The real Catch 22 about gun control is that limiting law abiding citizens rights to keep and bear arms for whatever purpose they choose doesn't have the same effect on the criminal elements in society.

Chicago and New York City have some of the most stringent gun control statutes in the whole of the US but ... they also have some of the highest overall crime rates and high murder rates as well, with a large percentage of these crimes having been committed with firearms. This does not speak to the idea that gun control overall is effective in preventing violent crime.

If a new country were to come into existence today with a zero tolerance policy regarding the importation and ownership of firearms, my guess is that even then guns would flow into this country and eventually, once again only law abiding citizens would be disarmed. This of course translates to the law abiders becoming more akin to prey. And, the citizens would also then be totally powerless compared to their own govts. agents.

Lastly, the US gun ownership rights were intended to allow us to remain free from armed oppression by our own govt. and those of any foreign govt. that might in future choose to invade us (and EXACTLY why the Japanese chose not to do so in WWII!), not just for individual protection. Our founders reasoned, just as many freedom lovers here today still agree, that a disarmed citizenry could easily be converted to an oppressed group of subjects if we were not allowed the right to keep and bear arms