A little background on me, I grew up in scouts and was taught how to handle BB guns and a .22 rifle, but I am not ashamed to say I am totally gun illiterate. My Dad was a marksman in the military, but wasn't a hunter, so we didn't grow up with guns in the house and frankly, I am not too comfortable around them. I've been out shooting with friends a couple of times and went out deer hunting a couple of times, but have never actually carried a rifle and hunted. I briefly owned a S&W .38 snub nose revolver but got rid of it when I got married, it didn't have a safety that I could recall and I didn't want it in the house with a young family.
I often lay awake at night trying to develop a strategy of home defense and I keep coming back to the idea that I need to protect our family with a shot gun or hand gun. (Not to mention that I am pretty sure I am the only 35 yr old male I know that doesn't own at least one gun in North Idaho.) Even if I had a shotgun or handgun, would I feel comfortable enough to handle it safely in the event of a home invasion? Where would I store a handgun or shotgun? Would I keep the ammo in a different room then the gun? Is there a good caliber handgun that my wife could also handle fairly easily? What about the "man stopper" bullets? Are they a good idea for home security?
So, for those of you gun-toting Americans, what would you recommend as a good first firearm? I have three goals:
- Protect my family in case of a home invasion
- Hunting - I would like to take hunter's safety and deer and bird hunt next year
- Bad Boys 2 - I have 3 daughters that I am pretty sure will be teenagers some day and I want to be able to scare the heck out of their dates
I welcome any feedback you may have.
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14 comments:
be very careful whatever you decide.
My guess is that there are far more accidents because of a gun in the house than there are injuries due to home invasions in the state of idaho.
Hi Anonymous, I appreciate the feedback. I plan on taking hunter's safety. You are probably correct in your assessment of injuries vs. home invasions in Idaho.
Get a short barrel (but legal) 12 gauge shotgun and use 00 shot shells. A pump is best for home defense. It is critical that you take a gun safety course too. And take the gun to a range and practice shooting it. You need to be able to operate in the night also. There are plenty of gun forums which can help you.
Then, get a .38 revolver as a backup. But do get training!
Here's a good forum: http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbulletin/
Hey Stephen,
I've been a Police Officer for 11 years, I've served on the SWAT Team and I'm a Field Training Officer. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have the propper mindset. Are you absolutly sure you could take another life? If you can not answer this question with an unequivical "yes" you have no business having a gun in the house to be used against you and your family.
You need training, more then a Hunter Safety Course...YOU need to feel comfortable with the gun you choose and your wife needs to feel comfortable with it as well. You need to have a safe that only you and your wife have the combination to and the pistol should be loaded in the safe. Your safety device is you finger, when you place your finger on the trigger, you've already decided you are going to end someones life, or "stop the threat."
For simple home defence I suggest a revolver a .38 is a great starter gun. The benefits of a revolver are they don't take much to maintain and they fire everytime after sitting for long periods of time. A revolver also will fire if you have to press it into the person, a semi-auto will fire the first shot but will bo out of battery.
A 12 guage shotgun is another great weapon but if you are not comfortable with clearing rooms and looking around corners with it, it can be taken away from you very easily.
If you decide to get any guns I recommend you make your girls familiar with them as they get older. The worst thing you can do is have them in the house and have one of your kids or their friends find it, or get curios about it and "accidentally shoot themselves or someone else."
If this doesn't post my name it's TC and you can send me a message on FB. I've got all kinds of info for you.
Hey TC,
Thanks for the feedback, I genuinely appreciate it. We will have to chat more about this on FB. I hope this post makes sense and that it is clear I intend on taking hunter's safety and any additional courses necessary BEFORE I would consider having a weapon in my house.
Thanks again for your feedback and for risking your life everyday to make this world a little safer. Although sometimes I wish you were still at McD's with me flipping burgers when the world seemed a lot safer :)
I've thought about a gun to protect my home, but I have never fired one, and I'm freaked at the prospect of one of my kids coming across it.
I often hear the argument that the ammunition could be kept separate, but I think I'd have a tough time loading a gun as a crackhead is bolting up my stairs.
I got some non-lethal items I could use in close quarters - a stun gun, black jack, and an expandable baton.
Plus, I have the windows and doors wired for our house alarm, as well as motion sensors and other stuff.
