Would you want a gun?

[sbell111]

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.

That comes down to an issue of internal security and 'training' of household children. Also, it doesn't sound like there are any children in the referenced household.

 

[Feralpeg]

I know I'll get jumped on for this, but oh well. I watched a show a few years back. It said that, in most cases, if an intruder breaks into a home and the resident has a gun, the gun will be taken from the resident before they can use it to defend themselves. The problem being that most people are nice. They really don't want to shoot anyone. The person breaking into the home isn't nice. While trying to give the intruder the chance to back off, people lose control of the situation.

They also said that many people, especially woman, are easy to overpower. They played the tape of a situation where an older lady had a gun. An intruder broke into her home. While on the line with the 911 operator, she was overpowered and shot with her own gun.

I realize that most people will think it couldn't happen to them. They think they would have control of the situation and would not hesitate to shoot. The program indicated that is not the norm. In fact, most intruders do not want contact with the residents. They want to take what they can and get out. Confrontation with them is the last thing you should have. The best idea is to get out of the residence by another door or hide until they leave.

 

[C.Ann]

Under no circumstances would I have a gun.

This is the way I have always felt - until very recently..

It said that, in most cases, if an intruder breaks into a home and the resident has a gun, the gun will be taken from the resident before they can use it to defend themselves. The problem being that most people are nice. They really don't want to shoot anyone. The person breaking into the home isn't nice. While trying to give the intruder the chance to back off, people lose control of the situation.

This is one of the problems I am struggling with - as well as wondering if I'm more afraid of having a gun in my home or being totally unprotected without one.. I'm receiving all sorts of advice and it's just swirling around in my head like crazy..

The best idea is to get out of the residence by another door or hide until they leave.

Unfortunately, my place at the lake is very, very small - and was built prior to the fire codes that now require two exits.. There is no place else to put another door.. One way in, one way out..

I'm in a rural area alone - for 7 months out of the year.. Our law enforcement consists of the County Sheriff and the State Police.. A call to 911 could result in a lag time of 45 minutes or longer before they could get here - unless they just "happened" to be in the area..

Dogs are out of the question.. I live with DD and her family the other 5 months out of the year and I wouldn't be able to bring them back there for the winter..

So - I keep going back and forth over what I should do - what type of protection I should consider - and just how comfortable I would feel with my choice..

For now I'm just winging it - and walking a very fine line between overreacting and underreacting to the present situation.. There is some "behind the scenes" action being taken right now and we're just hoping and praying that it eliminates this particular situation.. Only time will tell..

Of course even without an imminent situation, I should seriously explore my safety options, but I just can't decide on what I should do.. At my weight, I could very easily be overpowered, so it's a tough call..

About the only thing I am 100% certain of is that I will not allow "fear" to run me off of my own property.. That's no way to live..

 

[livie1205]

my dh is a cop...we have many guns and I DO know how to use them.I promise if someone broke into my house they would be dead before they REACHED to try to take it from me!I do agree that you have to be willing to use it or it does no good...

 

[mikehn]

A big ole redneck pickup truck in the driveway and an NRA sticker on the window has kept things pretty quiet around my house in the decade I've lived here.

 

[dislal]

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.

I will do what I have to do to protect my family.


An armed society is a polite society.

 

[Hercules10]

How about a dog AND a gun?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

How about a dog AND a gun?

Sure, especially one that looks like he comes with his own chopper!

 

[stsomewhere]

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)

I have the same scenario.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't own a gun. I would have no problem owning a gun. DH has a problem with it, so we don't own one.

My father was a cop. I grew up with guns in my house. I have an older brother as well. The gun was part of my father's uniform, it was put away somewhere when he came home from work, they didn't make a big deal out of it and to be perfectly honest, I don't ever remember eitherv one of us looking for it because neither one of us cared all that much about it.

 

[Jennasis]

We live in the sticks on our farm. My nearest neighbvor wouldn't hear me scream for help if I did. We have a gun, loaded and ready to go in a quickly accessible location. It's a .38 Special (I don't love it. It;s loud , has a big muzzle flare and some decent kick), but I wouldn't hesitate to use it. A shotgun I would certainly hesiatate (even louder and messier).

I can't comment on the OP's sister's situation because I don't know the extent of her frailty, but whatever they are comfortable with should be left for them to decide.

 

[freckles and boo]

OP, is your sister-in-law affected cognitively, as well as physically? That is another huge concern I would have with firearms. I hope your brother doesn't have his head in the sand about the nature of this condition.

 

[SundancePass]

I completely agree with the population of New Zealand - handguns are meant to kill people and that's the only reason they exist. My friend once told me "if you're going to throw lead, shoot to kill". That one statement has prevented me from owning a gun.

I keep a metal baseball bat right under my side of the bed and know how to use it and wouldn't hesitate if I needed to.

 

[Sir Robin Hood]

I've never had a desire or need to own a gun of any kind.

 

[pperfectmom]

I completely agree with the population of New Zealand - handguns are meant to kill people and that's the only reason they exist. My friend once told me "if you're going to throw lead, shoot to kill". That one statement has prevented me from owning a gun.

I keep a metal baseball bat right under my side of the bed and know how to use it and wouldn't hesitate if I needed to.

Oh yeah, I'm sure the guy breaking into your house would much rather have his head bashed in than shot. Dead is dead. Never understood that argument.

 

[sbell111]

I know I'll get jumped on for this, but oh well. I watched a show a few years back. It said that, in most cases, if an intruder breaks into a home and the resident has a gun, the gun will be taken from the resident before they can use it to defend themselves. ...

I'm somewhat certain that studies have shown that this is not true.

I keep a metal baseball bat right under my side of the bed and know how to use it and wouldn't hesitate if I needed to.

I would bet that it would be much more likely that a bad guy takes your bat away from you than your gun. With a bat, you not only have to get within a few feet of the bad guy, but you need enough room (and time) to swing it. A gun, on the other hand, is effective from across the room.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I personally would not own a gun.


But, how does the frail lady in the OP feel? Is she comfortable with a gun? Does it scare her to have one? Would she use it?

 

[luvsJack]

I think the real question should be: how does your sil feel about having a gun? does she think she can use it? does she feel safer with the gun in the house?

If the answer to these question is not yes, then maybe your brother should rethink what he purchases for her protection.

Personally, I hate guns and am terrified of them. I prefer a barking dog and/or an alarm system. I hate guns and am terrified of having a loaded gun in the house. (dh does have guns for hunting but there is actually no ammunition in the house--he buys it when he goes hunting) In my case, its a fear of the kids getting a hold of the gun (and training the kids is all well and good, but I hate to think of that one time of misbehaving being a death sentence for one of them); but the fear of being overpowered and the gun taken is another real fear and something that can happen.

We also live back in the woods and it takes our sheriff's office a bit of time to respond. Dh has been a bit worried about when ds moves out and its just me and dd here during the week. So, we now have a growing German Shepherd being trained to be all the protection we will need. Personally, I will feel much safer with her sleeping in the hall between mine and dd's bedrooms than with a gun.

 

[Minnie_me]

OP here, back from work (I hope I'm not the poster that posts and disappears that someone posted about earlier! I do have a job!).....

I emailed my brother about a few of my concerns, but he dismissed them all. I guess his wife grew up around guns and is very confident in her ability to use them. As someone else mentioned, he said that the recoil on this weapon is relatively mild.

I guess, to each his/her own. I'd rather have a dog.