The number of firearms licenses issued in Massachusetts has climbed by more than one-third in the past five years, a marked shift in a state known for its antigun reputation.
Since 2007, the number of Class A permits — the largest and least restrictive category that allows possession of all legal handguns, rifles, and shotguns — has risen to nearly 260,000, the latest state records show, a 36 percent jump that extends from cities to bedroom communities to small towns.
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Since the Globe is complaining about too many Guns, how come NO report on the Obama and Holder Fast and Furious Gunrunning scandal in which assault weapons were shipped to Mexican gangs?
Right On!!!!! It shows what hypocrites they really are!!
That was, like, a year and a half ago or longer. Whaddaya want, a daily update. The Globe reports NEWS, not "olds".
Hey Russ, too many guns out there? Why don't you turn some of yours in? I have an AR that I compete with all over the country. I never did see a need for a shotgun. The recoil makes it an unreliable self defense gun. Hunting with it? Don't get me on the killing a defenseless animal discussion.
Home defense needs to be very well thought out. Since just about everything will blow through drywall with unintended consequences, a Mossberg 590 with pistol grips fore and rear stores well. It chambers 8 rounds. The first two are "bean bags" and the last 6 are rubber balls called "hornets nest". The key point after that is knowing everything there is to know about using it in complete darkness and under as much internal and external stress as possible. Practice, practice, practice. Side note: After shooting one deer at long range in Montana years ago, the only hunting for meat I do now is at Market Basket.
An AR might be fun for competitions involving targets, but would you even consider it useful for hunting rabbits? Sure, it's a 22, basically, but just how accurate is it for anything other than paper targets and people? RD, that's a good point about a useful weapon for home defense, though to accomplish a home invasion at my place they would have to get through both the building's security and my dogs. They would be useless in attack, but the noise they make would remove the element of surprise. I suppose I could bore an attacker to death with a lecture on facultative intracellular pathogens. I'm afraid I know too much microbiology to feel comfortable eating anything other than extremely well-cooked game. I also know I can't see worth a damn, so I'm not willing to own a firearm for the reason that, if I cannot trust myself to visually acquire a target, I should not wield a firearm.
Interesting graphic attached to this story. On the surface it looks very well detailed but based on the images, it clearly indicates that Lanza used a rifle and not an "assault weapon". Fact check? Perhaps it will be changed momentarily......
A Bushmaster 223 is an assault weapon based upon the AR-15. A rifle would be a 308 or a 6 mil.
Yep, I'm very well aware of that but my point was that given the story being so fresh and the weapon being a Bushmaster .223, the latest graphic seems to have it wrong. Makes me question the validity of the rest of the panel.
Too many guns. Let's not re-invent the wheel. Its been done already in other countries. Reducing the numbers of guns has been proven to reduce gun incidents dramatically. Why does anyone need all these weapons? This woman had nine. Protection? Now you need a gun to protect yourself against someone else that needed "protection. "
Need and want are obviously two different things. I'm not even remotely defending her but if you just look around your home or office, gauge the difference between need and want of inanimate objects. As far as the highly emotional aspect of the need and want being a gun, that's something I'm well aware of but trying my best to stay out of the argument.
No stats on illegal guns...pretty sure all those gangs shooting people in Boston and such did not have licenses...
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500 guns are seized a year in Massachusetts alone ,which proves criminals do not care about gun control!!!! What on God's green earth is more gun control going to do people? Will someone tell me? The funny thing : the criminals have the guns already! Everybody knows that! If a criminal can have any type of weapon then I should have it (Legally) What would you rather have? An licensed law-abiding person with an assault rifle or a dirt bag criminal who laughs in the face of liberal laws that get people killed? You must enforce the very laws we have for the death penalty. A law doesn't mean anything unless you enforce it! The problem is they care too much for the criminal and not for the victims rights to protect their life!!! Unfortunately, it will probably happen again,but for the love of God give us the right to protect our loved ones!!! Please!!
