11 facts about gun violence in the United States

[Straw Man]

103. You still haven't told us what registration will achieve.

If your gun is stolen you report it. Immediately or as soon as you have knowledge of it. You are a responsible gun owner are you not? Why is that magic?

Yes -- I'd report it even if it weren't registered. But how does registration help? My long guns don't have to be registered, but I'll give the police the serial numbers when I make the report, in order to possibly get the guns back if they are recovered. But I won't hold my breath waiting, because the likelihood is low. The fact that the gun is registered will do nothing to help recover it.

Guns that are in your possession that are not registered to you are confiscated period end of story.

If someone is in possession of a stolen gun, a check of the serial numbers will reveal that fact. This doesn't require registration; it simply requires that victims of gun theft notify the police of the serial numbers of the stolen guns. If the person holding the gun is a felon or other prohibited person, that person goes to jail regardless of the provenance of the gun, registered or not. Those are the only two situations in which confiscation would serve the interest of public safety, and neither one requires registration.

Yup I am going to want a full ban on things like automatic weapons or high capacity clips.

Automatic firearms are already tightly controlled at the federal level. What constitutes "high capacity," in your opinion? I'll bet it's a different number than the one I have in mind.

I also like what california is trying to do with the micro stamps on casings.

Ah, microstamping. Guess what? It doesn't work on revolvers, which would instantly become more popular with criminals. It can be easily defeated with simple hand tools. It would encourage criminals to pick up empty brass off the ground at gun ranges and strew it around their crime scenes, giving police dozens of red herrings to follow in their efforts to solve crimes. And in cases where brass found at a crime scene is traceable, it will often simply lead back to the last legal owner, i.e. the person who the gun was stolen from.

Keep 'em coming ...