You can go to your local academy and get a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun and and some buckshot for under 250. This is what I'm going to do. They say the 12 or 20 gauge shotgun is perfect for home defense. The 20 guage will have less kick to it which will allow you re-pump faster and fire off multiple buck shots into an intruder. But usually all it takes to send a burglar running for the exits is the shick-shick sound of you pumping your shotgun, at least thats what they say. Also the added benefit of getting a shotgun is you can carry it in the back of your car or truck, loaded even, as long as it's visible. You do have a precious life to take care of but the thing is I would think a shotgun in a case under your bed would be safer than a handgun because of its larger size and weight. I just don't see a small child crawling under your bed taking a heavy shotgun out of the case and pulling the trigger - though i'm sure you can because you are a father and having a neice who is like a daugther to me I can understand all the worry and concern with that. Here is another scenario to think of when contemplating buying a gun: What happens when there is another major terrorist attack and the economy and our way of living has to come to a halt for a few weeks? The cowards in life will become bold, you know who they are, you see them on the streets, the look in their eyes, they'll head for the middle-class families neighborhoods and households and try to take whats yours and possibly try to take advantage of your loved ones. You will have a responsibility to protect them from these scum. You'll have their lives, property, and their water and food to protect. So in that case you may want to buy a couple of extra shotguns for your good neighbors so when **** really hits the fan you will have a solid defense force to protect eachother with. Because you can forget about counting on the goverment and local officials protecting you and your family when **** does really hit the fan. So get a gun, preferrably a shotgun, or shotguns, lots of buckshot #3 or buckshot #1. Load up on canned goods, bush baked beans preferrably, lots of water cases, some dog food, and get ready to be what god put you on this earth for, a man, a man who can protect his loved ones and neighbors when the time calls for it. Because there will be that time, probably sooner than later, and if you are a good decent man, which I think you are, then you owe it to the people you love and the people who love you to be ready, to be ready and willing to protect them from the vile scum who are just waiting, just waiting to come into your world and make you and your family their victims. And if it doesn't happen, wonderful, you didn't live in fear, you were ready, and life went on. so godspeed brother.
Of course deadbolts, but also installing lockable storm doors, as well as replacing the little screws that secure the door hinges and locks with much longer screws (I think 4"). That's what my mother had done to her new house. And two noisy dogs.
To me, the whole gun issue is about fear. I understand that some people are afraid of guns and want nothing to do with them. Myself, I am afraid I will need a gun and not have one. The gun itself instills no more fear in me than a claw hammer or a shovel.
[shameless plug] OK, since the discussion has come around to shotguns, if anybody wants a shotgun for defense and really wants to scare the pants of a home invader, I have a Norinco M.97 (Repoduction of Winchetser M.97 'trench broom') for sale which has a bayonet lug with the original P.17 bayonet which mounts on it. Watch the invader crap his pants when you pull out the shotgun and he sees it pointing at him with a 2 foot bayonet on the end. Its brand new, and the whole thing (new gun with reconditioned original bayonet w/scabbard) is $350. You can Google the gun. It is well regarded (except by people who are offended by anything from China). [/shameless plug]
My dad has always been willing to teach about handguns so when curiosity got to me as a child he would get the gun and let me hold it (unloaded) and just get a feel for it. He shot professionally for a few years while I was growing up so he has other handguns stored in his office that are locked. I guess him understanding childhood curiosity and willing to teach helped with me never wanting to go play with it when he wasn't around. I have pulled it out once before when my parents are out of town and I thought someone was trying to break in though (was also 19 at the time).
