# Do you own a gun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 19, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111 "2009-11-19T02:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/41 "2009-11-19T16:08:28Z")
The answer is no, although I have little choice in the matter as I reside in a country (England) which has long treated its citizens as wayward children rather than responsible adults and, as we all know, children shouldn’t be allowed to play with dangerous things. We might hurt ourselves or others and Nanny has locked all the guns in the cupboard. In fact she’s been casting suspicious glances at the knives too lately. “Nasty things! Whatever do you need those for? You might cut yourself!” ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/42 "2009-11-19T16:32:31Z")
Nope\* Despite what you have seen in **Hot Fuzz** very few people in Britain have private weapons and most people will never have even have seen one. Not up close anyway. _I’ll qualify that. I have_\* a target shooting air pistol which I suppose might stun a squirrel, if you threw it at him. \*\*Had. On reading through the thread, given the gun laws passed here since I got it even my peashooter is quite likely somewhat illegal here. I suddenly now remember that incident on the ship, so my 177 must now be at the bottom of the North Sea. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/43 "2009-11-19T16:34:12Z")
Yes. Several, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/44 "2009-11-19T16:58:38Z")
Dozens, including 2 different .50 caliber rifles. Until those pesky Gypsies stole them. Sadly, they too were lost at sea while escaping. It happens. and it’s not an arsenal, it’s a collection. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/45 "2009-11-19T17:00:17Z")
I’ve never even _touched_ a gun. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/46 "2009-11-19T17:28:13Z")
No. I can’t imagine a realistic situation where I would need one. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/47 "2009-11-19T17:31:30Z")
Still have my hunting shotgun from when I was a lad. 20 gauge Remington 870 Express. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/48 "2009-11-19T17:40:01Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > No gun and think all hand guns should be banned. Period. > > Last week I went to Walmart and walking out as I walked in - a man in a sort of military fatigue outfit and his son, about 10, wearing a camouflage t-shirt…both carrying several boxes of ammo. To be quite honest, the look of hate on the dad’s face, and the look of guilt on the kids face scared me. Maybe, like me, he doesn’t care for Wal-Mart. Yes, several, on the gun thingy. But they were all abducted by aliens. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/49 "2009-11-19T17:42:49Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > It’s an insider joke referring to a debate that gun owners have amongst themselves about the wisdom of admitting to gun ownership. If you admit owning a gun publicly it then becomes a matter of public record, and when “the government comes for the guns” they’ll know where to look. So by saying “I lost it in a boating accident” they are joking that they have guns but they’re not going to admit to it. It’s akin to someone saying “I don’t know what you’re talking about”, but doing it with a wink and a grin. > I find it amusing, myself. I suppose you have to really understand how deep the concern is among a small segment of gun owners to really get the joke. If you keep giving away the secret handshake, we’re going to take back your antlers and moose call. _And_ make you buy the beer for the secret meetings. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/50 "2009-11-19T17:50:11Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I was initially surprised at how high the “yes” vote is. Don’t underestimate the Southern vote. I’m constantly amazed at the ferocity at which people here exercise their gun rights. People I would never think in a million years would have a gun will pull one out of their purse. Me: no gun, absolutely no desire or use for one. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/51 "2009-11-19T17:55:32Z")
I’ve recently taken up shooting clay pigeons, which is lots of fun. I told my 15 year old son that he could learn as well if he took the two day safety course offered here in PA. He passed with flying colors, and has done some trap shooting. Then we lost the 20 gauge shotgun and .357 mag handgun in a tragic boating accident. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/52 "2009-11-19T17:57:44Z")
Forget gun safety classes, a lot of you folks need boating safety classes. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/53 "2009-11-19T17:59:53Z")
Two. S&W .22 semiauto pistol, used (almost never) for plinking coffee cans and such. Mossberg 12g pump action shotgun, for home defense. Every few years I take it out to murder a few tin cans. My position on Gun Control: the stronger and stricter, the better, although I think _Ammunition_ Control would make more sense. The notion of “banning” all firearms is preposterous, IMO, but I do think assault rifles and such should be “discouraged” as much as is possible, even though it’s far too late to do much about the arsenals that abound in This Great Land Of Ours. . ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/54 "2009-11-19T18:19:32Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > My position on Gun Control: the stronger and stricter, the better, although I think _Ammunition_ Control would make more sense. > > . My definition of desirable gun control: Hitting one’s intended target. If I owned any guns, and if those guns survived my propensity for boating accidents, of course. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/55 "2009-11-19T18:20:31Z")
Just read all the other posts and feel like adding: I’ve had at least one firearm since I was 17. I’ve always enjoyed target shooting, never liked killing things (and haven’t for over 30 years). The handgun is kept unloaded, under lock and key. Shotgun is loaded, squirreled away in the bedroom closet. My wife’s father was an expert marksman, and has known guns all her life. We never had children, but whenever little sticky people are in the house, the shotgun is unloaded and moved to the back of a very high shelf in the closet. Their parents are made aware of this. Oh yeah- my boat sank in an accidental shooting. . ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/56 "2009-11-19T18:24:52Z")
Legal where I live, but I don’t own one. Probably will someday, though. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/57 "2009-11-19T18:34:14Z")
All of my personally owned firearms were dismantled and melted down to make a boat, which promptly sank. I still have all the ammunition though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/58 "2009-11-19T18:47:14Z")
Wouldn’t do me any good to go boating since I’m already on the list. Fingerprinted and paperworked CCW permit holder. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/59 "2009-11-19T18:51:16Z")
Don’t need one, but have one. M-1 Garand. Looking at Lugers this weekend as well, if anyone else is thinking of going out to Dulles… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111/60 "2009-11-19T18:56:05Z")
Three, technically, all inherited from my father. S&W .38 special, Ithaca Model 37 (I think) 12-gauge shotgun, and a crappy little .22 I wouldn’t try to fire unless my life depended on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-gun/518111.md?page=4)