Do You Have / Would You Consider Getting A Gun For Home Defense?

I'm from Asia and the idea of handguns in the house (let alone shotguns and assault rifles) is baffling to me. For me the idea that stores in America such as Walmart openly sells them in their grocery aisles (and even giving discounts and freebie bonuses, mind you) is such a wild fantasy compared to here. I live in the middle of a big city and gun related violence is nearly zero here. Home defense is more like locked doors and barbed wire on walls, as well as having guard dogs and cameras, but no firearms. What about you?

 

First no one can go into a store and buy an assault rifle. They can buy a gun that is a semi-automatic replica of a military weapon, but the internals are different and they are not select fire. It is legal to purchase a real assault weapon, but they cost a lot of money, and you have to purchase a tax stamp from the federal government. Walmart does not even sell the replicas of military rifles anymore, and they do not and never have sold them in grocery isles.
In the US we have a constitutional right to own firearms. I have them for home defense, for hunting, and just general collecting and appreciation. Our right to own fire arms stems from many reasons which is a subject for a whole other topic.

 

When I was growing up, just about everyone had a hunting rifle stored in their closet, regardless of whether they lived in town or out in the country. The men went hunting in the fall, and when they had boys that were old enough, they went along with their dad. Gone hunting was a perfectly acceptable excuse for missing a week of school back then.
Children knew to never touch a gun, and when they were old enough, they were taught how to shoot and learned weapon safety first. When I was in Junior High, I joined the local rifle range, and we were taught to shoot .22 rifles by some of the local guys who had been in the military. I enjoyed going along with my dad when it was hunting season, although I only hunted with the .22 for birds like grouse and pheasant.
Since I lived out in the country, I needed to have at least the rifle, just in case of an emergency need; but not likely for self defense. Now, I live in the city , and having a weapon for self defense makes a lot more sense than having a hunting rifle does; but I gave mine to my oldest sone when we moved here from Idaho, so right now, we do not have any kind of weapons for self-defense.

 

I would not buy a gun for self defence, I own firearms for hunting and pest control.
If a situation arose where you were confronted by an armed felon could you be sure of hitting your target? Really sure?
With people running past, perhaps crowds of screaming kids, innocent civilians behind the target. Perhaps in bad light such as a darkened movie theatre or night club. Still sure?
LEOs earn every penny they get for taking on that kind of responsibility and even with their training things can go badly wrong.
I don't want some gung ho fool with sweaty hands who blinks every time he/she squeezes the trigger emptying a gun into a crowd anywhere near me.

 

I also live in Asia, and I grew up with guns around. When I was a teenager, every new year, we'd fire our guns at makeshift targets. Even today, you'd see toddlers in our family being taught to handle(not fire) a 1911. For us, it's not something to be afraid of, if handled and trained properly. Guns are just tools to an end, and like all tools, you can get hurt if you don't know how to use it.

 

I have guns in every room and then some in my house it's like a tool

 

Guns is a dangerous thing. No matter how you look at it, it will not do any good to people. It's either someone get hurt or someone looses their lives. Others use this tool to provoke fear and gain power and authority to others.

I may not enjoy the idea of bearing a gun, but I'm going to acquire myself one of these. Today's world is far too unpredictable to just sit around and be defenseless.

 

A gun is one good weapon for self defense. However, we cannot come to terms with a scene of shooting a person even if he is an intruder. Our main defense against intruders are the lights around our house. Cops say that leaving a night light is a deterrent against break ins. We also have a rattan baton in our bedroom. It is similar to the night stick of the cops. That's our alternative for a gun.

 

I have never bought or owned a gun, but given the opportunity to have one to defend myself, I would. A woman is the most vulnerable sex to crime and violence especially if she walking alone. At the moment, I use a sharp pocket knife and a pepper spray for self-defense. I always have this with me in my bag. I have never used them either but I am very much ready and will not hesitate to use them if I am attacked.

 

I won't consider a gun for home defense because some accident happen inside the house when the presence of gun is there regardless if there is an intruder or not. I would rather have a dog or have my house locked and use CCTV instead.

