Do you seriuosly think allowing the selling on guns in Britain would stop the yardies? and that wanker chav would have a AK47 rather than a repilca.
The public having guns is stupid beyond belief! have you not heard of all the random massacures that happen in America as they have near free access to guns?
Sorry very off topic i will not turn this into a arguement here but political chat thingy
Yes, I seriously think so.
Stay-at-homes in Britain, who have not lived under other jusidictions have been brainwashed into a "no-gun" mentality, and more recently into a "no-defence" mentality. If a burglar enters your home, you disturb him and, even allowing for the DUTY of a citizen to apprehend a criminal--any attempt to detain him will result in criminal charges being brought against you, the householder. God forbid that you whack the bastard over the head with a golf-club--that will probably amount to GBH!
The legality of gun ownership does not presuppose no restrictions at all. Clearly automatic weapons (and I assume you understand the difference between automatic and semi-automatic weapons) and those of a military nature are clearly not for civilian use.
Licensing for firearms, including checks on character, backgrounds ( including criminal and mental health) and a mandatory training course should be imposed and, as in most juristdictions, the types and numbers of firearms are restricted. ( These were and are the UK rules)
Re: Criminals.
In the period 1930s to 1950s when there were a fair amount of firearms around in Britain, criminals would V E R Y rarely use firearms in the course of a crime. Not only because of the enhanced penalties if caught, but because of the risks of being shot back at by someone who actually knows how to use a weapon.
The gun massacres that we see in America are more an indictment of that country's society than gun ownership. One does not hear of similar events in Switzerland, France, Finland, The Czech Republic,Thailand, South Africa or other countries with a high level of firearm ownership. ( Although there have been cases in Germany where there are only 30 guns per 100 population)
Of course a criminal who is set upon obtaining and using a firearm is going to anyway, even in an environment like hysterical Britain or Japan. Just the same way as the junkie finds and uses drugs.
The Cost
I bought a Llama 9mm in 1975-- it cost ZAR 300, about US$500 at the time, (I couldn't afford anything decent) an equivalent today of US$3500 or, in context, a months pay for a moderately well paid mid-level manager.
In 1989 I bought a Glock 17 (state of the art back then) for ZAR 4900, about US$1000, say also about US$3500 in PPP today. ( Much cheaper now, but much harder to buy). ( If one is an enthusiast, by the time that one has had it balanced, customised, bought the special ammo--e.g aquashocks, hi-load etc. you are in for another $1000!)
These are not the purchases of the casual mugger.
The State also has the opportunity to tax the bollocks out of firearms.
The Result
Of course heightened Gun ownership would drastically reduce the amount of knife crime.
FYI HOPLOPHOBIA is the irrational fear of firearms or a desire to have thembanned or destroyed.