Many on this board may recall that I'm a pro gun rights dude and have a small collection of firearms.  While I support the right of all to bear firearms, I also know that common sense has to be used, too.  Here's something that happened just this week.

A guy at work asked me "Hey LB, I hear you know alot about guns.  What kind of gun should me and the wife get to protect our house?"

I asked him "Where do you live?".  He said "I live in Linmar (known for some decent crimes here in Beaver County).  We live on the second floor and the man downstairs is 74 years old but he's in the nursing home alot.  So we need protection since we're often alone.  There are drug dealers across the street, LB".

So I ask him "Do you own the place or are you a renter?".  He indicated that he is a renter.  "Do you have any family in that area?" and he replied "No".

So I explained to him LB's Number One rule of firearms and home protection.  If you live in a neighborhood where you need to carry a gun, you don't need a gun.  You need a new neighborhood.  He makes decent money so he's not living there 'cause it all he can afford (Beaver County has lots of affordable and safe housing areas).

I then explained that after he finds a safe neighborhood, I'll help him find an appropriate firearm, after he also gets set up for a firearm safety program.  I also advised him that while I am pro-gun, that the average gun kept for 'self defense' more often ends up killing a resident of the house than an invader.  And that finally, if he and his wife get a gun, they must be fully ready and willing to use it once they whip it out on an invader.  If they can't meet those conditions then they have no business getting a home protection firearm.


No real point to this thread... Just wanted to share an interesting event from this week.  :)

While I don't own a firearm, I fully support the 2nd amendment.  I think your advise was right on the $$$

Just because the guy makes decent money doesn't necessarily mean he can afford to move.  I make good money and, although there's not a lot of affordable housing in my area, I wouldn't be able to afford to move even if there were. There may be far more going on that keeps him where he is.....  good advise about the firearm safety course and etc.

I though the issue wasn't whether you needed to carry a gun, but whether you want to carry a gun.

If you've got a guy who otherwise minds his own business and doesn't cause no trouble, but he's disabled and he lives in public housing.  He can't just pick up and leave.  What do you tell a guy who MUST stay in a crime-ridden neighborhood.  What do you tell him when "getting a new neighborhood" is not an option.  What's his weapon of choice?
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I though the issue wasn't whether you needed to carry a gun, but whether you want to carry a gun.

If you've got a guy who otherwise minds his own business and doesn't cause no trouble, but he's disabled and he lives in public housing.  He can't just pick up and leave.  What do you tell a guy who MUST stay in a crime-ridden neighborhood.  What do you tell him when "getting a new neighborhood" is not an option.  What's his weapon of choice?
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Well if it is for HOME protection then a nice pistol-gripped, short barrel shotgun.  Lots of takedown power, you don't really have to aim it all that well, and loads of intimidation factor.

For concealed carry out on the street, probably a small glock 9mm.

The .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, and .50 cal  :o hand cannons are not practical for concealed carry unless you're built like Suge Knight.  :P

I then explained that after he finds a safe neighborhood, I'll help him find an appropriate firearm, after he also gets set up for a firearm safety program.  I also advised him that while I am pro-gun, that the average gun kept for 'self defense' more often ends up killing a resident of the house than an invader.  And that finally, if he and his wife get a gun, they must be fully ready and willing to use it once they whip it out on an invader.  If they can't meet those conditions then they have no business getting a home protection firearm.


No real point to this thread... Just wanted to share an interesting event from this week.  :)

That's worth a karma point..

While I don't own a firearm, I fully support the 2nd amendment.  I think your advise was right on the $$$


Karma for supporting the Constitution...and going through Hurricane Irene.

I work at a church, so firearms are NOT allowed...instead we have a baseball bat.

Well if it is for HOME protection then a nice pistol-gripped, short barrel shotgun.  Lots of takedown power, you don't really have to aim it all that well, and loads of intimidation factor.

For concealed carry out on the street, probably a small glock 9mm.

The .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, and .50 cal  :o hand cannons are not practical for concealed carry unless you're built like Suge Knight.  :P


I'd go with your shotgun 'cos when you rack up that double barrel it's a very familiar sound and those crooks know to haul ass 'cos it'll really tear 'em up!
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So I explained to him LB's Number One rule of firearms and home protection.  If you live in a neighborhood where you need to carry a gun, you don't need a gun.  You need a new neighborhood.


Owe you karma for that.  Best way to win a gunfight is not to get into one.  

That, and the recommendations for a shotgun.  Don't need to aim that well (which is good, because in a high-stress situation, almost nobody can aim well), and compared to the alternatives, a miss with a shotgun is much less likely to go trough the drywall and injure someone in an adjacent room, apartment, or across the street. 

(And Maxwell raises another important point.  There are situations that require the use of a firearm in self defense, but in many of those cases, the firearm is not actually fired in self defense.)

I asked him "Where do you live?".  He said "I live in Linmar (known for some decent crimes here in Beaver County).  We live on the second floor and the man downstairs is 74 years old but he's in the nursing home alot.  So we need protection since we're often alone.



Wait, they need a gun now because the old guy downstairs is in and out of a nursing home?  Old guys usually don't go in and out of nursing homes, they go in and stay.  Now that he is in they need protection, so before this they were depending on him for protection? What?  Shouldn't he have be looking to them for protection.  This doesn't make sense.

Wait, they need a gun now because the old guy downstairs is in and out of a nursing home?  Old guys usually don't go in and out of nursing homes, they go in and stay.  Now that he is in they need protection, so before this they were depending on him for protection? What?  Shouldn't he have be looking to them for protection.  This doesn't make sense.




;D

Wait, they need a gun now because the old guy downstairs is in and out of a nursing home?  Old guys usually don't go in and out of nursing homes, they go in and stay.  Now that he is in they need protection, so before this they were depending on him for protection? What?  Shouldn't he have be looking to them for protection.  This doesn't make sense.


Yep you got that right.

Here's how the saga unfolded yesterday.

The elderly man is indeed moving to Assisted Living - for good.  But he owns the place.  So my buddy and his wife will move DOWNSTAIRS where there is a burglar alarm.  Not sure that changes much in my mind, but in their minds they're now OK.

Turns out they've lived in the upstairs apartment for 10 years and feel they are too old to do a move.  But they're gonna have to schlep all their stuff (and furniture) down to the first floor anyway, and that's the hardest part.

So... no gun and no new neighborhood.

Which brings me to LB's second rule of home protection.  If you feel that your neighborhood is so dangerous that you need a burglar alarm, what you really need is a new neighborhood.

Which brings me to LB's second rule of home protection.  If you feel that your neighborhood is so dangerous that you need a burglar alarm, what you really need is a new neighborhood.



again...easier said than done. 

again...easier said than done. 


I totally agree.  Also, neighborhoods really go to hell when everybody who can move out does.  Why surrender your home to the scumbags?