Question for the gun owners

[Sloth]

How many of you have actually used your gun for defense? Or at least had an instance where you were glad you had it? I know lots of people have guns, and it's the type of thing you're really glad you have when the time comes... but does that time ever come for most people?

[Q-ball]

Twice in my life I've been very glad I have them.

With the rash of home invasions in my small town over the last week, I'm still glad I have them.

No, I've not actually shot anything other than defenseless pieces of paper, deer, a few ducks, uncounted squirrels & groundhogs. I'd prefer it stay that way, but sometimes someone else makes that decision.

[BigSkyBart]

I didn't pull have to pull the trigger, but I've used my gun to stop a carjack/robbery attempt in LA, CA
I was working there doing earthquake repair after the 94 Northridge quake, trucks full of tools with out of state plates were ripe targets (so I was told by LAPD)

[RandalB]

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RandalB

[Sk8r]

I've carried it a couple of times to go investigate something odd. Once to retrieve an elderly friend from a really bad neighborhood: her tire had gone flat. She'd made friends with the hangers on at the gas station, all was spectacularly well.
Second time I went outside with it to check out a noise in my unfenced yard [I lived out next to open spaces]. Met my really obnoxious neighbor coming around the corner in the dark, checking out the same noise---the same guy who repaired cars on MY lawn---I did say I'd missed my chance.
Third time I went to investigate a noise in the garage, this time so odd I had it in hand ready to use. Just as I approached the garage door window a weird thing hit the screen right in my face and clung. Fortunately I didn't walk with my finger on the trigger or I'd have taken out my equally-spooked cat.

I still have the thing but it's not loaded and 911 is pretty fast here...like about a minute. If I absolutely had to, I'd probably pick up the saber from the display: scares some people, doesn't move the way most people expect, and I used to be a competitive fencer.

[Fat Man]

I bought Mrs. Man a handgun several years ago. I was for protection while I was gone on fire assignments. It was later stolen in a daylight burglary of our house. I bought one for myself for fishing. I got tired of being backed chest deep into a river by someone's uncontrolled dog.

[drauka99]

I've never had to bring mine into full view but I have noticed people noticing the location I conceal it, sometimes that is all it takes. Working in the surveying field we get alot of irate neighbors who sometimes think they can make us go away by walking out with this shotguns and rifles and accosting us. I have friends who have had warning shots go over thier heads while surveying. Also I have used my handgun in the woods for self defence against snakes, once had a rattler coil right at my foot and had to off him before he off'd me. At the time I was over a 1/4 mile form a vehical and 10 miles from the nearest aid station and by myself in an area with bad cell phone coverage.

[JokerGirl]

We have never used any of our guns in self defense, although wouldn't hesitate to do so if an appropriate situation presented itself.

Living out in the boonies (and being on 3 county lines), it is a really good idea to have a gun around in case something happens. Due to the fact that we are on three county lines, if we ever had to call the cops, they would not know which department to send out to us.

There was one time where we did take our gun with us to investigate something suspicious going on. They have been building a 600 home subdivision in the field behind our house, and there had been a lot of suspsicious activity going on back there before people moved in. There was one night when there was a car sitting back in that neighbourhood for several hours, and we weren't sure what was going on. We grabbed a gun and our neighbour, and drove over there. The guy claimed that he was with the Marion County Sheriff's (We live in Boone County) department and he had been hired off duty to detract people from breaking into the homes. He didn't show us any ID, but did hand us a business card with the Sheriff's department Logo and such.

We went back home, still a little bit suspcicious, so we called the sheriff's department, and they said they didn't have anyone out there in the area, so they were going to send someone out.

Right as soon as we got off the phone with dispatch, this guy went peeling out of the neighbourhood like a bat out of hell, and we never saw him again.

It was scary. There was another situation but it's too long and I don't feel like typing it out. Either way... it feels good knowing that we have something to help us protect our lives and our property.

[MandM]

I've been on both ends of a gun a few times and I have a definite preference.

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Jokergirl....sounds to me like he had a scanner...heard dispatch sending a unit out....and he decided to get outta Dodge !


And the business card? Well he could have been given that when a deputy came out regarding a call in HIS area ! That's one of the reasons I carry TWO kinds of cards....one for cops with all of my info on it...and one for EVERYONE ELSE !!!

[JokerGirl]

Uh_Oh,

Yeah we came to that conclusion. It was confirmed when we had that stuff happen in the summer where the sheriff's raided the house a few doors down... now the guy we talked to then was obviously a real cop.. had no problem showing us ID, a card, etc...

[Muttling]

I have several and have a concealed carry permit. I have never had to draw my weapon, but have been very glad to have had it on a number of occassions.

The first rule of concealed carry is to try to avoid situations where you will need to draw your weapon. I've noticed several people over the years who appeared to be up to no good or were even tailing me as I walked. I was usually armed when it happened, but I still found ways to avoid a confrontation.

[The Grim Reefer]

I had to flash the 45 I used to carry in the car once in Phoenix to back down a car load of banger wannabes.

