Changes

[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]

[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]

A '''gun''' is a weapon which fires a bullet, dart or other projectile. It is highly effective to deter crime and to protect the gun owner in self-defense situations. The police rely on guns to enforce the law, except in some countries where the police are not armed. It is debatable in these countries whether the police can properly protect citizens from gun-wielding criminals, as they must wait for the arrival of specialist firearms officers before being able to act.

A '''gun''' is a weapon which fires a [[bullet]], dart or other projectile at extremely high [[speed]]s. As a range weapon of formidable efficacy, it affords its bearer the [[power]] of [[life]] and [[death]] over any living target, without the bearer necessarily having to place him/herself in harm's way. Given the [[God]]-like power that such weapons afford, and the seductive nature of power in general, it is unsurprising that those with the right to bear them are often implacably opposed to the withdrawal or circumscription of that right.

 

[[Police]] are routinely armed in some countries, but not in others. Some question whether unarmed police can properly protect citizens from gun-wielding [[criminal]]s, as they must wait for the arrival of specialist firearms officers before being able to act.

The four main types of modern firearms today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be chambered manually, by moving the breech to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually chambered by pulling back on the underside of the weapon. In semi-automatic weapons, each pull of the trigger fires a bullet. In fully automatic weapons, bullets will be fired as long as the trigger is depressed until either the trigger is released, the gun jams, or runs out of ammunition.

The four main types of modern firearms today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be chambered manually, by moving the breech to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually chambered by pulling back on the underside of the weapon. In semi-automatic weapons, each pull of the trigger fires a bullet. In fully automatic weapons, bullets will be fired as long as the trigger is depressed until either the trigger is released, the gun jams, or runs out of ammunition.

==Gun control==

==Gun control==

The cultural issues surrounding guns are many and widely debated.  [[Conservative]]s generally prefer to reserve for the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns and other weapons.  [[Liberal]]s generally prefer to delegate this right to guards, police, and the military, or even completely deny that it is an important right.{{fact}}

The cultural issues surrounding guns are many and widely debated.  [[Conservative]]s generally prefer to reserve for the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns and other weapons.  [[Liberal]]s generally prefer to delegate this right to guards, police, and the [[military]], or even completely deny that it is an important right.{{fact}}

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding and right-thinking citizens carrying guns are statistically an effective deterrent against crimes. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have distinctly lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.  

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding and right-thinking citizens carrying guns are statistically an effective deterrent against crimes. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have distinctly lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.