How safe would you guys feel without your guns?

[Niehart]

As I'm a old Montana boy, this copy from a Butte Mt. news paper will let ya know where I stand.

"A little Montana justice.

Here is one just never reported on the news !

Shotgun preteen vs. illegal alien Home Invaders Butte, Montana November 5, 2006

Two illegal aliens, Ralpheal Resindez, 23, and Enrico Garza, 26, probably believed they would easily overpower home-alone 11 year old Patricia Harrington after her father had left their two-story home. It seems the two crooks never learned two things: they were in Montana and Patricia had been a clay shooting champion since she was nine.

Patricia was in her upstairs room when the two men broke through the front door of the house. She quickly ran to her father's room and grabbed his 12 gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun.

Resindez was the first to get up to the second floor only to be the first to catch a near point blank blast of buckshot from the 11 year-old's knee crouch aim. He suffered fatal wounds to his abdomen and genitals.

When Garza ran to the foot of the stairs, he took a blast to the left shoulder and staggered out into the street where he bled to death before medical help could arrive.

It was found out later that Resindez was armed with a stolen 45 caliber handgun he took from another home invasion robbery. That victim, 50-year-old David Burien, was not so lucky. He died from stab wounds to the chest.

Ever wonder why good stuff never makes NBC, CBS, MSNBC, or ABC news....

God I love this kid....Nice Shootin'

 

[Warchild]

I suppose it depends on how quick it gets hijacked and turned into something else.

Correct.

TRY TO STICK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION GUYS

Please do. It appears this is an honest question by feejer22. Don't make me close it, folks.... answer his question without a lot of hyperbole, please.

 

[Scab]

I live in the country and have multiple guns. Everyone in the family can safely fire a gun. Many, many times I have had to resort to the gun to protect my family. Of course, it was against snakes, cows, and stray wild dogs that threatened my kids or pets. No people confrontations with firearms. But, how would I feel without guns? Dunno. I would at least need some marbles and a wrist-rocket though. Most of our threats are nature-made and not people.

 

[TriggerT]

OMG! Now we have added the Immigration issue to this thread! Kill It, Kill it.

JUST KIDDING! But I couldn't resist.

 

[taterides]

I would not like the fact I could not own a firearm. I did not own one for years but after some time in South Florida it seemed the best move. I own 2 handguns, his/hers, for home defense and while traveling. I am glad we are allowed to have them.

Can't believe this is still open-

 

[Scab]

Can't believe this is still open-

Amazing what happens when we stay on a legit topic, huh?

 

[Warchild]

Can't believe this is still open-

Amazing what happens when we stay on a legit topic, huh?

Yes. Dunno how long before someone dorks up, though... finger started twitching on the illegal alien-related post....

 

[GunMD]

I guess I don't feel that I really NEED to have guns, but I sure like the fact that I'm still able to have them legally.

if you guys were not allowed your guns, how would you feel? Vulnerable? No different? Safe in the knowledge that no-one else has a gun either? Totally lost without it?

I find this amusing. As others have pointed out in this thread, we can never rid all of the bad guys of all their guns. If we knew how to do that we wouldn't have much debate at all I suppose (cuz only the good guys would have 'em). I'll never feel comfortable that there are no guns in the hands of bad guys.

I've worked with and owned guns for a number of years and I've never felt the need to use one to defend myself or my family. But I sure do know how just in case that day ever comes. :trinibob:

 

[jet mechanic]

Thats a hard queston to answer. I own guns and enjoy hunting, target shooting and just plinking beer cans. I've never had to use one for self-protection ( other than in the militiary) and hopefully never will, BUT, they're there IF the need arises. If they disappeared tommorrow I still have two dogs, about a half dozen of my kids baseball bats, and various other blunt instruments to protect my family while in my house. But on the other hand, once while camping with my wife and kids, we had a very "aggressive" racoon come into our campsite. I didn't have to shoot it, BUT, had it gone towards the kids I wouldn't have hesitated. So, in a perfect world, sure I would feel SAFE without guns, BUT, in a world where **** happens it is reasurring to have one if necessary.

