First, no one is quite sure when guns were invented. Apparently, sometime in the late first millennium (1 to 1000 CE) or early in the second. However, as a practical matter, guns appeared in Europe, and in history, in the early 1200′s.

Records of homicides before 1500 or so for most areas of Europe no longer exist, and estimates of homicide rates before the Renaissance are based on existing records of murder trials that resulted in convictions. Naturally enough, the arrest and convictions percentages seldom survive, so there is “a whole lot of guessing going on” when attempts are made to determine ancient homicide rates.

England is one of the few exceptions to the lack of records. Wide areas of England have excellent and very complete records going back at least to the Domesday Book, and in some cases earlier than the Book’s 1087 date. Those records confirm that the murder rate was very high, in most cases greater than 50 per 100,000 population, and in some cases higher than 200 per 100,000 population.

Before 1500, the following graphic is based on surviving records of murder trials, and on records of murder after 1500. Since the table covers a continent, with many countries and widely varying conditions and murder rates, the blue represents the minimum murder rate for a given year, the red the maximum murder rate for the year. Many of the peaks are associated with some identifiable event; the peak around 1060 marking famine and political unrest in Northern Europe at that time.

Guns became cheap enough for wealthy peasants to own in the late 1300′s, and cheap enough for most peasants to own by 1500. The decline in murder rates as guns became more common is a dramatic one:

alt="European Murder Trials, per 100,000 population, 1000-1600 European Murders 1601 to 2010" width="696" height="395" class="size-full wp-image-24023" /> European Murder Trials, per 100,000 population, 1000-1600
European Murders 1601 to 2010

Obviously, as guns became more common in Europe, murder and violent crime rates declined. By the 1840′s more than half of European families had at least one “fusil” at home, and murder hand declined from the hundreds per 100,000 population to a fraction of a murder per 100,000 population.

So we might as wall say “History proves more guns result in less crime.” Because it does.

Stranger

AFTERWORD: For those who would like more background, my European source used this graph as one of the sources for the graphic above (click on it for a clearer view):

European Historic Homicide Rates

Morrow’s Meditations, The Flophouse News, October 1929

And if you don’t answer the door, the police will go away without investigating.

So do take the “Old Cop’s Advice.”

Get a gun, learn to use it, and use it if you have to. Better yet, get a gun, learn to use it, get a carry permit if you have to, and carry it everywhere. You will know when you have to use it.

Stranger

Briefly quoting the Northeast Escambia item linked above:

The homeowner held the suspects at gunpoint while he called the Sheriff’s Office. As he was speaking with dispatchers, one of the suspects, identified at 33-year old Ricky Dewayne Taylor, lunged toward him. The homeowner fired a .38 caliber revolver, striking Taylor in the leg.

Very good, Sir. Hopefully, the experience will serve as aversion therapy, particularly for the perforated perp, and they will reform. Or at least not go back in the home invasion business.

Stranger

McAuliffe is a Democratic machine insider with a long record of supporting gun control, and a close friend and protege of Willie J. and Hilary R. Clinton, themselves anti-gun extremists. McAuliffe is on record as favoring an “assault weapon and ‘high capacity ammunition feeding device’ ban,” particularly the Feinstein bill and the ban incorporated in the Schumer-Manchin-Toomey “background check amendment.”

McAuliffe is also on record as favoring reinstating Virginia’s one gun a month purchasing restriction. In an apparent attempt to mislead Virginia’s voters on his position in opposition to the Second Amendment, McAuliffe recently purchased a Beretta over and under from a Virginia Dicks Sporting Goods. In addition, McAuliffe has apparently been endorsed by the violently anti-gun ‘Washington Post,’ which is apparently providing talking points and advice to the McCauliffe campaign.

On the other hand Ken Cuccinelli has been a firm supporter of the Second Amendment and of gun rights. A search for “gun control Ken Cuccinelli” brings up hundreds of individuals who are figuratively foaming at the mouth over Cuccinelli’s positions on gun control, mental health, abortion, the Demos “print, tax, and blow” economics, and other substantive positions.

Electing McAuliffe, who has a self admitted record of abandoning his family to raise money for the Democratic Socialists Partei would be no less than a disaster for gun owners and for Constitutional Rights in Virginia.

We must turn out en masse to defeat the Clinton’s fellow traveler. If you live in Virginia, mark November 5, 2013 on your calendar, and vote. Nothing you do in November will be more important.

Stranger

The intended victim was transported to a hospital for treatment before his release.

If I have not lost count, citizens are taking almost one perp off the streets a day, making the city a very much safer place to live. Sam Houston would be proud.

Very good, Sir.

Stranger

Briefly quoting the WTVG report linked above:

The attempted home invasion happened on the 1900 block of Loxley near Upton, just before 5 a.m. Thursday.

It proved Betty Collins is a woman who stands her ground – with a gun in her hand.

“I said, ‘Get on the ground.’ and he got on his knees. I said, ‘no, put your face in the dirt and you’re gonna stay there.’,” recounted Collins.

Very good, Madame. That is one more off the street, and your neighborhood is incrementally safer this afternoon.

Stranger

That means the next time I am forced to go to Gotham the hookers accosting people outside my hotel door will probably be wearing bikini bottoms and nothing else. But of course Bloomberg must have some reason for people to visit New York City. Tall buildings have become passe – so Bloomers has launched a view improvement program.

Stranger

With lows in the high 50′s, it is warm enough for the Combine’s gang bangers to be out and about, taking turf and taking revenge as they can find members of rival gangs to kill. It will not be long before the Windy City is back on track as the USA’s murder capital. After all, last night’s toll has brought the total to 136. If there were not another murder this year, the rate would be 5.0 per 100,000 population.

But 2013 is just over one third gone, after a record setting cold winter that stretched into May. So the gang bangers will be out in force, making up the the scores they let slide over the winter. In just another example of the utter futility of gun control.

Stranger

In fact, I suspect the young criminal will enjoy a supertropical climate for few billion years.

Good shooting, Sir.

Stranger