One point about educating children that misses the mark is adults and young adults can easily die at the hands of handguns. Adults and young adults-- yourself, spouse, adult children, etc, can get in a mental state where they want to hurt themselves or others. This kind of stuff isn't always predictable or preventable—yes even yourself, or your mate. Access to guns can make the process easier (more “successful” suicide/homicide attempts), and in fact most gun murders victims in the South know the person who fired it. What if your teenage kid just loses it for 15 seconds? (I could also tell you about my friend who was a National Merit scholar and later became a Lutheran minister who tinkered with a hammer and ammo at age 15 and sent a bullet through his floor. He was book smart and trained with guns, but teenage dumbassness was greater than both and nearly ended him). Great idea for quick means to settle domestic disputes like whose job it is to clean the toilet On a little bit more sincere note, if you are going with a gun for protection (and I grew up with rifles and ammo locked away and learned how to use them), I agree about the shotgun and locking it. Personally, I'd rather have my dogs (which you can pet and play with, unlike a gun), security door (which also keep toddlers from easily slipping out of the house) and home alarm. Insurance companies also recognize alarm systems (discount) but not gun ownership (nor dogs—and I think there are even penalties/exclusions for Pits, Rotties, maybe some others)--which tells you some about the risk/rewards of each.
A recent event just dawned on me....although it may not be an issue here. But it happened to a family we know through our church. Their eighth grade son committed suicide at home with the father's gun. His little brother was there when it happened. I know there will be some rebuttal about how if the kid wanted to commit suicide, he'd find a way, and/or the parents should have realized something was wrong with him and headed the whole depression/suicide thing off at the pass. Well......things aren't always that evident. They knew he was having a few issues, but never dreamed he was suicidal. In fact, they thought it was an accident. They thought he might be playing with the gun. The police ruled it a suicide, although I am not sure of the specifics there. But can you imagine being that father and living with that? It's just an awful thought. Sorry, didn't meant to put a damper on the dicsussion. But I was just reminded of that after reading a few more posts in this thread.
Don't forget the gun safety classes. You will have nothing to fear after being certified. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DS9JiPSXwwc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DS9JiPSXwwc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
I bought my first "legal" firearm a couple of years ago. My entire family were repulsed at the sight of it. Explained my reasons for making an executive decision, along with laying down the law about getting near it, etc and that was that. Has been in the chest drawer (clips and gun next to each other) and has only been taken out once -- kids woke me up because of some noise around the house. I totally understand the reasons for not owning a gun. However, speaking only for myself there is a degree of comfort being in a position to protect the crib, while hoping at the same time that I won't be forced to use it. Whatever decision you come to will be the right one for you.
I grew up around guns. So did my friends. We were all taught that they were NOT toys, and that you had to respect them as such. As soon as we were old enough (starting relatively young with BB guns), we were all taught how to use them safely and effectively. It all boils down to your own choices as a parent. I don't know what kind of safety options are available, but keep in mind that there's no point in having a gun for personal safety if you cannot get to it quickly.
I think having a gun is a bad idea, the only time it would come in handy would be if a psycopath broke into your house intent on killing your family. The odds of this are basically nothing chance of you getting injured or killed in gun accident + chance of you getting injured or killed pulling a gun on a standard armed robber when he just wants your jewlery or your tv + chance of kid finding gun >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> psycopath breaking in your house wanting to kill you and you having enough time to recognize the threat, unlock your gun safe, load weapon, and defeat psycopath
Well, I am the only person in my household that can reach the top of the master cabinet (I'm 6'1), and that's where my gun is stored at night(3 feet from my bed. It's a Glock, so it's not in the safe while I sleep, during the day it's usually strapped to my ankle, it's ALWAYS loaded with one in the chamber. My gun is always in my presence, so the only way one of my children will find my gun is if he's frisking me. Haven't we already discussed this topic at length...I'm too lazy to look it up, but I know we already had a lengthy debate.
Just a question, how many people in this thread have ever discharged a firearm in defense of their home?
I'm guessing about the same amount of people in this thread who have committed suicide with one of their parent's firearms.
I'd be interested to see some statistics that do keep a gun in the house and have ever had to use it for home defense. I'm no criminology expert, but if I were trying to break into someone's house I'd try to find one that is not occupied at the time. I'm guessing there are a lot more home burglaries than there are robberies. Now, outside of the house is a different story. There are plenty of times I could see a gun coming in handy for protection. But hell, inside the home ... let them take what they want. Chances are they have a weapon too, and if you pull yours out you or your family probably has greater risk of being harmed.
