Would you want a gun?

[LindaG4458]

We have several handguns. We keep one accessible on each floor of our house (there are three), and DH has a rifle. There have been several incidents in our immediate area and we feel safer with that protection.

That rifle might be too much for her to handle. I hope she has tried to shoot it and practiced how to use the various features. It also will have to be kept someplace that she can reach it easily if needed.

 

[mill4023]

If she's frail, a shotgun is probably going to knock her on her butt after the first shot. Most home self defense scenarios are going to be at a close enough range that the shot isn't going to spread much, so you still have to aim correctly. And shotguns are heavy, so aiming might be an issue for this woman.

An AK47 or an AR15 are going to have some kick to them, but an assault rifle like this one that fires 9mm rounds is going to be pretty tame. Actually, the recoil will feel less severe than it would with a handgun because of the extra weight of the rifle.

I'm not familiar with that Kel-Tec, but it seems like a decent choice to me. It's got a short barrel so it's not too bulky for indoors, it fires 9mm with low recoil, and it has a stock, which would allow someone with motor control issues to stabilize it against their shoulder and probably have a much better chance of hitting the target than they would with a handgun.

 

[JMD]

So he got her a gun. A 9mm. Kel-Tec sub 2000 para-military collapsible assualt rifle, to be exact. (i just copied and pasted that from his email, so don't blame me if it's not right)

I know you said you copied and pasted what your brother wrote, but a Kel-Tec sub 2000, is simply a semi-automatic rifle. There is nothing "para-military" or "assault" about it. And it's a relatively easy shooting rifle. It may not be my first choice for home defense, but it would certainly get the job done. Like any firearm, you should make sure you can shoot it competently before trusting it for defensive purposes.

 

[Hercules10]

For those intersted.

Makers sepecs:
http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/sub2000.htm

 

[JMD]

I was briefly stalked in my early 20s, an experience that motivated me to buy a gun and take shooting lessons.

I own a .38 and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on somebody who broke into my house.

That said, the best gun for home protection is a shotgun. You don't need good aim to use it, because the shot sprays out a bit. Nobody should plan to protect themselves with a gun without knowing how to shoot it (and I don't mean a theoretical "knowing how " from reading a manual or seeing a Clint Eastwood movie ).

Assault rifles have a lot of kick (didn't a kid recently shoot himself with an assault rifle at a gun show because the gun had so much kickback? He shot himself in the head). Although it should be obvious, nobody should own a gun without knowing how to shoot it and knowing some basic rules of gun safety (the primary being that you never point a gun, loaded or unloaded, at anything you don't intend to shoot--a lot of gun accidents would be avoided if everybody followed this one rule).

Actually is just the opposite, shotguns have a pretty hefty recoil, while semi-automatic rifles(commonly mislabeled assault rifles ) have a very mild recoil in comparison.

Shotguns are great for home defense, but still need to be shouldered and aimed, like any other firearm. Inside, at self-defense ranges, that blast pattern is still very tight. But considering the physical condition of the women using it, a shotgun is probably too much gun. The Kel-Tec will work much better.

 

[okeydokey]

Nobody should own a gun unless they are prepared and willing to use one. I personally would not have one.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I want one... but I'm too lazy to take the classes.

Same here. DH's friend has the carry and conceal license. He showed it to us.

I have never shot a gun and we do not have any guns. We do have a dogs though.

My BIL has a gun case with alot of guns, mainly for deer hunting. He also has a bow.

 

[Hercules10]

But considering the physical condition of the women using it, a shotgun is probably too much gun. The Kel-Tec will work much better.

Depends on the gun. My wife (was a tiny thing too) used to shoot a .410 pump. Bruised the crap out of her because of the kick plus the stock was not the proper length. I then bought her a Browning ladies gold 12 gauge. Gas operated, ported barrel, stock cut for a woman (shorter), heavily padded butt. The thing had a kick slightly more then a .22M.

Better gun could be had, but judging from the price of this Kel-Tec, I believe cost was also a factor in this decision.

 

[Meriweather]

We live way out too and I am home a lot, DH travels almost all the time for work.
I am not frail though. I got a taser.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

ITA. There are people that just wait for a woman to be home alone and have no interest in belongings. I think that even a frail woman could defend herself if she was properly trained with a gun. My DH is a hunter and we have many guns in the home. All but 1 is unloaded. The loaded one is put up and locked in my bedroom. The kids don't know where it is and even if they did it is locked and only DH and I have the key. When DH is working nights I feel safer. (BTW we have dogs too..I think they can alert me and keep intruders busy until I can get the gun)

This has always been the gap in the logic of having a gun, as far as I can see. So it's locked up and "up". You're sleeping in the middle of the night and you hear someone in your house. Do you really have time to get the key, get to the closet (where I'm assuming it's "up"), unlock it and get it out, all without making any noise and all within enough time to use it? Same situation but you're in the kitchen when someone breaks in. Do you have time to get to the bedroom, get the key....? My husband tried to convince me of this once and it just doesn't make any sense to me. Nor does leaving a loaded gun in the nightstand, under the mattress... Just can't figure out how it works to your benefit if you're caught off guard.

