what accidents have you had with a gun?

[Rikter8]

When you look at actual causes of accidental deaths, you get a picture more like this:

Hmm... the only issue I see with that chart is the Medical Malpractice....that should be a LOT higher.

There are Thousands of people dying from Medical malpractice - even at the Pharmacy. (Count my Fathers Death as one of them)

I wouldn't be suprised if that number was much higher than what was quoted.

 

[callmedafonz]

Errrr, this is quite intimidating. Do you always just have your gun at the ready?

I fear for those girl scouts.

when i go to bed i have my gun in my top drawer with the clip right next to it. it is easy to load

 

[tripod]

when i go to bed i have my gun in my top drawer with the clip right next to it. it is easy to load

You have a handgun in NYC? What are you, a cop?

 

[D_Andreas Sukov]

In my top draw i have letters from various things. If someone breaks into my home, i can give them a papercut to the jugular

 

[callmedafonz]

You have a handgun in NYC? What are you, a cop?

i live in nj...but i am only 3 miles out of manhattan

 

[tripod]

i live in nj...but i am only 3 miles out of manhattan

Gotcha. There's nothing like a handgun to make one feel safe in this fucked up world. All I have at the house are rifles.

 

[B_Mister Buildington]

I enjoy shooting, but question the motives of a lot of gun owners.

From where I'm sitting, the debate has reached the point where it is less about protection, a 'militia' (a concept that has been obsolete for about 100 years)...

The militia is far from an obsolete concept. Eventually, the government will overstep its place in egregious enough fashion that violence will be the only recourse. Our founding fathers knew it and safeguarded our right to defend ourselves against tyranny.

 

[tripod]

The militia is far from an obsolete concept. Eventually, the government will overstep its place in egregious enough fashion that violence will be the only recourse. Our founding fathers knew it and safeguarded our right to defend ourselves against tyranny.

Tell that to the National Guard while they're running a tank straight up your butthole for being a terrorist.

You guys are sooooo askin' for it.

 

[SpeedoMike]

Never. a friend owned a hunting ranch in California and our mutual friend was a park ranger.

I spent a weekend one time at the ranch. they were target practicing and suggested I fire their weapons. I declined until they explained they wanted me to respect what a gun could do, and that I would take gun safety training if I later wanted a gun.

First I fired a 10 gauge shotgun followed by a 12 gauge. they warned me about the 12 gauge's kick, and it did indeed bruise my shoulder. Next was Steve's duty weapon, a .357, the only pistol I've fired.

an interesting lesson, and I know how important it is to respect firearms. Haven't fired anything since. Haven't had an accident either.

 

[HazelGod]

First I fired a 10 gauge shotgun followed by a 12 gauge. they warned me about the 12 gauge's kick, and it did indeed bruise my shoulder.

I'm guessing you meant to say that you fired a 20-gauge first. Shotgun bore sizes go up (as does their power) as the gauge numbers come down. A 10-gauge is a good piece stronger than a 12-gauge...and they aren't that common, either.

 

[798686]

How do you take guns out of of the warzones of certain American cities (Most Americans wouldn't dare go near a warzone). Tougher gun laws aren't going to stop gang violence, where most gun deaths come from. Only the National Guard can put things back in order, I suppose. But who's ever going to that?

That's true - and it's the same in other countries. UK has gun probs in the inner cities - but surely, if guns were less readily available and less of a way of life for the ordinary population, there would be less in circulation, and hopefully gun crime/deaths could be reduced to just those warzone areas (where it would have to be tackled differently)?

I don't think it would necessarily make the rest of the population more vulnerable either - they're usually for turf-wars including drug supply etc, and gangs don't seem to to rampantly shooting the rest of the population, just cos they're unarmed. (Gun crime tends to stay pretty much within those inner city areas in the UK).

Which makes it just another hotbutton issue that won't ever go away, no matter how reasoned an argument is put forth by either side.

I think you're right, unfortunately.

 

[B_Mister Buildington]

Tell that to the National Guard while they're running a tank straight up your butthole for being a terrorist.

You guys are sooooo askin' for it.

I'm afraid I don't catch your meaning. I'm just saying that it is better to organize and revolt than to live in some sort of Orwellian dystopia. We aren't there yet, but who knows about in 100 years?

Revolution is sometimes necessary for the liberty and dignity of man.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Oooh, five hundred whole deaths? Wow, in a population of 300+ million, that's...help me out here...what's the exact opposite of statistically significant?

That figure is bullshit anyhow, overstated by about 5x.

Here are the actual accidental firearm death reports for persons in the USA aged 0-17, along with the (total number of accidental deaths):

2000: 150 (8992)
2001: 125 (8739)
2002: 115 (8787)
2003: 102 (8478)
2004: 105 (8659)
2005: 127 (8247)
2006: 102 (8042)

For the mathematically-challenged, that's about 1.25% of accidental deaths for this age group. In most years, nearly twice as many kids are killed by bicycle accidents as by firearms...and there are a hell of a lot more guns out there than bikes.

Oh my! Can't believe you said that. More then hundred children get killed a year because of a gunaccident!!! That is huge!!! That shouldn't even happen, and you say it's nothing compared to the 300 million others.

