[Tommyc6]

Originally Posted by Mumbles

[/COLOR][/I][/B]What is YOUR personal position on OWNING A FIREARM?[/SIZE]

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I lived in NH in the largest city up there when I was a young'un. I had to fight hard to get Mom to let me buy a .22 Winchester for target practice. Dad was OK with it. But, as you may know, NH was/is not an open carry or ANY carry state. I wasn't interested in the least to buy and wear a handgun anyway. Still won't do it. My observation is that a) there are many, many nut cases around us; b)most carriers of handguns in any state, except, perhaps Texas, do not take regular courses in sharp shooting, nor do they go out WEEKLY to target practice. ( if they had to face another deadly weapon say, about 30 - 50+ feet away, it would be a miracle if they were able to actually kill the opponent.) And c) I do not feel at all threatened by anybody around me at any time, and can only go by stats that say I have a hugely better chance of living if I DON'T carry.[/QUOTE]
NH is an open carry state with I believe no license or permit needed. NH does allow concealed carry with permit.

[Dahabs]

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

While I can appreciate your sentiment, a gun stored and locked in a safe is completely useless. The Bad Guy isn't going to give you time to unlock the safe. No different than carrying a gun with no ammo. Useless.

How U.S. gun deaths compare to other countries - CBS News

I just don't get it. Particularly when it comes to assault rifles. What use do these types of weapons have other than to kill more people quicker. Yet the defenders of the 2nd amendment will not contemplate banning these.

In general if you take guns out of the equation, the murder rate goes right down. Is American society so much more violent than other developed nations that a majority of its citizens require guns for self protection?

[sail33or]

Little know historical fact: In uncovered WW2 Japanese documents the Japanese studied attacking the West Coast of the US. One of the reasons listed "not" to do this was the understanding that Texas had 1 million hunters with deer rifles.

[Fredster]

Originally Posted by Dahabs

How U.S. gun deaths compare to other countries - CBS News

I just don't get it. Particularly when it comes to assault rifles. What use do these types of weapons have other than to kill more people quicker. Yet the defenders of the 2nd amendment will not contemplate banning these.

In general if you take guns out of the equation, the murder rate goes right down. Is American society so much more violent than other developed nations that a majority of its citizens require guns for self protection?

Could you please explain what an assault rifle is?

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Fredster

Could you please explain what an assault rifle is?

Assault rifle | Definition of Assault rifle at Dictionary.com

assault rifle
noun
a military rifle capable of both automatic and semiautomatic fire, utilizing an intermediate-power cartridge.
a nonmilitary weapon modeled on the military assault rifle, usually modified to allow only semiautomatic fire.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by sail33or

Little know historical fact: In uncovered WW2 Japanese documents the Japanese studied attacking the West Coast of the US. One of the reasons listed "not" to do this was the understanding that Texas had 1 million hunters with deer rifles.

Please show where this "little known fact" can be found (other than NRA.COM).

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

Please show where this "little known fact" can be found (other than NRA.COM).

Discussed, not proven:
Professor James Holmes, chair of maritime strategy and at the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island, told us it’s plausible that private gun ownership was part of Japan’s calculus, but not the dominant factor.

The first step every dictator takes in to disarm the people. Switzerland has a high rate of gun ownership but very low violence. It’s considered patriotic to own a gun.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by sail33or

Little know historical fact: In uncovered WW2 Japanese documents the Japanese studied attacking the West Coast of the US. One of the reasons listed "not" to do this was the understanding that Texas had 1 million hunters with deer rifles.

What an astoundingly strange reason to not attack the west coast. Texas isn't on the west coast. It doesn't even HAVE a west coast. Most of Texas is surrounded by land. From El Paso (the westernmost area of the state) to San Diego (the closest major coastal town as the crow flies, is over 700 miles away.

[mydavid]

The trouble is most people who have guns if confronted, would end up shooting themselves or a bystander before hitting the bad guy. Just look at the cops, they train with their gun all the time and still when confronted, many of their shots miss the target. and if they were good shooters they would be able to wound and arrest instead of kill to apprehend.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by mydavid

The trouble is most people who have guns if confronted, would end up shooting themselves or a bystander before hitting the bad guy. Just look at the cops, they train with their gun all the time and still when confronted, many of their shots miss the target. and if they were good shooters they would be able to wound and arrest instead of kill to apprehend.

BS!!
Total uninformed gun catharsis.

[GreySkies]

Originally Posted by Dahabs

In general if you take guns out of the equation, the murder rate goes right down. Is American society so much more violent than other developed nations that a majority of its citizens require guns for self protection?

Really, care to provide some statistical facts to backup that obvious "assumption"?

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

Assault rifle | Definition of Assault rifle at Dictionary.com

assault rifle
noun
a military rifle capable of both automatic and semiautomatic fire, utilizing an intermediate-power cartridge.
a nonmilitary weapon modeled on the military assault rifle, usually modified to allow only semiautomatic fire.

Funny how the definition keeps getting more broad. First it's a selective fire military rifle. Now it can be a non military weapon "modeled" on the military "Assault Rifle". Then goes on to say it's "modified" to allow only semiautomatic fire. It's not modified at all. It's specifically designed for semiautomatic fire ONLY.

Next the definition of "Assault Rifle" will be anything that fires semi-automatically.

[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by mydavid

The trouble is most people who have guns if confronted, would end up shooting themselves or a bystander before hitting the bad guy. Just look at the cops, they train with their gun all the time and still when confronted, many of their shots miss the target. and if they were good shooters they would be able to wound and arrest instead of kill to apprehend.

Most police officers only qualify with their weapon annually. Many of them only practice before annual qualification so as to be able to pass. Most police departments do require officers to practice due to budget restraints. No money for ammo and wages for the time training.
Do you know how hard it is to "wound" someone especially if they are moving? You know that if you hit a person in the femoral artery in the leg they will bleed out in a matter of minutes so how is a cop supposed to miss the artery? A wounded armed criminal can still kill you, that is why police are trained to shoot until the threat is ended.
It's real simple and even a caveman can understand, comply with the police's orders and you won't get shot.