[Repeat Offender]

2 million firearms in a country of 64 million and the guns are primarily shotguns. And endless paperwork and and character references required for the privilege of owning a gun.

According to BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/10220974 all modern semi-auto rifles are banned and Parliament banned all handguns with a 5yr prison term for possession.

I say I agree with the spirit of dadfly's post that the crooks have the upper hand. Particularly when compared to here in Virginia when I can walk into a store, spend 5 minutes filing a form, a 30 second phone call and the swipe of a credit card and walk out with any number of firearms.

Or, participate in a private transfer purchase with no paperwork and no phone calls.

For less headache than a Brit goes through in the UK to get a shotgun, an American can purchase a fully automatic, belt-fed machinegun.

[the scotsman]

1—Gun ownership in the UK is for shooting and animal control, its always been a minority pastime/ownership in the UK. Guns just aren’t as part of the culture as in the UK.

2—Assault rifles, semi autos over .22 are banned. Semi autos over 22 converted to single shot are perfectly legal. Most not all but most handguns are banned on the UK mainland. NOT in NI, which has much looser gun laws. Also some pistol licences are available in the UK. CC is allowed only if the person has a job or lifestyle which needs CC.

3—IMO, the UK should be somewhere inbetween the UK current too stringent laws and the US laws. I don’t think either is the answer.

[Stentor]

And endless paperwork and and character references required for the privilege of owning a gun.

You are describing New Jersey.