 

I have no issues in any shape or form of using whatever is available to protect myself, my family & property.

 

I never even considered that idea (though I had never really seen myself in a situation where I needed one) because I don't think it would be effective. In fact, I think having a gun at home just provides a false sense of security to their respective owners.

 

Plenty of guns here for home protection. I've never had to use them.
I have a sign out front that states " there's nothing beyond this point worth dying for " That should pretty much sum it up for most.

 

Yes I have a gun in my home for protection. If someone breaks into my home and wants to harm me or my children I will use it. I am the only one in the home to protect my family and I am a good shot, I won't miss.

 

Perosonally My safety is my priority, mh country is safe And I don't really need a gun for the safety but if I was in a different country where I need a gun to protect myself Then yes I would consider owning one to protect myself, Just like all survivors

 

We have a gun but I never had to use it and I hope this continues on. But if someone would try to break in that would be a pretty good thing to scare away the thief.

 

We own firearms for a variety of reasons (hunting, sport, etc.), including self-defense. Most of the time, there is a pistol on my person for that reason, and I am licensed to carry in this state. I grew up using them in the home, so have no issue with that. And I have had training on the safe and effective handling and use of arms.

The ability to protect myself and my family in the wake of a disaster is a part of our preparedness planning, so firearms figure in the mix. They are not the be-all to end-all of preparedness or anything else, but lacking the arms and training to defend yourself puts you at a marked disadvantage in a WROL situation.

 

I pray I'm never forced to fire a shot in anger, although I've prepared myself to not think twice should the need arise.

 

In my country, gun ownership is limited to those of means. The average citizen will find it next to impossible to acquire a licensed gun. In reality, I would consider owning a gun in my house, anybody would, only that it should not have the share of sepulcr guns in case I am busted!

 

My father has a gun but thankfully he haven't encountered an event that would require him to use it.

He also has took me to some firing lessons to teach me the basics in the event I might have to use it. He keeps it in his locked drawer beside their bed to always have it available to him at night when it is needed.

 

Here in Brazil, you can own them after going to an extensive and rather boring process with lots of paper work included. Still, you can always buy one illegally. I intend on having one soon and I believe it is necessary. We live in a violent world and the only way to defend ourselves is by fighting fire with fire. Literally.

 

I have been considering it for a long time now. Nobody is secure in this world we are living now. Considering having a gun for home defense is not an option me.

 

There is no such thing as 'assault rifles' sold in America. There's been a ban on sales of fully automatic weapons since the 1930's due to the Prohibition Era. Bans on mail order guns since the 1960's with the Kennedy assassination. Hunting rifles are sold in Wal-Marts but nowhere near the grocery aisles. It's generally in the hunting area and locked up. Same with ammo. People get a wrong sense of reality due to games and Hollywood. The term assault rifle came to be because of the way the guns looked and not how they really operate. It's just exterior cosmetics and nowhere near military grade whatsoever because that would make it an automatic- which has been banned for general sale for almost 100 years.

I'm not a huge fan of having to own myself but it is a useful tool for self defense from people and wildlife. In an ideal world I wouldn't have to but we don't live in an ideal world. I've lived in all sorts of cities across the nation and the majority of gun violence that does happen are usually done between criminals/drug related. There are innocents that do end up in the crossfire now and then but actual people running around just violently killing people on a whim is incredibly rare. The reason why it seems so inflated is because our news travels fast and is picked up by national syndicated networks. The US is 330 million people. That's a large population.

That being said- I have the right to self defense and the right to fight back instead of running and hiding, especially when your assailant is armed. If someone is on my property and is wanting to hurt me and those I love, I will shoot to harm or kill.

 

What about using glass on top of walls and other preventative methods?

 

I also live in Asia. Here in our place we really need something for defense. I own one in my bedroom and I'm licensed to have one. Though, I have never used it which I hope not. Plus, I will just add some additional info. Just in case you guys are wondering what will be the best place to hide them: https://survivallife.com/hidden-gun-safes/

 

Been around guns literally my entire life. Bought my first .12 gauge when I was twelve. Still own that shotgun. .12 gauge for home defense; .22 LR for game getter, varmints, and cheap practice; 9mm and/or .40 for sidearms.

