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I understand that being able to own and carry guns means a lot to a large number of US citizens (and citizens of other countries where gun ownership is common). Since I don't have the insights in the reasons why these people want to own guns or feel the need to, I cannot be pro or con gun laws. So I remain neutral in this

Having said that: I wondered if one is required to do some kind of exam or skill proof to get a gun permit. Do you have to keep your skills up to standard? Or can you get a permit, buy a gun and that's it?
Here one can get a permit and buy a gun if one is a member of a shooting club for at least one year. Then in order to keep the permit valid one has to visit the firing range and shoot the weapon at least 18 times a year. Guns may be stored at home, but in a locker. Ammo needs to be stored separate from the gun.

My personal view: guns and chainsaws are dang dangerous when handled by people who don't know one end from the other.



Mike,
To answer your question, that is set by the individual states. Some require that you have some formal training before they will issue permits, or even allow you to purchase a gun. In my state, Washington, there is no such requirement. You go to the local constabulary (sheriff's department in our case) and pay a set fee, fill out some paperwork, and have a set of fingerprints taken. The fingerprints, and your information are sent off to the FBI for quick review. If they come back negative, you can walk out with your permit.

Local laws restrict where you can shoot, so many people will go to the local range. Most ranges, any that are NRA affiliated, will have a Range Officer who controls the goings on along the range. People there are friendly. It comes from the person next to you holding a weapon, and you're holding a weapon, and both of you respect and trust each other. You have to. It's bad juju to be an ass around 15 armed people. So, with so many friendly people, it's very easy to go up to someone and say 'Hey, I've just bought this gun, and I don't really feel comfortable with it. Can you recommend someone to help me out with it." Most people will be that 'someone.' You take the time to get them situated and straightened out, and if they are still uncomfortable, then you send them to one of the numerous shooters education seminars/schools/etc. You may do that anyway.

My ammo is normally stored in a box, except for the ammo that is with and IN my handguns, which are locked in a safe. The safe is a digital one, so I think someone is going to be coming through the front door, I have enough time to get a gun. Other than that, it's safe from people who should not touch guns.

As to your last statement, and something that in ingrained in me from the very first time I fired my very first rifle (aged 7) is this. 'Treat a gun like it is ALWAYS loaded.' The only time my gun is 'unloaded' is when it's sitting on the counter, in pieces, being cleaned, and I can see through the barrel which I'm holding in my hand.

Finally, I want to say something that may offend a lot of people, but I think it's accurate and on target.

Most anyone who is willing to think logically about guns will realize that it is not the gun that commits the crime, it is not the gun who decides that it's going to go on a shooting streak, and kill civilians on a college campus, or gun down four police officers drinking coffee and getting ready to go to work. Most people also will agree that in most cases, the person using the gun is either a criminal or should have never had the gun in the first place. The VTI shooter, Cho, was diagnosed as mentally ill, and should have never been allowed to buy the guns. Those who saw his videos or his manifesto should have contacted police. Unfortunately, that never happened, and it might have prevented that horrible massacre.
However, ON THE WHOLE, our civilization, over the last 50 years, has become increasingly criminal, and we fail to do anything about it. I can not speak of other countries, but here, when a person sits on 'Death Row' for tens of years, because of all the formalities, second, third and fourth chances, it doesn't say much about our justice system. When we send a person to prison for 15 years, and they're released after 22 months because of 'overcrowding' that also doesn't send a message of horrors and fate worse than death to those who should be detered by it.
Maybe we need to go back to chain gangs, forced labor, and truly 'hard time' to send out the message that prison is not where you want to be, nor is it a fun place. Let's make old men out of those 18 and 20 year olds who are sent to prison, by the time they are released 15 years down the road. Let's tell people 'if you commit a violent crime, you are going to suffer a violent end' in prison, and stand behind that. The comic Ron White talked about Texas putting in an 'Express Lane' for the death penalty when certain requirements were met. Maybe we ought to do this all over.
The biggest question that I have to ask is 'how did these people get to be this way in the first place?' I think we can answer that very simply. They did not have good parents. I see too often parents complain about the school systems because 'they aren't raising their children well.' If you ask the parent why they think it's the school's responsibility to raise the child, and not theirs, often the answer is 'I don't have time!' or 'it's what we pay taxes for!' To me that is one of the most telling of all indicators as to why we are the way we are today.

We can not reduce crime, of any kind, because those who are committing it are past the age of learning differently, from parents who might actually care about them. So, let's put the criminals away, send a very direct and large message to those who would be willing to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before them that this pathway will lead to destruction and death...YOURS! Of course, we'll have to follow through on it, and there are too many in our country, and around the world, who don't have the stomach for it. That is too bad.

Off my soap box.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!