>>2) limit gun sales by number/frequency;
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>What kind of scope are you thinking here? What if I decide I want to buy a new muzzleloader, a new shotgun, and a new handgun at the same time?
>

Perhaps permit that only if you're turning in an equal number at the same time. Otherwise, I think the "one gun a month" rule seems pretty reasonable. (Actually, I can't imagine why anyone would need 12 guns a year other than to re-sell them, but some limit is a start.)

>>In the long term, I'd work to change the culture (which I guess I'm doing just by participating in this conversation) to make owning guns other for hunting less acceptable.
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>Not to split hairs, but I mentioned elsewhere in this thread other reasonable (I think) reasons to own guns. Marksmanship is a sport around here, and I know plenty of gun collectors. Also, I could make the argument with the rising meth problem around here, I deserve to own a firearm to protect my family against a meth-head that decides he wants to rob my house/harm my family. I guess my deer rifle would stop a meth-head as quick as any other firearm though.

I think I'd put marksmanship in the same category with hunting, though I'm not sure the average marksman needs to own the gun. You have to go somewhere to practice; can't the guns be kept there, too?

As for home protection, I guess there's an urban/rural difference. I believe in my highly populated area, I'm safer if my neighbors don't have guns in their homes and we depend on the police to protect us. (I live less than 5 minutes from the local police station.) Out in a rural area, where police/sheriff could be 10s of minutes away or more, self-protection might be more of an issue.

FWIW, though, how often have meth heads invading homes been a problem where you live? I'm sitting here 5 minutes outside the city of Philadelphia and I'm not aware of any such cases in this vicinity.

I think the risks of having a gun in a home in a way that would be meaningful in case of a home invasion (loaded and accessible) far outweigh the odds of needing it.

Tamar