Carry a gun everywhere I go. Licensed to conceal a firearm in many states.

Guns are great. Get guns and train. Get more guns and train some more. Repeat.

 

I would think that the large truck used in an attack and now vans and cars as well as large knives would make it clear that guns and these other tools don't think. They do whatever the PERSON controlling the tool wants the tool to do. A hammer? It only hits when a person uses it. A crazy mother held her kids under water in a bath tub. Killed 5 children. Do we remove or out law bath tubs and water to prevent such things.

I shot for the first time at the age of 4yo. a 22lr. I was taught safety and I have not had an accident yet. 51 years of shooting and being around guns. If I keep safety as a primary concern and always think safety. I hope it never will. Never had to shoot anybody. Hope I never do. Yet I know a gun is a tool. If a 300+ pound man decides to kick in my door. I have a shot gun that will make him regret it.

I just began teaching my 7 yo gun safety and we are shooting a bb gun. He wants to go into law enforcement. He wants to help others and he already knows and understands its the person who is a problem.

When I see someone says, "guns kill" I just think they are a little slow on the up tick.

A well trained good person stops a bad person. Just think if a crazed gunman walked into a gay bar and screamed Allah Akbar and pulled a gun. If just 1 person had responded with 2 to the chest then 1 to the head. How many lives could have been saved.

 

Thanks Kieth. I should have proof read it. But I typed fast and from the heart. Thanks for this website. I have been reading a lot.

 

Guy tried to get into my house one late night by posing as a person with a broken down car. I told him to leave, gets in his "broken down car" and drives off. I had buckshot waiting on him.

I've had two 2-man crews come by my house to case us. One crew said they were in need of something to drink -- I sent them packing. In this crew, the primary was arrogant. His buddy knew I had a gun in my right hand behind my back and froze mid-front-yard -- apparently he could see from my eyes that I have zero qualms about killing. The arrogant one had the face of someone who'd done some jail time and pushed the envelope, however realized what I am and left. We had a little face-to-face time at the door. My brain was running through the muscle-memory over and over and over = had he made the wrong move, he'd a had some lead through his ribs in a micro-second. If they cease to fight, you are in trouble if you make their head come apart for good measure; don't do that!

The second crew posed as technicians from our electronic security company. I'd had no notifications from the company, so I sent them packing. Yes, I had a 9 in my back pocket. Other folk reported the same crew and the scam.

My paternal grandfather sent one knife-wielder packing by displaying his revolver. Another jumped him with a knife and Pap cleared his revolver and shot the fellow in his "family jewels" -- which, as I guess you can imagine, stopped the aggression.

We fight back, the wife and I. She beat cancer -- its been over 17 (?) years, hasn't come back. I'm attacked, I attack back. I always know where my weapon lies -- often I have a something on me. I run through scenarios in my mind. It is not out of worry. I run through all manner of life scenarios in my head -- it is no bother, apparently this is how I'm wired. Comes in handy at work, 'cause I keep everything running. It is healthy and useful to exercise one's imagination. Anxiety born out of nothingness, well that is something you'd talk to your physician concerning. Truth be told, most of the ex-felons & "those who never got caught" men I know are fine folk -- at least these days. People grow up. I've seen active felons in this area, but welcome to Earth.

 

Somebody killed your dogs!!! Holy crap. Did you find out who did this?!

Two rednecks in a car hit our dog on purpose, drove up the road and killed another dog on purpose. Dad gets me to get him his revolver and he stands out in the road -- he was waiting on them to come back so he could shoot them in their car. My grandmother found out who did it and where they lived. She forbade Dad's brothers from telling him this information. Dad had his furies and would have killed them. People get attached to dogs. Dad killed feral dogs, but his own dog was like family to him. "Shoot them through the lungs, boy, they'll run off and die somewhere else."

Keith H., I hope your dog-shooters are gone. That's unbearable. I also royally hate people who dump dogs out in nowheresville and expect the things to live. If they do live, they'll often form packs = disease incl. rabies, attacks on livestock & deer, and sometimes attacks on humans.

