>>>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?
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>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.)
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>>>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.
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>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?
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>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.
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>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.
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>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.
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>Tamar

Meth heads are becoming more and more of a problem around here. I haven't heard of any meth heads breaking into somebody's home, but it would not surprise me if they would, and I will not be the first case.

A few years ago some stupid kids were booze cruising in a rural area well after midnight. They lost control, went into the ditch, and couldn't get back out. They walked to a old farmer's house in the distance, and demanded to borrow his vehicle. When he said no, they beat him to death and took it. Do you think that would have happened if he had a shotgun close? If somebody were to knock on my door at 3 in the morning, I would make sure to have one within reach if I opened the door.

What if you didn't open the door? What if they knocked, and knew you were in there but not answering, and started to knock louder and louder. And then started to kick on the door? And then started threatening you? Are you going to call the cops and wait for 10 minutes for them to get there?

What if your kids (and I mean this figuratively... I'm not trying to rile you up by bringing your kids into it) were playing outside and were attacked by a bobcat or a coyote? Or a wild dog? Or an angry bull that got out of your neighbor's pen? Or a rabid dog/racoon/fox? Are you going to fight off a predator with a stick? Sure you would try, but what if you can't get there in time?