# CNN article describing how quickly guns can be taken away. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362 "2012-12-17T22:06:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/1 "2012-12-17T22:06:27Z")
I’m posting this primarily because CNN is generally considered reasonably unbiased. There is already a gun debate in great debates. I’m just providing information here. Please don’t shoot the messenger. 😛 One year and half is all it took. Guns turned in and gone from public hands. First step was registering them. Effectiveness? The article indicates some lowering of crime. But there was another mass murder involving rifles in 2010. You could play “show me the statistics” and still not know for sure. imho There’s too many variables, better policing, focusing on gangs, crimes committed with other weapons etc. Getting caught with a gun in Britain is taken seriously. A SAS Sergeant stationed in Iraq was given a pistol and ammo in a local ceremony. He returned to Britain with it and ended up in jail. It’s been a political battle getting him out and his name still isn’t totally cleared. Google Danny Nightingale for many articles and sources. > **[It's great to be home for Christmas: Freed SAS hero's joy as he is reunited...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2240444/Danny-Nightingale-Freed-SAS-heros-joy-reunited-family-time-Christmas.html)** > > Danny Nightingale, whose 18-month prison sentence for keeping an Iraqi pistol was quashed by senior judges yesterday, said it felt 'fantastic to be free'. > [@](#): > > In the wake of the 1987 Hungerford massacre, in which one lone gunman killed 16 people, Britain introduced new legislation – the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 — making registration mandatory for owning shotguns and banning semi-automatic and pump-action weapons. > > Within a year and a half of the Dunblane massacre, UK lawmakers had passed a ban on the private ownership of all handguns in mainland Britain, giving the country some of the toughest anti-gun legislation in the world. After both shootings there were firearm amnesties across the UK, resulting in the surrender of thousands of firearms and rounds of ammunition. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/2 "2012-12-17T22:12:44Z")
Crap, forgot the dang cnn link. Stinking edit timeout humph! [http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/17/world/europe/dunblane-lessons/index.html?hpt=hp\_c3](http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/17/world/europe/dunblane-lessons/index.html?hpt=hp_c3) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/3 "2012-12-17T22:37:47Z")
Good for them, but it won’t happen here because of that pesky 2nd amendment and that pesky supreme court. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/4 "2012-12-17T22:52:55Z")
One reason this has basically no bearing on how this will play out in the U.S.: > [@CNN](#): > > Britain has never had a “gun culture” like that of the United States, but there were about 200,000 legally-registered handguns in Britain before the ban, most owned by sports shooters. I’m not sure how many registered handguns there are in the U.S., but it’ll be closer to 200 million than 200 thousand. And the U.S. is much, much larger than Britain. So between that and the Second Amendment and the different views of guns in both countries, guns can’t “be taken away” that fast in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Clarisse\_McClellan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Clarisse\_McClellan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clarisse_McClellan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/5 "2012-12-17T22:54:35Z")
From your CNN link: > [@](#): > > Britain has never had a “gun culture” like that of the United States, but there were about 200,000 legally-registered handguns in Britain before the ban, most owned by sports shooters. According to that same CNN: > **[By the numbers: Guns in America | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2012/08/09/politics/btn-guns-in-america/index.html)** > > Here’s a look at the fire power Americans are packing and how Americans feel about their Second Amendment right, by the numbers. > [@](#): > > 310 million – Total number of nonmilitary firearms in the United States as of 2009. Not even remotely comparable. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/6 "2012-12-17T23:01:30Z")
The U.S. has a gun culture that is unparalleled when compared to the rest of world. A staggering amount of guns and ammo are in the hands of private citizens, and millions are extremely passionate about it. The biggest problem with a “turn 'em all in” law is that (IMO) very few would do it. It could also lead to a civil war. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/7 "2012-12-17T23:02:30Z")
It’s dangerous to compare a different country, with a different culture, different laws and customs, etc,., when it comes to “taking away the guns.” I mean, they drive on the other side of the road! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/8 "2012-12-17T23:09:13Z")
I’m not sure the number of guns matters. Once you criminalize possession then your average family will turn them in. You have kids to feed and raise. You can’t risk prison. Thats what seems to have happened in Britain. Most just turned in the guns rather than risk jail. Most people will comply with the laws of their country. They may grumble about it, but they comply. I love target shooting and hunting. Would I risk jail and leaving my wife without financial support? Of course not. I’m not going to risk destroying our lives by breaking a law. The ones that didn’t could easily be found because that’s one of the objectives of registering guns. The cops have a address to visit anytime the gun laws change. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/9 "2012-12-17T23:19:02Z")
