Canada also heavily restricts the ownership and sale of hand guns . We have always done so . So now we in Canada don ' t face the likely risk of criminals having hand guns . It does still happen , but rarely . America has always defended the right to own fire arms . The mlst popular guns sold , since they were invented , are hand guns . Hand guns are used in , I believe the FBI crime states say 7582 % of all gun related crimes , specifically murders . America can ' t just change over night . If they stop law abiding citizens from owning hand guns , the criminals and cops will be the only one ' s who own them . Here in Canada I don ' t need a gun , nor would I use one in self defense . The cops where i live would be here in less than 3 minutes . They would save my ass . That isn ' t the case in America . Example . If you live in many parts of Chicago you are guaranteed that criminals and drug dealers in your very neighborhood do have hand guns , and they will use them to take things they want and to hurt their enemies . When gangsters get into shoot outs , the bullets don ' t care who they hit . What does it matter if the coos show up after someone has kicked in your door and shit you . The 2 nd amendment guarantees the right own guns . It doesn ' t dictate the type . And almost every state allows for self defense , often allowing the use of guns under specific conditions .