That's one of the benefits of being a chemist. I have access to solvents that strip cosmoline off in seconds! It'll even pull it out of the wood stocks of sks and mosin-nagant rifles in a few hours.

-Blast

bentirran,

Make it your duty to inform your friends that guns and knives are good and save lives everyday. Maybe one day you too will be able to enjoy the right of self protection by bearing arms.

God bless America!

P.S. Anyone want to list some of their guns?

Isn't Switzerland mostly the same as the U.S.? Somewhere, I think I read that most citizens there can even own anti-aircraft weapons.

One thing I've wondered about England's latest no-knife law: I understand that a couple can get married at 16, but can't own knives until they're 18. Doesn't this get kind of tricky for cutting meat or veggies?

Sue

Please be careful how you word things. Just because something is semi-automatic does not make it an assult rifle. Too many times the media gets the wrong impression that they are or that knives are weapons so when I see someone mislabel things that way I try to point it out.

Only if the seller is a registered gun dealer. "Kitchen-table" gun purchases are not covered.

-Blast

I got mine 2 years ago for about $75 (actually traded $40 + my old Leatherman Wave), and it is now my SHTF rifle. I have to keep it locked up though. I've noticed it has a tendency, like all guns, to get loose sometimes and float down the street firing all by itself.

The answer as to the difference in attitudes on gun ownership between the US and UK is found in our history. Once upon a time we "colonials" here in the US had to use guns to secure our freedom from the British. As a result we decided to hang on to our guns just in case you guys over there got any more ideas later on down the road.

Not anymore evidently: Scotland to ban swords.

If true, I wonder what William Wallace would say.....

Just a thought regarding the rate of fire. Clearly a semi auto is always going to have an edge over a bolt action. But the Lee-Enfield is arguably the fastest military bolt action ever produced. During WWII the British taught quite effective close-quarters quick fire techniques for the Lee-Enfield. 5 shots in 4 seconds was standard (even faster in the hands of an expert), and with decent enough accuracy to ensure consistent hits at short range. This is not much worse than a semi auto. At any rate, few people could fire a semi auto chambered in a cartridge as powerful as the .303 much faster than that without losing control over the weapon. Check the SMLE section of Fairbairn's All-In Fighting (1942) for details. Paladin Press has published a good reprint lately.

Susan,
The Swiss have a culture of military service requiring most citzens to spend time in service and when they are done they take their rifle and other gear home to always be ready to defend Switzerland.
In WWI Hitler did not invade Switzerland mainly because of the armed and trained population. The right to own guns also kept Japan from invading the US in WWII. Owning guns scares your enemies and makes the think twice.

In WWII the Swiss had Schmidt Rubin K-31 rifles; a straight pull bolt action, now they get Sig SG 550's.
It is fully auto but not an anti-aircraft gun.