Better Gun Safety via Better Definitions

America’s gun debate often gets stuck between protecting constitutional rights and ensuring public safety. Bans don’t work in the 21st century—people can build firearms with 3D printers and basic equipment—but smarter definitions and stronger safety standards can. The Better Gun Safety via Better Definitions approach balances rights with responsibility by modernizing how we classify firearms and regulate their use.

Key Principles

• Functional Firearm Definitions:

  • Expand and clarify classifications to match real-world functionality.
  • Example: A compact handgun capable of emptying a magazine in seconds should be classified as a submachine gun.
  • Removes loopholes that allow dangerous weapons to bypass regulation.

• Tiered Training & Storage Requirements:

  • Handguns, hunting rifles, shotguns: Basic safety training + safe storage.
  • Semi-automatic weapons: Safe storage + basic safety + advanced training.
  • Fully automatic weapons: Restricted to military, ex-military, and law enforcement.

• Safe Storage & Support:

  • Federal support for gun safes, locks, and secure storage, reducing the burden on lower-income gun owners.
  • Encourages compliance by making safety affordable.

• Slowing Access, Preventing Violence:

  • Lengthened processes for purchases allow better vetting and reduce “crimes of passion.”
  • Maintains due process protections while ensuring checks for instability or red flags.

• National Security Consideration:

  • Widespread gun ownership is a deterrent to foreign threats.
  • Balancing safety and rights strengthens America’s security without resorting to bans.

The Second Amendment guarantees the right to own firearms—but rights come with responsibilities. By modernizing firearm definitions, requiring training and safe storage, and slowing down access without banning, we can reduce gun violence while respecting constitutional freedoms.

Clearer definitions. Stronger safety. Responsible rights.