True, but the first reaction any oppressive regime has is to disarm the populace. Hitler did it, The Japanese did it to the Okinawans. It would be a wonderful world if there was no need for guns...and nukes for that matter, but sadly they are a fact of life.

I don't own any personal firearms, except a .22 rifle that is in my Dad's Closet back in NY. I think weapons are like cars, liquor and sex, if you're honest with your kids and teach them the power and responsibility that goes with these things, they will grow up to respect these things. If you don't show them how to handle or deal with these situations, you get kids who's only experience is blowing someone away in HALO, and when they get a real gun in their hands, they don't realize until it's too late that the power is real and FINAL. Teach them safety and respect, if they get their gun savy from friends, they'll be nuthing but thugs!

I've personally fired the M-16A1 and A2, M-60, M-249, M-240G, AT-4, LAW, M-2, M-3A1 grease gun, M67 (find that dinosaur these days), M203, Baretta 92F, M1911A1, AK-47,DRAGONOV SVD, Desert Eagle, Glock 9mm pistol (I forget what the nomenclature was), M82A1 SASR, the Uzi 9mm, the Mac-10, M-19 grenade Launcher, Luger 9mm, Various gauges of shotguns and sports rifles (I had a huhge family and they're all rednecks, and have literally hundreds of hunting guns!) but my all time favorite was when I got to fire a Soviet Flamethrower when I did security for a Special Forces weapons Demonstration! Whew!!


Ok, now the Army vs Marines question! I'm gonna say Marines are the better shot because I have been in both the Army54th engineers (1987-1990) and the Marines(1995-present). In the Army, our Drill Sergeants made all adjustments for windage and elevation on our sights. We were never even told about the effects wind, haze, light refraction, etc. has on a round impacting the target. The Marines engage targets from 200m, 300m and 500m on a set course of fire. The Army uses pop ups staged from 50m to 300m in 50m increments. The pop up scenario is more realistic, but for marksmanship skills, the Marines are known for distance shooting. Of course, the record for longest sniper shot isn't help by a US Marine or a US Soldier, it's held by a Canadian! (look up sniper on wikipedia, it's at the bottom) but before that, the record distance kill was Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, USMC. That's not to say Soldiers can't shoot, they can, but Marines DRILL shooting into your brain and spend more time teaching you how to do it!