The reality of firearms.

[Diane, Denizen]

First off let me get my cards on the table-to me guns are a tool, they are like a screwdriver its about intent, guns can be used to feed the family from the wild, protect the home and can be elemental in the development of good hand eye co-ordination by regular target practice. A screwdriver can be a weapon so can a gun, intent is key. My view is this; no one should be excluded from gun ownership unless there is good reason. By example; I would be happy to have all my neighbours have guns in the home (properly secured and with owners who have been properly trained, with one exception and we all have at least one neighbour like that). In reality, I trust my neighbours, we must get to this point as a society. I would sleep more soundly knowing my neighbours were safe in their beds as I am in mine! As to the issue that is coming up in the US-'open carry' this is a cultural thing there, yet it makes sense in a sane society (alas the US is NOT a sane society). Open Carry, is basically what cops do, a gun on the belt in open view. Now I fully accept that some people might not be comfortable with this and I do accept that view, no matter how that view is based in irrational fear. In reality the more of a gun enthusiast you are the less likely you are to use guns for crime or just stupid 'mishaps'. I'm 50 something now and have had access to/carried guns since I was 14 and by some 'miracle' I have not shot any one, why? Simple answer-I was taught to shoot by a Chindit, that training was from the ground up, unlike the training cops get these days (that said the Gardai seem to have the right idea about armed officers, they are limited in number and now, as far as I can tell, have specialist training and regular up-training).
In the end, guns are not the 'problem' to society they are being made out to be, registered firearms are generally, in an Irish context, not used for criminal intent purposes. Firearms owners are generally 'grown up' people because they have a grasp of the reality of firearms, you have to, otherwise all is lost! The reluctance of certain Superintendents to issue certificates is seriously misguided and in fairness given the Gardai's record with firearms, they have a lot further to go than the people they grant firearms permits to.

Specifically, there seems to be a problem with the issue of permits for pistols and there is no rational reason for this especially for small bore (.22 calibre). .22 is a general purpose calibre that can be used for target practice, killing small game for food, vermin control and self defense (that said .22 generally is not lethal in that scenario, in the majority of deployments of .22 cal in lawful self defense, in humans it would not result in life threatening wounds (.22 would have the muzzle energy of 120 to 150 ft'lb around 10 times that of a legally held air rifle (UK power limit).
In reality there is no reason why people could not hold .22 pistols for home defense as long as proper training and up-training is maintained.

When it comes to firearms it is about being grown up! In a mature, sane society, gun ownership should be the norm not the exception, indeed every school should have a gun club, it would build maturity, reponsibility and community-and that is why it will never happen in the current system.
Thank you for reading!

[James]

It is simply in Ireland the paranoia of the Irish organs of state,IE Gardai and Govt.The Gaurds have an inordinate fear of anyone armed with a handgun.Proably as their forefathers under Micheal Collins were pretty good at murdering both British and Irish alike with them in the war of independance.
As a fellow gun owner,I sgree with 99% of what you are saying,but I guess you are coming at this from a Aerican perspective??
Trouble is us Irish are by and large an irresponsible race with anything dangerous.All you have to do is see how we handle drink,drugs,driving,and anything else that anyone who is normal and rational should be able to handle properly and responsibly,including guns of any type or calibre.However,we have some morons here who shouldnt be allowed a water pistol ,not to mind a .22!!
So having some idiot going out ,getting blocked and shooting up the pub wouldnt do us any favours.Maybe if he knows everyone else in the pub is armed it might make them behave responsibily.
It's a great idea,but unfortunately not one the Irish sheeple or the wolves in power will ever allow to happen.

[Diane, Denizen]

I'm looking at this from an Irish perspective, sort of, James;)  I'm Welsh but have been living over here nearly 20 years now. All the gun owners I've met over here seem to be pretty sound people. I get your point, there are people who shouldn't be let lose with a water pistol, but they would be in the minority. I suppose in the end its all about mindset, a car can be a lethal weapon in the wrong hands and more people die on the roads each year than are killed or injured by licensed firearms and no matter what the politicians or senior Gards say; that is a fact that can not be imagined away, but no one wants to ban driving-well at least not yet!

James said:

It is simply in Ireland the paranoia of the Irish organs of state,IE Gardai and Govt.The Gaurds have an inordinate fear of anyone armed with a handgun.Proably as their forefathers under Micheal Collins were pretty good at murdering both British and Irish alike with them in the war of independance.
As a fellow gun owner,I sgree with 99% of what you are saying,but I guess you are coming at this from a Aerican perspective??
Trouble is us Irish are by and large an irresponsible race with anything dangerous.All you have to do is see how we handle drink,drugs,driving,and anything else that anyone who is normal and rational should be able to handle properly and responsibly,including guns of any type or calibre.However,we have some morons here who shouldnt be allowed a water pistol ,not to mind a .22!!
So having some idiot going out ,getting blocked and shooting up the pub wouldnt do us any favours.Maybe if he knows everyone else in the pub is armed it might make them behave responsibily.
It's a great idea,but unfortunately not one the Irish sheeple or the wolves in power will ever allow to happen.

