General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: OK - So let's say we repeal the second amendment. [View all]unblock
(53,916 posts)nevermind that repeal of the 2nd amendment is much more of a gun-lover's strawman than a serious position advocated by those on the gun control side. yes, there are a few out there, but we all know they'll get nowhere.
but let's say for argument's sake that the 2nd amendment were somehow repealed and then a law was passed banning possession of guns. the 4th amendment would still prohibit searches without probable cause, so guns you keep hidden in your house are fine. it would become impossible to (legally) buy more guns, and perhaps more ammo (although of course a black market would instantly appear).
moreover, police forces and prosecutors use discretion all the time in determining who to actually go after. for instance, virtually everyone speeds, but they usually only ticket those who are overly fast or overly black. similarly, they wouldn't even try to go after everyone, they would prioritize the more eggregious gun possession cases along with all the other criminal activity.
as a practical matter, they'd likely go for a slow starvation approach -- just let the ammo run out and focus efforts on keeping the black market in check.
it wouldn't work 100%, of course, but law enforcement isn't 100% effective at anything.