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Despite my socially liberal opinions, I'm really considering getting a gun. I don't live in a bad neighborhood, but there are too many unmedicated people in this society. A taser can only do so much damage. It would just be for home use.
God forbid that I really do have to shoot someone, I'm thinking about my nerves. My voice shakes when I'm afraid. What if I'm shaking like a leaf? How would I cope with the fact that I'm responsible for someone's death? Who's going to clean up all the blood splatter in my carpet and on the walls? The investigators will come into my home with their shoes on, that's disgusting.
Your first assumption is that it's going to happen. It's not all that common. You need to know you're not alone in your feelings. More and more people are having to make the decision to defend themselves against our Gov'ts lack of ability to keep the criminal off of the streets. You might want know that in most home confrontations, just a gun going off is more than enough to put the perp running away- you don'y have to kill anybody. A large caliber weapon isn't required, just one that makes a lot of noise. In your case, a double action revolver in a 22 Long Rifle might be just the ticket. You can rent guns at most ranges these days so I'd suggest going to one that does rent guns and give it a try. There's a lot of folks just like you that have found themselves a new sport that they greatly enjoy- shooting. It can be a fun thing and guns don't necessarily mean you are going to have to shoot anyone. Most shooters have never even seen a confrontation and have never been in one. But it can be a secure feeling to know that if necessary you have the way and the means to defend yourself. You'll also find that most shooting ranges have courses that you can take for how and when you can defend yourself. They'll also have gun safety classes for you. Go to a range, give it a try, you may just find what most folks are learning, shooting is a fun sport.
I don't think firing a fatal shot is necessary. Especially if the target was simply "unmedicated". Unless you subscribe to the G. Gordon Liddy doctrine of Head Shots, make sure you're the only surviving witness.
I live in the "unmedicated" end of town, and If I were concerned, I would probably start by locking my door, but I haven't gotten to that yet.
I'd be more concerned about the Swat Team coming to the wrong address.
In fact, I'm unmedicated myself, except for a baby aspirin as a blood thinner, so be prepared to shoot me. But I don't have a gun, so I'm not a danger to go off half cocked and firing lethal shots at unmedicated strangers.
One of the factors you have to consider is that you might have a very short window of opportunity to make sure that you are better trained in use of firearms than your adversary, before you proactively introduce them into the picture.
Despite my socially liberal opinions, I'm really considering getting a gun. I don't live in a bad neighborhood, but there are too many unmedicated people in this society. A taser can only do so much damage. It would just be for home use.
God forbid that I really do have to shoot someone, I'm thinking about my nerves. My voice shakes when I'm afraid. What if I'm shaking like a leaf? How would I cope with the fact that I'm responsible for someone's death? Who's going to clean up all the blood splatter in my carpet and on the walls? The investigators will come into my home with their shoes on, that's disgusting.
How you cope will likely depend on whether or not you HAD to kill your assailant.
If you realize that you are going to die if you don't take another human's life, it's about as significant as killing a dog attacking your child.
If you are considering a firearm, you should also be considering some comprehensive training. You wouldn't purchase and jump behind the wheel of a car without at least a fundamental understanding of how to operate a vehicle and the laws governing said operation would you?
Would you expect to know how to operate a boat on a crowded waterway without training?
A firearm shouldn't be any different.
Firearms reduce your average life expectancy in the same way that infant mortality does. In competent hands it is a powerful tool when needed and at least as inert as a hammer or chef's knife when not needed. If you want a gun, you have the duty to ensure that your hands are competent.
Despite my socially liberal opinions, I'm really considering getting a gun. I don't live in a bad neighborhood, but there are too many unmedicated people in this society. A taser can only do so much damage. It would just be for home use.
God forbid that I really do have to shoot someone, I'm thinking about my nerves. My voice shakes when I'm afraid. What if I'm shaking like a leaf? How would I cope with the fact that I'm responsible for someone's death? Who's going to clean up all the blood splatter in my carpet and on the walls? The investigators will come into my home with their shoes on, that's disgusting.
If you accept that about 1/3 of Americans own guns, that's a rate of accidental injury or death less than 1 per 100,000.
By contrast, the rate of vehicular FATALITIES among vehicle owners is 15 per 100,000. You're much better off getting rid of your car and buying ten guns...
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If you get the shakes from stressful encounters, you should not only take the required class (required in most states) but also take some classes at a gun training school.
Chances are that getting your gun, cocking it, and shouting to an intruder that you have one, will cause them to leave. If not, shoot twice into center mass and then in the head.
A short "defender" shotgun might be best in a house, at least the pellets won't penetrate most walls to accidentally kill on the other side. For a pistol, I recommend a 9mm, if only for the fact that they have so many choices of ammunition to cover your needs. I think Glock pistols are still the most reliable though maybe it's different nowadays.
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