Gun ownership restrictions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21051062

People applying for gun licences

could be asked to prove that their current or recent partners have consented to

the application, Theresa May has suggested.

The home secretary said it was "not appropriate" for people with a history of

domestic violence to own guns.

 

Ministers are examining if the extra check could "reduce the risk to domestic

violence victims", she said.

Reading the comments on the BBC page got me thinking about current regulations. What are poster's thoughts on firearms restrictions? From reading the comments to the BBC article people generally seem polerised on the issue.

Are you with the "it is my right to own a gun" or the "nobody "needs" a gun and they should be banned outright" camp?

I hold a shotgun certificate and own a shotgun which I keep at home. It is used for clay shooting and (as required by law) is kept in an extremely secure safe. Personally I have absolutely no problem with firearms licences of any sort being made more onerous to obtain. I would also support a lifetime ban for anybody with criminal conviction. The vast vast majority of LEGALLY owned firearms are kept safely and responsibly and only ever used for legal purposes.

Having to keep my gun at a club would be a pain in the ar se as I don't always shoot at the same club and so keeping the gun at home is significantly easier - but at the end of the day if I beleived it was liiely to save lives then I would clearly live with it.

Would making licences harder to obtain really cut gun crime (domestic violence or otherwise)? Personally I doubt it. If somebody were to set out to plan a murder surely they would try to come up with something other than simply using their own gun, assuming they want to try and get away with it of course. Equally if it were a heat of the moment crime of passion surely the murderer is going to use whatever is to hand be it a shotgun (which would need to be unlocked from a safe) more likely to be used than a kitchen knife which is much more quickly accessed?

I also don't understand the "self defence" argument for having a gun. If I thought somebody had broken into my house the very last thing that I would want is for a gun to be involved.

...reading that back it's a bit of a ramble but if you could be bothered to read it I'd be interested in people's views. And no, my name isn't Rupert.

I would be interested to know just how domestic violence cases have involved legally owned firearms before passing judgement on whether this is a good idea or just meddling.

To be fair I think we have a pretty good balance on gun ownership vs regulation. Unlike the US

I listen to a seppo on 5 live last night trying to justify why every americn has the right to own assault rifles. Basically his arguement was that it was no different to exercising your right to go to church.

A gun is an inanimate object until put in the hands of a human. Guns don't kill people, people kill people, they sometimes use guns.

I am neither for nor against gun ownership per se but I think it is far too easy to get a gun and to blame a gun

Years ago I was queuing in a fish and chip shop, late at night, when a local nutter, out on bail from hospitalising some poor sod in a pub brawl the previous week, stuck a sausage up my girlfriend’s nose and goaded me by making all sorts of indecent suggestions to her.

Back then, I was quite a punchy young chap, especially with a few beers inside me, and, even though I knew of his reputation and realised I was probably about to get a good pasting, I was just about to punch him when a black chap suddenly joined the queue and nutter, who was also a well known racist, decided to turn his attention to him instead. Girlfriend and I slipped out and walked the 100 yards or so back to our place.

Thirty-five years later, I honestly can’t tell you whether or not, if I’d had a gun in my house, I wouldn’t have walked back down the road and calmly blown that f*cker’s head off!

I could also tell you about the time my grandfather decided to end his life by shooting himself with his own shotgun, sat on his doorstep with my mother and the rest of his family the other side of the door…

…but, on reflection, I’m probably not the right chap to answer your question. Suffice to say, I’m glad I’ve never owned a gun myself and would never entertain the thought of keeping a gun in my own house.

I think licensing restrictions can & do have an effect on the incidental or opportunistic type of gun crime, such as domestic gun violence. But not at all on pre-meditated violent crime involving firearms. Anybody who really wants a gun will get one, whatever restrictions are introduced, but the price might be higher.

I live in South Africa, where firearms are still very common. I used to own a licensed 9mm semi-automatic handgun, like you kept in a safe at home most of the time. I never shot anybody, and don't keep a gun any more. But you do get examples here where guns are used in family disputes where normal people like us would just throw some furniture around.

On a more general level, however, I don't think that politicians need to intervene and produce more and more legislation to cover every conceivable combination of circumstances, just in case. I think they have far more important things to deal with than a few 12 bores locked away in somebody's cupboards.

I was waiting at the enquiry counter in a Police station in Cheshire when a chap came in with a rifle and 2 pistols, all in carrying cases. He stated to the desk officer that he was handing them in for destruction as 'I don't need to keep them under the bed any more, I'm getting a divorce'.

As a probationary Shooting club member, and someone how is going through the Firearms licencing process i would say that the UK has it just about right.

Background checks and the secure storage of your firearms are mandetory, the "need" to have a firearm must be justified (for me it's membership of a target shooting club).

I would however liked to have seen the need for a compulsory saftey course included in the application. I'm willing to put money on the majority of gun related injuries/deaths in this country being from accidental discharge of the firearm.

