I want to propose the thesis that we are currently living in the best of times for gun ownership in America. As a product of the 60's, I have seen some real positive changes, along with some negative changes.
Currently in the US, (just a few to spark conversation)
Pro:
a) There is a variety of long guns, hand guns and shotguns like we have never seen.
b) CHL permits are common and easy to acquire in just about every state and repressive gun laws are being brought down.
c) Suppressors, SBRs, AOWs, etc are becoming extremely common and easy to purchase.
d) 1911s, ARs, AKs, etc. are available from record numbers of manufacturers and in almost limitless configurations.
e) Prices have fallen to below pre-bho scare levels on many things.
f) Polymer framed guns, high capacity magazines.
g) Ammunition: types, caliber, performance, manufacturers, etc. never before this good.
h) Optics and Electronics: never before this good.
i) More competitors in the market making quality arms and accessories.
j) Parts interchangeability.
Con:
a) Gun ownership as a percentage of the population has decreased.
b) Tolerance of guns has diminished.
c) No new machine guns.
d) Strong limits on the importation of foreign arms.
e) Places to purchase firearms has dropped out of most of the mainstream retail establishments.
f) "Gun Free Zones", background check, pending govt. legislation, etc.
g) Hunting culture continues to decline.
The late 60s, 70s, and early 80s.
Pro:
a) You could buy a gun at just about every Sears, JC Penny, Target, Woolworth, Western Auto, K-Mart, Montgomery Wards, most hardware stores, etc.
b) Military surplus rifles from all over the world were available, cheap, and could be bought just about everywhere. (Nobody panicked when you took you newly purchased, fully exposed, M1 Garand out of the downtown Houston Woolworths during lunch hour.)
c) Gun culture accepted as part of the American way of life. (No issues with a high school student having a rifle in his truck window during hunting season on school grounds in many parts of the country.) Less general public panic at the sight of a gun.
d) Cheap military surplus ammo widely available.
e) Newly manufactured machine guns were available to the public.
f) Quality gunsmiths were widely available.
Con:
a) If you wanted a new 1911 or AR, Colt was the best choice--very few others made these guns, and they only had a couple of models. Try finding a AK.
b) Foreign branded handguns had not made the in roads into the US that they have now.
c) Revolvers were the only reliable handguns that the majority of experts recommended.
d) Hard to get a CHL anywhere.
e) Limited variety of choices in any class of firearm you wanted.
f) Technically not as advanced guns, optics, rangefinders, binos, parts, etc.
g) Federal Requirement to log ammunition purchases. (Thanks Roger4314, I forgot about that one.)
Before the GCA and the 1960s.
Pro:
a) Gun Culture a part of the general population.
b) Strong shooting sports culture.
c) Could easily buy a gun mail order from a catalog.
d) Many of the same things as in the 60-80's.
Con:
a) Lack of variety and technical sophistication.
b) Fewer high power cartridges in all fields.
c) Stagnated gun development.
Prior to the 1930's
Pro:
a) Gun rights not infringed. Any American could own any arms, regardless of their technical sophistication, size or purpose.
Con:
a) Not a lot of choices.
b) Expensive for the times.
What do you think?
Currently in the US, (just a few to spark conversation)
Pro:
a) There is a variety of long guns, hand guns and shotguns like we have never seen.
b) CHL permits are common and easy to acquire in just about every state and repressive gun laws are being brought down.
c) Suppressors, SBRs, AOWs, etc are becoming extremely common and easy to purchase.
d) 1911s, ARs, AKs, etc. are available from record numbers of manufacturers and in almost limitless configurations.
e) Prices have fallen to below pre-bho scare levels on many things.
f) Polymer framed guns, high capacity magazines.
g) Ammunition: types, caliber, performance, manufacturers, etc. never before this good.
h) Optics and Electronics: never before this good.
i) More competitors in the market making quality arms and accessories.
j) Parts interchangeability.
Con:
a) Gun ownership as a percentage of the population has decreased.
b) Tolerance of guns has diminished.
c) No new machine guns.
d) Strong limits on the importation of foreign arms.
e) Places to purchase firearms has dropped out of most of the mainstream retail establishments.
f) "Gun Free Zones", background check, pending govt. legislation, etc.
g) Hunting culture continues to decline.
The late 60s, 70s, and early 80s.
Pro:
a) You could buy a gun at just about every Sears, JC Penny, Target, Woolworth, Western Auto, K-Mart, Montgomery Wards, most hardware stores, etc.
b) Military surplus rifles from all over the world were available, cheap, and could be bought just about everywhere. (Nobody panicked when you took you newly purchased, fully exposed, M1 Garand out of the downtown Houston Woolworths during lunch hour.)
c) Gun culture accepted as part of the American way of life. (No issues with a high school student having a rifle in his truck window during hunting season on school grounds in many parts of the country.) Less general public panic at the sight of a gun.
d) Cheap military surplus ammo widely available.
e) Newly manufactured machine guns were available to the public.
f) Quality gunsmiths were widely available.
Con:
a) If you wanted a new 1911 or AR, Colt was the best choice--very few others made these guns, and they only had a couple of models. Try finding a AK.
b) Foreign branded handguns had not made the in roads into the US that they have now.
c) Revolvers were the only reliable handguns that the majority of experts recommended.
d) Hard to get a CHL anywhere.
e) Limited variety of choices in any class of firearm you wanted.
f) Technically not as advanced guns, optics, rangefinders, binos, parts, etc.
g) Federal Requirement to log ammunition purchases. (Thanks Roger4314, I forgot about that one.)
Before the GCA and the 1960s.
Pro:
a) Gun Culture a part of the general population.
b) Strong shooting sports culture.
c) Could easily buy a gun mail order from a catalog.
d) Many of the same things as in the 60-80's.
Con:
a) Lack of variety and technical sophistication.
b) Fewer high power cartridges in all fields.
c) Stagnated gun development.
Prior to the 1930's
Pro:
a) Gun rights not infringed. Any American could own any arms, regardless of their technical sophistication, size or purpose.
Con:
a) Not a lot of choices.
b) Expensive for the times.
What do you think?