 

[Ignacio]

...rather amazed...and thrilled...that nobody has started to talk about government policy, got their feelings hurt, and/or felt compelled to utter "soap box", "hijaak", "rant" or other key word.

Keep it up.

[...as the admin moves along to other threads while trying to not make the eyes on the back of his head so obvious...]

 

[airboss]

Feejer, I've carried a handgun at work for 27 years, I just don't feel the need to have one at home. That said I do have a 12 gauge pump shotgun that my grandfather gave me for my 16th birthday. Best thing there is for home protection , nothing will get their attention as quick as the sound of a 12 gauge round being racked into the chamber.

 

[Geezer]

When I first moved out to my current rural home I did not own a firearm. One day my wife called me at the office and said there was a rabid raccoon in the yard. The local LEOs just told her to shoot it or ask a neighbor to shoot it. I drove home and got one of my neighbors to do the deed.

I went out and bought my first rifle that week. Now, twenty years later, I am a shooting sports instructor and I shoot a lot. I never pointed a gun at a person and hope I never have to.

 

[Fred W]

I do not own a gun. I have never owned anything except a pellet rifle for plinking and target fun. When I was a youth my Dad took me out at my request and taught me to safely shoot a shotgun. I learned to shoot in Boy Scouts, at the local Boys Club and at some other summer camps that I went to. I was later in the military (Navy), so I have handled weapons.

The one big thing that has always prevented me from wanting to buy a weapon for "protection" in the past is the possibility that one of the very people that I was looking to protect (my kids) might be injured or killed from it. Kids are curious, like cats.

I also know my own wife's capabilities and would not like to envision her brandishing a weapon. Even with proper training it is about as likely that she'd get the weapon taken away by an assailant as it is that she'd be able (or willing) to use it correctly.

I do not hate guns nor do I think it's wrong for others to have guns if they choose to. I've just never felt threatened or insecure enough to think that I needed one. Yet. Perhaps in other surroundings, other areas of the country or globe, and I can't rule it out in the future.

 

[TNT]

I feel that if guns were banned then the only people with them would be the criminals. I have several stashed around the house. I am practicaly surrounded by the Cherokee Natl. forest so I use them for all types of animals and would use them against a robber if needed. Yes I feel safer with them.

 

[feejer222]

Some interesting reply's guys. I am surprised by the amount of people who say that the guns are often for protection against animals. Not something that would be needed here.

We have a big gang probem here in some of the inner cities. Particularly Manchester where I live. The guns come in from the Eastern block, Russia mainly I think. There was something on the news the other day about a legislation being passed to stop replica guns coming in as they are often converted back to firing weapons.

In days gone by it was unheard of for a police officer to carry a gun, but quite often now we see the special response police driving around, who are all permenantly armed. All airport police carry light machine guns and automatic pistols.

The police refuse to arm here because they say that if they get into a confrontation with a criminal he knows that the cop will have a gun and will be carrying just in case and will always try to get the first shot in. Personally I would prefer all cops to carry here. I think the time is long overdue.

 

[Toecutter]

Yep you are right, but not as practical as a small automatic that you can keep in the bedside drawer.

But the shot won't go through a couple of walls and into your neighbor's house, either.

Pump 12 gauge, pistol grip, shortest legal barrel. The sound of it getting racked will strike terror into any intruder, and may persuade them to leave a human-shaped exit hole in the nearest wall or window. It's a universal sound of impending doom.

I've heard a good place to keep one is on hooks just inside and above a (non walk-in) closet door. Out of reach of children and missed by most prying eyes, but readily available if needed.

I think of it as a life assurance policy.

I'd rather have one and not need it, than need one and not have it.

 

[nitelife]

I own several and have a permit. I carry for protection. Never needed it but have it just in case. I also have one in each vehicle. My wife has one. I also love to shoot. At work we have an 800 yard shooting range. Nothing like getting off of work and tearing up some targets and making a few dollars

Guns can also be an investment if you do your research. We here in the states (well, most of them) can legally own about any gun we want, even machine guns and silencers. Some guns that sold for under $1,000 20 years ago are now worth $20,000.

