What is the biggest issue facing gun owners today?

My major concern as an honorably discharged veteran is everyone acting like soldiers that suffer from depression or PTSD don’t need guns, thus violating our 2nd Amendments rights. How dare any of you to say otherwise. Dr. Phil quoted yesterday that even people with schizophrenia are less likely to be violent and use a gun than the general population. Start revoking people’s drivers licenses, Take away property ownership etc. Outlaw all alcohol. Punish all employers that induce stress and create depressed people. Punish divorced people for enduring a life of depression for their children. It’s rediculous. We all have a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to own and carry in this country.

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Whenever I hear “Gun Control” from the left or Democrats, all I hear is CONTROL. The left comes out of the woodwork when there is any kind of shooting, cashing in on the emotional moment. As a lifelong gun owner, I have never considered using one of my firearms for illegal purposes, or to harm anyone.
I carry daily because I recognize that there are bad people in our world and I have the Right to defend ourselves. I’m deeply troubled by the new rush to pass Red Flag Laws. I believe that it is nothing more than a back door method to implement gun confiscation that wouldn’t pass normal Court challenges.

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Current legislation, it would have to be red flag laws. I’ll further add that the over 20,000 laws/regulations on the books are by all accounts technically UN-constitutional. “Shall not be infringed”

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Hey Steve,
Another MA resident.
I hear and understand you regarding our mentality of the laws in MA and unless you want the “extreme gun”, you can pretty much do what you want, legally. No-one gives me a problem. But, i would have to go far to find opposition.
I wan in FL a few weeks back and I was having a discussion with a gent who was losing his mind when I spoke of our Laws.
I think we do need to overcome this crazy mentalitu nationally first.

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I agree with you Dawn, I would say probably about 90% of people that are against guns trul don’t know, maybe they even want to be educated out o curiosity, but that 10% left over fabricate false information, i. My opinion, they do this because they have an agenda, and they don’t care what the truth is, they just know what’s going to work to get people on board with their agenda. Dawn,it’s so sad to see this happen,it’s disappointing for me. I have experienced the people that do stupid things to get a rise out of us, you see it so much on Twitter. Follow David Hogg,if you do, you will see some very intelligent folks that say stupid things to get people on board with them. So I believe that there is a small following of people that refuse to use reason and common sense to make their point, and like I said, people that don’t know any better T all will believe every word. It’s very frustrating for me because I have no problem with people hating guns, just as long as their informed and know what they’re talking about.

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Hi Dawn I live here in NJ as well. This winter I spent some time and money getting certified as a USCCA instructor and getting a few NRA certifications in hopes to training others. Seems now NJ wants to take that away from me. As there is talk of people needing firearms ID cards just to try a pistol or rifle at a range. It’s demoralizing as well as frustrating. I’m thinking of storing my guns at my son’s home out of state for fear of NJ gun confiscation.

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Welcome to the Community @Frank! I was born in NJ but luckily my parents moved to Wisconsin shortly after I was born. (My dad was AF).

Glad to have you in the USCCA family and the Certified Instructor Family!

Needing a firearms ID to try a gun at a range?? And I suppose you have to have firearms experience to get the firearms ID? I wonder if they’re trying to create a catch 22 as a way to disarm people? :woman_facepalming:

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In Springfield MA, I need a “reason” to get my LTC vs just having a non-carry FID. Fortunately, I’ve had “reasons”. Surrounding towns are all over the map as far as a shall-issue vs may-issue mentality. Its a mess.

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not sure about anyone else but here lately it seems like getting permission to purchase that fire arm or arms can take days sometimes less and one being told for example it depends n the day of the month or season. i think this could be a move to slow down owning a firearm or discouraging one… anyone else seen or run into this or similar?

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Personally I think one of the biggest issues we face today is all of the false information being spread like wildfire. It makes people clamor to ridiculous gun control laws in order to “feel” safe. Right along with false information are labels being created and used specifically to spike emotions. Level heads are what is needed, calm voices with proper information.

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ERPO for gun owners in the home. “Extreme Risk Protective Order” is a civil matter where a court can issue a letter for the police to confiscate all your guns and ammo–for a period of time.
There is not much recourse, ask the police for a search warrant instead of court issued letter. Biggest part is NO due process IAW go to judge before you guns are confiscated. Order is called to 'surrender" but I call this confiscation. Extreme Risk Protective Orders | Maryland Courts

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@Kenneth1 this is the stuff that freaks me out. Having known someone where a former employer flat out lied and made false police reports to avoid paying back wages, and having to deal with a similar court request to relinquish all firearms, this sort of thing is very scary.

Oh, and welcome, glad you’re here!

