# How do American Gun Laws Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 2, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515 "2012-03-02T03:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TXCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/76d3ee/32.png) [@TXCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TXCowboy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515/21 "2012-03-02T20:34:55Z")
> [@Ifiknewitalllifewouldbeboring](#): > > _In some states ie Texas people have to carry guns to protect them from the vast amount of dangerous snakes, scorpions etc… so they have more lenient gun laws than other states, but in that same regard Texas has a lot stiffer laws on murder than most states, so if you shoot someone in" Self Defense" out there you’d better have proof or a good attorney._ Thats right…I never leave the ranch without my trusty .45, never know when you will have to defend yourself against one of those killer…scorpions!! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515/22 "2012-03-02T20:39:50Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Slight hijack: > > Has **The Grapist** returned? I think he married _ **The Italicist** _ and the OP is their offspring. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515/23 "2012-03-03T00:07:14Z")
> [@Nunavut\_Boy](#): > > Huh. It seems strange to me that gun laws can be so different state-to-state; having federal gun laws seems so much more _efficient._ There are three major federal gun laws on the books: the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1968, and the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. All of them address different things, although due to amendments and the like they are inextricably intertwined. Within the framework of those laws, states have the right to impose restrictions that do not infringe upon the individual-rights ruling of the Supreme Court. To be honest, I much prefer it that way. A comprehensive Federal right can be easily changed to something that I don’t care for, and within the patchwork of laws I can choose where to live based upon that and adjust accordingly. The only thing I would like to see is universal reciprocity for CCW permits, but that’s something I can easily live without. The bottom line: efficiency with regard to US gun laws is not a positive. On the contrary, I prefer to have them as inefficient as possible, with no possibility that the laws of Washington DC, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, or California will ever be imposed upon me simply because they have greater pull within the government. The only place for efficiency is NICS, an amazingly efficient program, which makes me wonder if it’s really a government program at all. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515/24 "2012-03-03T19:32:08Z")
> [@Nunavut\_Boy](#): > > Huh. It seems strange to me that gun laws can be so different state-to-state; having federal gun laws seems so much more _efficient._ When it comes to government in the U.S., “efficiency” is not the goal, nor should it be. If efficiency were the goal, we would simply eliminate the idea of having states and institute a national government. But we don’t want to do this, since it would infringe on our individual liberties. How? When you have a single, national government, a citizen has no choice on the government that will serve him or her; the government is a monopoly. When you have state governments, a citizen is able to choose which government will serve them. This is not as efficient an arrangement as having a single national government, but it is infinitely better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-american-gun-laws-work/614515.md?page=1)