Thinking of getting a Gun? What kind? - Page 3

zeus and me · 07-01-2008, 11:28 PM

thea......I think most USA homes have guns.....I know some homes that have over 50 guns stashed all over the house lol! under the couch in the drawers under pillows.....in closets! everywhere!

thea2003 · 07-01-2008, 11:32 PM

LOL its just so shocking to me. 50 guns? that is just crazy! What if a person broke in and found one of them and shot you?

Julie W · 07-01-2008, 11:40 PM

Quote:

imo a shotgun can be too bulky for many self-defense situations. i do agree that if someone simply cant get out to practice shooting, a shotgun is worlds easier to hit something with, but only if you have the weapon ready and get some distance between you and the intruder which isnt always the case especially indoors. more likely you will be surprised by an intruder and have to scramble to grab your weapon, if the attacker is anywhere near you before you are set up and ready to fire...a shotgun is much easier to grab and pull away than a little pistol.

I definitely see your point. In all the conversations I've had with law enforcement at the range and in the classes I have taken however they ALL recommend a shotgun over a handgun for the reasons I gave above. Another reason is that your aim even if it's good won't necessarily be the same in a high adrenaline real life situation.

zeus and me · 07-01-2008, 11:41 PM

well.....most of the homes I know of with lots of guns.....not many people would be brave enough to attempt it.

I like having my dogs.I also live way out with no neighbors. but my farm dog roams and alerts.nobody could get near this house without him barking.....

funny story though....I once was told I had a peeping tom at my old house. but one time he was peeping and got a peek of my big boa. scared the poo out of him.I think some folks are more afraid of snakes then dogs lol! my boa was a good 12 foot....many people didnt want to go in my home because of that snake! some fool even called child protective serices on me! thought it was a danger to have the snake with children.

thea2003 · 07-01-2008, 11:45 PM

Zeus and me, too funny about the snake!

**errica** · 07-02-2008, 12:07 AM

Wow, I am pleasantly surprised to see how many gun owners are on here!

I think Julie W gave some great advice, I would pretty much second everything she said! That said, I do still have an opinion...

My first reaction when someone asks what kind of gun to have for home protection is shotgun. You just have to point it in the general direction and it will do the rest. It could also be bulky, hard to use in close quarters and it will hit ANYTHING in it's general range, so if your dog was trying to get involved, you might hesitate to use it. And if you hesitate, you lose.

If you are opting for a handgun I would say a revolver. PERIOD. It's a lot less likely to jam than a semi-auto. I have a Smith and Wesson 649, which is a small, snub nosed (really sort barrel - 2 1/8 inch) revolver with a concealed hammer...meaning it won't get caught on anything if you happened to be carrying it in your pocket while checking out the house.

My personal favorite to shoot is an HK P7 M8. That's a Heckler & Koch (manufacturer) P7 (model number) M8 ( magazine capacity). It shoots 9mm rounds. I find that it is smaller in the hand than others hand guns, and I am a woman with smaller hands.

Julie said it, and I am sure others did too, but it bears repeating - a million times - go to the range. Check out all different kinds of guns. Find one that has everything you are looking for. Then take a class with that gun. Get so good with it that you can protect yourself in your sleep. If you hesitate, or doubt your decision to shoot for a split second an attacker will use that opening to disarm you.

One other thing that I did...I came to terms with what it means to use a gun for self protection. I have no intentions of shooting to injure. If you break in and threaten me or my family, I will do my best to kill you. I had to reconcile murder with my values, morals and religion. That is the last thing you want to worry about when you hear a window break.

All that said, I think you are making a great decision, your friend is right, the more isolated you are, the better target you would be for the really sick ones. One cut phone line and you are all the protection you're gonna get Educate yourself and you'll be fine! And...you can always get more than one gun! We have quite a few, and DH and I have one in a few rooms, just in case.

Donnie · 07-02-2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azdobes

Gosh, I would strongly disagree with Donnie on this. In 27 years of law enforcment service some of the most harrowing battles I had was trying to handcuff a combative person. As a person defending their home, I seriously recommend not getting close enough to any intruder to allow them to grapple with you or otherwise put yourself in a position of being overcome while trying to use handcuffs. My experience tells me that if there is gunplay, the badguy is going to being lying there bleeding or flee rather than submit to being taken into custody by the owner of the home they were burglarizing.

My recommendation - for home defense: a shotgun. Remington 870 or equivalent, loaded with #6 buckshot. If you have to shoot in side your home it is most unlikely that any of the projectiles will travel far enough to injure an non-combatant. Can't say that with 9mm, .40 cal and .45 cal. Those bullets can travel quite a distance.

And finally, God forbid that you should ever have to do any shooting inside a house or enclosed structure. The first certain outcome is temporary deafness accompanied by lots of pain.

I must elaborate on my statement , i almost left it out of my post considering the forum i was posting on , i am used to posting on military and police forums. azdobes in no way was i saying get close enough to handcuff someone especially since this poster is a female. You can throw the cuffs at him and say put them on afterall you are aiming a shotgun at his melon. There is a big difference between a burgular and a murderer ,a murderer will bring a weapon have intent to harm , you can shoot him and be justified. A burglar will bring a bag of tools and be after your plasma tv and wont even want to encounter you , if you shoot him and you cant prove he had intent to harm you , you are going to jail. Criminals still have rights , even in your own home uninvited. If you have a burglar at gun point and you live out in the country as she does , i IMO think it would be a good idea to have something to restrain the individual ... plus the cuffs look as if you had intent to restrain instead of kill. You can quickly become the criminal in a break in situation even tho it is your own home.

Julie W · 07-02-2008, 12:15 AM

Another reason to take classes is that you don't want to find out after the fact what the laws concerning home/personal defense are in your state. Each state is different and it's very important that you familiarize yourself with them.

faber · 07-02-2008, 01:50 AM

I tend to agree w/Julie and azdobes.....I use a 12ga. w/shortbarrel and pistol grip (more manuverable inside). 12ga. w/pistol grip has allot of kick though.
...you do need some kind of training and at least learn your states laws...when went for conceal carry found out that here in Oklahoma they already covered the home owners ass by saying that even a burgler breaking in has showed being willing and making the decision to be willing to harm the home owner...therefore the whole criminal liability thing is out (meaning any chance of the home owner getting in trouble for offing the intruder; criminally). I don't plan on him doing much talking tho......oh...and all the talk aside...guns are allot of fun...please..please be safe.
take a conceal carry...they brought a lawyer in ...very interesting.
edited; originally said sueing...meant criminal liability...hope i got it right this time...dang.

**Chaz** · 07-02-2008, 02:27 AM

I second (or is it third, fourth...?) the shotgun.

Ten or fifteen years ago I wouldn't have. Most social emergencies happen at night, and you'll need a light source to both help you point the shotgun and to make sure you're not killing your drunken brother-in-law (by mistake, of course).

Back in the day, the only lights bright enough to do a decent job were the three-cell Mag Lights. I defy anyone here to fire a serious defensive shotgun round while holding a Mag-Light.

Back then, a handgun in one hand and a flashlight in the other (combined in various gripping methods) was the only practical way to shoot in the dark.

But today, not only are usable falshlights a good deal smaller than those old Mag-Lights (downright tiny), but they're a whole lot brighter too.

There are also lots of ways to mount and activate things like lights and sights on shotguns now.

Add a laser-sight and it's good to go. (Ideally, I'd add a steel butt-plate and bayonet, but that's just me)