Some parts of American have pretty strict gun laws.
As Baca said, you cant buy a pistol over the counter...you have a lead time of at least 5 days...not sure if that is so they can check you out, or to potentially give you time to cool off!
You can pretty much buy a Shotgun or a Bolt action rifle (long guns)...but Semi Auto stuff and full auto does have further restrictions in some places I think.
You also have to be able to prove yourself as well...generally with a Drivers Licence from that state or its surrounding states...
Nor can you carry a gun with you everywhere, as some would think.
With references to number of guns and gun crime...Nevada has very lax gun laws...making it easy to carry a gun...even in your car..and has extremely low crime rates.
Go to a certain neighbouring state, with stricter gun laws...very high crime rates.
Lets face it...in the UK...if everybody had the right to own a gun and potentially use it to defend person or property in the right circumstances, it doesn't automatically mean everyone will tool themselves up...but...it does mean, that every time a criminal decides to do something, such as burgle a house, or rob a shop...he faces the very real threat of being shot dead.
Would that not make you think twice? Even if you were stoned?
Before anyone says that it wont change anything, or will make everything worse...possibly...but...at the moment, a UK Criminal, is a criminal and isn't worried about carrying a knife or a gun, they can and do, do it..knowing that 99% of the time, their poor victim is utterly defenceless and certainly wont have a gun within easy reach.
Think about the arms race. All the major nations had huge stock piles of nuclear weapons. So, if one kicks off...the one they attack is going to get it too...so, for those civilised, not completely stupid nations, it was a healthy arrangement, both safe in the knowledge, that neither would attack the other for fear of instant and terminal reprisals.
I'm not saying I am all for armed Police or an armed society...but it many ways, it does make sense.
Essay over
As Baca said, you cant buy a pistol over the counter...you have a lead time of at least 5 days...not sure if that is so they can check you out, or to potentially give you time to cool off!
You can pretty much buy a Shotgun or a Bolt action rifle (long guns)...but Semi Auto stuff and full auto does have further restrictions in some places I think.
You also have to be able to prove yourself as well...generally with a Drivers Licence from that state or its surrounding states...
Nor can you carry a gun with you everywhere, as some would think.
With references to number of guns and gun crime...Nevada has very lax gun laws...making it easy to carry a gun...even in your car..and has extremely low crime rates.
Go to a certain neighbouring state, with stricter gun laws...very high crime rates.
Lets face it...in the UK...if everybody had the right to own a gun and potentially use it to defend person or property in the right circumstances, it doesn't automatically mean everyone will tool themselves up...but...it does mean, that every time a criminal decides to do something, such as burgle a house, or rob a shop...he faces the very real threat of being shot dead.
Would that not make you think twice? Even if you were stoned?
Before anyone says that it wont change anything, or will make everything worse...possibly...but...at the moment, a UK Criminal, is a criminal and isn't worried about carrying a knife or a gun, they can and do, do it..knowing that 99% of the time, their poor victim is utterly defenceless and certainly wont have a gun within easy reach.
Think about the arms race. All the major nations had huge stock piles of nuclear weapons. So, if one kicks off...the one they attack is going to get it too...so, for those civilised, not completely stupid nations, it was a healthy arrangement, both safe in the knowledge, that neither would attack the other for fear of instant and terminal reprisals.
I'm not saying I am all for armed Police or an armed society...but it many ways, it does make sense.
Essay over