Originally Posted by Hiro11

Agree with this. To me it seems like obvious common sense that a background check should be required to own a firearm. Not sure I agree with this. Worrying about magazine capacity and select fire (automatic weapons) is a bit of a red herring. A low capacity semi automatic pistol like a 1911 is plenty deadly. Magazines can be swapped very quickly, in fact low capacity pistols are common in shooting competitions where speed is a factor. Similarly, a semi automatic or even a bolt action hunting rifle can be shot extremely quickly and are both very powerful weapons. Likewise given the deadliness of any rifle, the definition of an "assault rifle" is extremely vague. Actually, an AR-15's .223 cartridge is much less powerful than a standard .308 hunting cartridge. After all, the Second World War was fought essentially with hunting rifles.

Originally Posted by Hiro11

Agree with this. To me it seems like obvious common sense that a background check should be required to own a firearm. Not sure I agree with this. Worrying about magazine capacity and select fire (automatic weapons) is a bit of a red herring. A low capacity semi automatic pistol like a 1911 is plenty deadly. Magazines can be swapped very quickly, in fact low capacity pistols are common in shooting competitions where speed is a factor. Similarly, a semi automatic or even a bolt action hunting rifle can be shot extremely quickly and are both very powerful weapons. Likewise given the deadliness of any rifle, the definition of an "assault rifle" is extremely vague. Actually, an AR-15's .223 cartridge is much less powerful than a standard .308 hunting cartridge. After all, the Second World War was fought essentially with hunting rifles.

Originally Posted by mrken30

The British infantry were using semi-automatics with 20 round magazines up until the early 90's.

I think that some sort of check should be done on ammo sales. It's crazy that FEDEX can leave 1000 rounds just sitting on my door step, not even requiring a signature.

Originally Posted by dc koop

They sound like the NATO standard issue FNs we used while I was in the army in the 1960s 7.62 caliber if I remember right

Originally Posted by uk_grenada

.... or uk based heckler and koch [owned by the govt of and manufacturing in america, the uk and elsewhere.] ....

Originally Posted by uk_grenada

The belgian FN is still doing great service in african countries, but most of the world is standardising on russian kalashnikov concern weapons [current assault hunting and sniper weapons are excellent] or uk based heckler and koch [owned by the govt rof and manufacturing in america, the uk nd elsewhere.]

There are of course good exceptions like the israelis, steyr in austria and a few others. I really wouldnt include the m16, its junk.

Originally Posted by uk_grenada

The belgian FN is still doing great service in african countries, but most of the world is standardising on russian kalashnikov concern weapons [current assault hunting and sniper weapons are excellent] or uk based heckler and koch [owned by the govt rof and manufacturing in america, the uk nd elsewhere.]

There are of course good exceptions like the israelis, steyr in austria and a few others. I really wouldnt include the m16, its junk.

Originally Posted by mrken30

Goes back to post #5

I think most things are poorer in quality over here: houses, cars, consumer goods, customer service, banks, airlines... I could go on and on.

Originally Posted by dc koop

That's a pretty broad statement. As far as houses go where I live they're built to withstand earthquakes so you cannot compare those to houses in the UK which would collapse completely in any sizeable earthquake.

As for cars I never thought Toyotas, Hondas, Mercedes Benz, BMW etc were of poor quality anywhere in the world they're driven and percentage wise combined they outnumber GM and Ford in the US As for Fiat and Renault both popular in Europe I would say they're of poor quality overall

Cant complain about customer service either. I've encountered some sourpusses in Europe who are square pegs in round holes when it comes to serving the public

As for banks and airlines I do not see any difference in service either less or better here or there

Originally Posted by Pulaski

I largely agree, but re houses I am inclined to agree with MrKen on certain specifics, such as but not confined to, heating systems, electrical fittings (switches, sockets, GFCIs, etc.), plumbing (taps and valves), roofing, and floor rigidity. The reliability and robustness of these are significantly poorer in the US. I didn't have to replace any of those things in the UK because they had in some general sense "worn out", and yet all are things that have a relatively short life in the US and I have had to replace in the US - except for floors, but I never had a floor sag in the UK such that a door started to rub or stick in its frame.

Originally Posted by mrken30

Toilet flappers are a bug bear of American society, toilets should be able to go for years with minimal maintenance.

Originally Posted by dc koop

They sound like the NATO standard issue FNs we used while I was in the army in the 1960s 7.62 caliber if I remember right

Originally Posted by johnwoo

In the RAF we weren't given guns. Except on guard duty, then we had a rifle but no bullets.