If you lived in America, would you own a gun?

[George2Loose]

Don't we? lol.

Don't know why this elicits a lol. We clearly don't have guns in the UK in general, especially in comparison to the states.

Personally I haven't ever known anyone who owns a gun and I'm sure that's likely to be the case for most people in the UK.

Because we do have guns, especially in the rural community. Just seems a little naive to suggest otherwise.

Naive? Think you're the one being naive. We don't have a gun culture. It's actually quite strange and scary coming to the US knowing anyone could be carrying

[Woodsey]

Don't we? lol.

Don't know why this elicits a lol. We clearly don't have guns in the UK in general, especially in comparison to the states.

Personally I haven't ever known anyone who owns a gun and I'm sure that's likely to be the case for most people in the UK.

Because we do have guns, especially in the rural community. Just seems a little naive to suggest otherwise.

Naive? Think you're the one being naive. We don't have a gun culture. It's actually quite strange and scary coming to the US knowing anyone could be carrying

Culture wasn't mentioned, we have guns around and a fair few still.

[arbboy]

I think this is a really simple question.  Why on earth would you want to own a gun if you have no intention of killing someone with it? Outside of hunting/legit rural use.  What is the point of having one otherwise?  I couldn't physically kill someone so i would never ever carry a gun and would simply choose to not live anywhere when i thought gun culture was considered 'standard'.  It really shouldn't be standard in the slightest.

[vegaslover]

Don't we? lol.

Don't know why this elicits a lol. We clearly don't have guns in the UK in general, especially in comparison to the states.

Personally I haven't ever known anyone who owns a gun and I'm sure that's likely to be the case for most people in the UK.

Because we do have guns, especially in the rural community. Just seems a little naive to suggest otherwise.

Naive? Think you're the one being naive. We don't have a gun culture. It's actually quite strange and scary coming to the US knowing anyone could be carrying

Culture wasn't mentioned, we have guns around and a fair few still.

I know a fair few people with guns too. But it's usually just air rifles for hunting/shooting game. Laughable to compare it to US where anyone can carry a handgun with 15 rounds or a sub-machine gun.

[nirvana]

Not a chance and I would also remove my arms to the elbow so no one ever thought I was reaching for one

Better question is, why would you live in America in an area where you could find any rationale for owning one - proper G's in this thread

[Nakor]

In 2011 there were circa 140 thousand firearm certificates in the UK and circa 560k Shotgun certificates.
Roughly equates to 1/100?
Was very surprised at the firearm certificate number.

Think Woodsy's point is valid, I have grown lived in rural communities and have been around guns all my life, but no we don't have a hand gun culture its very different - think the responses on this thread show how America got into the position it has.  If bad guy A has a gun I want a gun etc.  When the evidence shows as stated that you are far more likely to be killed by your own or a family members firearm then any random.

[Woodsey]

Don't we? lol.

Don't know why this elicits a lol. We clearly don't have guns in the UK in general, especially in comparison to the states.

Personally I haven't ever known anyone who owns a gun and I'm sure that's likely to be the case for most people in the UK.

Because we do have guns, especially in the rural community. Just seems a little naive to suggest otherwise.

Naive? Think you're the one being naive. We don't have a gun culture. It's actually quite strange and scary coming to the US knowing anyone could be carrying

Culture wasn't mentioned, we have guns around and a fair few still.

I know a fair few people with guns too. But it's usually just air rifles for hunting/shooting game. Laughable to compare it to US where anyone can carry a handgun with 15 rounds or a sub-machine gun.

No-one was comparing it to the US, but if people have the perception there are little or no guns in the UK they are wrong. Some communities have a lot of them, I'm originally from a rural/farming community, they are very common place there. Yes they are for for shooting game, clay pigeon shooting and vermin control, but there are as many shot guns as air rifles floating around.

[Jon MW]

Don't we? lol.

