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By Tovin Lapan (contact) 
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 | 2 a.m.
As President Barack Obama laid out his plan Wednesday for increased gun control in a White House news conference, approximately 60,000 people were roaming the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas for the second day of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade, SHOT, show. The show, which is run by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and is in its 35th year, is one of the largest firearm trade shows in the country with 1,600 exhibitors, and is open to professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries, but not the public. As word spread of Obama’s executive ...
It was actually refreshing to see a media outlet interview intelligent people with logical points of view. Thank you LVRJ. Now if we could just help make these opinions and facts more visible to the public.
Of course there is a huge difference here too. The LVRJ is based out of a city with strong rural ties. Most MSM outlets are in large cities with constant petty crimes, and are staffed with fearful employees who went straight from high school, to college, to their urban jobs with parents, teachers, and advisers mollycoddling them their entire lives. You can expect someone to understand gun responsibility when they don't even know what personal responsibility and street smarts are.
Better in-depth back round checks should be mandatory for all gun purchases from this point on.
Mr. Rooney,
You do know that this is not the LVRJ?
@ vegaslee
DOH!
My bad! I'm a news junkie and frequent both sites, and was typing in the URL in my post by accident.
My apologies and proper thanks to the Las Vegas Sun.
Thank you, vegaslee!
My personal opinions:
High capacity magazines: we need to consider the costs/benefits. If the short amount of time that it takes a shooter to release/reload is possibly enough for a potential victim to take action, then I think it's worth it. I have a 15 round magazine for my handgun, and it's almost solely because it's more convenient at the range. My understanding is that the vast majority of self-defense situations require 1-2 rounds (I've heard it quoted as high as 4). 10 rounds seems like it should be more than enough to cover almost all situations. The benefits to the gun owner are very small, and even if it's a psychological benefit to the public, it's worth it. Most of these mass shootings, and daily shootings in cities across the country, are not done by "competitive shooters". They're carried out by knuckleheads that have little to no formal training. It will take them longer than a "split second" to change out a magazine. I'd support a government buy-back program. The gun manufacturers/retailers should be happy about this...owners would have to buy new guns and it wouldn't cost them anything.
Assault rifle ban (could be combined with high capacity restrictions): I agree with one of the commenters that we should at least limit who can purchase these guns. I'd support an option (maybe a 1 year time limit) for current owners to either get licensed (including recurring psych evaluations) to own these types of guns, or have a government buy-back program.
Background checks: I find it completely disgusting that anyone would be opposed to this. You want to give your gun to your kid? How f'ing hard is it to document that process? how lazy do you have to be? We need to do a MUCH better job of tracking where guns are (supposed to be)? Gun owners have the right to own guns, but I think we have an obligation/responsibility to make sure that guns are kept out of the hands of the wrong people. If you disagree, and you want to hide behind the "keep the government out of my business" nonsense, then you're selfish and don't have the mentality to be a responsible gun owner. Document the sale and/or theft of a firearm, and you have 30 days to do so or it's a federal crime.
I absolutely, 100% agree with other gun owners that we need to address mental illness in this country, and that includes limiting their access to firearms.
I see both sides of the "more armed security in schools" issue. If done properly, then I agree. But I wouldn't want the typical armed security that we see at office buildings. These would have to be heavily trained, heavily background checked (including psych evaluations) people, and that would cost A LOT of money. You can't do something like that on the cheap. If that's what we want, then be prepared for the bill.
Does a single person with any amount of intelligence think that gun dealers would want to put a ban on their most expensive and profitable product? Whe writer's job was easy on this one but totally unnecessary. These peddlers of murder weapons would much rather see us living in a police state, just not them.
I bet those guys were all hippies in the 6os and 70s
So like the Pro Choice people are branded as Pro Abortion the Nra and it's supporters are Pro Mass Murder?
I wish people would understand that even if you limit magazines to 10 rounds, the next guy will just practice and adapt. I can reload my Glock 23 with 10 round magazies rather quickly and the nex nut and there will be a next one can practice until proficient enought to reload quicky. Carry 10 magazines, which isn't that hard and you've got 100 rounds at your disposal. Considering law nforcemnt response could be at least five minutes minimum and they can fire a lot of ammo in that time period. Does this mean nothing should be done, no. its time to take a hard look at things and make some changes. Consider this though, the Va Tech and Aurora shooters had high levels of intelligence, Holmes in Aurora set numerou complicated traps in his apartment. Some if Lanzas classmates described him as a genius. These guys are smart and can adapt and we need to understand that. Of couse the gun industry won't support any bans it is all about mone, just like pharmacutecils and medical care. Common sense and raional discussion between both sides are needed, not dumb ads or name calling. The NRA has made itslef look foolish lately and needs to dial back and accept that change is coming, you can either be part of the soulution or all of the problem.
Retired US Army vet, CCW holder and responisible gun owner
By MotorSports
Jan. 17, 2013
4:29 p.m.
The Second Amendment argument is just a smoke screen folks. It's all about the money. The NRA is a business. It profits from the weapons the death merchants sell. It profited from the weapon used to murder 20 first graders in Connecticut. It's a business. Period. And a business built on blood money by people who have no respect for human life
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Apparently you have no problem with the 30,000 plus people killed every year by motor vehicles based on you Login in Name
I was an avid gun collector and shooter for over 30 years dealing mainly with military firearms. Thanks to the ongoing California laws I gave up every gun I owned, the last gun being a customized AR-15 I built myself. I would have enjoyed going to the Shotshow since I just returned yesterday from Las Vegas for my vacation from work, I had no idea the shotshow was being held there. Also when I heard the general public was not admitted that kinda bummed me out.
WE must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the law breaker. It's time to restore the precept that each individual is accountable for his actions....