Strange Thought about Anti-Gun Mindset

[jakemccoy]

Think about this one for a second before responding right away.

Do you think guns would be more acceptable in the general populace if they didn't make a noise when fired? And I don't mean muffled suppressor sound. I mean zero sound. Imagine if a combat knife made a loud explosion sound every time it went to cut something. I think there generally would be equal or more objections to knives.

Anyway, that's my strange thought for the day.

 

[blackcash88]

I don't think so. People are afraid of them for much more than just the noise. They will still understand that the end result is the same with or without noise.

 

[Owen Sparks]

Yes!

I read somewhere in a psychology book that human beings are born with a natural fear of only two things, loud noises and falling.
I can't help but think that many of todays anti-gun advocates were the same little five year old girls who got upset and cried when it thundered.

 

[DigitalWarrior]

I still cry when it thunders

 

[TAB]

I think it would help with the "fear" of them.

 

[Cel]

People have told me that they are scared of guns directly because of the noise. So yes, I think they would be accepted more if they were not so loud.

 

[Owen Sparks]

Makes you wonder if silencers weren't illegal, would they be required? Sort of like mufflers on cars are required to supress obnoxious noise.

 

[PTK]

Silencers aren't, and never have been, illegal.


I always make sure that new shooters only use my silenced guns at their first range outing unless they ask to try other items.

 

[Nolo]

In August, I took a lady friend of mine to the range.
Now, she wasn't an anti, but she wasn't exactly on our side.
The sort of person who probably would never touch a gun on her own.
But she is a very rational human being, and she trusted me, so she let me take her to the range.
Afterward, she told me "they're a lot quieter than I thought they'd be".
Granted, we were shooting .22s, but still.
Even with cartridges the size of thumbtacks, she was expecting a huge explosion. Of note, the .22 Mags didn't really bother her, either.
She also commented that the recoil wasn't as bad as she was expecting (she must weigh under 95 lbs, so that is quite a statement, still).
Of course, then my friend's dad brought out the .500 S&W for us to watch him fire...
That pretty much satisfied her expectations.

 

[jakemccoy]

The best analogy I can imagine is a bow and arrow. There doesn't seem to be a general fear of a bow and arrow. However, they can be equally or more deadly.

 

[Oana]

Interesting question. You could be right. On the other hand, you have to get very close with a knife, unlike a gun. If guns were completely silent, a criminal has the advantage of being able to shoot from a great distance without alerting anybody. A gunshot gives warning to any bystanders that something's going on. So I'd say it's a toss-up.

Offhand, though, I bet it would help with the knee-jerk fear reaction. If there were no recoil, either, I think people would be even less scared.

 

[Nolo]

The best analogy I can imagine is a bow and arrow. There doesn't seem to be a general fear of a bow and arrow. However, they can be equally or more deadly.

Only the most deadly arrows are more effective than the least effective firearms.

 

[blackcash88]

The best analogy I can imagine is a bow and arrow. There doesn't seem to be a general fear of a bow and arrow. However, they can be equally or more deadly.

That's a horrible analogy.

Seriously, when's the last time anyone heard about someone being killed with an arrow? See a lot of bangers in your area carrying concealed bows and committing "arrow violence"? Bows are VERY obscure outside the hunting world and it takes a LOT more skill to hit with a bow than it does a gun. Stupid...

 

[jakemccoy]

Nolo, you were wearing ear protection, right?

The single mother on the street level apartment who hears a shooting outside would not be wearing ear protection. I bet if that mother read about a bow and arrow attack the next day, then she still wouldn't have a sudden fear of bow and arrows like she would a gun.

 

[Nolo]

If there were no recoil, either,

Well, if you're gonna go that route, you might as well hope that people will live in peace and prosperity under the grand banner of hippitude.
Do not slight the Great Newton.

 

[jakemccoy]

Only the most deadly arrows are more effective than the least effective firearms.

OK, even still, compare a quality bow with a wimpy but nice .22lr pistol. Walk around town openly with each in San Francisco on different days. Do you want to take a bet what would happen?

 

[Nolo]

Nolo, you were wearing ear protection, right?

I made her wear it. I wasn't (we had only one set. ).
She's not a moron, she's one of the brightest people I know.
I showed her the rifles and the cartridges, so I'm sure she gauged beforehand how she thought they would sound. I'm pretty sure she would take into account the old, mostly worthless muffs we had, too.
Still surprised her, and still speaks to where a lot of the fear comes from.
I'm sure most of us have developed even a small flinch before.
You know where that comes from?
FEAR.

 

[Oana]

Well, if you're gonna go that route, you might as well hope that people will live in peace and prosperity under the grand banner of hippitude.
Do not slight the Great Newton.

Purely fantasy, I assure you. I figured since we were doing a "what if", it was fair game.

 

[novaDAK]

Walk around town openly with each in San Francisco on different days. Do you want to take a bet what would happen?

You will get police attention with both.
Hell...a few months ago there was a guy caught outside of the US Capitol with a sword and shotgun dressed all in black like a ninja. I'm not kidding.

 

[Nolo]

You're splitting hairs and missing the point.

Not missing the point.
I know what you're saying, I just think that asserting that the bow and arrow is as, if not more deadly is fallacious.
As they say, the devil is in the details.
The most advanced, most powerful hand-held bow and arrow (that I know of, I am no expert) is, all things considered, roughly equivalent in killing power to a .30-30, at best a medium-power cartridge (depending on where you end the power scale. .300 WM? .50 BMG? 20mm Lahti?).
You are correct in the proposition that noise bears a lot of the fear of firearm hoplophobia, but it's silly to use a false statement to back that up.

 

[TAB]

Silencers aren't, and never have been, illegal.

depends on the state.

 

[PTK]

Federally, then.

 

[Nolo]

Purely fantasy, I assure you. I figured since we were doing a "what if", it was fair game.

It's not so far-fetched to envision firearms that make little, if no noise.
Just look at a suppressed .300 Whisper.
Actually, it ain't all that hard to envision weapons with no recoil, either. The Atchisson AA-12, Ultimak 100 and Stoner LMG are testaments to that.

 

[Oana]

Bows & arrows are now considered part of the past and associated with people like Robin Hood. They're just as deadly as guns, but they're not perceived that way anymore. Plus, you can't exactly stuff a bow and a few arrows into your pocket for an evening stroll - unless you're slinking in the shadows, everyone knows what you're carrying!

Now, take yourself back 600 years or so to the heyday of the longbow in Europe. I bet you'd find a VERY different perception!

(Minor nitpick: bows aren't completely silent, either...)

 

[Nolo]

TWANG!!!