Police Officers in 11 States have to sell back firearms confiscated in raids

[ironbite]

Yeah those places don't have it enshrined in their fucking DNA that guns stop tyranny.

[The_Queen]

And after skimming the article, I think I can sum it up by saying: "GUNS! NRA! BE SCARED! BOOGY BOOGY!" Yes, I am jaded on fear-mongering articles like this one because I see it all the fucking time from "journalists" who know sweet fuck all about what they are talking about and want build up sensationalist bullshit out of a non-issue.

I am operating on sleep deprivation and my fuse is mighty short so this post might come off a little more heated than would otherwise be deserved.

It doesn't come off as heated, it comes off as flippant and dismissive. I am the only person in the thread to mention the NRA, aside from Askold who modified his post 2 minutes before this post. So, since me mentioning the NRA amounts to fear-mongering and "Boogy Boogy," do you really think that the NRA is anything but an extremist organization that prioritizes the profits of gun manufacturers over the interests of reasonable gun owners, sensible gun policy, and public safety?

[Canadian Mojo]

I take it that nobody in favor of this has stopped to consider that giving cops a profit motive to seize guns might not go very well for gun owners if proceeds of crime abuses are anything to go by.

[Damen]

And after skimming the article, I think I can sum it up by saying: "GUNS! NRA! BE SCARED! BOOGY BOOGY!" Yes, I am jaded on fear-mongering articles like this one because I see it all the fucking time from "journalists" who know sweet fuck all about what they are talking about and want build up sensationalist bullshit out of a non-issue.

I am operating on sleep deprivation and my fuse is mighty short so this post might come off a little more heated than would otherwise be deserved.

It doesn't come off as heated, it comes off as flippant and dismissive. I am the only person in the thread to mention the NRA, aside from Askold who modified his post 2 minutes before this post. So, since me mentioning the NRA amounts to fear-mongering and "Boogy Boogy," do you really think that the NRA is anything but an extremist organization that prioritizes the profits of gun manufacturers over the interests of reasonable gun owners, sensible gun policy, and public safety?

Yeah, no. I was referring to the article in the first post, which did mention the NRA. That is why I said "the article" and not "Queen's post." As for my opinion of the NRA, since you asked, I have issues with them but my overall opinions of them are fairly positive.

I take it that nobody in favor of this has stopped to consider that giving cops a profit motive to seize guns might not go very well for gun owners if proceeds of crime abuses are anything to go by.

Good point. Look at what happened with asset forfeiture laws.

[The_Queen]

I really need to work on reading, I could've sworn it was "thread" and not "article"

[Damen]

No problem, it happens to all of us.

[Askold]

Japan is weird...

Their gun laws are really strict but I don't like the fact that they have banned people buying things like pistols or small caliber rifles (the current owners can still keep the guns but no one gets a new license for a rifle and as the owners die the guns get confiscated. No pistols are legally owned by civilians.)

I like the rigorous testing and the mandatory rules for safe storage of guns though.

Meanwhile, in France you can buy a shotgun without a license. Yes, they have strict rules for some guns but the fact remains that people can buy certain "less dangerous" firearms without any regulations and that bit scares me.

[Canadian Mojo]

Can't say I have ever associated shotgun with being somehow 'less dangerous.'

[Askold]

Can't say I have ever associated shotgun with being somehow 'less dangerous.'

Me neither and that kind of thinking that some firearms are "less dangerous" is dangerous in itself.

We've all seen the images comparing two rifles, one looks like a standard military assault rifle while the other has wooden bits and looks like a hunting rifle. Both are equally dangerous and have the same exact firepower despite different appearances.

Usually countries consider pistols to be more dangerous and have more restrictions on them because they are easily concealable but anyone with a shotgun and some tools can cut down the barrel and stock and have an easily concealable gun.

Actually, a lot of criminals do just that because getting a shotgun or rifle is much easier and if you're just going to rob the nearby hot dog stand you don't need enough firepower to take on a platoon. Likewise anyone going on a shooting rampage can do a lot of damage with a shotgun.

[guizonde]

according to some of my very pro-gun friends (all target and range shooters, one of them collecting and maintaining museum pieces to shoot), two things can be said about gun culture in france. france is a very historically-minded hunter culture. thus the prevalence of shotguns. you don't need a gun license for a shotgun, but you do need a hunting licence. most gun owners are hunters, few are target shooters, like my friends. there's relatively few laws regarding blackpowder rifles and pistols, so most shooters start off with these. my friend has a single action blackpowder revolver that got him on the shooting range before looking currently at a s&w model 3 from 1874 (iirc). he has his shooting and gun licence, he's all checked out. but it's really tough to actually get a licence to own revolvers, carbines, or any "fun" gear (their word, not mine).

the logic behind it is, you're not gonna be hunting boar with a 1917 lebel rifle (my friend's range-partner) or with a pistol. that must mean that you're gonna go on a killing spree omgpanic!!!

the background checks are tough, and the restrictions go from sensible to silly. for example, you are not allowed assault rifles (sensible, really) but you're also not allowed semi-auto rifles (like an m1 garand) unless the gun was specifically checked out by a governmentally-approved armorer (not the right word) because you could modify them to go full auto. even with the afore-mentioned m1 garand. don't ask me how that works.

regarding this whole situation, so long as you keep your gun away from me, i'm ok with this, but i just don't like those things. to each their own.

[RavynousHunter]

Funny thing is, full-auto mods are more likely to kill the person using the gun than any intended victims.  Semi-auto guns are machined specifically to be semi-auto and modding them to full-auto introduces structural weaknesses that can, at times, cause the gun to basically explode in your hand.

[Askold]

Apparently EU is going to change the gun laws soon and there will be a total ban on all semi-automatic rifles.

So if you've done (or want to do) things like practical shooting, hunted with a semi-auto rifle or collect firearms this is going to suck. Finnish reservists are also going to lose a lot of guns.

Not 100% certain about these rumours but if true, this is not going to help prevent criminals from getting firearms.

[SCarpelan]

My guess is the law (if the rumor is true) is trying to limit the damage a mass shooter is able to do. These people usually get their guns legally since they really aren't career criminals.

[guizonde]

My guess is the law (if the rumor is true) is trying to limit the damage a mass shooter is able to do. These people usually get their guns legally since they really aren't career criminals.

besides, if you want to go for huge damage, bombs and stealth are better alternatives. but bombs require know-how (easy enough. thanks obama internet) and stealth requires peak physical condition. that would mean actually having to do an effort. not like kill-sticks, sorry rifles.

[Sylvana]

Just my two cents. I dont want to turn this into some kind of crazy gun debate, but the police selling seized guns is just plain balls to the wall insane.
Sure, if police confiscate a gun while doing a search then once the crime or matter is resolved that gun should be return to the rightful owner. If a gun was used in a crime, it should be in the evidence lockup for the foreseeable future.

This whole thing is just wrong. I can understand that it brings in revenue, but the police should never be selling guns on principle, let alone the fact that they are basically selling other peoples confiscated property.