Removing guns from a society cannot be done overnight. However the UK and other European countries have managed it, over time, and on the whole have broad public support for doing so. This does not mean that guns are not permitted for vermin control, hunting or target shooting, but ownership and storage are very closely controlled. Neither does it mean that we are immune from shootings, including mass shootings, but compared with the US these are incredibly rare events.

One of the arguments put forward is that only the criminals will have guns. This is true here. However if I am mugged or burgled, it is unlikely that the criminal will have a gun, because the penalties for having a gun will far exceed the other crime. The maximum sentence for burglary is 14 years, but it is reported that many first-time burglars don't even go to prison but get a community sentence, however for aggravated burglary, which includes carrying a weapon of any sort, it could be life imprisonment. Armed robbery is fairly unusual and usually aimed at high-value targets such as security trucks.

I don't feel the need to arm myself to protect my home, and if I were to do so I would be at considerable risk of falling foul of the law myself. Neither do I feel threatened by my government, but if they did decide to oppress me by force I doubt I would last long against our highly professional and well trained armed forces. I think I'd choose to submit and survive rather than try to shoot it out.

Provided I keep away from airports and other high-security locations where the police are routinely and visibly armed, I can go for months without ever seeing a gun. I don't feel threatened by criminals with guns and have never felt the need to arm myself.