[Diane, Denizen]

The History of Gun Control is the History of Tyranny
The history of gun control tells us that state seizure of firearms is habitually used as a precursor to impose a power monopoly of the state.
Right back to Roman times, the lower orders were disarmed of all their weapons in a bid to suffocate the political power of the people and limit their ability to voice grievances.
Japanese warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi was candid in explaining why the population of that country was disarmed in what came to be known as Great Sword Hunt in 1588 when he decreed: “The possession of unnecessary implements [of war] makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues, and tends to foment uprisings.”
Communist mastermind Chairman Mao echoed a similar sentiment when he stated, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
Fast forward 250 years and some of the first gun control laws in the embryonic United States were against black people, to ensure they remained slaves. Blacks were prohibited “to keep or carry any firelock of any kind, any military weapon, or any powder or lead.”
Adolf Hitler was also abundantly aware of the fact that the one thing which stands in the way of a repressive dictatorship is an armed population. In 1938 the Nazis banned Jews ”from acquiring, possessing, and carrying firearms and ammunition, as well as truncheons or stabbing weapons.”
In the 21st century, the primary vanguard of gun control has been elevated to the international level. Hours after Obama’s re-election victory, his administration joined with 150 other governments to renew its support for the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, a process which critics have warned will set the stage for Americans to have their gun rights voted out of existence by the global body with no involvement from the US Congress or Senate.
Whether Obama chooses to characterize his second term by declaring war on the second amendment remains to be seen, but it’s almost inevitable given that virtually every one of Obama’s promises before his 2008 election success has been broken, we will once again witness the lurching advance of big government over the next four years as cherished rights are chewed up and spat out with wanton disregard for the Constitutional foundation of the country.
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[Diane, Denizen]

This is how the Swiss do it. The general tone of the article mirrors what I pointed out in the original post. There has to be a mature attitude towards guns and their use, the Swiss seem to have this is a nutshell. The article does however make several other valid points. High levels of gun ownership by law abiding, sane people, makes for a safe society, look at the UK now, no one has guns (except the Royals, Soldiers and cops)and the UK is the place in Europe with the worst levels of violent crime-that relationship can not be rationally ignored!

The Swiss Difference: A Gun Culture That Works

By Helena Bachmann / GenevaDec. 20, 2012109 Comments

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MICHAEL BUHOLZER / REUTERS
Swiss marksmen shoot at targets over 300 m away during an annual shooting-skills exercise near Bern

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Even as the gun-control debate rises again in the U.S. in the aftermath of the horrific school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the gun-loving Swiss are not about to lay down their arms. Guns are ubiquitous in this neutral nation, with sharpshooting considered a fun and wholesome recreational activity for people of all ages.

Even though Switzerland has not been involved in an armed conflict since a standoff between Catholics and Protestants in 1847, the Swiss are very serious not only about their right to own weapons but also to carry them around in public. Because of this general acceptance and even pride in gun ownership, nobody bats an eye at the sight of a civilian riding a bus, bike or motorcycle to the shooting range, with a rifle slung across the shoulder.

(MORE: The World’s Best — and Worst — Places to Live)

“We will never change our attitude about the responsible use of weapons by law-abiding citizens,” says Hermann Suter, vice president of Pro-Tell, the country’s gun lobby, named after legendary apple shooter William Tell, who used a crossbow to target enemies long before firearms were invented.

Switzerland trails behind only the U.S, Yemen and Serbia in the number of guns per capita; between 2.3 million and 4.5 million military and private firearms are estimated to be in circulation in a country of only 8 million people. Yet, despite the prevalence of guns, the violent-crime rate is low: government figures show about 0.5 gun homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2010. By comparison, the U.S rate in the same year was about 5 firearm killings per 100,000 people, according to a 2011 U.N. report.

Unlike some other heavily armed nations, Switzerland’s gun ownership is deeply rooted in a sense of patriotic duty and national identity. Weapons are kept at home because of the long-held belief that enemies could invade tiny Switzerland quickly, so every soldier had to be able to fight his way to his regiment’s assembly point. (Switzerland was at risk of being invaded by Germany during World War II but was spared, historians say, because every Swiss man was armed and trained to shoot.)

