Gun registration + riots = gun grab ?‏

Hi Fernando,

You strongly advocate gun ownership for self-defense. My concern here in France is about gun registration : only side-by-side and over/under shotguns, and black powder weapons aren't registered (since the 2005 riots, 22LR rifles must be registered). For instance, I could own a Glock 17 but that would mean being on THE list. You must count on the thinly spread police forces for your security. No CCW allowed.

What happen if the policemen knock at our door and ask for our guns during or after riots ? A totalitarian government (whose acts might be the cause of the riots) could leave us naked to defend ourselves. Katrina-like...

What are Argentina's gun laws concerning registration ? Do you fear an hypothetical gun grab ?

I'd wish we had a "2nd Amendment" in my country but we don't. When the French people overthrew and executed their king in 1793, they got themselves a Declaration of Human's and Citizen's Rights where one could read :
"Article 27 - May any individual usurping the sovereignty [of the French people] be instantly killed by the free men."
Of course, this article disappeared from the following versions of the declaration :-D

Bye,
Etienne

Hi Etienne,

Yes, I strongly advocate responsible gun ownership for self defense because I've seen how being armed when you need it, combined with good awareness and proper defensive shooting training, it can indeed save your life.

Its serious business because if there's no other choice you have to be ready to stop the threat any way you can, dealing with the moral and legal consequences.
There's been more than enough cases where the bad guy's friends and family kept harassing and attacking the family, forcing them to move out.
Something similar happens when the "bad guys" gunned down turned out to be cops or ex LEOs making a few bucks on the side. Unfortunately, it happens often in South America.

You have to accept this as a possibility, its not just making up your mind about not having a problem regarding shooting someone in self defense. The legal and economical problems are usually greater than the moral dilemma.

I believe that you can fix everything except death and/or a ruined family by rape, torture or other kind of abuses. Those things will destroy you and your family and there’s no going back in time to change things, the rest can be solved.
Money can be earned again, you move and settle somewhere else, but at least the family is ok.

You are right about the possibility of a "gun grab". That's why its a pretty good idea to have guns that don’t have a paper trail going back to you if you can do it legally. I believe it can be done in the States with face to face purchases from individual owners in some states. Do some research to be sure. That would be ideal because that way, at least that firearm isn't listed if they come knocking.

For countries or states where that's not possible, there's still things you can do.
For example you can decide to go on "vacations" often to your hunting cabin, weekend home or maybe some friend's house when you see the possibility or hear rumors of gun confiscations. Its not illegal to visit grandpa at the other side of the State as far as I know.
Of course this is all theoretical, and its not that hard to track someone down but when these operations are enforced in such a large scale, they mostly settle for the ones that are home and have no other option than to give their guns up.
Some people burry a handgun and a few boxes of ammo in buckets caches for such a scenario. Of course the gun buried shouldn't have any paper trail.

In your case, I'd get a couple extra short barreled shotguns " coach guns" for self defense under the radar. Given the political context in Europe, I'd buy a couple extra coach guns NOW (Stoeger Iga makes good cheap coach guns last time I checked) and burry them with several boxes of ammo, pellet, buckshot and slugs. Worst case scenario, IF LEGAL IN YOUR COUNTRY (not legal in France as far as I know) , you can cut down the barrel in one of them, and have a "coach gun" shotgun and a double barrel handgun a la Mad Max. Not pretty, not accurate, but a gun that somewhat conceals and can be used for short range self defense none the less. Again, far from ideal compared to modern auto pistols or revolvers, but much better than none at all.

This may all sound paranoid and far fetched, and it is far fetched thinking it could happen all over USA, but you can't deny that it has happened not that long ago, during Katrina, when people needed to defend themselves the most form looters.

Being in a list or not, the priority for me is having the tool to defend yourself.
Being on a list sure is a disadvantage, but its even worse to be unarmed.


FerFAL