> Guns are, practically speaking, no more or less crazy than Bowie knives, hunting bows, cross bows, or any number of other devices purpose built for hunting.

> Guns are, practically speaking, no more or less crazy than Bowie knives, hunting bows, cross bows, or any number of other devices purpose built for hunting. I somewhat agree with the similarity, at least for rifles; however, many firearms in the US are legal and definitely not suitable nor intended for hunting. For the record, in the UK there are also rifle clubs and farmers are allowed to have rifles to protect their livestock from wild animals, but both groups get yearly inspections from the police and in general the police will know that you keep guns and therefore keep an eye on you. You have to keep the ammo separate from the guns, and both in locked containers with different keys. Hand guns are completely outlawed because they couldn't be justified in the context of hunting or protecting livestock. > I've been within 100 yards of a black bear with her cubs. I'm glad I had a pistol at the time. I'm even more glad I had no cause to use it. True. The wild animals in rural US are much more dangerous than in the UK, and so, like in the UK, there are some good but narrow reasons to own certain kinds of firearm. We seem to agree the issue is mainly guns (especially handguns) in cities. I hope the US can find a solution that keeps both inner city and rural dwellers relatively happy.