(MORE: Switzerland: Are Its Days as a Tax Haven for Foreigners Numbered?)

But the “gun in every closet” tradition was challenged in 2001, after a disgruntled citizen opened fire with his army rifle inside a regional parliament, killing 14 and injuring 14 others — the only mass shooting in Switzerland’s recent history. The subsequent opposition to widespread gun ownership spearheaded a push for stricter arms legislation. The government and pro-gun groups argued, however, that the country’s existing laws regulating the sale, ownership and licensing of private guns, which includes a ban on carrying concealed weapons, are stringent enough. The law allows citizens or legal residents over the age of 18, who have obtained a permit from the government and who have no criminal record or history of mental illness, to buy up to three weapons from an authorized dealer, with the exception of automatic firearms and selective fire weapons, which are banned. Semiautomatics, which have caused havoc in the U.S., can be legally purchased.

The authorities made one concession, though: since 2008, all military — but not private — ammunition must be stored in central arsenals rather than in soldiers’ homes. The debate culminated in a nationwide referendum last year, when 56% of voters rejected the proposal initiated by anti-gun organizations to ban army rifles from homes altogether.

Although guns are responsible for between 200 and 300 suicides each year in Switzerland, Pro-Tell’s Suter says these statistics have to be put in a wider perspective. He points out that the bullets used in suicides are only a tiny fraction of the 75 million rounds of ammunition that are fired each year in Switzerland during military and civilian target practice.

(MORE: When the Swiss Aren’t Neutral: Chocolates and the CIA)

One of the reasons the crime rate in Switzerland is low despite the prevalence of weapons — and also why the Swiss mentality can’t be transposed to the current American reality — is the culture of responsibility and safety that is anchored in society and passed from generation to generation. Kids as young as 12 belong to gun groups in their local communities, where they learn sharpshooting. The Swiss Shooting Sports Association runs about 3,000 clubs and has 150,000 members, including a youth section. Many members keep their guns and ammunition at home, while others choose to leave them at the club. And yet, despite such easy access to pistols and rifles, “no members have ever used their guns for criminal purposes,” says Max Flueckiger, the association’s spokesperson.

“Social conditions are fundamental in deterring crime,” says Peter Squires, professor of criminology and public policy at the University of Brighton in Great Britain, who has studied gun violence in different countries and concluded that a “culture of support” rather than focus on individualism, can deter mass killings.

“If people have a responsible, disciplined and organized introduction into an activity like shooting, there will be less risk of gun violence,” he tells TIME.

That sense of social and civic responsibility is one of the reasons the Swiss have never allowed their guns to come under fire.

Read more: http://world.time.com/2012/12/20/the-swiss-difference-a-gun-culture...

[Diane, Denizen]

I think given events in America, Dianne Fienstein gun grab and the general slide towards chaos there, we need to revisit this in an Irish context. In Irish Statute Law there is no provision for firearms for self-defense purposes. This is interesting! Surely, there are Constitutional implications to this sorry state of affairs? It is recognized internationally that Ireland has the least permissive firearms laws in the EU with the notable exception of the UK which has the second highest violent crime rates in the EU-why-because there is a total ban on guns there. Violent perpetrators know they will face no resistance; as far as they are concerned its job done. The upshot of this is that good, Law abiding citizens end up getting killed in their own homes. Is it just me who sees something wrong with this?

[Spirality]

I saw this info and wanted to post it somewhere appropriate. The original link has some photos and more information.
http://www.guns.com/2012/08/14/shooting-skills-gun-owners/
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10 Shooting Skills Every Gun owner Must Know
8/14/12 | by Jeffrey Denning

Want to be a great shooter? Whether you’re in tactical competition or real-world confrontation, developing skill sets found on this list of shooting skills will enhance your performance on the range and under fire.
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1. See Fast, Decide Fast

To shoot or not to shoot, that is the question. Deciding to shoot is the crux of the matter, really, and every shot must occur because of your informed decision to shoot.

Watch the hands for weapons that can kill, know the law, and act fast very fast. Mental reflexes are the foundation here. Are you justified? Is it time to perform? Using shoot/no-shoot target training along with a variety of realistic scenario-based training can help hone this skill. What if-gaming and having a pre-determined tactical mindset will help too.
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2. Rapid Target Acquisition

Target shot at center mass.You see the threat, you’ve made the decision to aim center mass, now it’s time to get the sights lined up and on target and whether you’re holding a long gun or a concealed handgun, getting sights on target quickly is paramount to your success in a gunfight. Your vision needs to go from the target/threat to the sights in this scenario and this vision transition is absolutely essential and often overlooked. Using a natural point of aim and your pointer (index) finger to aim, helps with a quick target acquisition or TA.
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3. Smooth Trigger Pull

Many people can line up the sights correctly, but as soon pressure is applied on the trigger, the sights wobble. Arc of movement aside, shooters who have the focus to concentrate on both the sights and a smooth trigger all the way through the break, will have the best success. I bet you’ve heard this one a million times: watch the sights all the way through a smooth trigger.