 

Here in USA. A few things stated are incorrect. At my local WalMart. The do occasionally have the look alike assault rifles. Next time I see one I will take a pick. Next is fully automatic or selectable are still available. They requirr a special tax stamp that can take months to get. Because of the limitef availability they cost a lot of money. A friend had 2 he got from his father. I convinced him to sell them and invest the money in food and other survival stuffs. He now has a room with shelves full and is prepared. He lived 6 hours drive from here in a big city. But has 2 years food. Guns are needed but useless with out training and must be at hand n ready. I regret that I sold mine.

 

The gun is too dangerous!

Yeah....except not really. The gun is an inanimate object with no power, will, or ability to do anything on its own. A gun is nothing more than a tool. A gun is an object that must be treated with respect, but in and of itself it is not "dangerous" any more than a car, a truck, a knife, or a baseball bat is "dangerous" in and of itself. It must be acted upon by human hands to be "dangerous".

The false notion that a gun can or will do anything whether it is good or evil in its own is...well...stupid, and following that kind of faulty logic is even more stupid.

If you choose not to own a gun...good for you. More power to you to exercise your right not to own one. If you believe that owning a gun is "too dangerous", what you are really saying is that YOU are too dangerous to own one and be a responsible owner. That's fine. You recognize your limitations even if you don't take responsibility for them and say "I am too irresponsible to possess a gun and can't be trusted to own and operate one safely".

But here's the reality. Far more people are killed every year world wide by being hit by automobiles than are killed by a person with a gun. Think about that. In an automobile you possess a far more deadly weapon than if you owned a gun. You should admit that your automobile is far more "dangerous to possess" than a gun and get rid of it immediately.

No, this is not hyperbole. It is an uncomfortable truth for the tool using ape to understand. As a police officer for three decades...an officer who worked the most dangerous assignment in the entire department...Gangs-Narcotics...I investigated more deaths by motor vehicle than I ever did by misuse of a firearm, and I was NOT a traffic officer.

I won't own a gun because my kids might get it.

Okay. Cool. Again, if I learned nothing during my career, I learned that kids will "steal" mom and dad's care far more often than they will gain possession of a responsibly owned firearm. Yeah. It's true. A kid will gain control of a far more deadlier weapon in the form of your automobile than they ever will a responsibly owned firearm.

For the love of God and all that is holy...get rid of your car right now! Save the children.

The gun will be taken away and used on me!

Maybe. Maybe not. One thing is for sure, if you fail to get training then that is a possibility, but not a probability. However, 1.6 MILLION times a year in the United States...a gun is used by armed citizens (not cops)...for LEGAL and JUSTIFIABLE self defense to stop a violent crime without a single round having to be fired.

Think about that. The gun that "will get taken away" was NOT "taken away" 1.6 MILLION times without a single shot having to be fired, yet in the hands of a citizen it stopped a violent crime and saved lives.

The truth is...a defensive firearm in trained, responsible hands...saves lives. There is no real statistic or factual argument that can refute that.

But, if you are one of those who feel that "a gun is dangerous and will be taken away from me and will jump out of the holster and start randomly killing innocent women and children"...then by all means, use the words "I am too irresponsible to own a gun" or "I am unwilling to accept the responsibility that comes with my own defense or the defense of my family and choose to rely instead on the goodwill of the criminal to not rape and murder me" instead because at least those will be truthful and accurate.

 

Hand gun are restricted in canada, how ever i do owe several rifle , shot gun and black powder muffle loaders . It would be fun to have a handgun but just to move it from point a to point be requires a license and permit , way to much work. also if you are found breaking one of the rules your guns are taken away .

 

Due to my upbringing, this question is utterly foreign to me. I knew no homes without firearms. They are things to me. They are power tools -- gotta be careful with them. I've much more "respect" for a chainsaw, but chainsaws I've owned and needed big-time. No macho about them. My grandma kept Pap's revolver nearby.

Understand that handguns are puny things to me. They are make-do. Now my Pap had to use them against robbers -- shot one fellow in the family jewels. He also was a crack shot and put bunnies on the supper table with his accurate .32 revolvers (.32-20 & .32 long Colt). Me, I like .357 mag in carbine and revolver.

