Gun ownership and permits.

[rolmops]

Where I lived there are many gun owners. The government does the usual background checks so guns stay out of the hands that should not hold them. But once you have the gun there are a few rules that are interesting.
Every gun owner has to renew his license every so often and once a year every owner has to show up at a certified rifle range. At the range. a gun safety refreshing course , usually like a 30 to 40 minute deal must be attended. Each gun undergoes an inspection to see if it is in good shape and well maintained. At the firing range the loading and unloading practice is retaught and there is some target practice. Whoever does not come to these refresher courses has his license revoked. What do you think about this?

 

[briangcc]

Not a gun owner but I think that's a reasonable requirement. It's similar to our yearly safety inspections on vehicles here in NY.

I've looked into a pistol permit once, direct result of an incident at the hospital that was 4 blocks from my house. Guy showed up with a rifle and home made bomb demanding narcotics or he was going to detonate himself. Swat was circling overhead and shelter in place orders were given. Nothing came of it and hospital has since moved so no real urgency on my end...especially with young kids in my household.

 

[airshot]

Every serious gun owner I know practices on a regular bases. Carrying a gun means you must know how and be ready to use it if the occasion arrises. Anyone that owns a gun and does not practice using it, should give it up, because when the time comes and it is really needed....you will fail under pressure and the criminal will have the advantage. I know many are collectors with no intention of using their collectables and that is fine. But if you own a gun for protection.....learn to use it well and practice with it, if you don't, you will forget those skills when needed most !! As far as the original question.......that is an area I would choose to move away from, that is why I live in areas where I have freedoms from harrasment.. I am curious though...do the police have to certify there weapons and show their skills as well ??

 

[BWR1953]

Lot of politics.

 

[rolmops]

Lot of politics.

I would hope that this does not draw politics. The question of ownership is not part of this conversation. How to responsibly own a gun is discussed here.

 

[aspeck]

I would hope that this does not draw politics. The question of ownership is not part of this conversation. How to responsibly own a gun is discussed here.

The problem is there is a difference between how to responsibly own a gun and government oversight of what is responsible. That is where the politics come in. If we can keep this discussion about responsible ownership, I am all for it. If it devolves into what the government should do, then it will be closed.

Personally, I do not want the government to know if, how many, or what guns I own. That only leads to easier confiscation if the political winds blow one way or the other. And I believe it is 60 days after purchase the "approvals" are supposed to be destroyed by the government agencies. I do feel that I have a right to gun ownership, but along with that goes the responsibility to store and use them is a safe and careful manner. How that looks is different now that I do not have any children living in the house. And when there are children in the house, things look different than when they are not there.

I hate to generalize, but I think country folk have a far different view of guns than city folk. For country folk they are a tool ... for food first, protection from dangerous critters second, and people last. For city folk it is generally the other way around. Different uses require different practices. One size doesn't fit all.

I will stop now.

Edit: I just checked gun registration and Federal Law requires that the gun dealer needs to keep the paper record for 20 years, but the government is supposed to destroy their copy.

In PA the Pa State Police keeps a permanent database of handgun and certain other firearm sales. PSP must destroy any record of a long gun sale within 72 hours of the background check. However, the dealer must submit a statement to PSP within 14 days of the sale

States in general ... Some states require sellers to keep records of firearm sales for a set period of time. For example, New York and North Carolina require indefinite retention of records for dealer sales. Oregon requires five years of retention for dealer sales

 

[southkogs]

I like Speck's vibe: ^^^

I think it's fine if your state or municipality issues some type of reasonable training or renewal requirement - but based on statistics, I don't think it's necessary. And that comes from someone who has owned and carried firearms for over 30 years ... and has lost a couple of friends and buried a former student due to incidents with a firearm.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Where I lived there are many gun owners. The government does the usual background checks so guns stay out of the hands that should not hold them. But once you have the gun there are a few rules that are interesting.
Every gun owner has to renew his license every so often and once a year every owner has to show up at a certified rifle range. At the range. a gun safety refreshing course , usually like a 30 to 40 minute deal must be attended. Each gun undergoes an inspection to see if it is in good shape and well maintained. At the firing range the loading and unloading practice is retaught and there is some target practice. Whoever does not come to these refresher courses has his license revoked. What do you think about this?

Is this is in the US?

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I have to renew my carry license on a yearly basis, and no you can not see or inspect my fire arms. Nor will you ask me if I keep loaded firearms in my home.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Where I live in Pa. You need to renew your permit every 5 years. All that’s needed is to pass a criminal background check. Can all be done online. Once your cleared you go to the courthouse get your picture taken and walk out with your permit. Way back in the day you did it by mail and in person and no photo was needed. They don’t check guns or require training. Neighboring state New Jersey it is almost impossible to get a permit. I cross over the border time to time. The regulations they have as far as carrying a gun are absolutely ridiculous. Look it up if you’re interested.
I’ll stop there because dont want to get political.

