Bill Maher told Malcolm Gladwell on Fridays HBO Real Time that America will not eliminate firearms because doing so would require seizing every one, which will not occur, so the country must instead manage their presence.

Maher said for years that debate has targeted the wrong firearms, arguing that larger, more intimidating rifles are not the main source of harm. Gladwell agreed that bans on those rifles mainly cover appearance features and that grouping guns by type is a mistaken approach.

Both said pistols account for most gun violence.