I'll start it early. I'm about to buy a handgun. Not just a handgun, but two handguns...a revolver and a semi-automatic. And I'm going to register for my concealed handgun license, so every now and then I may be carrying.

I know a lot of people on here have thoughts on guns and this has been brought up within the past few weeks, but since it is pertinent to me right now I thought maybe it could get revisited. Feel free to discuss, and I can throw in my details and opinions as the topic progresses.

Or this thread can just burn and we focus on something new. Now where's my coffee?

As I said last week. I'm'a get a shotgun in the next few months here. Probably the S-W "Home Defender" Series.

Just wait until Florida descends into Black Atlantis madness this weekend, and you'll see why...

These days I think it pays to be a bit paranoid.

What do you have to do to get a concealed carry permit?

I know when I lived in Arizona it was insanely easy, you just had to go to a class or two over a weekend.

Chicago's pretty strict about gun ownership so I doubt it's even possible to own a handgun legally here.

Not my thing.

unless you are a cop, i can't fathom a single reason to cary a handgun.

I know Louisiana is really open about it, and I think Texas and Florida is as well. Sorta like getting a driver's license.

In Maryland it is incredibly difficult. Even Pawn Shop owners have problems from time to time.

I agree. No gun for me.

You should get a 12 gauge double barrelled Remington. That'd be hella tight.

why do YOU need a gun?

THEM

some kid who was a year ahead of me in high school got a concealed weapons permit a few years ago. and i always thought he was crazy, so it can't be too difficult to obtain one in pennsyltucky.

oh come one, the jews are harmless.

As long as you don't have any kids, go for it!

I think that any situation where I could even imagine having to use a gun would only be made worse by me actually having a gun (e.g., being held up or intruded upon, not so much getting mad at someone).

do you need this for work? Do you live in nicaragua? It's pretty hard to get a permit to carry here and everyone I know that has one has lied, saying they carry vast amounts of cash for their job or something similar.

I think handguns are totally fucking unneccessary and can pretty much only be used for killing people an maybe dogs/squirrels. Obviously it's far too late to ban them, what with like 8 per person floating around this country, but that's another issue altogether.

rifles, shotguns, I think these are fine, in fact I think people should own them, if only to have a better understanding of them and learn how to use them responsibly. but only cops should have pistols, and pretty much nobody should have machine guns or sniper rifles.

I love shotguns. Everytime I head back to Northern ON my dad and I go out and shoot the shit out those bad boys.

Guns scare me.
Don't like 'em.

This is my hang-up with guns. There are so many stories of kids getting a hold of their parent's gun and accidentally shooting, sometimes killing, someone else.

I also don't see a reason to carry a concealed weapon around. Maybe if you live in a really rough area or something but I'd still never do it.

Don't really have a strong opinion on the subject but I'm more against it than for it I guess.

I am vehemently against handguns in particular. In other countries where guns are legal, but handguns are severely restricted, they do not have the murder rate that the US does.

Outlaw all handguns. Make the penalties for selling/distributing them ludicrous, something like 20-life in prison, no parole. If you want to hunt, here's your rifle. If you want home security, here's your shotgun. There is absolutely no reason you need to have a handgun.

It'll never happen, because the NRA is a powerful lobby, but you can still have the right to bear arms AND get rid of a lot of the murder rate at the same time.

according to the book I'm reading, "Freakonomics" (good read, btw, but it has some holes in its logic), a kid is almost 100 times more likely to drown in a swimming pool than to get killed by accidentally playing with a gun

my friend's brother's guns were stolen by his evil stepkids and traded for drugs. so, now those guns are out there..... and will likely be used to kill or commit a crime at some point.

why weren't they locked up, you ask?

they were. these kids used their evil ways to steal the keys as well.

I think this is a facile argument, and that it would do almost nothing to lower the murder rate. This is a violent culture, and as such people are gonna find a way to kill other people.

It is much more complicated that "getting rid of handguns," and while I don't own one, and don't want one, it's like burning the flag, the second they make it illegal, I'll go do it. Keep your nanny state to yourself.

AND, this issue is a MUCH different one for people who live in cities vs. people who live in the country, and as such,Federal legislation is OPENLY NOT THE ANSWER.

I think it's awesome that a potential stalker is arming himself. You go, boy.

I want to read that book. I work with statistics for a living (customer satisfaction, but still...) so it sounds like it's right up my alley.

I'm sure it's more likely for kids to drown in a pool and that's a more common cause of death but I still read more reports of kids shooting people with guns than people defending themselves with them. Maybe the stories with kids are more interesting and more likely to be reported, though.

but laws agains selling illegal hand guns should be really bad anywhere. what good is selling laws in one state and not another?