Here in the land of Oz we had a weapon buy back scheme. You can still own a weapon, you just can't carry it in the street. You can keep it in your home, but it has to be in a safe, ammo separate. Home safety wise, it's ridiculous as all the criminals have weapons and carry them on them, but seriously, the police don't do checks to see they are locked away, it's more for safety from the children. The only downfall, is that you have to be a member of a gun club/sporting shooters club. Not hard. Farmers are different, they can have a variety of weapons without joining a club. But you know, it works.
Me, I love weapons. I could still strip and assemble every weapon I was taught blindfolded I reckon. I was a good shot too, just missed on my Queens Rifles qualification.
You put a ban on weapons in the USA and it would not change a thing. It would be like drugs.
I actually find the entire gun control argument here hysterically funny. Right now there is an ongoing shortage on ammo. Again. Why? Every time there is a rumor about a "gun ban", everyone goes out and panic buys. Call me a conspiracy whack-job if you want, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the manufacturer's, suppliers, and lobbyists deliberately make things sound "bad" every chance they get to drive up demand, raise prices, and make more money.
That, my friends, IS the American way. Fear is good, big business. Period.
Too bad the bulk of "We the People" are too damned stupid to make similar observations. (Or they do and are too stupid/zealous/blissfully blind to make the connection....)
Don't know about the rest of you all, but if I was the mindless mayhem type of crazy, I don't need guns, or even gun powder to make a "mess". Give me a trip to the DIY store and a few hours and I can build much more frightening stuff than a silly old firearm. NOT that I would EVER do such a thing. Ever. But, my point is if my stupid ass can do it, anyone can. Shit, look at those two dumbf*cks up in Boston. They were both complete and utter idiots and they used nothing but a few google searches to do revoltingly awful stuff....and look where their firearms got them. (And they STILL built their bombs the hard way. they used low velocity explosives from fireworks.)
I guess what I am saying is that in the US anyway, giving in to "gun ban" hysteria is a waste of time and energy. If "they" were gonna take our guns, they would have done it a long time ago, the criminal element wouldn't have them, and civilians wouldn't need them. It will never happen. It cannot happen. There are far too many guns floating around and not enough money to fund a Nazi-style "round them up" type scenario. It is all fear and money talking, and this silly unfounded panic made millions for all the firearms makers.
Mark my words. As soon as sales slow, they government will start the ban hammer rumors again and business will be booming again.
Hmmmm. Now I'm all paranoid....
I wonder if they still make those combination small caliber/tomahawk rigs...;)