Consider Arming Yourself

[hecklerkoch]

I strongly suggest that everyone learns how to safely fire a handgun. If they just won't ever carry it, as is allowed in NC, then consider a shotgun. Training is readily available at every range you find in the phone book.

And speaking of books, read "The Gift of Fear" as well as "Blink". Your odds of being robbed will decrease because you will, if not on a concious level, begin to operate on a subconcious level and look at things differently.

You can hope or you can "refuse to be a victim" as the NRA says.
I am not talking about being a vigilante. I'm talking about becoming a different person with a different mindset that may well save you one day.
Professor Lott wrote "More Guns...Less Crime"

Do I like posting this? No, I don't. I moved her a few years ago from one of the safest communities in America according to DOJ statistics. But Charlotte is a city, it is not the suburbs. I have used a knife to tell one "you're making a big mistake" as well as a handgun recently. Time after time, the more training the people get and the more they carry guns, the more the crime rate decreases. The law-abiding citizen is not a threat to the community, they are an asset.

If you do decide to buy a gun get training. If you don't think you could shoot someone then do not carry a gun. You are better off with a Taser, which I think are legal, but don't much care if they are or not in NC.

If you will only have a gun in the home get a shotgun with a short, 18" barrel and learn how to use it. There is a universal sound to a shotgun. Anyone who oewns one knows it. The chambering of a round is something that makes only a fool remain near you. And yes, you still have to aim.

HK

[karz10]

+1 I agree with what HK is saying. I recently began down this road for a few reasons. A) To not be a victim of future everyday crime in the area, B) To be more prepared if something happened to disrupt, even temporarily, what law and order we do have (i.e. see post Katrina as far as natural disasters, and of course there are other circumstances that could invoke a little chaos into an area), and C) I thought it would be a nice hobby, especially in the winter, since I'm a competitive person, I would enjoy the practice.

I've never been anti-gun, but I admit that the media had biased some of my opinions about gun ownership. I think one day I was watching the news and saw one of these incidents playing out on live news where some people were on the run from the cops, abandoned their still moving car and proceeded to enter the nearest house they could get into. Another incident was reported where someone was tied up in their home and interrogated by armed men, and only after an extended period of time did the mean realize they were in the wrong house, and that the individual had no knowledge of the person they were looking for. This shows you how random a home invasion crime can be, you don't have to be doing anything wrong to be targeted in this random manner.

Then I saw so many stories about car jackings, home invasions where the homeowner was assaulted, raped or killed. And I saw the reports about the gangs in the area, and how criminals were ILLEGALLY obtaining weapons.

I guess one day I just realized I'm not alone in this life anymore, I just thought that while I was doing the right thing about getting a good security system, and trying to practice good security habits to avoid these encounters, that I couldn't bear the thought of a determined individual, or group of individuals, all armed, invading my home and I would have no real recourse in some of these encounters. And while I've been blessed and fortunate to not have some of these things happen in the past, that I didn't want to continue to risk the odds for myself to try to be around for my family in the future, and to provide protection for my family, in the event I had to.

Like HK said, it may not be for everyone, but that some type of firearm can be an excellent tool, and an additional line of defense, in protecting yourself and your family, at home, or in the case of a handgun, while you're away from home. And I was also following HK's recommendations already about getting training and regular practice. Bottom line, safety first, that's what you're getting a firearm for, regarding self defense anyway, is safety, so make sure you obtain proper safety training, in handling, storing, and using the weapon.

There are a number of resources in the local community to help wth this, as well as resources online that can aid in research and discussion, to help someone new to firearms. If you do not own a firearm currently or in the past, I think if you begin to research and shop around, realize just how many law abiding citizens do own firearms, and I think you'll wonder why you waited so long to excersise your 2nd ammendment rights. I know I did.

Keep it safe out there for you and yours.

Karz

[7and7]

I have a concealed permit and am always packing a .45, I also have a 500 S&W close by my bed. Im not sure what the 500 would do to a person, but i will find out if some thug tries to break in.

[hecklerkoch]

7and7 said:

I have a concealed permit and am always packing a .45, I also have a 500 S&W close by my bed. Im not sure what the 500 would do to a person, but i will find out if some thug tries to break in.

I have read enough that I have no question that your shooting someone with a S&W 500 [in the absence of a bear breaking in] will make you a DA's delight.

Why? Because the police don't carry it!

Does a jury understand that a shotgun is more deadly?

Did you need to shoot him with that powerful a gun?

You are asking for trouble when you use special load and/or a different gun than the police use. Remember, you aren't being presented to a jury of your peers. "I" am your peer. I know about guns, my right to self-defense, and right vs. wrong. "YOU" will be judged by 12 people who will be selected specifically because they either couldn't figure how to get out of jury duty OR wanted the money.

I hope you never need to use your 500. But have you forgotten how stupid most people are who, after the LIRR massacre upon the unarmed, cried "we have to get these 9mm off the street"?

Your "peers" are going to be told your sole intent wasn't to "stop" [which is the only thing you should ever say] but rather to KILL the intruder and see if you could lift him off his feet. You'd be better off shooting him with an M-1 Garand in .308 that delivers probably more kick [3000 ft/lbs?] than the 500.

I wish you luck.
HK

[baxt3r]

IF you plan to arm yourself, do make sure you understand that whatever you choose to carry CAN be turned against you.

I carry an extendable baton. It is 8 inches collapsed and approximately 18+ inches when extended. It is easy to carry, easy to handle and will definately put a real hurtin' on someone who decides you may be an easy target. Best of all, I know the risk of being killed by this baton is far less than having a handgun turned on me.

Be careful with pepper spray. It is great in theory, but in theory, the wind doesn't blow very hard. Sure, you could blind an attacker, but if the wind is in your face you could blind youself.

Consider an alternative to pepper spray like a foaming dye. I know the Military surplus store on Independence Blvd. carries it as well as Hyatt Gun & Coin. This spray produces a thick colored foam that will disorient the attacker as well as turn him/her green for quite some time so identification will be easy, if not obvious.

Stun guns are useful for the same reason as any other less-lethal form of protection. It is much harder to have it turned on you and be killed by it. Just keep fresh batteries in it. ;D


Be safe out there. Be smart, too.