Avoid convulsing the hand, rushing the shot, slapping the trigger or anticipating the recoil. Practice with double action only (DAO) and double action/single action (DA/SA) triggers and realize no two triggers are alike.
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4. Multiple Target Transition

Where there’s one threat, there’s often two making target transition clutch. Don’t get tunnel vision. Stop the immediate threat but then scan and transition to the next threat. Remember to scan with your eyes first: eyes, muzzle, target. On occasion practice shooting three targets all at the 7 yard line. Shoot each of them once then follow up with more. Practice 180-degree shooting, as well as with targets at 5, 7 and 25 yards, all less than 30-degrees angle.
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5. Flash Sight Picture

A flash sight picture is an imperfect or less than perfect sight picture. When shooting up-close you don’t have to align your sights too precisely. Shooting a six-shot rhythm drill, for instance, will send multiple rounds towards the threat (or downrange) with a better than fair change of landing quality hits on the target. In this case, six very fast nearly bulls-eye perfect shots are better than one slow but perfectly accurate X ring shot.
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6. Pie-ing

Pie-ing drill for target acquisition.“Slicing the pie” or “pie-ing” is slowly moving from behind either cover or concealment while maintaining your eyes in line with your muzzle. Pie-ing is different than a quick peek. In order to keep the tactical advantage, you cannot give away your position or telegraph your movements.

Keep your elbows tucked in and don’t stick your muzzle, knee, head or foot out around the corner. Face the wall and bend at the hip. Learn to do it well on the non-dominant side without switching hands. Mastering this skill will give you a huge tactical advantage.
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7. Low-Light Shooting

Ideally, your guns should be outfitted with lights and rail mounts to accommodate them. Since you’re not the one initiating the gunfight, but are instead a reactive opponent of someone else’s violent stupidity, shoot-outs never happen when it’s to your advantage and there’s a good chance an attack will be in the dark or in low-light.

Practice with a weapon mounted light, but also practice with a handheld light. Reloads, malfunctions, pie-ing, and opening doors are all vastly different when holding a light.
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8. Aggression

Assertiveness and aggression can help you win and survive. Hold the beast in the cage; don’t attempt to spur or promote fighting; try everything you can in order to avoid fighting; but in the end, you’ve got to be aggressive. An aggressive stance and an aggressive attitude will help you maintain positive physical control of your weapon and quite frankly the situation. You will have greater balance, speed and a platform for mobility, in addition to the right mental attitude.
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9. Shooting On the Move

Shooting while moving drill.Standing still in a gunfight is plain stupid. It’s difficult to hit moving targets—so be a moving target. If you need to shoot on the move, it’s better to learn how to do it well on the range, under minimal amounts of stress. Start with baby steps. Shooting on the move is a good tool to add to your toolbox as a “just in case” skill.
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10. Shooting Moving Targets

Just as you should be moving if someone’s taking aim at you, the threats may be moving too. Learn the difference between tracking and ambushing. Depending upon the distance to the target, you may not have to lead the threat/target at all. In fact, if you can’t tell it’s a plausible threat because the distance is too great, you’d better not shoot. That said, shooting paper targets on a static range will almost never simulate shooting real, mobile threats on a dynamic range.

Until next time, continue to hone your skills and keep adding to your tactical toolbox.

[Diane, Denizen]

All relevant stuff. The point is well made, to shoot or not? I have had guns since the age of 14, and despite extreme provocation at times, I have not shot anyone yet! Why? Because shooting someone is not on my mind, in fact it is the last thing I want to do! I hunt, but I really don't like killing. What I kill I eat, there is no pleasure in killing. People who get pleasure from killing are actually sick in the head. This is why when the police select people for armed duty they have to very carefully select their people, they must get people who think first, talk second, attempt a non-lethal option and fire live rounds last. As we have seen in other jurisdictions this is not the way it works, and this is why we have to be vigilant and resist the knee-jerk reaction to arm the police. Thankfully, Bunreacht prevents this option, this is why we MUST protect The Constitution-its all we have!

Spirality said:

I saw this info and wanted to post it somewhere appropriate. The original link has some photos and more information.
http://www.guns.com/2012/08/14/shooting-skills-gun-owners/
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