Charlton Heston Dies, Age 84

[Bazzlad]

Come on - Scotland isn't part of the UK

Just joking, but thanks for pointing that out, because I didn't know. Question - was the crime committed by the people who registered the handguns, and are the rules in Scotland and England the same with regards to handguns?

[nichomach]

Yes, and yes (effectively). Generally a statute (at that point) would get passed for England & Wales and then a separate enabling act would pass it for Scotland with any modifications required for the different jurisdiction.

[Funkstar]

Yes i believe the handgun laws are UK wide.

And yes, I can't remember the name of the guy, but hey were owned and registered to him.

(beaten to it)

[TheAnimus]

The problem is that guns in themselfs aren't the problem. Take for example the swiss, as Clarkson once recanted, he had a fully loaded MP5 sub-machine gun on the passenger seat, when pulled over by a police officer, the officer kindly asked about the emmisions level of the car.

guns don't kill people, rappers do

[No.72]

I think the gun laws are almost spot on in the UK. Any self loading gun should be outright illegal, and any gun with a magazine holding more than 3 rounds is illegal. So that basically leaves rifles and shotguns (which is fine for hunting and target practice). + who cares about the US its toy town, and as long as we don't have ridiculous gun laws like theirs, then fine.

[Clunk]

Spud guns should be compulsory for everyone that has a head.

They can be made to look like actual potatoes so that young people don't recognise them.

/writing to MP now.

[Stewart]

Come on - Scotland isn't part of the UK

Just joking, but thanks for pointing that out, because I didn't know. Question - was the crime committed by the people who registered the handguns, and are the rules in Scotland and England the same with regards to handguns?

You don't know about the Dunblane Massacre but you are giving your opinion on, and quoting stats about, handguns in the UK?

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...

0 murders have ever been committed with legally owned handguns.

Apart from the 16 children murdered in school at Dunblane, the Hungerford Massacre (you have heard of this, yes?) was also carried out with legally held guns, several of which were handguns.

Good thinking!

[nichomach]

edit: my mistake

[Bazzlad]

You don't know about the Dunblane Massacre but you are giving your opinion on, and quoting stats about, handguns in the UK?

Of course I've heard about the Dunblane Massacre, I didn't know the handguns were legally owned.

Although I had previously read that 0 crimes had been committed with legally owned handguns that stat must have had some sort of time scale!

Apart from the 16 children murdered in school at Dunblane, the Hungerford Massacre (you have heard of this, yes?) was also carried out with legally held guns, several of which were handguns.

The Hungerford one was done with an AK (amongst others) which, although licenced at the time, is not exactly a handgun is it?

And besides...

"A new study suggests the use of handguns in crime rose by 40% in the two years after the weapons were banned."

Banning guns will not fix a gun crime problem, just punish those who use them legitimately.

[Salazaar]

Banning guns will not fix a gun crime problem, just punish those who use them legitimately.

It might not solve gun crime but it'll sure as hell make it harder to commit. It's certainly better than arming everyone and hoping than no-one shoots each other!

As far as I can see we've got it right on the money at the moment, those who actually need a gun can still get one (farmers, pest control, etc.) and everyone else can make do with not owning a tool that's entire purpose is for killing. Okay, a few sportsmen may be a bit put out but its not an insurmountable problem.

(Just for the record I was on the shooting team at University)

[Salazaar]

Spud guns should be compulsory for everyone that has a head.

They can be made to look like actual potatoes so that young people don't recognise them.

/writing to MP now.

Supersoaker training should be mandatory at all levels of schooling!

Imagine how much fun PE would be then!

[Stewart]

The Hungerford one was done with an AK (amongst others) which, although licenced at the time, is not exactly a handgun is it?

No mate, read what I actually said.

'the Hungerford Massacre (you have heard of this, yes?) was also carried out with legally held guns, several of which were handguns.'

Which is exactly what happened. A Beretta pistol was also used.

[Mossy]

RIP Mr Heston

I hope they don't screen Ben hur anymore on SKy now!

[Bazzlad]

It might not solve gun crime but it'll sure as hell make it harder to commit.

There are now at least 3 million illegal guns in the UK - at least one gun per thirty people - *one and three quarter million* more illegally owned guns in the UK than legally owned guns
before the ban.

Illegal Guns Flood Britain--Killings Rise

So banning handguns categorically did NOT make it harder to commit gun crime.

[Bazzlad]

Sorry in 2005 it was 4 million.

Up to 4m guns in UK and police are losing the battle - Crime, UK - The Independent

[Salazaar]

There are now at least 3 million illegal guns in the UK - at least one gun per thirty people - *one and three quarter million* more illegally owned guns in the UK than legally owned guns
before the ban.

Illegal Guns Flood Britain--Killings Rise

So banning handguns categorically did NOT make it harder to commit gun crime.

You can't draw that conclusion because you have no idea what the increase in gun crime would have been had the ban not been in place. Bloody tabloid statistics.

Do you honestly think that increasing the number of guns in the country could possibly have any positive effect on the amount of gun related crime...?

And I've still yet to hear a good argument for letting all and sundry have access to tools explicitly designed to kill.