Mike,
Another fact we have to bear in mind....the difference in the population density...land use practices...basically the availibility of wide open spaces in most parts of the USA where shooting firearms presents no problem as compared to the UK where the opposite situation exists. For all of the people that criticize the NRA....they (the NRA) very strongly support the safe , legal use of firearms to include the establishment, operation, and publication of proper ranges.
The basic problem with gun control is that all of the laws and bans being pushed by the anti-gun lobby are targetted at the law abiding citizen and not the criminal element that are in violation of the current myriad of gun laws now in existence. If one were to carry their concepts to the end....there would be no cars....due to the death and injury rate from accidents. Loggers would be training beavers to fell trees....due to the accidents from the use of chain saws.....and on and on.
It is not the lawful, safe use of firearms that causes the problem....I fail to see the difference in being killed by an armed robber if he uses a gun, axe, baseball bat, or knitting needle.....I am just as dead.
Unfortunately, our casual attitude is towards the lack of punishment for the violent criminal. Take yourself back to the recent murder of two young girls in the UK.....even with all of the press coverage it got....as horrific as the murders were.....they for all intents and purposes have been forgotten and the killer will not face the death penalty himself. Where is the justice in that?