ezra: ....Prohibitionists can daydream about confiscating 75% of guns in the USA a la Australia,
Where did you get the 75% figure for 'confiscation'? Provide some basis for the figure:
About 650,000 legally owned guns were peacefully seized, then destroyed, as part of the buyback. According to one academic estimate, the buyback took in and destroyed 20 percent of all privately owned guns in Australia. Analysis of import data suggests that Australians haven't purchased nearly enough guns in the past 18 years to make up for the initial decline.
20% of privately held guns would mean more than 80% of all guns in Australia (including govt & military) remained. Your contention back *wards.
ezra: Australia's gun ban and confiscations went into effect 1995-1996.
The gun buyback scheme was from oct 1996 - sept 1997, you're off by a year. Confiscations (if so) occurred as a result of non compliance.
ezra: ... note that Australia's homicide rate appears to have remained a lot more constant before and after the ban than the U.S. media likes to acknowledge,
1996 and 1997, the two years in which the NFA was actually implemented, saw the largest percentage declines in the homicide rate in any two-year period in Australia between 1915 and 2004. http://www.vox.com/2015/8/27/9212725/australia-buyback
The average firearm suicide rate in Australia in the seven years after the bill declined by 57% compared with the seven years prior. The average firearm homicide rate went down by about 42%.
ezra: the Australian gun control lobby, having confiscated all handguns and most rifles/shotguns,
Ezra continues in his common misconception re Australian firearm laws:
A common misconception is that firearms are illegal in Australia and that no individual may possess them. Although it is true that Australia has restrictive firearms laws, rifles and shotguns (both of which include semi-automatics), as well as handguns, are all legal within a narrow set of criteria.
Category H: Handguns including air pistols and deactivated handguns. ... This class is available to target shooters and certain security guards whose job requires possession of a firearm. To be eligible for a Category H firearm, a target shooter must serve a probationary period of 6 months using club handguns, after which they may apply for a permit. A minimum number of matches yearly to retain each category of handgun and be a paid-up member of an approved pistol club.
These categories – A,B,C,D and H were those determined by the NFA. The others listed here are determined by the states that have implement them at their own discretion.
Target shooters are limited to handguns of .38 or 9mm calibre or less and magazines may hold a maximum of 10 rounds. Participants in certain "approved" pistol competitions may acquire handguns up to .45", currently Single Action Shooting and Metallic Silhouette. IPSC shooting is approved for 9mm/.38/.357 sig, handguns that meet the IPSC rules, but larger calibres are not approved for IPSC handgun shooting contests in Australia. Category H barrels must be at least 100mm (3.94"
long for revolvers, and 120mm (4.72" for semi-automatic pistols..; magazines are restricted to 10 rounds. Handguns held as part of a collection were exempted from these limits.
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