The debate isn't really about criminals having weapons. Even your local gang banger seldom has an AR-15. No, usually it's your machismo wannabe that has these weapons and it is usually there next of kin who misuses them. The question is is there any real need for unregulated access to assault weapons. The answer is no. Background checks and licensing does not ifringe upon my right to have shotguns, 308's, 6 mils or any hunting related weapon. People killers I don't need nor does anyone else.
You have the blinders on. Japan, with heavy gun control-11 deaths. England, 35. US 12000. None so blind as he who will not see.
For those who want to play war: please join the army -- I hear they need people. For those buying assault weapons because they fear criminals, please join the police. For those who want to protect themselves, isn't a handgun enough? I'd like to see some stats: is a gun purchased for self-defense more likely to used to kill oneself, ones family members or a criminal? Isn't pepper-spray as effective? If you're getting a gun because you have a long driveway perhaps you're being a little paranoid. More stats please: what percent of my mild-mannered neighbors are cleaning their assault rifles in their basements planning for some scene they saw at the movies? Are they excited to use them? Are people just too bored with peace? Why not play video games or find some other hobby?
Lots of questions. It's a decision that each person must make on thier own and should be respected by others. In the case of personal protection (notice I didn't take the sport defense).... if you simply decide you'd like to buy a gun, good for you but if you actually go out and buy that gun along with the requisite ammunition and then bring it back to your house and then mentally assume that you are going to use it if needed, then you need to be ready to face every consequence there is long before you execute. Be it the monitary committment (training, storage), pyschological, social, legal, etc, etc.... If you're going to go about it the proper/legal way then one must realize that it's not just a run to Dick's Sporting goods with your FID or LTC. It should be a very well planned decision. I can't get inside anyone elses head but my own. I don't talk about it amongst my friends and almost none of my neighbors have any idea. That's the approach I have and I think it's the right one for me. BTW, I'm too old for video games and the movies are just entertainment. When I go to the range, I will admit that I bring things other than paper to shoot at. It's a fun release that no one but myself needs to know about. Perhaps we are neighbors?
I'm assuming these aren't all hypothetical questions, so here goes: "For those who want to protect themselves, isn't a handgun enough?" Yes, I agree that a high caliber handgun is adequate for home protection.
"I'd like to see some stats: is a gun purchased for self-defense more likely to used to kill oneself, ones family members or a criminal?" I'm sure you can look this up if you really want to know but I know my hope is that it's never needed to kill anyone.
"Isn't pepper-spray as effective?" No, a .45 hollow point to the chest is much more effective.
"If you're getting a gun because you have a long driveway perhaps you're being a little paranoid." No, just smart enough to realize that the police are too far away to be your first line of defense.
"More stats please: what percent of my mild-mannered neighbors are cleaning their assault rifles in their basements planning for some scene they saw at the movies?" I doubt there are stats out there on this one but if you decide to go door to door and take a survey of your neighbors, I'd love to know your findings.
"Are people just too bored with peace?" Unfortunately, I live in the real world not Utopia. Can you give me directions to the land of peace, love and happiness?
"Why not play video games or find some other hobby?" Here's a stat for you: Last time I checked, Wii remotes were proven 100% ineffective against armed home invaders.
"richstan" Just FYI 6 millimeter, "The 6mm Remington was introduced by Remington Arms Company in 1955 as the .244 Remington." Just so next time you might know what you're talking about. And being 65 and having served in Nam I was probably messing with guns before you were born. Which reminds me "this is my rifle, this is my gun".
A Bushmaster is a semi-automatic weapon no matter what you say a civilian replicate of my old AR-15. Get a grip.
I forgot to add, "Its renaming from ".244 Remington" to "6mm Remington" is interesting. It was discovered soon after its release as .244 Remington that in the Remington Model 722 rifles the rate of twist used in the barrels would not stabilize heavier bullets weighing more than 90 grains."