WOW! cool. The only thing I don't like about the USA is that I'm not allowed to have a gun yet, I just never feel safe! In S.A. Almost everyone had guns including me! And I'm a pretty good shot too.

I wasn't trying to give the impression that I was one of those militant types that say everyone needs a gun or anything like that, really I was originally responding to the ignorant and shallow minded comment made about small towns, didn't have to be about guns. I will defend small towns against stereotyping every chance I get.

I don't own a gun, and I wont have a gun in my house with my daughter here.
I have plenty of swords and axes though, and am very good with them.

Kevin

Paul, don't worry about not understanding our laws. Most americans don't understand them so why should you. LOL

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Holy shit, I bet that population will drop! Who the hell would write that law?! Sweet jesus, isn't that asking for WWIII to start?!

Well, here is a surprising fact for many who don't know it yet.

Believe it or not, more than half of all the weapons that exists in the United States are owned and operated by civilians.

American citizens [though not all] are used to the idea of owning a gun or rifle. I am. This idea has been around since the American Revolution. America started off with the so-called Minute-men [civilian volunteers who are ready to fight in a minute]

We can easily defend this country with or without the US Army. Because what if one day [which is possible] there's a major war and most of our military is wiped out?? It will be up to us to defend this country.

This scenerio is possible, but very unlikey to happen. Or is it?

If I'm straying off-topic, pardon me.

I used to fire a hand gun and a rifle in a firing range in Phoenix, Arizona. And I was 10 years old at the time with my parents. I then fired my second rifle [a .22 caliber] when I was at least 16-17 years old here in Trailglades Range in Miami, Florida. Believe me, I'm a very good shot.

In Florida, you have to be 18 years old to own a single-shot rifle. You have to be 21 or 36 [I can't remember] to own a handgun. As for the assault weapons [the automatics], I'm not sure.

I'm not on the fence where it comes to gun ownership.  I personally wouldn't want one and I know far too many stupid people that wouldn't think twice about using ne if they had one.

I think that the major problem cross culterally is that in the UK it is unusual now to come into contact with guns as you grow up.  The only people that have/carry guns are criminals and a small section of the police.  Guns are therefore linked in the british mind to crime.  The opposite is true in the USA.  Kids are brought up around a positive gun culture and so Americans as a rule have a more positive attitude towards firearms.

I avoid the whole issue by owning a sword and being a reasonably accomplished fencer.  Any f******* who got into my house would find 36 inches of 1860 Issue US Cavalry sabre in their guts.

Will

You might be right Andrew. I doubt it would increase either. Unfortunately there will always be violence in our world & it's increasing daily. One thing I'm pretty sure of. If nobody carried guns I would feel a lot safer.

You're right Andrew, up to a point.
The problem with guns, especially handguns, is they make 'spur of the moment' killing possible.
(by the time you've walked to the kitchen to get the carving knife and tried a couple of times to get it through someones ribs - it's not easy, unless you know how!- you have come to your senses. 

I don't personally believe that there is a need for handguns (or rifles for that matter) for the sole purpose of 'personal protection'. That is when these weapons get into the hands of people who are not properly trained to handle them safely.

To clarify, I am military and Civilain trained in handgun safety and handling. There is a point that you arrive at where EVERYTHING you do with a handgun becomes 'second nature', there is no thought process involved, it's automatic. Until you have had the amount of practice, training and experience for this type of 'autonomic' response, you ARE dangerous to yourself and everyone else.
I don't care if you're a Cop, in the Military (they have 'accidental discharges too, you know) or a private citizen, it takes a long time for that level of safety proficiency to become part of your psyche.
So effectively, as private citizens would rarely be in a position to gain this level of proficiency, they should not be allowed.

I have to be honest! I recently found myself placing my revolver back into the safe, without going through the complete 'automatic procedure'. Instead of clearing the weapon and 'dry firing' 7 times into the floor, I found myself, just placing it into the safe after removing the rounds but not 'dry firing' (something I was made to do, under pain of a physical beating, if I didn't).
I was a bit ill, and very tired, but I felt so bloody stupid, even after such a simple and, some may say, not necessary, procedure. But that makes no difference. Even I, after 25 years of weapons handling, made that simple mistake.
So what chance do people with minimal training have? 

These things happen...