take note that we have not had a school shooting in this country since Dunblane, and they are almost always done with legally held weapons (often belonging to the parents of students).

Are you naive enough to think that the handgun ban has saved no innocent lives?

Originally Posted by wyrdness

Yes, because most killing sprees take place with legally held weapons. Criminals have guns for other purposes. Take note that we have not had a school shooting in this country since Dunblane.

Whilst I am still trawling through new reports:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...cord-week.html

Shows that in 2008 there were 277 knife deaths in England and Wales. Compared to the number of gun deaths, I think 52, it clearly shows where the biggest problem lies at the minute.

Oh but wait...we can't ban knives, because normal, sensible people use them for day to day business.

Works both ways.

Originally Posted by wyrdness

Yes, because most killing sprees take place with legally held weapons. Criminals have guns for other purposes. Take note that we have not had a school shooting in this country since Dunblane, and they are almost always done with legally held weapons (often belonging to the parents of students).

Are you naive enough to think that the handgun ban has saved no innocent lives?

No, I am not naive at all. However, I don't believe that the laws are proportionate to the risk.

Like I have said in my above post, more people are killed each year as a result of stabbings than gun shots, that being the case, do we ban the sale and possession of knives?

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Shows that in 2008 there were 277 knife deaths in England and Wales. Compared to the number of gun deaths, I think 52, it clearly shows where the biggest problem lies at the minute.

And how many gun deaths would there have been without the handgun ban in place? To me, that statistic indicates that the ban is saving lives.

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

No, I am not naive at all. However, I don't believe that the laws are proportionate to the risk.

Like I have said in my above post, more people are killed each year as a result of stabbings than gun shots, that being the case, do we ban the sale and possession of knives?

But knives have a legitimate use, how many "country folk" go around armed with a beretta to look after there livestock? What's the legitimate use other than some folk enjoy playing with them?

EDIT -
I thought carrying a blade in public was illegal?