For Single Retireees: Do you Own a Gun?? (psycho, accident, opinion)

[Wilson513]

This might be a good time to add a little reality about the police. For those of you who base your opinions on TV shows, let me give you a fact of life. If you call thee police, and tell them that there is an intruder in your home who may or may not be armed (heard the glass break and the person enter) you are not getting any help from the police. They may show up in five minutes depending on where you live, but unless you go to the door and invite them in, they are going to take up positions for their safety away from the house until they are absolutely sure that the perp is gone. They do not enter the residence to rescue you hiding in the second floor closet despite what you might have seen on TV. They will let you bleed to death before they barge in. It might be hours before a swat team actually tries to enter.

If you are ever shot, God forbid, lie to the police when you call 911 and tell them you are having a heart attack because they really will not come in and get you until they are positive there is no gunman in the house. You will literally bleed to death waiting.

If you go to the front door and welcome them, all is good. If not, you are on your own. Ask any cop.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Oh great, kill someone blind, through a door. It's your grown kid thrown out by his spouse coming to your house in the middle of the night...oops.

My children are smart enough (how smart do they have to be) to announce themselves before coming in my house and wandering up to the bedroom. Aren't yours?

You have your opinion. I get it. You will also be a victim if your number comes up. I won't.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

You have your opinion. I get it. You will also be a victim if your number comes up. I won't.

I am positive I'd never kill my own kid, a friend, neighbor, child or animal through a closed door by mistake. I have not said I am opposed to owning and using and guns. I have qualified this in all my statements, above. You have your opinion, and I respect it.

I'm on a different wave length--I'm talking about a senior acquiring a gun for the very first time, (never before having one, or even holding one)--even getting trained somewhat well, and actually using it (see the OP). There is a big difference in the subjects we are each talking about.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

My children are smart enough (how smart do they have to be) to announce themselves before coming in my house and wandering up to the bedroom. Aren't yours?

You have your opinion. I get it. You will also be a victim if your number comes up. I won't.

I'm glad you're confident in your restraint ability, cocking your gun while you wait for your (drunk perhaps) grown kid to announce himself before entering with the key he undoubtedly was given. Time to give your kids, neighbors, and friends a password.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

I'm glad you're confident in your restraint ability, cocking your gun while you wait for your (drunk perhaps) grown kid to announce himself before entering with the key he undoubtedly was given. Time to give your kids, neighbors, and friends a password.

My kids don't go around drunk. My gun is loaded and ready to shoot. My house is not locked because I am not afraid. So your wrong, three out of three. Even so, you are entitled to your opinion. If you were my relative, I'd give you a gun and a shooting range membership for Xmas. Start out with a .22 revolver and when you can shoot it well, buy a .38 police special hammerless like a Ruger LCR which is a great gun for a woman. I have one with a lser sight on it that is on all the time, you just squeeze the grip and it lights up a very bright dot on the target. If you are strong and confident, a S&W .357 Magnum so you can shoot through the bathroom wall if they are not in front of the door.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

My kids don't go around drunk. My gun is loaded and ready to shoot. My house is not locked because I am not afraid. So your wrong, three out of three. Even so, you are entitled to your opinion. If you were my relative, I'd give you a gun and a shooting range membership for Xmas.

In the examples I give (not really jokingly), I am not talking about you. This thread is not about you, in particular. We already established that you are among the trained and fit.

I am talking about any senior on a broad level, and the broader level includes the scenarios I outlined.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

In the examples I give (not really jokingly), I am not talking about you. This thread is not about you, in particular. We already established that you are among the trained and fit.

I am talking about any senior on a broad level, and the broader level includes the scenarios I outlined.

I know seniors that I would not want to have a gun in the house. Angry rage filled people who would not be capable to use good judgement. Also a couple who are simply too infirm to handle anything requiring dexterity. I think we can agree on that much at least. But a person who can play golf without replacing their clubs every few outings (bent from anger or lost though incompetence) can and should be able to defend themselves in their home.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

My kids don't go around drunk. My gun is loaded and ready to shoot. My house is not locked because I am not afraid. So your wrong, three out of three. Even so, you are entitled to your opinion. If you were my relative, I'd give you a gun and a shooting range membership for Xmas. Start out with a .22 revolver and when you can shoot it well, buy a .38 police special hammerless like a Ruger LCR which is a great gun for a woman. I have one with a lser sight on it that is on all the time, you just squeeze the grip and it lights up a very bright dot on the target. If you are strong and confident, a S&W .357 Magnum so you can shoot through the bathroom wall if they are not in front of the door.

Danger, Will Robinson. Danger!

If it will shoot through a wall it can will shoot into any other room in your house of out your house and through the wall of a neighboring house. If you hit someone it can also cause a through-and-through wound and continue its flight through walls, windows and into another's home if you are urban.

The "safest" ammunition to use for home protection is frangible ammo which will break up and powder if it hits anything more solid than flesh and will also not shoot through-and-through.

Major rule of pulling a gun and putting your finger on the trigger: "Be sure of your target and beyond!" Firing blind through walls meets neither component.

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Guns that shoot through most interior doors/bedroom door: any shotgun with 00/000 buck.

Contrary to popular opinion, 00/000 buck is not the best load for home defense according to what many experts say. At close range #1 or #4 buck is a better choice; denser pattern, more pellets, more hits on the target, less penetrative. Even smaller gauges loaded with birdshot can be deadly at the very short range of an in home confrontation. Not long age saw some ballistics that showed a .410 load of #4 shot delivered a wallop across the room almost equal to that of a bullet from a large caliber handgun.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

Contrary to popular opinion, 00/000 buck is not the best load for home defense according to what many experts say. ...410 load of #4 shot delivered a wallop across the room almost equal to that of a bullet from a large caliber handgun.

Tho a confident gun user, I too would be skeptical of 'getting-it-wrong' while using a firearm for self defense. (or someone else in the house might get it WRONG with me entering my own place). That would be ugly.

Circumstances in the USA are such, that I am not a real advocate of arming the populace for self defense, tho I am certainly supportive of retaining the right to do so. We have definitely changed as a society since the constitution was drafted (in positive and negative ways). I have encountered more than a few people lately, that I hope are never armed.