Don't know why this elicits a lol. We clearly don't have guns in the UK in general, especially in comparison to the states.

Personally I haven't ever known anyone who owns a gun and I'm sure that's likely to be the case for most people in the UK.

Because we do have guns, especially in the rural community. Just seems a little naive to suggest otherwise.

Naive? Think you're the one being naive. We don't have a gun culture. It's actually quite strange and scary coming to the US knowing anyone could be carrying

Culture wasn't mentioned, we have guns around and a fair few still.

I know a fair few people with guns too. But it's usually just air rifles for hunting/shooting game. Laughable to compare it to US where anyone can carry a handgun with 15 rounds or a sub-machine gun.

No-one was comparing it to the US, but if people have the perception there are little or no guns in the UK they are wrong. Some communities have a lot of them, I'm originally from a rural/farming community, they are very common place there. Yes they are for for shooting game, clay pigeon shooting and vermin control, but there are as many shot guns as air rifles floating around.

The UK has 6.6 guns per 100 residents - that's a lot of guns in total but,
the US has 112.6 guns per 100 - so I'd agree with, not really comparable.

[The Camel]

I'm nearly 50 and only seen a gun that isn't in the hands of a policeman or a soldier once in the UK and not even sure whether it was real.

Was in Burger King at Piccadilly Circus about 20 years ago, a homeless guy was going from table to table asking if anyone had any spare change.

He was brished off by about 5 different groups when he pulled out a pistol and started waving it around for a few seconds, caused a panic and then exited sharpish.

Compare that with about the six months I've been in the USA and where I've seen too many guns to count.

[Karabiner]

I've seen that stat. before about there being more guns than people in the USA but it still amazes me.

[PokerBroker]

I think this is a case of brits being brits.  We're all like sensible and we think we're more likely to be killed by holding a firearm.  All well and good but when some crazy is floating about with a gun, I'd prefer to take my chances holding my own firearm.  If though there were to be a more serious grown up debate in  America about the harm of owning guns and they were to make gun ownership illegal and have an amnesty I'd be happy not owning a gun. 

[Jon MW]

I think this is a case of brits being brits.  We're all like sensible and we think we're more likely to be killed by holding a firearm.  All well and good but when some crazy is floating about with a gun, I'd prefer to take my chances holding my own firearm.  ...

No, it's statistics. Occasionally someone with a gun will stop a crazy person with a gun - but it's much, much more frequent for someone to be shot by their own gun than to use it (successfully) against someone else.

[DMorgan]

I think this is a case of brits being brits.  We're all like sensible and we think we're more likely to be killed by holding a firearm.  All well and good but when some crazy is floating about with a gun, I'd prefer to take my chances holding my own firearm.  If though there were to be a more serious grown up debate in  America about the harm of owning guns and they were to make gun ownership illegal and have an amnesty I'd be happy not owning a gun. 

People looking at the mountains of evidence collected over decades showing that owning a gun makes you more likely to come to serious harm or to cause someone else serious harm and still concluding that they want to own a gun is precisely the reason why there cannot be a serious grown up conversation on the issue imo

[DropTheHammer]

Would 100% have a gun in the house, I just wouldn't have any bullets.

[lucky_scrote]

I think this is a case of brits being brits.  We're all like sensible and we think we're more likely to be killed by holding a firearm.  All well and good but when some crazy is floating about with a gun, I'd prefer to take my chances holding my own firearm.  If though there were to be a more serious grown up debate in  America about the harm of owning guns and they were to make gun ownership illegal and have an amnesty I'd be happy not owning a gun. 

People looking at the mountains of evidence collected over decades showing that owning a gun makes you more likely to come to serious harm or to cause someone else serious harm and still concluding that they want to own a gun is precisely the reason why there cannot be a serious grown up conversation on the issue imo

Dan I completely agree but this comment is a little condescending. It's natural for people to think "If all these people own a gun, then I will feel safer owning a gun myself" despite the mounting evidence.