This is the meeting that Senator Lindsey Graham held. It’s a couple hours but well worth watching.

I would recommend reading the witness testimony’s.

  1. Mr. Ronald Honberg

Senior Policy Advisor

National Alliance on Mental Illness

  1. Ms. Amanda Wilcox

Legislative Chair

Sheriff

Palm Beach County

West Palm Beach , FL

  1. Ms. Kimberly Wyatt

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

  1. Mr. Dave Kopel

Research Director

Independence Insitute

#1 issue is the police/sheriff do not employ Mental Health professionals to adjudicate ERPO’s
Before the court in ERPO’s. Mental Health Professional should go along with police to confiscate or surrender of ANY personal property or firearms before court issues surrender of confiscation.
Please read the testimony of those listen you will see that.
Anything else is completely illegal and will be abused by courts and police by progressive democrats willing to only confiscate.

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Welcome to the Community, @Kenneth1!

I agree, there needs to be checks and balances. Due process is one of the great things about our country… Hopefully that right doesn’t erode any further.

The 2nd is needed to protect the rest of the Amendments.

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@Kenneth1 and @Dawn, Yes there needs to be checks and balances however these Red Flag Laws only take the guns out of the hands of someone who was reported as being incompetent with weapons. It does nothing to treat the individual of his anger/mental issues at all. He could still go and use another weapon or even a car to harm someone. We already have a device in place and that is the 72 hour psych hold which removes the individual from the situation and evaluates him or her over a 72 hour period and then longer if he is deemed mentally incompetent. The Red Flag Laws are only being put in place now to take guns away from people who might not be a danger at all and then it takes forever to get your weapons back. It is similar to the Democrats saying that the gun laws are not working so let’s put more gun laws into action. HUH!?!? All we need to do is enforce the laws that are already in place and that will work. Too many criminals are getting out of jail after committing a crime with a gun and they go right back and do it again.

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Who reports? Who verifies the report?

There is no proof required to label someone incompetent or a danger before the guns are confiscated.

So if someone gets pissed off at their ex and calls in claiming they’re a threat, there’s no due process.

After re reading your comment, I think we’re saying the same things, @NJStraightShooter…?

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Yes, we are @Dawn,

There is NO proof required. If a man wanted to attack his ex and she has a weapon or more he could call in a complaint on her that she is unstable or violent and they would come and take away her guns and then he would be free to attack her whenever he wanted to. Also, to get your guns back, you have to go through the courts and through much more than was needed to take away your guns, to get them back. It is outrageous.

Plus, we already have a system in place if the police really thought the person was dangerous or mentally incompetent and that is a 72 hour hold to evaluate the person. The guns stay in the home and the possibly violent person gets the treatment he or she needs.

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There HAS to be due process in order for a society to be free. The precedent set by ERPO/“Red Flag Laws” is a very ominous one. People, in general, are a petty and vindictive bunch. We will lie at the drop of a hat if we decide that we don’t like someone and want to cause them extreme inconvenience. When “He Said, She Said” is sufficient grounds for seizing private property, then we will have lost more than just our Second Amendment rights. The 4th and 5th Amendments also go out the window.

Also, as much as I respect Law Enforcement, they typically do horrible jobs when it comes to storing and caring for firearms. I shudder to think what would happen to rare and valuable firearms in their custody. Also, most cops are NOT “gun people”. Many treat guns as if they were a simple tool, such as a wrench or hammer.

Red Flag Laws are not the answer. The wrong people will get targeted the majority of the time, and it violates several Constitutional rights. Without sufficient due process, I will not support these kinds of laws. Unfortunately, my state is likely to pass this kind of law soon.

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A few years ago I would have doubted that, @Nathan. But now I agree with you that a lot of them are not gun people. They have guns, they do their required training, but they don’t do much more.

I hope they train enough for their safety. :confused:

I have met a number of local law enforcement when they come to the range to shoot - the range I work at gives them a discount on range time. Hopefully it encourages them to shoot more. :slight_smile:

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@Dawn - As I have trained more, it makes me realizes how much MORE there is to learn in being truly proficient with firearms. Many LEOs likely “carry a lot, and shoot a little”. I’ll be the first to say that it is a good thing when police do not have to use their sidearms, because that means less risk for them and others. However, they need to train with regularity. Some are better than others about this. I have shot alongside some LEOs who are really excellent, while others need a serious tune-up.

That tangent aside, my original concern is that many police officers probably couldn’t tell a worthless Hi Point pistol from a Colt Python. I would have serious concerns about how those firearms seized by law enforcement as part of Red Flag ERPOs will be cared for, in addition to the lack of Due Process in the first place.

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