options and reasons for a gun

[Delta Hotel]

OK got it now. I think there are states where it is legal to use a firearm to protect your property. Thanks.

 

There may be, and that would depend on other laws such as Castle Doctrine and such and one's perception of if they truly believed that their life or well being was in imminent danger of grave injury or death, even though BG had only the intent to steal a TV or whatever.

EG: It does not matter what initial motive for entry into your home was if a stranger is standing in your hallway at 02:00 after breaking or breaching a secured door.

 

Basically, self defense to the degree of lethal force is best reserved for the 'No other option" scenerio, unless the idea of a long prison term is a of little concern.

 

Be careful and safe.

 

[Dnt]

Fascinating subject. Have you guys ever really thought through what would happen if for instance your regions electrical grid went out for 2 weeks? Just try to really visualize what people will do when they get hungry and desperate for a few moments. We live in a society where total dependence is upon electricity, if we lose electricity then society and civility will break down very very quickly. Your neighbors will literally kill your arse for a biscuit. For me having self defense is not an option, you come after me trying to kill me for a biscuit and I will defend myself.

[502ci]

Fascinating subject. Have you guys ever really thought through what would happen if for instance your regions electrical grid went out for 2 weeks? Just try to really visualize what people will do when they get hungry and desperate for a few moments. We live in a society where total dependence is upon electricity, if we lose electricity then society and civility will break down very very quickly. Your neighbors will literally kill your arse for a biscuit. For me having self defense is not an option, you come after me trying to kill me for a biscuit and I will defend myself.

 

I would think it would take longer than two weeks...back in 2003 the Northeast lost power in my area for a week and nothing bad happened.

[Dnt]

Well memories can be a bit weak from yonder years sometimes. That was not a long term total power outage and people could drive to areas where power was restored after only a few hours and get biscuits LOL 2 days max for most. In the remote areas those people are typically pretty independent anyway it is the citys where the liberals live that will have the biggest issues..

The Northeast blackout of 2003 was a widespread power outage that occurred throughout parts of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and the Canadian province of Ontario on Thursday, August 14, 2003, just after 4:10 p.m. EDT.^[1]

Some power was restored by 11 p.m. Many others did not get their power back until two days later. In more remote areas it took nearly a week to restore power.^[2]At the time, it was the world's second most widespread blackout in history, after the 1999 Southern Brazil blackout.^[3][4] The outage, which was much more widespread than the Northeast Blackout of 1965, affected an estimated 10 million people in Ontario and 45 million people in eight U.S. states.

The blackout's primary cause was a software bug in the alarm system at a control room of the FirstEnergy Corporation, located in Ohio. A lack of alarm left operators unaware of the need to re-distribute power after overloaded transmission lines hit unpruned foliage, which triggered a race condition in the control software. What would have been a manageable local blackout cascaded into massive widespread distress on the electric grid.

[502ci]

Back to the OP...sounds like everybody covered most things and options, I will also agree that a "guard/working" dog might be a good option for you.

 

On a side note it is hard for me to grasp the fear of guns people have...maybe and probably most likely that I do not have that fear is because I grew up around them and was target shooting at a very young age.

 

I do have two dogs (Shelties) that alert me to when something is outside that might deserve my attention but they are no match for a person who would give them a swift kick. Not sure if having motion alarms in your yard would help...might make it worse though as then you would be going out to investigate and that is when a gun comes in handy. Just be ready to possibly watch your dog die in front of you while he/her is trying to protect you...sad but true. I my self would not hesitate to put a bullet into someone who is trying to kill me.

[Boardmember]

I'm compelled to weigh in.

 

Regarding regulations about locked firearms/remotely stored ammunition - who's going to know? Will you get audited? Surprise home inspection?

 

Or are you - like most of us on a forum such as this - just a law abiding citizen that wants to abide because some regulator said he'd vote if this were the restriction?

 

There's nothing more important than your - and family's - safety. I bet as a 14 year old you were terrified the first time you drove, or thought about driving, a car. Then you learned, practiced and it wasn't scary anymore. You must respect it, but don't be afraid. Analogy, of course.

 

Owning and to be trained in the use of a firearm is safe and provides a measure of confidence you may not have here. I see no way some authority figure will learn you kept a loaded firearm in your nightstand. Even if, God forbid, you have to use it.

 

Loudly declaring, "I have a gun!" and if hearing you rack a round into the chamber or cocking an easy-to-use single action revolver, some idiot doesn't quickly vacate, they get what they deserve. They will most likely vacate.

 

Best to you.

 

I just bought a Glock 43 for my wife and we go to an all day class in two weeks for her (both actually) to be trained. This is firearm #4 in my household. One of my university-aged daughters is going too. My other univ student is too far away on that particular Saturday.

[Rosedog]

Dogs are easy to kick and put into submission. Unless say you go with "trained" dogs, that could attack and heel on command. Just like your dog's would need training, you should get training with a gun. Become familiar with it. A gun is a tool. Maybe you'll never have need for it but better to have and not need than to not have and need. Take safety classes, target shooting. Practice, practice, practice.

 

Also find yourself the right gun. Do you need a 40-50 cal? No but a 9mm (maybe compact) would be fine. Find one that you feel comfortable gripping. Do you want a true safety? If yes, no glock for you.

 

Myself? I have both. As for my dogs I have two GSDs and a miniature daschund that is the alert bark at everything dog.

[Rosedog]

Also always remember... When seconds matter the police are just minutes away.

[arcasey]

Minutes?? I wanna live where you live lol.

