Trade a gun for a rose in SC on Valentine's Day

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't understand the purpose unless the police believe that less guns out there means less accidental shootings, which makes less work for them.

Because if your house if broken into, the first thing they are looking for is usually weapons?

That and accidental shootings of children resulting from unsafe storage...

According to Americans for Gun Safety (December 2002), gun theft is most likely in states without laws requiring safe storage of firearms in the home and where there are large numbers of gun owners and relatively high crime rates. Based on FBI data, nearly 1.7 million guns have been reported stolen in the past ten years, and only 40% of those were recovered. The missing guns, over 80% of which are taken from homes or cars, most likely fuel the black market for criminals. NEA, AGS and the National Rifle Association advocate for safe storage. To access "Stolen Guns: Arming the Enemy" visit www.agsfoundation.com.

Edited February 15, 2009 by Mister Fancypants

[Scott & Lai 12]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

Yep. But still - statistically speaking, most accidental shootings come from legal firearms.

I wonder about that....are accidental shootings involving illegal firearms generally reported? If not, wouldn't that skew the statistics?

The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

.....

American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control)

http://www.neahin.org/programs/schoolsafet.../statistics.htm

That doesn't answer the question of how many "accidental" shootings involve illegally obtained firearms vs. legally obtained ones.

[Scott & Lai 12]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

Yep. But still - statistically speaking, most accidental shootings come from legal firearms.

Don't know that much about guns, but don't you have to load and lock them, remove the safety, point it at someone and pull the trigger before it goes off? If so, how can that be an accident?

If you have kids around, is it an accident that you didn't properly unload the weapon and remove the firing mechanism locking that up in a safe place?

I don't believe in accidents.

ac·ci·dent (²k“s¹-d…nt, -dµnt”) n. 1.a. An unexpected, undesirable event: car accidents on icy roads. b. An unforeseen incident: went to college in England by happy accident. 2. Lack of intention; chance: ran into an old friend by accident. 3. Logic. A circumstance or an attribute that is not essential to the nature of something. [Middle English, chance event, from Old French, from Latin accid¶ns, accident-, present participle of accidere, to happen : ad-, ad- + cadere, to fall; see kad- below.]

I take exception to "car accidents on icy roads" as being an accident.

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

Yep. But still - statistically speaking, most accidental shootings come from legal firearms.

I wonder about that....are accidental shootings involving illegal firearms generally reported? If not, wouldn't that skew the statistics?

The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

.....

American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control)

http://www.neahin.org/programs/schoolsafet.../statistics.htm

That doesn't answer the question of how many "accidental" shootings involve illegally obtained firearms vs. legally obtained ones.

I'll keep looking for the stats, but Scott - if a child is shot in their home from an accidental shooting, you never hear about the parents being charged with possessing an illegal firearm....and those statistics alone are staggering. So unless you are thinking that there are more parents out there who are buying firearms illegally resulting in an even higher number of accidental shootings, the number of legally owned firearms that have resulted in accidental shootings and deaths is sobering in of itself - which I would assume is one of the prime reason police departments have been trying to reduce the numbers of legal firearms through these exchange programs.

[rebeccajo 14]

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

Just because I'm ignorant about these things - why wouldn't you?

[NickD 202]

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

Just because I'm ignorant about these things - why wouldn't you?

"The term "Lock and Load" may have two origins. One stemming from the action required to load a flintlock rifle. Locking the flint back, then loading the powder and shot."

Correct or incorrect, a common military term meaning you will load the ammunition into the chamber either manually or by inserting a loaded magazine, than either close the bolt to lock it or manually pull back to put a bullet into the chamber, with the safety removed, the gun is ready to be fired. If an owner has multiple caliber guns, has to make sure the correct caliber is installed in the correct gun, point is, this is not done by accident. I always store my guns with the firing mechanism removed, it's the only safe way, plus those mechanisms are locked up. If the kids did find them, probably couldn't install the firing mechanism anyway, and the ammunition is stored in another locked up area.

If a robber comes to my home, will handle that without my guns, if I shoot the #######, would end up in jail.

