I'd let him have what he wanted. I live alone, so there's no one else to protect. If I had kids, it might be different, but I'm certainly not going to shoot anyone over my junk.
That was my impression too: where are all our anti-gun liberals? I suppose I saw everyone stressing gun safety to be advocating guns. And, people on the other side of the fence had something different capturing their attention. Reading some posters here, you'd think a .357 is the only thing standing between your family and Atilla the Hun. Only a third of US households even have a gun. Do you think 2/3rds of the country is getting robbed, raped, and murdered? I don't keep a gun because I know the chances of one being useful to me is really, really small. And, of that subset, the chance of me really needing one to live (as opposed to being merely useful) is smaller still.
Get a gun for everyone in the family and keep them under your pillows for easy access. Just educate the wife and kid on how to use the guns. Practice the head shot for extra points. I pity the fool breaking into your house.
If you want a ahnd gun for home protection, it is not just a matter of obtaining a pistol and putting it under your bed, top of your closet, etc.. For it to be useful and effective protection, you must commit to learning how to use it. And you must commit to practicing enough to retain your skill. If you are not going to do this, I would pass. Somebody will just hurt you with it. This looks pretty handy: http://www.biometricexpress.com/biovault.html
I'm not sure I necessarily agree with this.... My personal experience is that shooting a gun is like riding a bike. I learned many years ago with my father how to operate and shoot a handgun. We used to go to the range and shoot about once a month or so for about a year. We then took a hiatus from all of that for about 18 months. Recently, we have gone back to the range, and I seem to have the same, fairly accurate results having had no practice for some time. My father is the same way. Once the knowledge is there about the type of gun you are firing, how to operate the site and other mechanisms, shooting it is second nature. Just my opinion.
Then it's a hobby. A toy is something you play with. A hobby is something you enjoy doing and respect. For me, a gun is a tool.
I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. The sidearm I carry is small and of little inconvenience. It's just part of getting dressed, and in the house, I have all the precautions in place, fenced back yard, alarm, good neighborhood, doors locked. The gun is just for those cases where it is not enough...
i think you're sensible to consider the pros & cons on this issue. as a kid i almost shot my little brother and the memory is still chilling. (thankfully, i realized the gun was loaded before pulling the trigger on my silly prank) older kids that are determined will beat many a security system, but whatever you decide the thought and advice you're seeking will no doubt serve yah well.
You might be interested to know there are groops like the Texas Historical Shootist Society that shoot hundreds of thousands of rounds of live lead ammo a year safely.
Boo safe hobbies. (Even though I still have my baseball cards and buy bobbleheads off Ebay occasionally.) My other hobby is riding a motorcycle. (Of course, I manage the risks on that as best I can, too.)
most of you have it right... ..all you need is 1 house alarm 2 weapon(s) of choice 3 dog that gets real cranky when a robber is sneaking around. hey they also make single gun lock boxes that you can bolt to the bottom of your bed frame. you can also open it at night without having to look at tiny numbers on a dial http://www.gunsafestore.com/GV1000DLX.htm
