2009: More guns, less crime

[Kulindahr]

Not according to this, regarding Texas.

That says just what I did: the laws are the same at gun shows. I can sell a rifle to a neighbor (done that) or buy a handgun (done that) and it's a private sale, so no background check or record is required. If I get it from a dealer, even in his off hours, it has to get a background check.

But many people -- it happened in several cases among the Pink Pistols here recently -- will these days go to a gun show for the specific purpose of being able to a background check on the buyer, if they don't know him/her well. I've never sold to anyone I didn't know well, and if I did I'd go to a gun show precisely because I can make sure he's a solid citizen, which I can't do on the street.

Some dealers will run the check for you at a store, but not many; they usually have more than enough to do just running the place. At a gun show, they're usually happy to run the check through for you -- if for no other reason, it leaves you standing looking at their merchandise for a couple of minutes.

Here's a sore point with me: the NRA tried to set things up so members who wanted to do a private firearms sale could call, and the NRA would run a check just like a dealer would. They got told "No". Now why is it that when an organization is trying to help both citizens and law enforcement, the bureaucrats tell them no?!

Some retired dealers used to keep their federal licenses to sell just so they could do checks for people. But the stupid BATFE has been pulling licenses on people without an "actual store" -- one more abuse, like pulling licenses because the corner of some paperwork was torn or coffee was spilled on it.....

 

[Kulindahr]

Yeah.

I knew that the 2.4 was way low in comparison but couldn't figure out what the problem was. So I kept searching for other comparison numbers but couldn't find any. Thanks.

I have a rule: any time the numbers seem out of whack, read the fine print.

I learned that in physics class, BTW. There it wasn't fine print, it was units (like the famous NASA screwup of reading data in metric and navigating in miles....).

 

[Kulindahr]

Good. Gun-ownership ought to be considered a civil responsibility.

I don't blame conservatives for stock piling arms. People should not be defenseless on their own property.

I almost wish they'd written in Patrick Henry's version of the Second, which would have required gun ownership.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who stockpiles arms. I've met more than a few who have different weapons for different purposes. Personally, I have different rifles for rabbit, deer, and elk, and different handguns for personal protection in the city, target practice, and a sidearm when hunting. And I have a few WWII heirlooms that are there just because.