Kilimanjaro said:Firearms are lethal weapons, to pretend they are not is asking for the bluff to be called. If they are not lethal weapons and intended for use as such, then making them safe for children to play with will follow. Get used to draconian storage requirements, lockups, smart grips, whatever. After all, you don't intend on using it to defend yourself, do you?
A firearm can be used as a lethal weapon but so can a lot of other things like a hammer, a car, etc. but, like a firearm, they may also have non-lethal uses. I might use a knife for eating, for example, but if I need to, I may also want to use it for self defense, just as someone may use their shotgun for skeet shooting but may also want to use it for self defense.