For home defense its a real weapon; shotgun with slugs or buck, or .30 cal.-ish full-horse. If it's lethal force needs be brought to bear, then I go lethal. Nothing wrong with the tried and true 30-30. It'll tear a man's leg off, literally -- got a story. Gave my first 30-30 away to one of my sons -- hope he's taking care of it. He sold one rifle I gave him, crap!

I really like .303 Enfields, however they're too long for home defense. I like carbines w/16" barrels. The 9's may be sorta-kinda OK, but you gotta train your brain to double-tap and continue to do so until the aggressor stops moving. WWII, guy shows my dad his coat with a diagonal line of bullet holes in it. He had been wearing it -- obviously the fellow lived. Seems some Jerry raked him with a 9mm machine gun. A real weapon would have killed him outright.

 

In a country with the level of gun control is Asia a gun might not be as necessary considering most people won't have one. (Not really sure on the ratio of guns to people where you live)
But places that have a 2 gun to every third house makes the threat of guns far more present and at that point having one would level the odds.( if your trained with it nothing more dangerous then someone with a gun and no idea how to use it properly)

 

Don't own any now, but want to for self-defense. I'd like to own a few .380s placed in different parts of the house and I'd like a tactical shotgun. I'd buy hollow points for the .380. One shot, you dead, yo! I'd give two shits less. You picked a fight with the wrong guy. And quite frankly I did the justice system a favor not having to house and feed the idiot in prison for breaking and entering or picking a fight with me.

I do own a flare gun, and while not really that effective at a long distances, it will cause some damage at close range. Especially if I nail you in your cranium. I also keep several knives stashed around the house and those are ready for the jugular.

I carry a so-called tactical pen with me at all times in case some asshat thinks he's gonna start something. Great thing about the tactical pen is you can carry it on a plane.

I'm a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment and if I had the extra money to blow I'd become a card carrying member of the NRA.

My Bro has lots of guns. In fact, when he went camping up in the mountains here a black bear came around looking for food. Doubtful he's do anything since he's just smelling the camp site and looking for a bite to eat, but my Bro panicked, pulled out his 357 and ended up blowing away his cooler. LMAO! But the bear did run away. He owns a .22 riffle, a deer hunting rifle, shotgun, 357 and God knows what else. I feel safe being in his house.

My uncle owns an absolute arsenal. Why I bet it rivals that of Arnold Schwarzenegger from the movie Comando.

 

Can't edit my post due to overzealous spam filtering. Word is "Commando."

 

Agree once again with Ken La Tran's post on people declaring themselves not being responsible sufficient to own or possess a firearm.

I just don't want someone trying to "Herd " me thusly.


Speaking of dangerous tools...

Some years back I updated my chain saw from a 16 inch Homelite chain saw to a 18 inch Stihl Farm Boss.

Wow!! What a difference in power and cutting ability.


However......


After years of working in this shipyard..I recognized something about my new Stihl Farm Boss....and quickly.

The Stihl Farm Boss represents a significant jump in power and weight from my olde Homelite saw.

Consequently this also means getting worn down more rapidly in using this heavier and more powerful saw.

This translates into getting tired and thus more careless if you try to push on in such an tired state.

And this translates into a "Warning Flag."


This heavier more powerful Stihl Farm boss can literally beat you down with heavy usage...get you tired quickly and thus careless.....Danger ...Danger....Danger!!

A chain saw is not a tool with which to get careless nor stupid.

When I get tired using this Stihl...Chainsaw..I put it down and take a break....answer natures call...or get a drink...etc etc...etc.

It is the same with any tool and it's usage.....


And a firearm is similar in that it is a tool...proper respect and training are necessary...as to what it is and what it can do.
Also and in like manner ...what you are and can do with such an tool.

If you feel you are not responsible sufficient to use it and know it and your limitations...don't get one.


I consider what I learned via this Stihl Farm Boss Chain saw upgrade to be an important life lesson concerning respect for a tool...as well as my limitations.