Gun accidents represent about 3% of all gun deaths, with 55% from suicides. Lawful shootings (police and self-defense) are just under 4%. The remaining 38% are homicides. Annually about 30,000 people die in the US as a result of firearms. 3% of 30,000 = 900.

There are usually around 40,000 car accident deaths every year, but recently that's been declining, so let's put it at 35,000. 15,000 of them are related to drunk driving.

900 vs. 15,000 doesn't seem like a very good use of resources

But then let's add in homicides. 38% of 30,000 = 11,000. 11,000 + 900 = 11,900.

You compare these two things now. But don't you see it... Having a gun is a choice, you have it in your own hands. You can say a car is a choice too, but you don't point your car at someone to kill the person. And if you are good in comparing, realise then that there are far more cars in use then guns

Pieter, I'm confused on how you can think you can solve a situation unarmed, when an intruder would come to attack your family. Do you seriously believe you will be able to "Talk" them into leaving??
Dude, if they are armed, you and your family are dead. They are there for a purpose, and you or your children getting in the way will not stop them from their crazed mission. Not necessarily a gun - a Knife is used just as easily.

I don't see why you are so confused. You have a gun because you consider an intruder could come and do something to your family. I understand that with YOUR experiences in the past you are more aware of such things. But there aren't many who can share your experience. And still, if an intruders comes in your house to kill, they would just shoot you before you even have the chance to protect anyone of your family. It's so dangerous.



But to come back on the thread. Accident doesn't only involve people who get hurt. For example, you can have a gun and use it when you are alone and suddenly it goes off by "accident", but this time you were lucky because no one was around and could get hurted... Then you put your gun away and won't use it untill that moment someone intrudes your house... and you still can't handle that gun and harm yourself with it or one of your beloved ones... It's not because you have a gun that you can handle a gun.
But as I notice on here and the already many answers I got... That attitude over there won't change...
Funny enough I got so many private messages from members who share the same opinions as me, but they also say it useless to even argue on here when you only hear things like the right of the constitution or intruders and rapers etc...

 

[B_Mister Buildington]

Damn right the attitude won't change. We aren't going to dismantle our bill of rights because some people think individuals shouldn't be trusted until they render themselves incapable of self-defense.

If an American is worried about accidents with his gun, he doesn't have to own a gun. I have no idea what you are trying to prove here.

 

[rob_just_rob]

The militia is far from an obsolete concept. Eventually, the government will overstep its place in egregious enough fashion that violence will be the only recourse. Our founding fathers knew it and safeguarded our right to defend ourselves against tyranny.

See what I mean about scoring political points?

I hate to break it to you, but Red Dawn isn't even remotely realistic.

 

[B_Mister Buildington]

No, it really isn't. That was about an invasion from outside, though, if I recall correctly. I'm talking about revolution.

You're wrong if you think there will never again be a violent revolution in the western world.

 

[rob_just_rob]

No, it really isn't. That was about an invasion from outside, though, if I recall correctly. I'm talking about revolution.

You're wrong if you think there will never again be a violent revolution in the western world.

You're still trying to score political points with this, I see, further proving my point.

And you're delusional if you think private gun ownership in the USA will be of material significance in an attempt to resist or overthrow the US government.

 

[Rikter8]

But there aren't many who can share your experience.

And still, if an intruders comes in your house to kill, they would just shoot you before you even have the chance to protect anyone of your family. .

Thats good that there aren't many. I believe if there weren't the protection available...there would be even more.

Kill me first? Nah. That's what Night vision goggles are for They don't stand a chance in hell.

Simply put - accidents happen because of careless stupid people. The incidents you hear are rare and most of them are because of improper supervision of children, failure to put things away properly, and plain and simple Lack of education on what weapons can do.

 

[rob_just_rob]

Thats good that there aren't many. I believe if there weren't the protection available...there would be even more.

Kill me first? Nah. That's what Night vision goggles are for They don't stand a chance in hell.

I don't have a problem with people owning guns for personal protection. I'm fortunate to live in a place where the odds of my needing a gun for self defense are vanishingly small, but I recognize that others live in different circumstances/situations. Some of those circumstances or situations may be due to more guns being in society, and they may not...

I don't have a problem with recreational shooters, and don't really have a problem with outdoorspersons/hunters, for the most part.

What I have a problem with is those who attempt to portray themselves as being braver/of a higher morality or responsibility/defenders of liberty simply because they own (a) gun(s), and disparaging those who don't. That's cheap politics, as well as illogical.

 

[D_Tully Tunnelrat]

Never had an accident myself, but a friend of mine was accidentally shot by his brother, when the bullet from the brother's .22 ricocheted off a block of ice and hit him in the arm. He also almost blew off his finger while "demonstrating" how to fire his grandpa police positive: an old standard issue Colt six shot .38. That family has some awesome Turkish rifles, but was almost lethally short on gun safety.

Haven't shot in a while, but used to love to shoot skeet.

The genie's out of the bag here on guns. Going back to a mandatory draft where everyone serves, and everyone takes their rifle home, would do more to enforce gun safety, and reduce crime than anything the NRA, or the anti-gun lobby has come up with.

The biggest black hole in the US regarding gun ownership is pseudo restrictive laws in gun happy states, like VA, where you can only buy one gun per month (such hardship...). Of course many of those are driven right up the 95 to NY, where it's much tougher to own, but thanks to VA, easy to buy "second hand."