If I recall correctly, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Iowa, and New Hampshire are mostly rural states? Perhaps that has a bearing on low murder rates?
Here, most firearms are held on the owners property, in a safe in the owners home. This is pretty much required. If you want to go somewhere else, the weapon goes in the boot of your car. You're not allowed publicly and openly carry it anywhere unless it's in a case of some sort. A lot of illicit weapons are stolen from legitimate sources and owners. It's rare to the point of specifically being mentioned on the news when it happens that a lawfully held firearm is used in the commission of a crime, so the aim is to keep lawful weapons from falling into illicit hands.
It also must be said that while you can use your gun in self-defense, that is not an acceptable reason to put on the licensing application for owning one.
It's also arguable that it's the price we pay for not being randomly 'swatted' and 'shot by misunderstanding' by our own police force. Very few of our police are actually armed in the course of their duties. Quite frankly, that's worth its weight in gold. And this is despite having an armed insurgency group operating.... they're usually handled by the army. In fact, armed security in the aid of the civil power is a constitutional duty of the army. So, it's unnarmed police, or a highly trained and professional military force. Not yahoo's with a sherrif's badge and a power-trip. It's so unusual for someone to be shot by police that the last time it happened, not only was it newsworthy but a full inquiry was called.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
Here, most firearms are held on the owners property, in a safe in the owners home. This is pretty much required. If you want to go somewhere else, the weapon goes in the boot of your car. You're not allowed publicly and openly carry it anywhere unless it's in a case of some sort. A lot of illicit weapons are stolen from legitimate sources and owners. It's rare to the point of specifically being mentioned on the news when it happens that a lawfully held firearm is used in the commission of a crime, so the aim is to keep lawful weapons from falling into illicit hands.
It also must be said that while you can use your gun in self-defense, that is not an acceptable reason to put on the licensing application for owning one.
It's also arguable that it's the price we pay for not being randomly 'swatted' and 'shot by misunderstanding' by our own police force. Very few of our police are actually armed in the course of their duties. Quite frankly, that's worth its weight in gold. And this is despite having an armed insurgency group operating.... they're usually handled by the army. In fact, armed security in the aid of the civil power is a constitutional duty of the army. So, it's unnarmed police, or a highly trained and professional military force. Not yahoo's with a sherrif's badge and a power-trip. It's so unusual for someone to be shot by police that the last time it happened, not only was it newsworthy but a full inquiry was called.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?