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As an active competitive target shooter for over 50 years, a competitor at State, National and International level for 38 years, and a firearms owner for about 45 yrs, I can honestly say that I have NEVER witnessed a firearms related accident on or off a rifle range. I have known of 2 people killed in vehicle accidents on the way to a range, but then cars are not under consideration for banning are they?
I would think that there may probably be as many firearms in Qld as there are cars, (there certainly used to be anyway), but so far this year, just in Qld, there is a vehicle related death rate of approximately 1 per day. Smoking related deaths are almost certainly in excess of this, but buying cigarettes is still OK, and you can kill others too whilst enjoying a smoke. Is this logical?
Target shooting, as other Forum Members have pointed out, involves high precision, mental attitude and aptitude, concentration, skill and self control. Most sports are like this to some degree, but then most sports are in fact far more dangerous. Surfing, football of various codes, boxing, motor racing, even cricket. The papers are full of injuries being caused to team members, drowning, broken limbs, severe concussion, spinal injuries, etc etc. Did anyone ever hear of a shooter being seriously injured? There have been one or two that I can recall in the past 25 yrs, but these were generally freak accidents, rather than avoidable accidents. The reason for this is that shooting, because is potentially dangerous, it is very very strictly controlled. If anyone really believes that all firearms should be banned, because "they are dangerous", I would suggest they visit an NRAA rifle range, and see for themselves how strictly controlled it is, and why therefore it is one of the safest sports conducted in this and many other countries.
On a final note, I believe that firearms licensing is imperative, and I also believe that if anyone loses a firearm through negligence, they should be prosecuted, with a heavy fine, and/or a custodial sentence being imposed. Owning a firearm is a priviledge, not a right. Abusing a priviledge, is the best way of losing it.
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