Now I carry a 44 mag with a 10" Barrel. I figure If I can't hit them with 6 I at least have a club to defend myself

[Scuba_Dave]

I've never had to use a gun, almost at the last house
Between the Pit bull next door & the Rotty across the street I was ready to shoot 2 dogs. Police came out one night & they almost shot the Rotty
Both neighbors were informed that they either chain the dogs up or the next time the police (or someone else) would shoot the dogs 1st & ask questions later
Rotty was taken by the Town
Pit bull was on a chain from then on, as well as their other dog that turned hostile when they got the pit bull
Both neighbors moved, one before we sold the house - the other after
I would have preferred to shoot the owner's

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally posted by Sk8r
If I absolutely had to, I'd probably pick up the saber from the display: scares some people, doesn't move the way most people expect, and I used to be a competitive fencer.

I KNEW I should have gone with the saber. Somehow I doubt my foils would be quite the deterrent.

[sherm71tank]

CWP permit here as well and had it for many years. I carry the Glock 27 now and have the Laser Max sight on it. I don't depend on the laser for aim but it is a serious motivator when you are glowing. Never pulled the trigger on a person. Hope I never do.

[Apercula]

When I was in high school we had a small flock of sheep. There were several occasions where either my father or I shot dogs in our pasture.
One of the ones I shot at that ran off turned out to be a neighbor's dog, we found out when the local vet (who raised sheep himself) suggested that if we were going to be shooting dogs in our sheep that we should kill them so he didnt have to fix them up.

[The Grim Reefer]

I got a brother in Wyoming that has had to pay for a couple of sheep dinners for his dogs. He shot his own dog that was still in the people's sheep pen when he got there.

[BigSkyBart]

Originally posted by BigSkyBart
I didn't pull have to pull the trigger, but I've used my gun to stop a carjack/robbery attempt in LA, CA
I was working there doing earthquake repair after the 94 Northridge quake, trucks full of tools with out of state plates were ripe targets (so I was told by LAPD)

re: my post above

I had just pulled into a gas station when the bad guy walked to my truck window, opened his jacket to show one hand on a pistol & demanded cash
I said my wallet was in the glove box, I leaned over to it & came up with my browning Hi-Power, pulling the slide, ejecting a round, chambering another & cocking the hammer and I pointed it into his chest, he looked at my gun, looked in my eyes, looked back at my gun, shrugged his shoulders & walked away.
the slide on my gun is the loudest sound I can remember ever hearing, as well as having the next 3-4 seconds play out in super slow motion that felt like an hour
I started the truck & left without taking my eyes off that guy, I didn't want one in the back

yea, I love that belgian browning

[Sloth]

Wow, thanks for the great responses. I'm surprised to see that a few in the polls have shot at people. But I did expect more bank robbers, especially with this crowd. Come on guys...

I don't have one yet, but I will soon. I seem to pick some unsavory / lonely locations to fish from shore and I sometimes come across some unsavory people and dogs. It would be nice just to know it's there. I think back to all the situations I wished I had it. Like when I was being followed real close down a path in the woods by a pit bull. He wasn't waggin his tail either...yeeps!

[drauka99]

we have cops who post in here, I'm sure the votes of shots fired are from them...mostly

[Q-ball]

Originally posted by Sloth
Wow, thanks for the great responses. I'm surprised to see that a few in the polls have shot at people. But I did expect more bank robbers, especially with this crowd. Come on guys...

I don't have one yet, but I will soon. I seem to pick some unsavory / lonely locations to fish from shore and I sometimes come across some unsavory people and dogs. It would be nice just to know it's there. I think back to all the situations I wished I had it. Like when I was being followed real close down a path in the woods by a pit bull. He wasn't waggin his tail either...yeeps!

Best advice that I'll give you is that even when you carry a firearm, it is truly your last resort. If you've got the ability to remove yourself from the situation without anyone getting hurt, that's always a better option. If you get one...go to the range and learn how to use it. Put a lot of rounds through it and learn the weapon well. Nothing worse than being put into a situation where you may need that weapon and not really be comfortable with it. That will only lead to you getting hurt or worse. There's a lot of good information out there to read and you might also be able to find self-defense courses near you that are designed around firearms and such. You can have the "best" firearm in the world, but your most useful weapon will always be your head. Be safe,

Chris

[drauka99]

well said Q-ball.

I encourage people to take the Concealed Carry course and get the licence even if they only sporadicly carry thier gun. The permit covers alot of "holes" on the laws here in FL. Do not think the CC course is on how to shoot a gun and such it is only for a primer on the laws and regulations surrounding the permit and the application for the permit and certification that your not brain dead and can fire a gun without shooting yourself (most of the time)

As said if tyou are considering a firearm research and firgure out what gun suits your needs. go to ranges, some ranges will rent out guns for people to try out and practice with, before buying a gun if possible try out a few to find out whay style (revolver, auotmatic) you feel most comfortable with and what caliber you have the most control over. Don't instantly think that a 44mag is best for you - if you don't hit what your shooting at it doesn't do much good - I always recomend someone start with smaller calibers and more thier way up to the larger.

[JokerGirl]

I agree with the above two posts. On top of that, owning a gun is knowing how to properly and safely store a gun in your home.

Whether you think you need them or not, always always always have some means of locking the gun up. Trigger locks can be your best friend (and someone else's) if your gun is ever stolen from your home.

One of the most important things that you can do is to write down the make, model, and serial number of your gun and have copies of that in a couple of different places AWAY from your guns. So many guns that are stolen from homes and from people are never recovered because the people didn't bother to write down the serial number of the gun.

Like Q-ball stated, using your head is the best weapon of all. Think smart, act smart, and be safe.

[Saltwater_Dog]

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