Most crime is apparently committed with handguns, and very little is actually done with semi-automatic rifles. Sure, someone going nuts might cause more damage with a semi-auto rifle, but not necessarily. Now I don't quite see what you'd need a mag-fed semi-auto rifle in .223 for since for home defense you'd rather have a shotgun or handgun and for hunting you don't really need your rifle to be self-loading or mag-fed, but on the other hand, if there's no real benefit in banning something, well, why ban it?
As AlphaPromethean said (and I also said numerous times), the guns in circulation in the US are already there. Extensive criminalization of ownership and massive buyback programs could potentially reduce ithe number, but not without seriously draconian government measures that nobody really wants.
The criminals will get their hands on weapons anyway. The psychos who want to shoot up a school will find a way, too. Gun violence is solved when the root causes are solved.
I think new restrictions on anything require a good cause. Americans had the right to own firearms. It needs a very good reason to take that right away, and taking rights away should always be the last option.
But I do think there need to better background checks, better tracking and registrations, and the closure of legal loopholes and focus on the black market.
As AlphaPromethean said (and I also said numerous times), the guns in circulation in the US are already there. Extensive criminalization of ownership and massive buyback programs could potentially reduce ithe number, but not without seriously draconian government measures that nobody really wants.
The criminals will get their hands on weapons anyway. The psychos who want to shoot up a school will find a way, too. Gun violence is solved when the root causes are solved.
I think new restrictions on anything require a good cause. Americans had the right to own firearms. It needs a very good reason to take that right away, and taking rights away should always be the last option.
But I do think there need to better background checks, better tracking and registrations, and the closure of legal loopholes and focus on the black market.