Interesting how strongly some people react to this piece when it didn't even give an opinion on the story. It's just a news piece so get over it, whatever your views.

gwana, London,

I really hate it when I see stories like this presented to the rest of the world as a sort of "back door" way to insult the country. We're not all shotgun carrying rednecks. I swear.

Michael, Portland, Oregon, USA

Good news for terrorists. They'll not need to attack Americans in the U.S because they'll be killing themselves.

jayil, london, uk

Fear and distrust of the people is the (hidden) motive behind British governments' determination to achieve civilian disarmament. This is too shameful to be acknowledged so the "public safety" drum is relentlessly banged to scare people into meek acceptance of progressive restrictions on guns.

Jan Stevens, Wickenburg, Arizona USA

I miss formerly Great Britain, and its' self-reliance.

Burglaries annoy, but what I'll object to with lethal force are attempts to rape/assault/kill myself and my loved ones. Since burglaries often upgrade, i may choose to do so pre-emptively.

GC, Seattle, WA

I think second hand car dealers should do the same thing in the UK, offering a new banger when you buy one of their old ones. It would probably backfire on them though when the old bangers started doing likewise...

Steve, Kuala Lumpur,

You Europeans expect your government to be your Momma and Poppa! You have no understanding of individual responsibility and freedom and liberty. You want the government to provide protection, housing, medical care and wet-nurse you when things get tough. No thanks. I'm responsible for my family.

Don, Yukon,

Let's face it, bulgaries tend to happen when the people who live there are out. So having a gun just makes one more thing a criminal can steal. Seems a poor argument for having a gun to me.
I for one would rather let someone steal from me than shoot and have blood on my hands. Thou shalt not kill.

Mary, Bath,

To Peter Johnson of Hornsea. Sorry old chap, but in the UK pistol is a generic terms, synonymous with handgun. It's only across the pond where what you say applies.

Given that this is a UK newspaper, I think George of Montrose is due an apology, no?

Joinville, Glasgow, UK

Possessing firearms is a massive incentive(for ' good guys')to behave themselves, exercise self control,and not be in conflict with neighbours/authorities. Prior to 1997 the UK's shooting clubs,plus the licensing scheme, produced stable,safe,skillful gun owners who were supportive of authority.

paul, Leeds, UK

To George of Montrose. A pistol is a hand-held gun with a reciprocating mechanism to eject the spent case and to feed a fresh round into the chamber. A revolver has a rotating cylinder to bring a fresh round in line with the barrel. It is not a pistol. Handgun is a general term including both types.

Peter Johnson, Hornsea,

I owned 3 handguns at one time.
I needed a doctors letter to obtain my fire arms certificate and a steel safe to store the guns and ammunition.
Then twice a week I made holes in a cardboard target.
Then the government confiscated all LEGALLY held pistols.
Do you all feel SAFER now????

GJB, Slough, Berkshire

Why do UK newspapers et al persist in using the Americanism 'handgun'? The English (and normal American) term is 'pistol'.

George, Montrose, UK

"criminals killing other criminals"

COMPLETELY FALSE.

There have been virtually daily murders of innocent kids (some as young as 3) & innocent parents in the past few years in the US.

Not to mention college murders of innocent people.

Only religious-freaks support this.

THEY ARE SICK!

Bob, Auburn,

More people (42,000) die in road accidents in the US than from guns. Plus the 30,000 figure quoted is somewhat misleading: about half are suicides, most of the rest are criminals killing other criminals.

So really, it is the encouragement to buy a car that should be criticised, not the gun offer.

Andrew, Taunton, UK

The ultimate burglar deterrent is a confederate flag flying outside your front door. It says "enter at your peril". This is how it should be. Put guns where they belong - in the hands of the good guys!

peterj, malvern, uk

This is not new. When I first went to California, in the mid seventies, the Wells Fargo Bank was offering a free shotgun to those opening a new account.

Cris Whetton, Tampere, FINLAND

"The Second Amendment was intended to apply to "A well regulated militia." Greg Ohio, USA

That is simply your opinion. The Supreme Court will pronounce soon and it had better be favourable.

Some of us live in border states and seeing ever growing Latino gang activity -armed to the max.

Stan(expat), USA, USA

Making guns illegal means only criminals carry guns, who don't care about breaking the law, that's their job! Gun control keeps weapons out of the hands of law abiding people, who are the victims and not perpetrators of crimes. Gun control is about making people FEEL safe, not being safe

Antony, Las Vegas, USA

Stronger gun laws in GB has resulted in more gun crime. In the USA the cities with the highest crime rates (LA, Chicago, Detroit and Washington DC) have the strongest gun control laws.The cities with the lowest crime have the most relaxed gun laws. Don't let evidence get in the way of your beliefs

Antony, Las Vegas, USA

Huw, the right to carry, own, & use guns is really an expression of freedom and liberty. Our Founding Fathers said firearms are our "Liberty Teeth". And I might add that not only are firearms America's Liberty Teeth, we've also used them to secure liberty for others, including France, (twice).

Elizabeth O'Connor, Spartanburg, USA

Between 1989 and 1999, 5,500 children were accidentally killed by firearms. That's more than September 11 terrorist acts. Your freedom, has dramatic consequences - even upon your children. Good luck to you.

catherine R., Cairns, Australia

Have any of you ever actually been anywhere near Butler Missouri? Didn't think so. The chances of anyone there actually having to use a gun a life-threatening situation is next-to-nil. Who cares? Oh wait, its' all about how stupid Americans are. Doh! I forgot. I return you all to your smug lives...

BillyBob, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

they shoot coyotes with a handgun? wonderful combination of bravery and skill.

oh, and stupidity.

