What would happen? Felons who can't legally buy a gun would walk into a store and buy auto pistols with no limit on clip capacity and go nuts.
I'm not in favor of this idea.

What would happen? First, I would try even harder to get a better paying job so I could afford a few goodies on my wish list. Second, all the felons, druggies, blah, blah will still buy their weapons in back allies because A) they are probably cheaper, B) it would still be easier, and C) no gun store owner in his right mind would sell a weapon to a person would, while legally allowed, looks like they are going to hold up a 7-11. Another thing that would happen is that crime would practically evaporate as muggers now know that everyone they see just might be packing heat. If y'all don't believe this part you must be wondering why the crime rates in New York or D.C. are so high, what with all their "common-sense" gun laws. Those who should not have guns (murderers, rapists, etc) should not be allowed out of prison, thereby making background checks a moot point. And even if they do help prevent crime (and I seriously doubt they do), that still does not excuse the fact that it is a gross violation of my rights. We could stop crime overnight if every American had an electronic microchip implanted in them and had to take regular polygraph tests, but should we go about doing that?

Sounds interesting. I would suggest an age of 18 instead of 21; although, I would like to see convicted felons have to go through long probationary periods before able to purchase a firearm. More thought needs to go into it but otherwise I think it is great that the 2nd Ammendment is essentialy a carry permit for a law abiding citizen.

Food for thought indeed.

I've found myself speculating about an end of gun laws all weekend and I think I could ramble on forever on the subject. What follows are a few of my best guesses.

There would be an initial period of confusion where a lot more firearms were sold. Some to bad guys who had always wanted a gun but were prevented from obtaining one by the laws, and some to good guys who had never thought of owning before but are suddenly afraid that the streets are going to be full of armed marauders.

There would be a hasty assemblage of carelessly written and confusing gun laws put on the books at every level of government to fill the void.

As the dust settled more and more wrongful death lawsuits would place the responsibility on the seller of the firearm. Gun dealers, in self defense, would require even more extensive (& expensive) background checks on potential buyers.

Pro-gun extremists would buy up all the .223 ammo they could find and anti-gun extremists would call for the confiscation of all privately owned firearms.

That is about as dumb as saying we are getting rid of all vehicle laws except you have to be 14 to drive.

when i was growing up in southwestern missouri, all of my friends had guns. we use to hunt squirrels, rabbits and quail, we never concerned ourself with hunting and having guns. in my home we had 3 guns one shotgun one 22 rifle and one 22 pistol. i guess it is the changing of times and the liberals who are stirring up the trouble for us gun nuts.

I have no problem with the current firearms laws. I own several handguns and various rifles and shotguns. I own most of the guns i want and I buy the others that i want as I can afford them. In my home state of Kentucky you must have a permit for concealed carry, but thats no big deal, I can carry. Keep the laws, just don't get stupid with them.

Many interesting and thoughtful comments here. One further one occurs to me. If you had to be 21 in order to own/use a firearm, what about the years prior to turning 21, during which you gained no familiarity with guns and did gained no expertise in using them? We all know the younger a person is when he or she begins to learn a subject, the more likely it is that he or she will become very proficient at doing whatever it may be. The best hunters and shooters typically start very young, the younger the better. With the 21 year rule in place, I would fear that far fewer persons would take up shooting for whatever reason in the first place and those that did would be far less able. Beyond that observation, yes, let's do away with all gun laws. I've had enough of corrupt old men telling us whats best for us. These old men have turned me into a cynic and a budding anarchist. Tom

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't see anything in your "new law" that says I cannot teach my son once he is big enough to keep a 22 on target, I just can't give him the 22 until he is 21.

Seems to me if we did away with all of the insane laws, we would have less insanity on our streets, as the NRA put it, The 2nd Ammendment is the Original Home Land Defense Bill.

Have fun on the range.

Dave!!

One of the coolest things my dad did was give me an 18" barrel 20 gauge/22lr O/U made by savage model 24. This was the best gift as an 8 year old. Technically my dad owned the gun. This gun made me into the hunter that I am now. I think it is important for a young person to have an adult who is reponsible to purchase a gun for them to use. My dad has tought me alot. The only problem is his taste in Sako rifles, when he was stationed in West Germany (Frankfurt) he was buying Sako Deluxes at a price of $150. He has past on to me the appreciation in fine firearms, its just to bad to buy a new Sako Deluxe it cost me $2000. I am glad a person over 21 was able to pass on the tradition of shooting and hunting on to me.

Yes, indeed, I remember all those places, most especially Ed Agramonte's in Yonkers on South Broadway. International Guns was just up the road on Warburton Avenue, another of my regular haunts. In those days MACY'S sold guns.

Ed Agramonte! A name to conjure with. He was good man: patient with a dumb kid, willing to teach, and patient as all get out with someone who undoubtedly was a pest he didn't need. I took my Hunter Ed class in the room over his shop. Wherever he is, I hope he's doing well and selling guns by the trainload.

Came the weekend I'd hop the bus there and spend hours drooling over the stuff in his shop. When I bought my first rifle through the mail I took it to Ed for a headspace check. On the city bus, because I was far too young to drive. Nobody said anything or so much as turned a hair at the sight of a 15-year-old kid with a rifle on a bus. Try that today!

I bought several guns from Ed--all before I was 18, by the way--and consider his passing a great loss.

Stoeger's, yes, indeed. In those days if you didn't have a pistol permit in New York you went over to new Jersey, where you didn't need a permit, to buy your pistol. Today you'd end up in Leavenworth for that.

True: these are not those days. And one reason they aren't is BECAUSE we have stopped trusting the people to take care of themselves and their country, one manifestation of which is the plethora of useless, pointless, and stupid gun laws we have to deal with. Total Repeal would go a long way towards returning this nation to a state of sanity and balance and towards ending the entirely justified suspicion and distrust of government by gun owners.

In Switzerland there's a machine gun in virtually every home, and there is ZERO violent crime. Ditto in Israel, where the only violent crimes committed are by enemies of the state--not a few of whom have met Allah through the agency of privately owned firearms. Having guns around is not, never has been, and never can be a source of crime. The sources of crime are complex, but guns aren't one of them. No how, no way.

We were better off in many ways before the accursed year of 1968, and we will be better off when we repeal it and all the rest of the laws. This may happen: if the Supreme Court rules the right way in the Emerson case (as they will) then all the various state laws will be struck down, too. Won't THAT make Chuck Schumer grind his teeth!

Oh God forbid there be no gun laws, the Safety People would cower in there homes afraid of what "might" happen. Laws keeping felons from buying guns are ok. but the gun control nuts can keep the rest. Change the laws and let law abiding people have the right to defend themselfs. Not the criminals right to do what they want till they get caught.