America has always had a small group of people preparing for and declaring the end of America or the world etc. They buy a lot of guns and prepare. They are mostly harmless and die of old age. Americans love guns, and yes I am completely aware that most crimminal get their guns by stealing them from legit owners but, that cat is long out of the bag.

Hello

There were many reasons submitted for why we like our arms. The most important reason is that if you forget the past, you are doomed to repeat it. We had in my mind a test case in New Orleans, Louisiana. Once Hurricane Katrina hit, there was lawlessness, police killing umnarmed citizens, rapes, etc. So I would rather be on the side of having a weopon than not in any scenario.

Actually guns are stolen from law abiding citizens, but far more are from the black market..the american weapons made are a lot more expensive to get, so most illegal weapons are from countries like China, Chech republic, Russia, Huangarian...those are mainly a variation of the AK47 or AK74..there are far more foreign weapons in the hands of criminals. The ammo is half the price for them as it is for a caliber of the same type of American made weapons, because they use cheaper metal for casings and over all the weapons and ammo are cheaply made and nowhere near as accurate as an American made weapon.
These are all facts and can be found on the internet..people might wanna go do some research before just guessing on what they think they know.

Are there a lot US citizens expecting chaos and preparing home-defense?

IMO not "a lot are expecting chaos and preparing" because most people in the US (just like most countries) don't think anything really bad will happen.

But having lived in rural and suburban Maryland, and working in/visiting Baltimore & DC for many years I can tell you many US citizens are armed (at home) in some way. Be it hand guns, shot guns, hunting rifles, grandpa's old pistol, crossbows, tazer-guns or assault rifles - I'd say most people (90% rural, 65% urban) here could defend themselves in some fashion.

My seven year old could take someones eye out with his pellet gun at 15 yards...he felt the need to be armed ever since he watched "Home Alone"

Originally posted by MrSpad
America has always had a small group of people preparing for and declaring the end of America or the world etc. They buy a lot of guns and prepare. They are mostly harmless and die of old age. Americans love guns, and yes I am completely aware that most crimminal get their guns by stealing them from legit owners but, that cat is long out of the bag.

I doubt the home owners
will ever see a gun that is stolen again.
Or cops ever find it, unless they were shot with it.
There are networks of underground weapon dealers anyways..
That being said there as hundreds of thousands
of them. That really is out of the bag.
Taking the peoples guns now will just leave
us sheep.

I'm not expecting a breakdown in society.

I do plan for the future and some would consider me a prepper. I have a fair supply of food and I live in the country.

I don't envision hordes of people roaming around trying to steal things.

Many Americans own guns, especially in the country. It's not that big a deal.

Originally posted by zatara

Originally posted by SpaDe_
Well for most I think it is their answer to protecting their family in a just in case scenario. Many areas have seen random home invasions, and an increase in crime. I live in an area that usually has little to no crime at all, and just in the past year alone I have had 4 different people within a couple miles of me have their houses broken into.

Why do you think there is this increase of crime in your neigbourhood? Has it to do with financial crisis, were many people laid off from work? Is the police on top of things?

I would say it more than likely has to do with the economic state here. Unemployment in my state is rather high. The police are doing the best they can from what I can tell. The criminals have gotten rather gutsy, they have been breaking into homes in the middle of the day when they know the people that own them are at work.

Originally posted by saltdog
Actually guns are stolen from law abiding citizens, but far more are from the black market..the american weapons made are a lot more expensive to get, so most illegal weapons are from countries like China, Chech republic, Russia, Huangarian...those are mainly a variation of the AK47 or AK74..there are far more foreign weapons in the hands of criminals. The ammo is half the price for them as it is for a caliber of the same type of American made weapons, because they use cheaper metal for casings and over all the weapons and ammo are cheaply made and nowhere near as accurate as an American made weapon.
These are all facts and can be found on the internet..people might wanna go do some research before just guessing on what they think they know.

edit on 24-1-2012 by saltdog because: spelling

edit on 24-1-2012 by saltdog because: spelling

I am confused you say the research is available, and it is. The research clearly shows the most popular guns used for crimes are American made hand guns. Followed by American made shot guns and crap like the Tec 9. Things like AK47s are poplular in movies but not so much in real crime. If your a teenage drug dealer it is far easier to take grampas old 38 special then it is to buy an AK47 from an arms dealer. I keep mine locked up but lots of people do not.

As you can see in the responses, there is no “One” reason. The reasons are as varied as the days in the year.

All of them are related to stress of some type.

For me, it’s a combination of things.

The increasing pressure from a growing wild animal population. The one gun I had was no longer adequate for the situations I was having to deal with. That problem is primarily caused by the influence of rabid environmentalist that hold the value of a wild animal higher than that of a human’s. They hold back any reasonable attempt to moderate the wild animal population until it is literally overrunning the homes and communities.

Seeing the negative influence that gun control has on a population’s crime element, namely the in the UK, and France. You can’t make guns disappear. When you outlaw their ownership, the only ones that will have them are the ones with no regard for the law. The law abiding citizens are left defenseless.

Knowing that there has been an increasing number of bad apples that have filtered out to the countryside from the cities, and hearing where people have had break-ins. I want something with a one shot stop capability. The police can’t help when someone breaks in. When you come to grips with that fact, then you understand that you are responsible for your own defense.

As the old adage goes. The only way evil will win is if the good do nothing.

I can see the misguided logic of the law makers who don’t understand any of that. And I am going to stand with everyone else in opposition to them. So by stocking up, I am sending my own little message to them to pound sand.

And last but not least. The way a pop bottle explodes when it’s hit with a 12 gauge is just freaking cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys in Europe and the like have already been subdued and are under control, you have been conditioned to think you dont need guns since you cant have them anyways. This is not a dig on my European brothers at all, but its the truth. Americans are just poised to make sure that will never happen to us in any way, once they take the guns, its over.

Im a better to have it and not need it , rather than need it and not have it kind of guy, always have been. Its way more likely that a tornado or hurricane, etc will cause a situation to have to possibly cause alarm for sure. But its a powder keg over here, like lots of places and the right combo can set things into motion at any time. I really do NOT think it will come to this in my lifetime, so Im not a super stock pile dude, but Im prepared to ride out most situations for at least a few months, including guns and ammo. I live life and do not fret at all