Why would anyone want to own a gun?

@Burnley123 I often carry large sums of cash and have to be in the ghetto on occasion.

@TheProphet That makes some sense, but everywhere you go?

@Burnley123 I believe in always being prepared. You can't count on the police or anyone else to protect us. I am responsible for my safety and that of my family.

@Greenbare Is that an NRA commercial?

@lilcountrygrl A rifle is not a gun. (a little rifleman trivia/humour)

@hippyjoe1955 According to Webster's Dictionary:
gun
/ɡən/
noun
1. a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are propelled by explosive force, typically making a characteristic loud, sharp noise.

How is that not a rifle?

@lilcountrygrl According to riflemen a gun is a mounted weapon and a rifle is freely carried about. A machine gun is normally on a tripod. An artillery piece is on wheels. The gun on a tank is mounted to the tank. A rifle is carried by the rifleman and is not normally mounted or supported by anything except the body of the rifle man.

@meJess LivChris seems to have it right with fear. But I don't think its the only reason. Culture and psychology play a role.

@Burnley123 and once you give something out it's kinda hard to get it back

@Burnley123 Paranoia it very may well be but it has happened in other countries so why not the one with the biggest military that stops all but the largest united world offensive, NK sends its people to camps and yet nobody has taken them over for that so what's going to happen to the big bad US

@Jackaloftheazuresand Most of your military is overseas so they are probably (well they are) more dangerous to the people there.

@Burnley123 Will you guarantee me safety?

@Keraunos So basically its a pyramid scheme of deadly weapons. You have to get a gun because everyone else has one.

@Keraunos You mean like when you're just walking down the street ?

That's really nothing like a pyramid scheme, but I would say the motive is something like an arms race among private citizens. Kept within some fairly obvious boundaries by the fact that "the government" will always be number one in that arms race, and there probably isn't anybody quite delusional enough to try to claim that position from them.

@lilcountrygrl They usually are, statistically. But if we are not judging them by past results, then we can't judge them for opting out of Iraq or for WW2. Anyway, guns are bad.

@Burnley123 And you're entitled to your opinion. No matter how wrong it is.

@lilcountrygrl Thanks. Just please don't shoot me.

@nedkelly Ah, Wolf Creek..

@Burnley123 uses compressed air and shoots tiny 5mm pellets.

@unknownpoetx How very British.

@Burnley123 still dangerous. it can still kill.

Yes. Why else would I buy and use it?

@FishingTech So you wouldn't want one if it wasn't a highly armed country?

I do target shooting too. And "highly armed country" is irrelevant. The cold hard truth is that guns are everywhere and always will be. And during a situation where you are under fire, there are no political oppositions in existence that will keep you safe.

@puck61 Arming teachers? What if a nut case teacher gets stressed at one of the pupils. They could also get stolen.

@Burnley123 Other than restrictions on assault rifles and stricter background checks, it's the only logical thing to do. This is the wild wild west. We will never be England, or Australia. It would literally cause a civil war to do much more than common sense legislation, which I am all for, by the way. Stricter background checks is about the best we're going to get.

@Cydramech I just asked the question straight up. There is a reason for everything.

@RodionRomanovitch because you can't feel like one without a gun.

@unknownpoetx Apparently not.

@RodionRomanovitch Wouldn't work with me. I'd just feel like a weedy skinny guy who owned a gun. I think you'd need to sell them with a macho-delusion pill. Buy one get one free offer. 😜

@Noble Sure because bears and rabbits often commit home invasions and car jackings.

@InOtterWords You like Tottenham Hotspur and otters. Those hobbies are safer.

@Burnley123 I'm glad I live in a country where I never feel the need to protect myself with a weapon