What if all firearms in the world suddenly disappeared?

What if all firearms in the world suddenly disappeared with no way to get them back? Guns obviously cannot just magically vanish. But this thought experiment allows us to remove politics from the equation and rationally consider what we could gain – and lose – should we ever actually decide to have fewer guns around.

What would happen if there were no guns in the US?

The number of guns manufactured and imported each year would drop by more than half, but the revenue loss of roughly $13 billion in a GDP of almost $18 trillion would hardly be noticed at all. On the other hand, what would the absence of guns mean to public health and crime?

Why did Australia ban semi-automatic shotguns and rifles?

People of all political slants supported a ban against semi-automatic shotguns and rifles. In a matter of days, new legislation was enacted. The government purchased newly banned firearms at fair market value and then destroyed them, reducing Australia’s civilian gun stockpile by 30\%.

Why don’t murderers choose another weapon?

“Murderers simply do not choose another weapon,” Alpers says. This likely especially applies to domestic abusers. A woman whose violent partner has access to a gun is five to eight times more likely to be killed.

Will taking away guns save lives?

“If you take away the guns, lots and lots of those lives will be saved.” A demonstrator holds up a picture of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014 (Credit: Getty Images) Ranking at the top of that list would be lives otherwise lost to suicide.

What would happen if there were no guns in the marriage?

If guns disappeared, partners who lash out in a moment of anger are much less likely to inflict fatal damage – and are perhaps less likely to become violent at all. Though controversial, some research indicates that the mere presence of a gun makes men behave more aggressively, a phenomenon called “the weapons effect”.