People seem to speak in favor of guns (outside of stuff like hunting, sports, etc, which is not really relevant here) for two reasons:
1. Self defense against common criminals
2. Safeguard against tyranni
I would like to add a third reason:
3. Because I am a free man. Because I am sovereign. Because I hold inalienable rights. Because I harm no one by keeping arms.
I think the first and second arguments hold some weight[1] but really to me this is a freedom issue. I really don't think I NEED to provide a reason why I should be allowed to own a gun, same as I don't need to provide a reason why I am allowed to exist. It's very simple: no one - be it my neighbor or more abstract entities - has the right to infringe on my right to life and liberty. Part of that right to exist is the right to keep instruments of self-defense.
Now, there are a tons of gray zones (eg I don't think individuals have the right to build nuclear weapons in their back yard) but for guns it's very simple. No need to throw out the baby with the bathwater here.
Can we really trust individuals to own guns? I'd say it's the opposite: the government is WAY less mature and responsible than individuals. The occasional misbehaving individual is a fart in the wind compared to the systematic, egregious misconduct of pretty much every government ever. Seriously, look at the track record of governments in the 20th century - not exactly a rosy picture. And if you look at history, it's always the nobility and such that are allowed to bear arms, and the unfree classes that are deprived.
I do believe in a minimal state, though, so I'm not an anarchist.
I am born and raised in Scandinavia btw, so I guess I'm a bit of an odd duck as pro-gun and libertarian :)
Posting as throwaway because this is somewhat controversial and I see no reason to incur negative social status in my social circles over something that is purely an academic issue in Sweden anyway (ie there is no pro-gun movement whatsoever here and anyone who espouses those kinds of views is insta-pigeonholed as a radical kook).
Anyway, I felt I needed to vent a little bit. I expect to be downvoted into oblivion. But, hey, at least provide a counter-argument, will ya? :)
[1] But I think some people are overestimating guns as a tyranny deterrent. The US military allowed each Iraqi household to have one Kalashnikov, for instance. That should tell you something.