I do agree with Marley. It would be a much longer process in the U.S. 1. Assault rifle and large ammo clip ban (easiest to do) similar to the one we had a decade ago. 2. National registration 3. restrict purchases of ammo (only a few boxes a year) and how much a person can own. and so on… Small steps. It would take maybe a decade before they tried to criminalize possession. All depends on future Supreme Court rulings. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/10 "2012-12-17T23:24:46Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > I mean, they drive on the other side of the road! 🙂 Yes, but they are remarkably polite about it. Over here I get yelled at a lot when I do that 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/11 "2012-12-17T23:26:55Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m not sure the number of guns matters. When the difference is a factor of 1,000, of course it matters. Consider the logistics of collecting tens or hundreds of millions of guns instead of 200,000. Consider the size of the countries involved, the different views U.S. states would have of any move like this, and the fact that the population of the U.S. is about five times larger than that of Britain at the time of its gun ban. > [@](#): > > Once you criminalize possession That’s not going to happen either. Like **Boyo Jim** said: Second Amendment. End of story. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban did not criminalize the possession of any guns. It banned the manufacture of some types of guns and it did ban the possession of certain types of magazines. Whatever gun laws may happen next, the government is not going to confiscate guns. > [@](#): > > You have kids to feed and raise. You can’t risk prison. Does Britain have a lot of militia-types? I’m guessing not, seeing as how they don’t have much of a gun culture. Does Britain have Freeman on the Land movements and other types of anti-government paranoids? I’m guessing there aren’t too many of those, either. > [@aceplace57](#): > > It would take maybe a decade before they tried to criminalize possession. Never going to happen. > [@](#): > > All depends on future Supreme Court rulings. The Supreme Court has been taking a broader and broader view of the Second Amendment in recent years, and that’s not going to change in a decade unless the Second Amendment itself were revised or repealed (and that idea is laughable). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/12 "2012-12-17T23:27:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The ones that didn’t could easily be found because that’s one of the objectives of registering guns. The cops have a address to visit anytime the gun laws change. Which is an excellent argument AGAINST registration. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/13 "2012-12-17T23:42:11Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Which is an excellent argument AGAINST registration. Most guns don’t have to be registered anyway, do they? [I think it’s just machine guns and some types of rifles and shotguns, not handguns.](http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/national-firearms-act-firearms.html#nfa-firearms) And for that matter I think only licensed gun dealers have to run background checks on people who want to buy guns. Am I wrong here? This does illustrate the ludicrousness of the OP’s theory. If large numbers of people are opposed to ideas like registering guns, how is the federal government supposed to confiscate all the handguns in the U.S. in a few years? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/14 "2012-12-17T23:47:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > You could play “show me the statistics” and still not know for sure. imho There’s too many variables, better policing, focusing on gangs, crimes committed with other weapons etc. Yeah, we wouldn’t want to confuse ourselves with pesky things like evidence and facts. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/15 "2012-12-17T23:57:18Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > It could also lead to a civil war. Um, no it couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/16 "2012-12-18T00:02:11Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Um, no it couldn’t. There’s a refutation that commands attention and respect; but, you’re known for that. It was the “um” that really sold it. Bravo. Bravissimo. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/17 "2012-12-18T00:06:35Z")
Confiscation, unlikely as it is to happen, wouldn’t mean civil war. It would be a series of Wacos, standoffs in homes or compounds against police. And nobody outside of those houses or compounds will give a damn if they burn to the ground just like in Waco. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/18 "2012-12-18T00:10:05Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Confiscation, unlikely as it is to happen, wouldn’t mean civil war. It would be a series of Wacos, standoffs in homes or compounds against police. This is more accurate, although it’d be quite a large series. > [@](#): > > And nobody outside of those houses or compounds will give a damn if they burn to the ground just like in Waco. Timothy McVeigh gave a damn. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/19 "2012-12-18T00:13:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Does Britain have a lot of militia-types? I’m guessing not, seeing as how they don’t have much of a gun culture. Does Britain have Freeman on the Land movements and other types of anti-government paranoids? I’m guessing there aren’t too many of those, either. We don’t have many “militia” types, no - at least, I don’t think we do. I presume that means people like those who think the UN is about to invade and…do something unspecified but bad. I mod a UK forum where we discuss consumer and legal type issues, and the Freemen on the Land guys do show up there every so often. Usually, though, they’re arguing about why they’re not subject to the law and thus shouldn’t have to pay their parking ticket or electricity bill. None that I can recall have argued that they have the right to keep a small arsenal in their basement. Of course, another key difference between the UK and the US is that the handgun ban was implemented here with broad (though certainly not unanimous) public support. I doubt that would be the case on your side of the pond. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362/20 "2012-12-18T00:17:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > The U.S. has a gun culture that is unparalleled when compared to the rest of world. A staggering amount of guns and ammo are in the hands of private citizens, and millions are extremely passionate about it. The biggest problem with a “turn 'em all in” law is that (IMO) very few would do it. It could also lead to a civil war. On the plus side this will come in handy during the zombie apocalypse; which is about as likely as the US ever having anything close British gun laws. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-article-describing-how-quickly-guns-can-be-taken-away/644362.md?page=2)