Nic:

I wish I knew where to start, but beyond the few things I will post here, please try to visit the National Rifle Association site for more complete answers and examples. If you feel the NRA will try to mislead you, please be advised that they have been picked out by some orginization that monitors lobbying groups the world over as being one of the most accurate and verifyable sources of what they say.

Swiss citizens are required to serve in their military for a certain period of years and as part of their service, they are issued and required to have their assigned weapon in their house with ammunition. Some of those weapons are squad support weapons which fall into medium heavy machine guns. Switzerland is a nice country with relatively low crime rate.

Isrealites are armed to the teeth with weapons open and concealed. Many of the weapons are FULL automatic and SELECT fire. They have a relatively low crime rate. The organization of Jewish people that has a B.B. (Sorry, I don't know how to spell it.) for its name here in America has steadfastly fought for all manner of gun control in the United States, I don't know their stand in Isreal, but I find their behavior contrary to what history should have shown them by now.

England has had more and more gun control, yet recently it seems more and more bobbies want to be armed because the respect they once had has eroded due to the nature of the criminals that are increasenly more violent in the U.K. and their crime rate is increasing but still relatively low.

Australia seems to be getting more violent criminals who are using more handguns more often than ever, yet I believe they have eliminated private ownership of even pump action long guns because of their rapid rate of fire (Am not sure, but I believe they only allow dual barrel shotguns, bolt actions, lever actions, and single shots.).

This post is a little disjointed, but what I am trying to say is that there seems to be little or no rhyme or reason to how guns are used and their supposed availability.

I think the AK is an ugly rifle, but I would want it or a Galil if I was in a real combat zone. I like the FAL FAN, the CETME, the G3, the M14, the M1 Garand, the M1 CARBINE (I have owned two of them, one an army surplus, and one a PLAINFIELD with dual actuating bars.), and the THOMPSON submachine gun. I identify with the history of these guns and appreciate the design and lines. If I had the funds, I would own at least one copy of the guns I have mentioned just to possess them, not because I expect the dogs of war at my door. For that reason, I want them available.

Your post seems to indicate that you believe possesion of this sort of arsenal makes one more likely to become physcopathic then one would be if they just owned a single shot weapon. That is simply not true.

Most of my guns are pistols and revolvers of various calibers. The primary reason (And now I am going to really blow my horn.) for owning handguns for me is to have one around the house because it gives me a secure feeling, (Especially now with knees that do not allow flight and seriously hinder the ability to fight.) and I am so good with a rifle that target shooting at the available 25 yard ranges in Milwaukee is not a challange. All the rifles I currently own are .22 caliber because it is inexpensive to shoot them. I have a light bolt action target rifle by Mossberg, a Winchester Mdl. 62A pump rifle with the external hammer, and a Savage semi-automatic rifle. The Winchester pump is a collectors item currently valued at $650.00, and because they did not use a disconnector in the trigger mechanism in the old days, I can pump out shots faster from it than my Savage semi-auto can shoot.

I want to be able to buy any type of rifle, and pistol that I want as long as I am not a threat to others. I have lived in my country since I immigrated here at age 5 and you can not believe how pissed off I am that I am looked at as a potential criminal because I carry a pocket knife. When I was younger, I used to take a bus to the target range, and no one would be upset at seeing a 14 year old kid hauling two or more rifles and an .50 caliber ammo box full of ammunition. Nowadays, if you wear a t-shirt with a gun on it, some idiot calls the cops because you "look dangerous". I am sick and tired of being classified because of my hobbies.

Bountyhunter