Why are there more restrictions in firearms law on handguns compared to long guns?

Posted by supinator1@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 14 comments

To me, the inability to hide a long gun does little to reduce its ability deter most crime. If you want to rob a small business, seeing a long gun a few seconds earlier by others isn't going to significantly change the encounter, especially if the robber moves fast and efficiently. Even in public places, if open carry is allowed, you aren't supposed to view those open carrying as an active threat if they are otherwise behaving lawfully and if they intend to commit a crime, you won't be prepared until they actually get in position and do the crime. Is the disproportionate restrictions on hand guns simply security theater?

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14 Comments

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Agammamon@reddit

Because when these laws were made the idea was that handguns are concealable and thus used by criminals, not honest people. Don't assume that the reasons we ascribe to things today are the same reasons the people who started the thing used to justify it. And its not about 'seeing a long gun a few seconds earlier' - its about taking the bus across town with a rifle strapped to your back. That's gonna get you some attention.

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Conscious-Local-8095@reddit

There are restrictions on long guns, rifled bores over nominal-50, smooth bores over 10 gauge, full-auto. There were more in the late 90's early 2000's. It's a long-running game of Goldilocks/bear-porridge, politicians and ideologues on both sides benefit. Open carry too scary, CC too sneaky. Guns too big and capable, too small, too cheap.

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cowboy3gunisfun@reddit

All gun laws are infringements, looking for a reason behind them will only lead to migraines.

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cmiovino@reddit

Handguns are used in more crimes, shootings, etc. Easier to conceal, carry around, in and out of vehicles. We all get that. It also probably goes back to the "old days" when carrying around a hunting rifle to school was considered normal in a lot of places. Hell, my dad always tells me a story that back when he worked downtown, a fellow co-worker came in carrying a new hunting rifle in a brown paper bag to the workplace. Everyone got to check it out, hold it, etc. He literally bought it on his lunch break and brought it back to worry, carrying it home on public transit. This was in the late 70's. I assume when the laws were created, long gun were considered more of a tool and less of a threat.

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No-Notice565@reddit

>It also probably goes back to the "old days" when carrying around a hunting rifle to school was considered normal in a lot of places. Just to add to this.. there was also a time when concealing a handgun was the anomaly. Why would someone need to conceal their gun? what are you trying to hide? Since you must be trying to hide something you need a permit to hide it so we know youre one of the good guys.

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Ov3rReadKn1ght0wl@reddit

This is the crux of it. Handguns and their bladed counterpart in daggers were historically regulated due to their concealability and the associations made with assassinations. Long blades and long blades were allowed because people could see how you were handling the weapon and respond in kind, whereas concealable weapons could be deployed via ambush, which was highly frowned upon.

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Stack_Silver@reddit

People passing the gun control laws are unfamiliar with guns.

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ElmoZ71SS@reddit

Pistols pretty much only exist for anti personnel use, at close range.

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ArgieBee@reddit

The concealability means that they tend to get used in crimes more often.

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blkatcdomvet@reddit

Fear

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PirateRob007@reddit

Trying to understand the logic in gun laws only leads to a labyrinth of madness and chaos. All I can say for sure is that I feel much safer walking the streets thanks to those goofy ass grips and arbitrary capacity limits.

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agatathelion@reddit

Well when a huge amount of crimes are caused by $30 hi points, the handguns will be getting regulated more than any other type of firearm

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WhocaresToo@reddit

Concealability and used 99.999% more in violent crimes

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bub-bass@reddit

The law doesn’t have to make actual real world sense to pass. AW’s are military looking and are used in mass shootings (so they’re highly regulated) handguns are used in a vast majority of crime and murders (also heavily regulated) Conventional rifles (until yesterday) and shotguns are less of an issue in the overall gun problem/ discussion so they’re relatively not talked about and left alone. Also not regulating them appeals to outdoorsmen who are less AW and handgun friendly and gains some credibility for anti gun legislators