What about Drug dealers, pedophiles, rapists, etc.... People like that might use the guns for the poser to commit more crimes. @sneakypete
@verga Nobody ever made me the judge of the world,but I will try to answer. Mere possession without threatening someone or shooting someone is no big deal. Drug dealers pretty much have to have guns around or be murdered and robbed. If they pull a gun on a cop during the raid,charge them with being a felon in possession of a firearm and threatening a police officer with a handgun,in addition to the drug charge.
With pedophiles it makes no difference what you do. If I am in charge of setting sentencing,none of those people are ever getting out of jail,gun or no gun.
Rapist,add the gun charges to the rape and other assorted charges.
Once again,take note that in NONE of those cases was the gun anything but incidental to the major felony being committed.
AND.........,and pay attention because this is the "kicker" here, no possession of a firearm charges are going to be filed in ANY of those cases because they will be dismissed as part of a plea bargain. You know that,I know that,the cops know that,and the judges know that.
Only otherwise innocent citizens who just happen to be caught in possession of a firearm with no permit is ever sentenced for mere possession of a firearm,and even then that charge gets kicked in the plea bargain.