this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2025
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[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Never fails to astonish me how ignorant many gun owners are of the law. People think all the have to say is "fear for my life" and they're weapons free. Some think that a stranger on their property is excuse enough. And anti gun people are mostly worse! Their take on gun laws and what they mean as to justified self-defense are so wrong as to be laughable. However loose you think the laws are, they ain't that loose.

I have a shitload of guns and have watched hours and hours of videos relating to the legal use of force. I can best sum it up as my conceal carry instructor put it:

"If you're going to shoot someone, you better have decided that stopping whatever is happening is worth spending the rest of your life in a concrete and steel box, because it may come to that."

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

People think all the have to say is "fear for my life" and they're weapons free.

Yeah, that only works for cops.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

And just wealthy white people shooting black people

I believe John Oliver had an episode about it

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Unfortunately there are many examples of people who shoot someone and don't get the concrete box treatment. This leads people to believe it will not happen to them.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not as many as it may seem. The media only reports unusual cases. It's like lawsuits, you only hear about the crazy stuff *because it's crazy".3

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Yes but there is so many 'crazy' things over the years in comparison to our nick of the wood that even cherry picking can account for.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

However loose you think the laws are, they ain't that loose.

Aren't they tho

Regards

The rest of the world

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I meant self-defense laws aren't as loose as most think. Purchasing laws? Nah, they're not as tight as most think in the first world. Saw a great video by a top GunTuber where he went to European gun stores.

"Holy shit! You can buy all that over there!"

Doesn't take much, barrier to entry is super low in most of Europe.

America doesn't have a gun problem. America has a culture problem. We're fucking nut cases.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Doesn't take much, barrier to entry is super low in most of Europe.

Have to get a gp/psychiatrist to clear you if you've no history, or if you do, likes having multiple offenses for fighting, you can forget about legal guns. And those are rifles. Unless you got a very good reason, you're not getting a hand gun. You wont get one for "self-defense", certainly.

Illegal ones are at least 10x the price they are in the stores, and there's really not much of a market. It mostly consists of like starter pistols drilled to a .22. Not exactly a huge issue, some single shot .22 which costs you 600€ if you can find one.

When looking at the US, it doesn't seem far from those gun vending machines in Cyberpunk2077.

You can get an semi-auto 7.62 rifle in the US for like 500€.

It's very much a "gun availability" problem.

Most Americans want stricter gunlaws, but the owners of the USA don't seem to agree because it would clash with profits.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Gun laws vary wildly across Europe and you're stating it as if one size fits all.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Well, unless we're gonna pretend like EU isn't a majority of Europe (especially politically), then you'd be only somewhat wrong.

Sure, Russia is technically European and look at their laws, but, eh, we also know in practical terms when talking about European legislation, people generally refer to EU requirements from member states.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021L0555

Here are the ones for guns and yah, they included everything I said. Granted it's technically up to the country to decide whether a prior medical or psychological is required, but the clause states that they have a necessity to make sure the person is fit to have a gun. Essentially it's strongly recommended whether there needs to be a prior test, but idk of any member states which don't?

If you've got serious offences, can't have a gun. Etc etc.

Also establishes that guns need to be marked and those markings need to put in a (centralised or decentralised) database

It is necessary that Member States keep a computerised data-filing system, either centralised or decentralised, which guarantees to authorised authorities access to the data-filing systems in which the necessary information regarding each firearm is recorded. Access by police, judicial and other authorised authorities to the information contained in the computerised data-filing system must be subject to compliance with Article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

So yeah. In the EU, there's not a "one size fits all" but there's a "you gonna have this many regulations to get on the ride"

[–] Ydna@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Yeah, I've heard it described as the Shark Tank defense. If you're willing to jump into a tank of sharks rather than perform this act, it's almost certainly the wrong choice. You wouldn't jump into a shark tank if you dropped your wallet, so murdering someone over a wallet is a no-go. Maybe you would in a life-and-death situation. If you can't convince another person of sound mind to perform the same action, defending it in court is gonna be real difficult.