[StillOffshore]

My house just flooded pretty bad, before the front and back doors dried out enough to actually close and lock, I stayed upstairs in the house at night. Heard some people talk about looting going on, and even though I'm in a gated community, I've noticed items missing from my front porch/trash pile days after the floods...not a fuzzy feeling. I'm In the south, land of guns, so I obviously have more than a handful. One night heard a loud noise downstairs, carried my scared behind down there with a barrel leading the way...best idea in the world? Probably not. But I'm hardheaded and not going to allow someone to terrorize me. Found nothing, but had I been unarmed, that would have been even scarier laying in bed hoping that nobody was in my house and making their way upstairs.

...I say go to some gun safety classes, ask friends, family, the guys at an actual gun shop...and you don't have to shoot and kill or injure someone breaking into your home. A loud bang and flash will scare them enough to get out of there quick.

[Spurshot]

Also always remember... When seconds matter the police are just minutes away.

 

That's a truism.

[Camaro45th]

So I'm just putting in my 2¢. I recently moved into an area where I am allowed to own a firearm. I never really was into guns before hand, but I made the conscious decision that as soon as I moved, I was purchasing a shotgun. My family is my number 1 priority, and nothing in my house is worth someone losing their life over it, but if you come into my house and threaten my family, and we cannot move to safety, i might go, but I'm getting off a couple of shots. Since then I have added to my collection with other types of rifles. Im not a hunter, but I have gotten into target shooting. With the way the world is going as of late, in the event of an emergency it's better to be a person with a stick, than no stick. Even if you don't have to use it. Like insurance.

[Penguin VII]

Firstly, to my knowledge, there is no federal law in the US that requires you keep your guns locked in a safe or with a gun lock on them. I believe there are local laws that require a lock/locked up when not under your control, but I am sure that varies wildly based on location. (note: I am not stating you should not keep your guns secure, just stating that to my knowledge there is no federal law in relation to this)

 

I personally find the idea of a dog as primary form of protection a bit naive. There are many good security dog breeds available, but even then they require a fair amount of training and maintenance, and I'm not talking walks and food here. There is a chance that given the right circumstance most dogs would attempt to protect/defend their owners but it seems unlikely that would be a first line of defense for most families.

 

As was stated here before, a firearm is a tool and your level of comfort with it revolves mainly around using and understanding it. Start by signing up for a beginners class, there are many well trained individuals who work daily with people who have never seen a gun in person before. Take a class or two, rent a gun at a range with someone there to help show you how to use it. Practice and if you choose to buy never stop practicing. Shooting is a perishable skill so if you are going to take the step towards responsible firearm ownership you need to stay consistent. In the event you ever needed to use it your adrenalin would likely be so high that you would lose most of your dexterity. It would be basic motor skills at that point as is with most events where your system perceives life or death.

 

One other thing to note. If you have children it's the responsibility of you and you alone to keep them safe. Locks aren't perfect, kids are smart but they need to be taught about being responsible with firearms.

 

As was stated before it seems like you are uncertain if you could ever take to violence to protect yourself in the event you would need to. Personally I think it's human nature to want to survive and for all this society people don't change. They will take care of themselves first and foremost, regardless of their feeling before or after said event. I'll end with a Chinese proverb: ​"it is better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war".

[Spurshot]

A lot of good perspectives. I hope I never have to use one to take a human life. But I'm training along with my wife in formal defensive classes, just in case.

 

Just a note or two to you folks set on a pump shotgun for the home. First, the shot will not spread to any meaningful size that will aid in hitting your target, in the distances likely to occur in a shooting within the average house. It will undoubtedly only spread to an inch or two. You will have to aim it.

 

Second, I believe it's unlikely an average person will effectively pump the slide in a stress situation, unless they shoot a pump shotgun a he'll of a lot. I'm an owner of 3 pump shotgun. I bought my first pump shotgun about 7-8 years ago. I have been shooting shotguns for 30+ years, probably a little less than half that time, I've shot skeet, trap, sporting clays about half the weekends in a year. I also hunt with shotguns a handful of days a year. I've probably shot a couple thousand rounds thru a pump, maybe a bit more. But most of my shotgun shooting has been side by side or over/under or a little semi-auto. That means I still occasionally short stroke or forget to pump in excited situations (not high stress life-death situations). So, I'm no pump shotgun pro shooter, but I'm sure I'm more natural with a pump than most people that buy a pump for their bedroom. If you still think a pump is a good idea, go shoot it extensively and often, in scenarios where multiple shots are needed. When you're adrenaline is flowing, you will likely revert to what you do habitually. If you don't shoot much, and it's not habitual, you will likely have difficulty handling and effectively shooting a gun. There's a case where some LEOs were found dead with their empty brass in their hands. They habitually dumped their revolver empty brass in their hand when practicing, so they didn't have to pick it up later.

[BRay'sGirl]

Well, thanks to all of you!

 

Yesterday morning, just when I was about to leave for work police, ambulance etc flew by, down the road. Later on I found out a dead person, was found on the road by a city worker. Just a few meters from my home. IHIT is investigating as it seems to be a(nother) homicide. Awesome!

 

I do not live in the States so it's not that easy to just get a gun and I wouldn't just go shopping for one anyways.

 

Since I like to be outdoors as much as possible I tend to get a dog and proper training for the dog and I. I'll also attend a weapon / gun training class and go from there. And maybe I'll book a selfdefense class.

 

Somebody mentioned that I might be someone that can't get used to the thought of hurting someone else. I think that's very true - looking back...

 

With all the assaults and shootings around me I think twice before leaving for my (long) walks. I know that having a dog or a gun won't be the one and only solution but it might give me back my confidence.

 

The taser is an interesting thought. I'll look into that as well!

 

Thanks again

 

btw please, I'm not interested in "it's your right" blabla