I did have to lie by checking the box on the mail order form that I was at least 18 years old. LOL

If it's easy for you to get one it's also easy for a criminal, asshole, psychotic, etc to get one as well. Sorry them's just the facts.

Also the government doesn't do a very good job of picking out which Ralphies are most likely to shoot their eyes out.

The approach I like best is similar to NZ or other European countries where you have to join a "club", but instead of hunting-only club or target-shooting club we would call our clubs Militias to make the progressive 2a re-interpreters STFU.

Every Militia could be more or less exclusive with their memberships, but if one of the members goes on a killing spree then the militia loses their charter and the members have to join up with another group (providing they haven't burned their bridges). More important will be the permanent stain on the honor of the group and former members. This will cause people to evaluate each other very carefully and weed out those who should not be trusted.

But then in exchange for this system we eventually get access to whatever we want/can afford all the way up to belt-fed and possibly beyond, as well as mandatory two extra weeks off our jobs during the year for training purposes so we can hone our skills in a group environment and spend significant amounts of time with people we are supposed to be watching for signs of inappropriate behavior.

I'm sure the insurance companies will have a heyday with this, but it's probably cheaper for the govt to subsidize militia policies than maintain the fiscal nightmare of a the world's most expensive standing army with billions falling through the cracks of a Pentagon that can't even complete an audit

When I lived in SoCal I remember when I was very young being with my father when he bought some guns from a store. There was a local hardware store that carried guns. He walked in picked one out, paid his money and walked out with the gun. He only bought pistols. He bought guns from gun stores as well as gun shows. I remember him meeting people in parking lots and buying guns out of someone’s trunk. He sold guns like that as well.

When I was 18 I started buying my own guns. By that time we had the 2 week waiting period for pistols. Not rifles/shotguns. Eventually, the two week waiting period applied to all guns. Then I remember having to take a gun safety test to get a certificate to buy a gun. It was good for a year. Then I remember having to take a class to get the certification. I stopped buying guns at that time. Eventually, registration took hold. 

There was a time when I would be in favor of zero restrictions.
Sadly, I see and hear about a lot of stupid irresponsible gun handling nowadays.
The internet seems to propagate  stupid gun behavior too.

Like any thing else in this world it just takes a few bad apples.......

And the Gods made love.......

If instant background checks actually worked the way they are supposed to I would be in favor of them. If the 2 week waiting period prevented more shootings I would be in favor of them. But sadly, I see data that more victims are shot while waiting for the 2 weeks. If gun registration and other controls actually did work I would be in favor of them.

Like you said, you cannot fix stupid. I just wish we would go back to punishing those who commit crimes appropriately. It won’t stop everyone from doing bad things, but it will reduce it.

The waiting period makes absolutely no sense if you already own a gun of any type.

The waiting period makes absolutely no sense if you already own a gun of any type.

I think there are places that should be harder too.