Your question has obviously been prompted by the debate in the US. IMHO they need to get a grip. A licensing and registration scheme is a good thing. In the long run people can still enjoy their guns, they just have to prove that they are a suitable person to do that.

The one thing I don't agree with is the type of firearms that are looking to be banned. "Assault rifles" are no less deadly that any other rifle. They just fire more bullets in a shorter space of time.

The simple fact is no one should be shooting at anyone else, assault rifle or WW1 antique, if your hit by the bullet your just as injured/dead. Stop the innaapropriate use of firearms, through regulation, and education.

The one thing I don't agree with is the type of firearms that are looking to be banned. "Assault rifles" are no less deadly that any other rifle. They just fire more bullets in a shorter space of time.

A semi automatic that can discharge 80 rounds a minute even in the hands of a relative novice has no use for hunting or target shooting. Its only pupose is to kill people. You can kill a whole class of kids in a couple of minutes and large capacity magazines mean there is no reloading break where someone can grab the weapon from you. I have no problem with properly controlled shotguns or four / five shot hunting rifles for those who need them. Assault rifles freely available to the general population are an abomination.

stuck a sausage up my girlfriend’s nose and goaded me by making all sorts of indecent suggestions to her.

Hi I could use some more informations bout this please!

In other news I think human race may not survive gun restrictions, in the event of alien invasion or robotic uprising or zombie apocalypse.

A prescient thread...

I have shot guns and the licence. For clays and occasional game.

Am in process of applying for firearms licence - the officer is coming round on Tuesday to check me and the security out. The rifle will be for mainly vermin control on our property and a bit casual social target shooting at gun club.

While of course a gun is an inanimate object, the ready access to a lethal weapon raises the risk of both impulsive and remediated suicide/homicide at times of severe emotional disturbance in unstable individuals.

Hi I could use some more informations bout this please!

The sausage was battered and, at the time, she preferred pickled gherkins

Did she like it in both nostrils, or just the front one?

A semi automatic that can discharge 80 rounds a minute even in the hands of a relative novice has no use for hunting or target shooting. Its only pupose is to kill people.

Sorry but you are incorrect here. There is a sporting discipline called practicle shooting. This has national, european, and world competitions. Has a recognised international body and requires semi automatic firearms (rifles, handguns, and shotguns).

Whilst i accept the premise that these type of firearms where originally designed for war, there is no reason why they cannot be used for sport in a regulated and controlled enviroment.

I find it odd that all the focus is on "assault weapons". You do realise that it's legal to own a Barret M82 .50cal sniper rifle in this country. The Barret is capable of killing at over 1 mile. Try grabing that whilst the guy who's shooting at you reloads. Did you also realise that Adam Lanza and most of the other perpertrators of these attrocities had handguns with them at the time. Why no mention of that in the proposed regulations? We banned them outright after Dunblane.

It's a headline grabing exercise by the anti gun lobby designed to alienate the owners of "assult weapons" so that they can nullify the pro arguments and implement wider controls.

Controls that i generally approve of, by the way.

The US authorities should concentrate on creating a controlled well regulated enviroment where those that chose, can enjoy their chosen sport, without harming anyone.

Firearms under control, second amendment preserved, lives saved. We managed it.

There is some evidence that anti-depressant drugs are linked to shootings.

There is some evidence that anti-depressant drugs are linked to shootings.

Which is why my medical history was reviewed by the police before I was alowed a certificate.

I presume that if I were to go a bit mental now (whilst already holding a certificate), the plod would be notified. - Actually is this the case? Is there a conflict between my doctor keeping my records confidential unless I specifically give permission and the police being able to check that I haven't gone nuts?

Before Dunblane, when I was in the forces, I owned a 9mm Beretta 92F and would shoot a couple of times per week. Weapon remained in the armoury unless I was shooting at another base when it would be in my car. It was pretty straightforward to get a licence for it due to my job.

Never really had the desire to own an assault rifle but can see the appeal of shooting with one on a range as I've done many times.

You don’t necessarily have to go nuts (in the purely psychological sense) to become unfit to hold a gun. Don’t forget the interesting case of Charles Whitman who shot dead 14 people in the 1966 Texas University Tower killings. His post-mortem revealed he was suffering from a brain tumour. Although, psychiatrists had mixed views on how big a part this actually played in his actions that day – he also had psychological issues - it is well documented that certain physical ailments can bring about drastic personality changes. It all hinges on how quickly doctors can diagnose a potential problem, particularly with gun owners.

By the way, I’m not advocating that gun club members should be denied their sport. I just think that, in the large majority of cases, it’s probably better if their guns are securely stored in a safe place and not in their own homes.

In the case of my grandfather taking his own life, yes, he was suffering from depression at the time; let’s face it, you’re not likely to shoot yourself if you’re feeling tickety-boo about life! And yes, if he hadn’t have had easy access to a gun he’d probably have found other ways to commit suicide….who knows?