 

[meandmytwogirls]

Nobody should own a gun unless they are prepared and willing to use one. I personally would not have one.

I agree. I have a handgun and a shotgun and would readily use either in defense of my family. Walk uninvited into my home and they're probably gonna carry you out.

 

[tonilea]

This has always been the gap in the logic of having a gun, as far as I can see. So it's locked up and "up". You're sleeping in the middle of the night and you hear someone in your house. Do you really have time to get the key, get to the closet (where I'm assuming it's "up"), unlock it and get it out, all without making any noise and all within enough time to use it? Same situation but you're in the kitchen when someone breaks in. Do you have time to get to the bedroom, get the key....? My husband tried to convince me of this once and it just doesn't make any sense to me. Nor does leaving a loaded gun in the nightstand, under the mattress... Just can't figure out how it works to your benefit if you're caught off guard.

I have one gun. .45 handgun w/ nightsights, that is not in the safe. It is loaded and ready to go. I have it hidden in the top of my closet where DS cannot access it. Because of the furniture layout in the room, it would be impossible for him to even drag a chair or some other object to stand on to reach it. In a few years, we may have to rethink the situation, but for now it is secure from DS. We also preach gun safety constantly. DH is a police officer, so guns are a part of our lives.

I used to keep a shotgun, unloaded, in the closet. The shells were within easy reach and I could load it very quickly and in the dark.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Thanks for your reply tonilea.

 

[momof1princess]

i live in a very isolated, rural area and police help is spotty, at best, so yes, i own a gun, know how to use it and wouldn't hesitate to do so if necessary. it is a .38 pistol and it is kept loaded and hidden well out of DD11's reach. call me crazy, but it makes me feel safer on the nights DH has to work. i wouldn't feel safe enough to sleep without it. i guess i'm a scaredy-cat.

 

[Orangeandwild]

We also live in a rural area, where police and ambulance coverage can take a bit to arrive.

There are guns in the house and yes I know how to use them and would if the need arises.

Think twice about coming in my house uninvited, borrowing our vehicles without us knowing about it or touching any member of my family...

 

[freckles and boo]

People seem to be missing the point. The person in question has a debilitating condition. While some people with MS are not as seriously affected, others can't hold on to a fork long enough to get food from their plates to their mouths. How affected is the SIL? If she doesn't move well she probably won't be able to rush to a closet to grab a gun. Will she have a rifle on her person at all times? It all sounds ridiculous to me.

 

[sbell111]

This has always been the gap in the logic of having a gun, as far as I can see. So it's locked up and "up". You're sleeping in the middle of the night and you hear someone in your house. Do you really have time to get the key, get to the closet (where I'm assuming it's "up"), unlock it and get it out, all without making any noise and all within enough time to use it? Same situation but you're in the kitchen when someone breaks in. Do you have time to get to the bedroom, get the key....? My husband tried to convince me of this once and it just doesn't make any sense to me. Nor does leaving a loaded gun in the nightstand, under the mattress... Just can't figure out how it works to your benefit if you're caught off guard.

I think that this would completely depend on each individuals own situation.

For instance, our bedroom is upstairs and I'm a light sleeper. I have no doubt that I could access my gun if someone were to break into my home at night. Daytime changes the scenario. If someone were to break into the house in the daytime and I was cut off from my weapon, I would turn around and escape from the house. If I were not cut off from the weapon, I would go get it. (It should also be noted that the chance of someone breaking into a home in the daytime when people were home is very, very low.)

What doesn't make sense to me is the possibility of someone breaking into my home and my not having an option of defending myself and my family.

 

[Michelle67]

Personally, I think the choice of weapons was completely inappropriate, but as for the original question yes I would probably want a gun. In fact, I'm in a somewhat similar situation (live on a few acres out in the woods, husband is working in Iraq) and I DO have a gun. However, as someone else mentioned, she needs to know how to use it and know she is willing to pull the trigger. Otherwise, it's more of a danger to her than to an intruder.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

After losing two people to accidental gun shots, I will never have a gun. They were both children and the parents thought the guns were hidden well. Kids are fascinated by guns and they will play with them.

I will however be getting myself a nice Rottweiler. Such a loyal and gentle dog but people seem to be frightened of them.

 

[sbell111]

People seem to be missing the point. The person in question has a debilitating condition. While some people with MS are not as seriously affected, others can't hold on to a fork long enough to get food from their plates to their mouths. How affected is the SIL? If she doesn't move well she probably won't be able to rush to a closet to grab a gun. Will she have a rifle on her person at all times? It all sounds ridiculous to me.

It doesn't sound ridiculous, to me. If someone breaks in and she is not currently having an attack, she can defend herself. If she is, the weapon remains secured and she is in the same boat that she would have been in if she didn't own it.