The conclusions motherjones got from that study were absolutely ridiculous.

The big graph they display is meaningless.

Here is a quote from the article.

"...gun suicides, where the majority of victims don't have a documented serious mental illness."

In many states background checks don't require a waiting period. So a background check wouldn't have stopped them from buying a gun.

Their entire premise is based on suicide being quick and impulsive. Yet their only data is on background checks for private sales.

Are you telling me that someone who wants quick access to a gun is going to wait until Saturday rolls around, drive to a gunshow and buy a gun?

Motherjones also fails to recognize that MANY states already have mandatory "cooling off periods" where if you buy a gun on say Monday you can't pick it up until later in the week.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6745387_illinois-gun-license-requir...

"As with many states, Illinois has a mandatory 72-hour wait period between the time a person purchases a handgun and the time he can take the gun home from a licensed dealer."

In most cases, these waiting periods are for handguns and not rifles or shotguns. The law is not to prevent suicides but to prevent 'crimes of passion'. There would be very little difficulty in someone killing themselves with a rifle or shotgun, although it isn't as easy as putting a handgun to one's temple.

BTW, I'm not arguing with you just clarifying.

It seems like you could get the same result just by imposing a waiting period on first time firearm purchases regardless of background checks.