# Gun registration **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 13, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073 "2013-01-13T17:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/21 "2013-01-13T18:46:24Z")
Very interesting. I’m left leaning as far as politics go. But it seems to me that the far right (Rush, etal) are going to be the first to prevent individual firearm ownership. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/22 "2013-01-13T18:47:24Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > exactly. firearms are dangerous and should be controlled. if they are more closely linked to their owners at each step this will prevent more from getting to criminals. How, exactly? It doesn’t keep motor vehicles from getting to criminals, and they are much bigger and harder to hide than guns are. > [@](#): > > it does help prevent deaths, registered cars need inspections which help maintain them and ensure our safety. Only in some states. Some states have no inspection requirement for vehicle registration. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/23 "2013-01-13T18:48:23Z")
Odd. Been driveing for 37 years. Can’t remember the last time I had to go to the DMV. They mail me a sticker for may plate, I send em a check. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/24 "2013-01-13T18:51:53Z")
PK mentioned the waiting period. That never seemed like a bad idea to me. I have to think that some people ended up not dead because someone couldn’t buy a gun in the heat of the moment and after cooling off for a day or two (or three) ended up not buying that gun or at least not shooting that person. As for registration, one positive I can think of (to play devil’s advocate, though I’m not totally sure about me feelings one way or the other right now) is that if someone, some day is deemed not suitable to own a firearm we can find out if they have one. Whether they become a felon or are deemed mentally unstable or whatever, someone can pull up a database and say “Oh, you have a gun, you’re gonna need to turn that in”. Of course, as we saw in another thread, it’s not that difficult to ‘lose’ your guns or claim they were stolen. I mean, if I had guns registered to me, that I didn’t want to have taken away and it wouldn’t be that hard to arrange fake smash and grab on my car in a parking lot and claim they were stolen while I was on my way to the range and stopped off for something. Still have my guns, don’t have them registered anymore. Also, now that I say that out loud, would you have to worry about your guns (legitimately) getting stolen if you had to register them? Would I need to worry that when I walk from my car to the range someone might grab my range bag and run because he wants an unregistered gun? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/25 "2013-01-13T18:52:16Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > exactly. firearms are dangerous and should be controlled. if they are more closely linked to their owners at each step this will prevent more from getting to criminals. Please try to expain how this would work. How would the registration of my firearms prevent them from falling into crimminal hands. Why would a criminal care? ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/26 "2013-01-13T18:52:29Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > How, exactly? Every weapon should be tracked, and it’s recorded each time it changes hands and re-registered every year. Weapon cabinets and locks are required, if possible include technology that locks weapons to their owners. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/27 "2013-01-13T18:53:06Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > It wouldn’t help reduce any crimes at all except for the one that the anti-gun rights crowd considers the ultimate crime: owning a gun! > > Those people don’t give a rats behind about reducing crime, or safety, or anything even remotely related. This is possibly the stupidest thing I’ve read this week. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/28 "2013-01-13T18:55:09Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > exactly. firearms are dangerous and should be controlled. if they are more closely linked to their owners at each step this will prevent more from getting to criminals. Why do you believe that’s true, by that I am asking HOW will it have any preventative measure for criminals? Do criminals lack access to vehicles as a result of the DMV? Keep in mind that when a car is used in a crime, few criminals are dumb enough to use their own car with their own plates. Like Adam Lanza, they steal the car and/or change the plates. So all we’ve done is create a massive database of stolen guns. > [@ed\_anger](#): > > it does help prevent deaths, registered cars need inspections which help maintain them and ensure our safety. Again, I have yet to see this work. The problem here is that the registration doesn’t do anything to the car. If it passed inspection in January, what’s to say it’s still safe in Dec? How often and to what lengths are you going to go? From my experience vehicle inspection was a massive money grab from mechanics that had complete control over whether or not you could drive. It’s just another layer of failed bureaucracy. > [@ed\_anger](#): > > to drive a car you need a license when mean you understand the basics of driving and the laws on driving. Again this fails. We test people at 16 and never again (except 2 states). You’d be amazed how little people know about the basics of driving. Every day I watch people that don’t know you can make a left turn on red from a one way to a one way. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/29 "2013-01-13T18:58:54Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > gun grabbers > [@Ludovic](#): > > This is possibly the stupidest thing I’ve read this week. The Pit is a couple of forums down. Keep it GD-appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/30 "2013-01-13T18:59:34Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > Every weapon should be tracked, and it’s recorded each time it changes hands and re-registered every year. Weapon cabinets and locks are required, if possible include technology that locks weapons to their owners. How does that prevent the gun being used illegally? You’ll need to invent the tech first , then retrofit to millions of guns all of which are different in design(by type/brand) from each other. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/31 "2013-01-13T19:00:01Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > Every weapon should be tracked, and it’s recorded each time it changes hands and re-registered every year. Weapon cabinets and locks are required, if possible include technology that locks weapons to their owners. How do you track guns which don’t have serial numbers? (That’s any gun made before 1968; there are a lot of them out there.) How do you enforce the storage requirement laws? Or do you just charge owners if their weapon is misused and they can’t show they were storing it properly? ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/32 "2013-01-13T19:01:26Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > You’ll need to invent the tech first , then retrofit to millions of guns all of which are different in design(by type/brand) from each other. Think forward. > [@artemis](#): > > How do you enforce he storage requirement laws? Or do you just hange owners if their weapon is misused and they can’t show they were storing it properly? This is how a lot of laws work now, no? It’s an extra charge if your weapon is stolen/used in a crime. Or you include reciepts for a gun safe etc. when you register. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/33 "2013-01-13T19:03:13Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > Think forward. Explain, please. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/34 "2013-01-13T19:04:22Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Odd. Been driveing for 37 years. Can’t remember the last time I had to go to the DMV. They mail me a sticker for may plate, I send em a check. What would happen if they didn’t send you the sticker? Perhaps some busy bodies in your area decide that Black Cadillac Escalades are the choice of vehicle for criminals, and that by making them illegal they can crack down on drugs and gangs. You’ve got a Black Cadillac Escalade and one day find out you are no longer allowed to own it in your neighbourhood. If the government ever wanted to crack down on gas guzzling SUVs that’s a pretty quick way to do it. That’s a bit of a stretch, but we’re talking about public safety here, so what happens if the government wants all cars without airbags off the road. Or all cars without ABS. As a more practical example, consider new laws pertaining to child seats. ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/35 "2013-01-13T19:07:27Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Explain, please. This is a process which can be refined, new weapons would automatically met requirements. Someone can come up with ways to handle exceptions, just like we do with classic cars. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/36 "2013-01-13T19:09:14Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > This is a process which can be refined, new weapons would automatically met requirements. Someone can come up with ways to handle exceptions, just like we do with classic cars. So it does nothing about the guns already available. Big help there.:rolleyes: So you’re just spouting someone else’s drivel and you have no original thoughts of your own. ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/37 "2013-01-13T19:09:18Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > That’s a bit of a stretch, but we’re talking about public safety here, so what happens if the government wants all cars without airbags off the road. Or all cars without ABS. > > As a more practical example, consider new laws pertaining to child seats. And this is a terrible thing? So you replace your outdated weapon with one that meets safety requirements. ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/38 "2013-01-13T19:10:43Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > So it does nothing about the guns already available. Big help there.:rolleyes: You don’t think it would be a long-term process? There’s a huge number of weapons out there, getting them into a registration system will take time. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/39 "2013-01-13T19:14:55Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > This is how a lot of laws work now, no? It’s an extra charge if your weapon is stolen/used in a crime. Do we currently have a law like that for anything else anyone owns? When a car is used in a crime it was probably stolen, are you going to charge the owner? What about when hijackers stole planes from American Airlines and United, then crashed them into buildings? > [@ed\_anger](#): > > Or you include reciepts for a gun safe etc. when you register. Which is exactly why people are against registration. Oddly enough, it’s exactly the same process used by pro-life groups. Just keep making abortion more and more cumbersome and expensive. In my neighbourhood if you want to own chickens you need to go around and get signatures from your neighbours. Ditto if a restaurant wants a liquor licence. Might as well do that with guns. I should have a say if my neighbour wants a deadly weapon on the other side of the wall. I’d at least hope he’s using hollow point. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073/40 "2013-01-13T19:16:36Z")
> [@ed\_anger](#): > > And this is a terrible thing? So you replace your outdated weapon with one that meets safety requirements. In what ways are guns unsafe beyond the obvious? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-registration/647073.md?page=3)