I didn't realize they still did in Wisconsin. They were there when I was young, but I haven't been back except to visit around 16 years ago. Didn't see any then, but I also don't remember visiting a hardware store either :o) Of course a hardware store back then was really also a feedstore store and a general all-purpose farmer's market. When I was growing up everyone had their favorite place for buying their first hunting rifle. All of the farmers knew who the next boy learning to hunt was because the owner of the place let everybody know. It was like a rite of passage. It meant that boy was going to spend a lot of time with his dad learning to handle the weapon and learning to hunt. It was really a big deal. To go hunting with your dad and his buddies and to have your own rifle was HUGE.



>I guess I have never been in hardware stores outside of my area, so I had no idea. I thought it was a standard thing. I know they sell them in Wisconsin in hardware stores too.
>
>Yeah, it's too bad the rest of the world isn't like here. We wouldn't be having this conversation now if it did. We would just be talking about what we shot/caught/trapped/or ran over last week/
>
>>Yes I am. You live in Iowa Mike. The rest of the country is hardly similar. Even where I am, you cannot buy guns in hardware stores. I live in the county surrounded by woods. I guess the rest of the world must picture all of America like Jessup, Iowa. :o)
>>
>>
>>
>>>Are you serious? All hardware stores around here sell guns.
>>>
>>>>Where? Show me ONE! A hardware store selling guns? Never seen one. :o) Really Terry, there are areas of the country where you can find guns at gun shows and pawn shops (rural North Carolina, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, et al) but it really isn't something available around every corner (except the illegal ones in the major cities sold by the crims)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>>>The latest year where statistics are available is 2004:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Deaths population Rate per 100,000
>>>>>>>>29,569 293,656,842 9.95
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
>>>>>>>>http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate.html
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I won't dispute that we have the highest death rate by firearms. I just do not see prohibiting the sale of firearms to law abiding citizens the answer. It will never stop criminals from having them. I would rather see:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Stricter gun purchase/license laws:
>>>>>>>> no weapons sales to anyone with a history of mental illness or misdeamer crimes (anyone with a history of a felony already cannot get a weapon legally)
>>>>>>>> no weapon sales without a certificate of training from an approved firearms training site
>>>>>>>> no weapon sales without a 60 day waiting period (cool off time and background check)
>>>>>>>>Strictor enforcement:
>>>>>>>> severe prison terms for illegal sales and usage
>>>>>>>> severe prison terms when firearms are accessible to minors
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Wait a minute! So restricting the sale of guns to only elligible people is preferable to stopping it altogether?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Does not compute.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Anyway, point is made, there's nowt you guys are going to do about it so long as there are so many people earning a crust from their sales, while there's a gun lobby.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I wish it was just the gun lobby. A lot of Americans truly believe gun ownership is one of our most fundamental rights. You have seen a sample of that in this thread. IMO it's nuts but that doesn't change the facts of the matter. The reason the NRA is so powerful is that so many Americans agree with their positions.
>>>>>
>>>>>Oh sure, sure. I fully understand that. Now just think how many gunsmiths, hardware stores, etc. selling the eveil to the people would go out of business. I imagine they make up a large propn. of the lobby too. Let's face it, half the US is in the lobby.