My non Ishmaelite .02,

Watcherchris

 

A gun is a tool. It has no personality and doesn't possess someone and make then do things. I have always had guns and keep them where I can get to them in a hurry if I need to. My kids were taught to leave them alone just like I taught them to not play with knives, touch hot pots and a lot of other things that can hurt them.

If you can't understand that a gun is a tool that if used wrong can cause a lot of damage then you probably shouldn't be trusted with metal knives forks and spoons either. If you think that the gun makes you do stupid and violent things then for sure you need plastic dining ware. You need to empty your house of all sharp things, heavy things that might make you hit someone over the head and any chemicals that might make you throw it into someone's eyes.

If on the other hand you are a sane person of somewhere near normal intelligence then you can make the personal decision to accept some responsibility for your own safety and the protection of your loved ones. At this point you will have to decide what level of defence you are willing to go to. If someone kicks in your door and is going to attack you or your loved ones do you want to try and persuade them to leave and be willing to accept the consequences if they don't. For this a knife or baseball bat might be your best choice. If on the other hand you will be willing to kill them before you will let them harm you or yours then you need to go to things with more than just a little intimidation.

Maybe where you live guns are restricted. Maybe you have no experience with guns and are more than a little afraid of them and the power that they represent. That is fine. In the hands of someone with the training and practice a gun is the ultimate protection. It allows you to stand over here and take someone down over there. As far as intimidation, as long as your attacker doesn't have a gun, there are other weapons that will send any sane burglar running. An ax or machete isn't what you would use to just cut somebody up. Having pieces chopped off scares people in ways that most other things just don't reach. I actually prefer a spear because that will keep them at a distance and can be used as both a cutter and a club.

The thing that you need to grasp though is that if they have a gun you are screwed. The only thing that can offer you a fair chance of success against a gun is another gun that you are willing to use as soon as you see that they have a gun. Personally I don't think that anything works better inside a house than a shotgun. You don't need buckshot or slugs when you are shooting at something that is less than 25 feet away. At most house distances the shot is still in a solid mass and has not spread out. I like #4 shot in the house because it won't go far after it hits a wall but will blow a hole right through a door and take a man down fast.

If you are NOT willing to use lethal force then you are better off not having a gun. Guns are not for threatening people and if you aren't prepared to pull the trigger it is more likely to be used against you than for you. This is a serious decision. You need to decide to what extent you will willingly go to protect you and yours or even your stuff.

 

It’s more strict for using force up here in Canada. With being up in the mountains of BC we are more armed for home defence from the black and grizzly bears.

 

Mountain lions, coyotes in some areas too.
But it's true what texdanm says for anywhere you are. Guns are not to be taken lightly if your not fully prepared to live with the consequences then it's just something that will escalate a situation and more likely get you or someone with you hurt.
Here I canada we have guns for hunting and the dangerous wildlife but the same idea is in practice here.

 

I am the top of the food chain here in Texas. The only living thing that I have to be concerned about is the two legged beast.

Every time this topic pops back up I'm a little amazed that anyone would rather die hiding in fear rather than arm themselves and fight. I understand that for many of you the legalities where you live prevent this but the original question isn't CAN you arm yourself. It is rather WOULD you arm yourself. To each their own but if you would not choose to defend yourself if you legally could then why bother prepping or even trying to survive if things fall apart???

I don't mean this in any sort of ugly way. I truly can't imagine not trying to defend and take care of my family the best that I can.

 

In Canada there exist civilized people, therefore a higher degree of civilized behavior.

This is also true in Heartland America, however the closer one gets to urban areas in America, one also draws nigh unto decidedly uncivilized people, dangerous people, people dangerous to their own people. I do not see any solution to this. The density of firearms has nothing to do with crime rates. In America, the people owning the greatest number of firearms have the lowest crime rates, however such people simply do not commit crimes in the first place -- they possess something called intelligence. Those groups with the lowest rates of firearms ownership have the highest murder rates, however the presence of weapons has little to do with their behavioral patterns -- what intelligence they possess is unable to override their emotional drives. In the USA, social "scientists" have a pronounced bias towards collectivist politics and thus their studies usually mean absulutely nothing.