I have one... would you use it [firearm]

SGIP has it about right. There are also ranges in Huntington Beach and Orange.

The news channels are reporting today on a woman in rural Oklahoma who shot an intruder in her home. The 911 call is absolutely compelling as she pleads with the police dispatcher for officers to get there quickly. Unfortunately (for the intruder) it took too long, and the woman shot him after he broke through her door. One shotgun blast to the chest, and he was, in her words, "graveyard dead".

I learned gun safety starting at age 8, both from my Dad and at a supervised range. Everything from replicas of antique percussion cap muzzle loading rifles and pistols to hunting arms. Heck, we even molded our own lead for the muzzle loaders. No, you DO NOT want to break into my home.
 
How about this story ... I bet he thought he had the right to shoot that person. Reminds me of Uncle Jimbo in Southpark "IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US! BANG" - sad thing is one is real life, the other a cartoon with a bunch of kids cussing.


Gardena man allegedly shoots teen for taking shortcut through his yard
Frustrated that kids were using his property as a shortcut, a Gardena resident shot a teenager in his driveway, police said.The teenager survived and the property owner was arrested.
 
When I had a gun in the house, I lived in a rural area. A 911 call would result in a response time of about 10 minutes. In Orange, they'll be there in SECONDS. Not necessary.
 
I would not want a gun in my home because I've heard statistics that you're more likely to have it used against you than use it on a bad guy. Also, it would be one more thing to worry about with a curious almost-two-year-old running about.

That said, if there was a gun around and a loved one's life was in danger, heck yeah I'd use it! However, at the moment, I don't know how to actually fire a gun, other than what I've seen on tv. At some point I plan to take some lessons to learn how to do it right...just in case.
 
I don't know about a firearm, but I think I would love to carry a stun gun in my purse. I carried pepper spray for a long time but didn't feel very protected.
 
This is a very interesting subject.

When I lived in Socal I did have several pistols and went to On Target to practice. It became such a pain that I didn't shoot for the last few years that I lived in San Clemente.

During the late '80s and mid '90s I carried a gun in my car since I was in land development and traveled to some pretty isolated areas of Riverside and San Berdo counties. Sometimes a guy in a white shirt and tie in a nice car was a target of the local gangs. I took the risk that a traffic stop or other encounter with an officer would not result in a problem. The enforcement of gun laws became more stringent and I quit carrying illegally around 1997.

When I moved to Arizona one of the first things I did was to get my CCW. (carry concealed weapons) permit. Az is an open carry state which means that anybody can carry a gun in plain sight. I have to admit it was strange at first to be in line at Starbucks and see the person next to you with a .45 on their hip.

I do not believe in open carry as it sends a certain message and may also open you up to someone wanting your weapon. I am armed about 90% of the time around town and 100% of time when hiking or offroading.

I do live in a very rural area and most people here are armed. We have very few random crimes in the area. Most crimes are drug related or domestic violence and occur between related parties or people who know each other. The general consensus is that if you break into someones home you stand a good chance of being shot.

I work as an armed security officer and do not want to run into anybody around town that I have had to deal with in that capacity.

Most law enforcement officers here assume that all people they deal with are armed.

My thoughts are that if you are going to be armed then you need to feel comfortable with a weapon and also be proficient in its use. I go to the range twice a month and spend a couple of hours shooting and practicing tactical reloads.

A good understanding of the laws regarding when you can use deadly force is mandatory. It may interest some of you to know that AZ recently passed a law allowing permitted people to carry into restaurants and bars. However you may not drink while armed.

Guns are like any other tools in that the proper training, safety precautions, and effective use will be beneficial to the user. However the lack of knowledge, fear of the tool, and improper use will have a very bad outcome.

For anybody on the fence about having a gun or new to guns I would suggest only having a weapon available if you are 100% sure that you would be mentally able to use it in self defense and fully understand the repercussions. There is no such thing as a "warning shot".

This is a very different environment then Irvine or other urban areas when it comes to guns.

For personal home protection the best weapon would be a shotgun since most pistols fire rounds that will penetrate several walls and if fired in an attached home stand a good chance of doing some damage to the home and or people next door. Even hollow points will go through several walls of drywall construction if they miss the studs.

Be free-stay safe.

Enjoy!
 
[quote author="xsocal"]For personal home protection the best weapon would be a shotgun since most pistols fire rounds that will penetrate several walls and if fired in an attached home stand a good chance of doing some damage to the home and or people next door. Even hollow points will go through several walls of drywall construction if they miss the studs.[/quote]

This is exactly correct. If you have a handgun in the house for household protection, IMO, you might as well hit the perp with a rock. It's hard enough to fire with accuracy at the range, imagine what you'll be like if you get woke up from a sound sleep and have to fumble around with a handgun, load it, and not be overcome by whoever is in your home...
 
[quote author="novaseline"]
[quote author="xsocal"]For personal home protection the best weapon would be a shotgun since most pistols fire rounds that will penetrate several walls and if fired in an attached home stand a good chance of doing some damage to the home and or people next door. Even hollow points will go through several walls of drywall construction if they miss the studs.[/quote]

This is exactly correct. If you have a handgun in the house for household protection, IMO, you might as well hit the perp with a rock. It's hard enough to fire with accuracy at the range, imagine what you'll be like if you get woke up from a sound sleep and have to fumble around with a handgun, load it, and not be overcome by whoever is in your home...[/quote]

It sounds more to me like you need to spend more time at the range and always leave your gun loaded at home.
 
[quote author="winex"]
[quote author="novaseline"]

This is exactly correct. If you have a handgun in the house for household protection, IMO, you might as well hit the perp with a rock. It's hard enough to fire with accuracy at the range, imagine what you'll be like if you get woke up from a sound sleep and have to fumble around with a handgun, load it, and not be overcome by whoever is in your home...[/quote]

It sounds more to me like you need to spend more time at the range and always leave your gun loaded at home.[/quote]

Ain't America great?
 
winex

I spend more time at the range than most people here but a .40 or 9mm round stands a good chance of going through a person and still doing damage to another person in an adjoining room or home especially in the tight confines of attached or small lot homes.

Anything smaller than .40 or 9mm is pretty usless as far as stopping power. I also have an M-4 carbine in .223 but do not consider that a personel protection weapon for home use.

enjoy!
 
[quote author="xsocal"]winex

I spend more time at the range than most people here but a .40 or 9mm round stands a good chance of going through a person and still doing damage to another person in an adjoining room or home especially in the tight confines of attached or small lot homes.

Anything smaller than .40 or 9mm is pretty usless as far as stopping power. I also have an M-4 carbine in .223 but do not consider that a personel protection weapon for home use.

enjoy![/quote]

If you are worried about over-penetration, then use hollow point. Or better yet, use a shot gun. Birdshot will do a lot of damage at close range, and if it makes you more comfortable after the first round or two of birdshot you can have buckshot ready.
 
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