Just don't like the use of the word accident in these cases, stupidity is far more accurate. When old enough, took my kids to a firing range with close supervision, so they have an idea how mean these things can be.

[SingleCharles 0]

At a Columbia church, five cars lined up to give away guns before the exchange had even started. About an hour and a half later, police had collected 75 weapons.

I wonder how many of those guys, had wives in the car holding gun to their heads saying get rid of those things.

[SingleCharles 0]

this gives me an idea - go get a couple of dozen cheap roses from wal-mart, and run the same program - run the serial numbers afterward thru the police, the ones that are not hot i can keep

Why didn't I think of this!?

[DeadPoolX 9]

....like giving away your freedom.

Exercising your freedom of expression is giving away your freedom now? I pity the people who associate freedom with gun ownership, rather than associate freedom with, amongst other things, the possibility of owning a gun.

Right.

Nobody made those people turn in the weapons. And they could turn around and buy another tomorrow if they so choose.

While I'm generally pro-gun (or whatever term is used), I have to agree with the above statement. Their decision to turn in their weapons was their choice.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

Just because I'm ignorant about these things - why wouldn't you?

what if you have several guns of the same type? you could confuse the mechanisms and have a serious problem next time you fire it. or you could lose it.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I have a few weapons in the house. None of them of them can have the firing mechanism removed. Now this is the defination of a firing mechanism. What is it that you are removing that you claim to be the firing mechanism? Firing pins are always pretty much sealed and can't be removed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_(firearms)

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

I have a few weapons in the house. None of them of them can have the firing mechanism removed. Now this is the defination of a firing mechanism. What is it that you are removing that you claim to be the firing mechanism? Firing pins are always pretty much sealed and can't be removed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_(firearms)

they are probably thinking of the bolt - which is a sure fire method to get into trouble due to headspace issues should a person have a pair of identical firearms.

[NickD 202]

I have a few weapons in the house. None of them of them can have the firing mechanism removed. Now this is the defination of a firing mechanism. What is it that you are removing that you claim to be the firing mechanism? Firing pins are always pretty much sealed and can't be removed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_(firearms)

they are probably thinking of the bolt - which is a sure fire method to get into trouble due to headspace issues should a person have a pair of identical firearms.

Ha, Swagger in that Shooter movie said he removes the firing pins from all of his weapons, ask him how he does it. More different kinds of guns that you can shake a stick at, but all have one thing in common, can be stripped down for cleaning, and certain easy to be replaced parts can be removed to disable it. Used the firing mechanism term generally. If you don't know how to strip your guns down for cleaning and cannot put them back together, have no business owning one, but not part of the 2nd amendment. Or just get a large safe and lock everything up if you have kids or are concerned about robbers.

Try to avoid using an acetylene torch, bandsaw, or sledge hammet to dissemble a weapon. May not work afterwards, if you have a bad memory, store those disabling components in a marked plastic bag. Parts should be oiled before storage, all basic stuff.

Point is, leaving a loaded weapon laying around where the wrong people can get at it, is stupid.

[rebeccajo 14]

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

Just because I'm ignorant about these things - why wouldn't you?

what if you have several guns of the same type? you could confuse the mechanisms and have a serious problem next time you fire it. or you could lose it.

I'm just saying that removing the mechanism would pretty much stop most accidental deaths of children.

If you've got multiples, then figure out a way to match up the mechanism to the weapon. Stick colored dots on them or something.

Just seems like common sense safety to me. Especially where kids are involved.

[DeadPoolX 9]

You don't "lock" a gun before firing it, and you generally don't remove the firing mechanism for storage.

Just because I'm ignorant about these things - why wouldn't you?

what if you have several guns of the same type? you could confuse the mechanisms and have a serious problem next time you fire it. or you could lose it.

I'm just saying that removing the mechanism would pretty much stop most accidental deaths of children.

If you've got multiples, then figure out a way to match up the mechanism to the weapon. Stick colored dots on them or something.

Just seems like common sense safety to me. Especially where kids are involved.

Perhaps. Then again, "common safety" might include teaching kids to respect guns, as well. So long as they know firearms aren't toys, the incidence of gun-related accidents would drop considerably.