Self defense and right to bear arms in UK

But you would be willing to use them on someone? Or allow anyone to have one and use it on whomever they wanted?

Only if I was in danger of serious physical harm or being killed

I'm not trying to, erm, 'apesh*t on your ass'. I'm bringing up a valid point.

Forgive me for asking, but why are you even here? This is a forum about immigration. You said you wanted our opinions but when you give them you're aggressively trying to shoot them down with failed logic. What gives?

In regards to being in serious danger of arm or being killed, we have a right to defend ourselves in the UK as well, provided it is not excessive. If you kill someone who is trying to mug you, for example. That is generally frowned upon. I don't have much sympathy for the mugger in that example, but those're the laws you work with. This is probably a debate best reserved for a forum about laws in the UK and the criminal justice system, not one about immigration.

Only if I was in danger of serious physical harm or being killed

You've already insinuated that the police can't be trusted with them, how are the general public any better? Not to say that you would abuse it, but if you let anyone who wanted one have one, surely some  would abuse them.

I'm not trying to, erm, 'apesh*t on your ass'. I'm bringing up a valid point.

Forgive me for asking, but why are you even here? This is a forum about immigration. You said you wanted our opinions but when you give them you're aggressively trying to shoot them down with failed logic. What gives?

I'm not being aggressive at all

You're also failing to address every other point I raised.

Yeah almost as ridiculous as having to be tased before being able to use one for personal protection, do the cops get get beaten in the head with their truncheons as well during basic training? they're non lethal, apparently... and by the way take it easy if you don't like what I'm saying you have every right to disagree just don't apesh*t on my ass

My friend, while wearing protective padding, was hit at full force with a billy club or a truncheon. She said, even with protection, it hurt quite a bit...

Again, at least for South Yorkshire Police, they are asking their officers to experience at least an ounce of the pain they may have to afflict on criminals. Its called having empathy and by experiencing the pain, cit triggers them to think carefully before using full force.

BTW this person has been broken into two twice (once she thinks she locked the guy in her house and he got out when she woke to let the cat out) since she became an officer and still doesnt think there is a need for guns or tazers/pepper spray in the home. She was also in the Army and was trained to use a gun. She knows the power behind it and agrees with the restrictions the government has in place.

You're also failing to address every other point I raised.

OK well in response to what you said, stuff like mace and tasers level the playing field, sure you can defend yourself in the UK but are you likely to be sucessful if you're unarmed and you're a small woman and your attacker is a 250 pound man you're unlikely to be successful. Yeah I know this is an immigration forum I just posted this in the wrong section by accident

She was also in the Army and was trained to use a gun. She knows the power behind it and agrees with the restrictions the government has in place.

So do I, I've shot many firearms from 12 gauge to 9mm. Shouldn't have to join the military just to be able to defend yourself

Only if I was in danger of serious physical harm or being killed

How would you know? Serious question. It's pretty rare that some criminal will walk slowly towards you in broad daylight saying "I'm going to kill you or cause serious physical harm". Decisions like that have to be made in fractions of a second, quite often.
There were several prosecutions for murder in Northern Ireland when soldiers reacted in the heat of the moment thinking that they were under threat, only for a jury to decide that the threat had ended a few seconds earlier and their actions were therefore murder. The police have landed in similar hot water more than once for much the same sort of reason.

OK well in response to what you said, stuff like mace and tasers level the playing field, sure you can defend yourself in the UK but are you likely to be sucessful if you're unarmed and you're a small woman and your attacker is a 250 pound man you're unlikely to be successful.

Unless the said small woman spends a LOT of time on the ranges (minimum a couple of hours a week, every week) and has thought a lot about what they would do in a particular situation, then it won't make a lot of difference. Pistols are poor weapons at long and very short range, meaning you have to be very on the ball to use them effectively. Unless you practice a lot with one, you're normally better off with basic self-defence skills.

Quite right, but you should have to join the military to gain access to weapons as dangerous as guns. I don't want guns on my streets, thank you.

I think we have had 7 pages of a discussion, and now it is just going in circles. Usually I might move this thread to pettifog for further debate. In this case the OP is a new member so won't be able to post in pettifog. Therefore I think it is time to just lock the thread, and move on.
Thanks to those that contributed in a positive way and kept away from turning personal.