I made this post some time ago explaining why gun crime is extremely low in Spain, with a population of 46 million people, despiting the fact that there are more than one million guns in civilian hands*.
Edit: Make that 4.5 million guns, one million is the number of hunting licenses.
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European gun owner here.
The thing that irks me about this whole thing is that you don't need to have them banned. Actually, from my experience only a tiny minority of Americans would like to end gun ownership in any shape or form.
Gun crime in my country is by all means a tiny issue, in no small part because arms are so incredibly controlled that it would be nigh impossible for gangs to obtain them through
straw purchases and shady dealers, which are the main sources of illegal weapons in America.
Here's a quick step by step guide of everything you need to do in my neck of the woods in order to obtain a gun:
- First, you have to undergo some physical and mental tests, paid out of your pocket (around 40). They are extremely basic, but enough to deter the craziest elements (read: a total psycho) from getting a gun.
- Second, you need to fill an official form and obtain your police records in order to demonstrate that you are not a felon.
- After that you pay a small fee to your local shooting federation (I think mine was about 50). This is an important step. After that you'll have to attend to several theoretical and practical classes. During two days you will learn everything you need to know about gun safety and laws. After that you'll be taken to the local range and shoot for three days. Teachers (and maybe the police, as sometimes they drop by to check on everybody) will keep tabs on you; in order to obtain a license you'll need to pass a final practical test and demonstrate that you are a responsible shooter.
- Now you have your license. But you can't have your gun. National law stipulates that you need to keep your gun in an homologated safe at all times, so you have to purchase one.
- Now you can buy a gun. You can either visit a gun store or purchase it from another gun owner. It should be noted that there is no such thing as over the counter gun purchases. After you pay for it the shop or individual in possession of said gun will send it to the police, that will inspect it and check its serial numbers.
- Once it's been inspected police will contact you. You will have to produce a copy of your safe's documentation (showing that you own an actual, proper safe) and then the gun will be registered at your name.
- Congratulations: you are now a freshly registered gun owner... but things won't stop here. Every few years you will have to visit your local police station with your guns in order to get them checked. This way police will know that you still own every arm registered at your name, making sure that you are not a straw seller, getting guns by legit means only to sell them to criminals.
It sounds like a lengthy and complex process and
damn well it is, but this way:
a) Anybody who really wants a gun gets to own one.
b) Irresponsible buyers are discouraged; they simply don't have the patience to deal with all the red tape, not to mention safety classes.
c) It is IMPOSSIBLE to sell your guns to criminals without the police noticing it.
Now, there are many idiotic things in our gun legislation that make absolutely no fucking sense, such as silly caliber regulations and the like, but I think that this is the best possible approach to gun control. Of course, I know many Americans would freak the fuck out at some of those points, but I know it's a fair compromise and not that different from the requirements of owning a car, which also comes with significant responsibilities.
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