I think I need to add a new dog to my security plan. My Beagle,Jack Russell mix is 13 and not moving so fast. I'm thinking a German Shepherd ought to move in.
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. I also have my home wired for a home security system on all windows, etc.
In addition to my home security system I have a ferocious pomerian and a blue tick hound mix. I have an alumimum bat and a Jay Buhner-esque swing waiting for anyone heading upstairs.
I am undecided at this point, however I am hoping to hunt next season so a shotgun may end up in my house. The biggest thing for me is proper gun safety and gun handling training since I am not terribly comfortable around firearms right now.
I would agree that a new German Shepherd ought to move in as a back up.
Wow, you really have some great comments here man. You are starting out right, education - what do others think. I bet it would be a great idea for you and your wife to take a defensive hand gun, or introduction to firearms class at Center Target Sports near Walmart in Post Falls. That may help you both decide what you do for home security.
The alarm is a great first step and having that sign in your yard that says you have one is a huge deterent.
Thanks for the feedback, this has been a very interesting and educational debate sparked here. I agree that education is key before I consider bringing a firearm into my home. For now, I will keep my home security system on and tomorrow I'll go and make sure my sign in up in the front yard :).
Hey Stephen,
I appreciate your willingness to get other people's input on such an important decision. I owned firearms prior to having children, so they were already present and actively used by my wife and me. While my kids were little, I was nervous about having them in an accessible location.
Whatever you purchase, my advice to you would be to enroll you and Mrs. R in a class or two about proper handling (not hunter saftey...although if you're going to hunt, take that one too). Center Target Sports in Post Falls offers several good classes. Ed Santos, the owner is a good guy. I've met him and talked with him a couple of times.
Center Target Sports has two handgun classes that I think would be beneficial to you (Handgun Familiarity and Safety and then Defensive Handgun Skills). If you choose to purchase a shotgun, I'd recommend their Home Defense Shotgun course). Check out their website, www.CenterTargetSports.com.
Personally, I'd lean toward purchasing a handgun (.38 revolver...simple and straightforward) because they are generally smaller and I think your wife would be able to handle it easier. You could also purchase something similar to this: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?type=product&cmCat=Related_IPL_223551&id=0005562229932a for secure storage at home in a place that both you and Mrs. R can get to it quickly.
If you want to go shooting sometime, give me a call. I'd enjoy going out with you and letting you shoot everything I have if it would help in deciding what to purchase.
Tim,
Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate you weighing in on this topic. I think you are right that Mrs R and I still have a lot of discussing, but I like the suggestion at Center Target Sports in Post Falls.
I really appreciate the offer to go shooting some time, that would be very helpful. Now, if only you could recommend a good babysitter :)
I don't think anyone has really commented on the hunting part of your question. As I see it you can kill three birds with one stone here by purchasing a shot gun. You can protect your home and family, deer hunt, and bird hunt. If you want your wife to be able to handle the shot gun I suggest a 20 gauge it doesn't kick nearly as much as a 12 and can be just as effective deer hunting, and can even be a benefit bird hunting b/c they are typically lighter.
I do think you should take some classes hunters safety and other gun classes.
One other thing to add if your girls are raised around guns, you teach them how to use them and get them involved (maybe just taking them with when you go shooting) I believe the risk of them being injured or killed drops greatly. If they know all about they won’t be curious and they won't go poking around and try to figure out how the gun works or what it is.
I was raised around guns and knew not to touch any gun unless an adult was around or I had permission to touch the gun. My grandfather slept with a loaded shot gun right next to his bed and I don't think any of us grand kids ever touched the gun once. I also have a few friends whose parents have done the same thing and everyone knew not to touch the guns.
I hope this helps.
Hi Ben,
Thanks for your perspective, I really appreciate hearing from the hunting angle. I was talking about a 20 gauge with my brother, we are both pretty clueless on this topic. Not many people around here shoot a 20 gauage that I know of, but you bring up some very interesting points.
Before any decisions are made regarding a purchase, my wife and I will both be enrolling in some safety & handling courses.
I appreciate and value your feedback, thanks for stopping by.
I prefer 12 gauge shotgun!
But if you can try home security system that keeps your neighborhood awake too. By that alone, thieves are afraid! :)
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