Antonio Domingues, Leicester, UK

Is this really the biggest story in the Americas?

Alan, Edinburgh,

It's the right to bear arms, not the need. I don't need an SUV either. But, someday I may need arms to protect my country from an invader from within, as much as one from without, let alone the criminals that don't get guns at a store. I am trained in martial arts, but criminals use guns.

Jeff, YACOLT, USA

quot;Has the right to bear arms become more important than the right to life of those 450 children who are gunned down? Or perhaps they should be issued with firearms too? "
<br/>Good idea. Teach kids the correct way to use guns for protection - they did it for centuries.

Lyn, Flat Rock, USA

Paranoid and armed: terrifying.

says Amanda, Edmonton, Canada

Amanda doesn't seem to understand that most of her fellow Albertans, including myself, are also heavily armed. Burglary rates are pretty low here in rural western Canada.

Scott , Sundre, AB, Canada

Also even though Canada has about 21 million firearms, we still have a lower homicide rate than Scotland and only slightly higher than England. So is it about guns, or culture?

Scott , Sundre, AB, Canada

Over here in "Cowboy Country", having a pistol, rifle or any type of firearm is not a big deal, except to the liberal/socialists, who have this idea that maybe they can micro-manage our world into a "better place"...something like Labour has done to the UK.. No Thanks.

Jerry M, Baltimore, USA

Lets not confuse a superb marketing exercise on behalf of this car dealer, with a debate on the rights/wrongs of the 2nd amendment to the US Constitution. The fact is that American's are constitutionally bound to "generally agree" with this concept. If you're indoctrinated to agree...you'll agree.

Paul Tinker, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

Jason in Austin;
How many more disgusting acts of gun-toting hate such as the Virginia Tech murders is it going to take before the US wakes up the to the fact it needs far tighter controls on the sale and ownership of firearms, murder is the only thing your "right" to bear arms leads to.

Thomas J, Southend-On-Sea, England

Cars kill way more kids than guns. Should we ban them?
If my father had not been armed - and known how to use his firearm - I would have been a statistic.

Su, Reading,

How many children or adults are killed because we have the right to drink alcohol.I would gladly give up that right to have all those innocent back. How about those deadly cell phones. How many innocent have died because people like to drive and talk at the same time. I have had a few close calls

Chuck, Woodland Park, USA

Please don't blame our Bill Of Rights. The Second Amendment was intended to apply to "A well regulated militia."

Gun nuts certainly don't agree with that interpretation, and the NRA's headquarters omits the first clause when quoting it. The Supreme Court could rule as early as next Monday.

Greg Ohio, Cleveland, USA

Joseph, you're right: more than 70% of homicide victims in the U.S. have arrest records. And if one includes juvenile crime records (which are usually sealed and thus secret), fugitives from justice and documented gang members, the total is around 80%.

Turk Turon, Washington DC, USA

Fifty-eight people shot to death in the UK last year? Actually, the UK murder rate (per capita) was lower one hundred years ago, before there were any gun laws at all in the UK.

Turk Turon, Washington DC, USA

Tom from London - I'd rather have twice the chance of being burgled, than 100 times the chance of being shot and killed (as Dennis' stats imply).

Edmund, Bristol,

$4 gas, 100 degree heat, unsteady economy....road rage will be the new headline soon.

Brian, Plano, Texas, USA

Go ahead and stay in Canada then Amanda. What is terrifying is the chance of someone trying to harm you in the middle of the night by breaking into your house and you can't do a thing but hide. Read Tom's message about how things are in the U.K. with their strict gun laws and see which you prefer.

Jason, austin, usa

We British rarely protest. American's protest that there isn't enough protesting. But have I misunderstood something. Has the right to bear arms become more important than the right to life of those 450 children who are gunned down? Or perhaps they should be issued with firearms too?

Tom Price, Chertsey, UK

This is hilarious. I can just see the rest of the western world recoiling in distaste.

I love my country.

Marianne, Midwest,

Dennis from Gaithsburg USA, I think you'll find the UK burglary rates are almost twice as high per percentage of population as we are not really allowed guns and if you use it on a burglar who is not supposed to be there you will get arrested for murder. I think i'd rather have the right to guns

Tom, London, UK

Paranoid and armed: terrifying.

Amanda, Edmonton, Canada

Whay is the right to bear arms in the American Bill of Rights? It is simple, if the government gets out of control, then the people have the means to oppose it. Why do many people carry guns in their vehicles, not only personal safety, but in rural areas, there are a lot of varmits such as cayotes

Drew Adams, Biloxi,

More like "Mad Max Motors"

Joseph, London,

John from Chicago-

At least anecdotally, my impression is that most gun crime is committed against and between criminals; not against law-abiding citizens. The vast majority of those shot and killed in London are usually involved in some way in crime or gun crime.

Joseph, London,

GOOD

ben lowe, Blackpool, UK

Either by accident or design, nearly 30,000 people are shot and killed every year in the US including 450 children. Last year 58 people were shot and killed in the UK. Americans believe it is their right to carry arms. Why? For protection. Protection from whom? People with guns of course!

Dennis, Gaithersburg, USA

I praise Mark Muller. Good for him!

The UK's soaring rates of violent crime prove that taking firearms away from law abiding citizens gives more power to criminals. Alas...that is a fair trade for a government hungry to remove power and freedom from its citizens.

John, Chicago,

I too am glad he lives over there

F Calder-Smith, Twickenham, UK

God bless America.....

Mike Greenstein, London, UK

Incredible article. Similar to Moore's Bowling for Columbine. I don't understand why some American's, need to carry a gun around with them. Is this really an expression of freedom and liberty?

Huw, Paris, france