 

[black mamba]

A number of years ago, I had to brandish a firearm to thwart a personal robbery. Fortunately for everyone, the robbers fled when I aimed my pistol at them. I was prepared to pull the trigger if I had to. I've had extensive training in firearms and I was, at the time , amazed at how calm I was during the episode. Afterward, I was quite shaken. I have a license to carry a concealed firearm and I do every where I am entitled to under that license. To me, it's like that famous credit card.......don't leave home without it.

 

[Neil San Diego]

This old quote sums up my feelings:

"God made man. Col. Colt made them equal."

I like knowing that I (or my wife) can defend myself without needing a 6th degree blackbelt. To answer your question directly, I wouldn't feel as safe if I wasn't allowed to own one.

 

[ionbeam]

While growing up I spent every summer working on my grandparent's farm in Ozark hill country. A real old fashion farm with no electricity, no phone, no well pump, the 'tractor' and 'transportation' both ran on hay. A gun was a farm tool; it provided food, secured the property, controlled varmints and if anyone was *that far* off the main road you would take the gun when you walk out to meet them. It wasn't until later in life that I learned that skeet shooting wasn't done with a pistol or rifle! I thought everyone could use a .22 to drive wooden matches at 100'. Drill a small hole in a block of wood, insert match. When hit by the bullet the match's flare was both visible proof of bullseye, and reward for a good shot. Same farm, 17 yrs old out target shooting with my cousin, 18 yrs old. My cousin took dead aim at his target and hit it flush center -- too bad it was sitting on a rock resulting in a ricochet that came almost directly back at us. You have no idea how upset parents 1,500 miles away get when the hospital in Rolla calls and says your son has been admitted with a gun shot wound.

Later in life I was desperate for an apartment in Rochester, NY. A fellow that I worked with rented me an apartment that he had available in the very low rent district. Let's just say that I stood out among the neighbors, being visibly unique. It wasn't uncommon to have issues there. I came home one afternoon and as I was opening the door I had spittle spewing, heavily drugged or drunk person jump me from behind. He had a long screwdriver which he were brandishing and demanded cash. <If I had cash I wouldn't have been living there.> It occurred to me at that time that a gun would have been a good thing to own. The situation finally resolved itself when the ambusher was sitting on the ground refusing to get up, screaming something about, "YOU BROKE MY NOSE, YOU BROKE MY NOSE" over and over. Same neighborhood, a few brave guys got together and found a 2 x 4 they were going to 'do me' with for some reason. It occurred to me at the time that a gun would have been a good thing to own. In the end, the police charged ME with assault. Same neighborhood, my landlord's wife was famous for her little nickel plated .32 pistol. She solved all her problems with that gun, a day wasn't complete without her firing at least one shot.

Still Rochester, in Power Mill Park roughly midnight, in my friends car, both of us with girlfriends. Someone that lived just outside the park had determined that we broke into his house; we only know this because of his shouting it at us. First he shot the car with a shot gun taking out all the glass and lights until he ran out of shells. Then he pulled out a pistol and those bullets did penetrate the car body. At that point my girlfriend freaked and started shrieking and crying causing him to stop shooting long enough for us to clear out. It wasn't that simple but we did get away.

My brother is a police officer and wears armor all the time because ya never know. It's worse for him because he is not only a SWAT team member but several police departments call him in for 'difficult arrests'. Oddly, I've been shot at more times than he has.

Where is this going? There are places where a gun is appropriate. With training, responsibility and safe storage there is a place for guns within the general public. If guns are immediately and directly accessible they *could* be used when there were other alternatives. Mistakes happen, bullet holes aren't cured with an, "oops, sorry." No matter what, there will always be some people that will find some way to get guns even though they are not responsible.

I would feel safer with a gun but don't own one. My brother (police) does loan me target/protection guns periodically. My grandfather had a gun that he would load for personal protection. The first shot was a blank, the second one was bird shot and all the others were hollow points. He could select the starting bullet per the risk factor.