 

[BWR1953]

...If we can keep this discussion about responsible ownership, I am all for it. If it devolves into what the government should do, then it will be closed...

Thank you.

I've been around guns my entire life. Started shooting at 3 years old and at 71 now, still have a few. At one point, guns were my main hobby and I owned well over a hundred at the same time about 20 years ago. Sold the bulk of those to generate cash to buy my home here.

Being raised around them, and my father being a WW2 combat vet, I had safety instilled into me from the beginning. Went hunting with my dad and other relatives. Got my first 20 gauge shotgun at 15 and was allowed to hunt alone; because I was very safe and my parents trusted me.

I do remember taking my 20 gauge to school and keeping it in my locker so that I could go hunting after school was out. Totally legal back in those days. The only questions I got were: "Did you get anything?"

When my stepson joined me here 12 years ago (he was 6), I started teaching him about gun safety and we did some backyard practice with a pellet gun. But, he was into video games and didn't care about the concept of gun safety. I demonstrated their destructive power by destroying a concrete block with my little .380 and he just didn't care. Tried teaching him more later, but it became apparent that guns were not for him. I always kept everything locked up and unavailable to him.

I've had a Florida carry permit for 20+ years. A couple years ago a law was passed that eliminated a mandatory concealed carry permit. Mine will expire in a few years, but I'll renew it anyway, since it gives additional privileges. There's no gun registration in Florida.

My daughter (now 36) was 14 when I taught her. She had a natural aptitude. Worked her way up from a single shot 22 to a Ruger P-90 (45ACP) and she loved that thing. She moved away in 2006, but when she returned to visit a number of years later, I let her shoot my HK P2000SK in 357SIG and she was still a dead shot with that powerful little handgun. When she felt the recoil of that little beast, she just said "Oh!" and then gripped tighter and started hitting bullseyes.

 

[rolmops]

Is this is in the US?

Israel.

 

[rolmops]

What if the yearly refresher course was done through an organization like the NRA and they would only inform the authorities if the refresher conditions were ignored?

 

[briangcc]

I stand by my comments in post 2....It's reasonable in my opinion.

Just as it would be reasonable to have drivers re-take their driver's exam as after yesterday's trip into work, a number of people could stand to be removed from the roads.

Or to have boaters re-certify on their boater's certificate. It's mandatory to hold the certificate in my state for all boaters starting 2025. My oldest will be getting his next year with mom and I. A refresher when he's in his mid-20's would be appropriate as he's 12 this year.

 

[alldodge]

Have many guns and also conceal carry permit along with wife.

Do not have any Assault type (never did and still do not know anyone which "needs" them other then LEO).

Do not agree with yearly or every so many year certification to have other then LEO. If I'm protecting my home or my self on the street and I miss that's on me and I might be dead.

 

[southkogs]

What if the yearly refresher course was done through an organization like the NRA and they would only inform the authorities if the refresher conditions were ignored?

Ooops ... wait a second. I think I mighta' misread things: Would this be for ownership, or for carry?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Have many guns and also conceal carry permit along with wife.

Do not have any Assault type (never did and still do not know anyone which "needs" them other then LEO).

Do not agree with yearly or every so many year certification to have other then LEO. If I'm protecting my home or my self on the street and I miss that's on me and I might be dead.

A big thing to keep in mind and I might be preaching to the choir here,,, your almost Guaranteed to be looking at monumental legal fees and a legal mess that can drag on for months or even years if you do use your gun in a bad situation. There are companies that offer self defense liability insurance.

 

[alldodge]

A big thing to keep in mind and I might be preaching to the choir here,,, your almost Guaranteed to be looking at monumental legal fees and a legal mess that can drag on for months or even years if you do use your gun in a bad situation. There are companies that offer self defense liability insurance.

Not at all worried about that in KY and surrounding States

 

[rolmops]

Ooops ... wait a second. I think I mighta' misread things: Would this be for ownership, or for carry?

Mostly ownership. I once met a guy who got a hand gun to protect his family just in case. He shot maybe three bullets with it and put it away.I did not ask him if it was loaded, but I suspect so. If he ever were to use it he would not know how and endanger everybody around him. That would be the guy who should have to come to the range and practice and learn. Mostly he would not know when not to use it.

 

[southkogs]

I have to amend my answer then: for ownership - not necessarily the right to carry - I wouldn't support qualifying even semi-regularly.

In order to carry that idea out, you have to make a lot of definitions of ownership, qualification types, etc. I can see it go potentially to type ratings like a pilot's license. Personally, I think that starts edging up to both US second amendment rights and right to privacy.