Did you ever consider the possibility that the reason violent crimes did go down (since the 90's) is because we are armed?
The country before the 90's had an estimated 300 million firearms.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimated 2018
sales at 13.1 million
firearms.
Additional firearms represented just a small fraction of those already in peoples hands, hence their impact wouldn't account for the drop in crime.
The impact was not the amount of guns, the impact were those states who not only adopted CCW laws, but created legislation to protect those who do use deadly force.
In other words I would have no problem using my firearm for protection in my state. That's because along with CCW laws, our legislatures wrote laws that protect us from prosecution in the event we have to use it. However if we had reciprocity in New York city for example, I would not take my firearm with me. While they were forced by the courts to allow armed citizens, their laws do not give me the same protection in using deadly force that I have in Ohio. Having CCW licenses is only as good as the laws that protect them.
Which is why we need a national CCW Law that protects lawful gun owners, a concealed carry permit good in one state should be good anywhere in the US.
I don't know about that because some states don't require any training to get a license. I'm skeptical about somebody who may have never fired a gun in their life to be around me if something goes down and they have no idea WTF they're doing.
In the past I have been to the range and some stupid kids who are there carelessly firing a gun and laughing about their stupidity. One time they shot a round into the ceiling of their booth. I know what the people in my state had to go through to get a license, so I'm more confident they take carrying and using a firearm seriously.
Certified training could be part of the Fed Bill, whatever it takes.
My point is that just driving thru a "no gun" state can lead to prison term.
During a trip to Atlantic City last October, Allen was arrested following a routine traffic stop and was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of hollow-point bullets.
www.nj.com
A Philadelphia
mother of two who obtained the necessary permits to carry a
gun in Pennsylvania and was arrested in
New Jersey for unlawful possession of a
weapon is now facing three years in
prison.
Luckily she was pardoned by Christie.
Perfect example. In our 10 hour class, it was covered repeatedly about taking firearms or your license to another state. You need to go to their web site to see if your license is acceptable there, and if carrying in your car, if that's acceptable in the states you are driving through to reach your destination.
Even if it is, the state still gets to create their own laws for carriers. A few years ago, we allowed CCW holders to enter restaurants and bars that serve alcohol providing you do not touch a drop. Now if I don't check out the laws in PA or NJ and stop at an Applebee's for dinner, I could be arrested because carried my gun into an establishment that served alcohol even if I nor anybody at my table were drinking alcohol.
So not only do you need to know if your license has reciprocity in another state, you need to carefully study their laws as well to stay out of trouble. Possessing a CCW license comes with a lot of responsibility, and we don't need to have a federal license because some don't exercise that responsibility.