How do you Americans react to this ?

[kach22i]

Originally posted by livi
Besides in the military and in the holster of policemen, as far as I can remember, I have not come in contact with any fire arms at all during my 41 years of life.

I think that�s good.

I haven't been the victim of a pistol whipping in years, you gotta start hanging out in Detroit buddy.

[BeerBurner]

I had very limited gun exposure growing up. My family didn't like them and I never found myself around people who had them. To date, there has been no point in time where I felt threatened enough to need one. I feel that I live in a safe neighborhood where the most we have to deal with is occasional minor vandalism from bored teenagers. I don't, in any way, feel that I need a gun.

But I like having one. It was bought as more of a collectable than anything else (I collect old military stuff, so that Mauser is right up that alley!). I owned it for two and a half years before I even fired it (just over a week ago, actually!).

It was fun. A lot of fun. I fired off several different guns that day, and I'll be honest, I think I was bitten by the bug.

I have already signed up for a safety course and will continue practicing shooting, although I'd like to end up with something a little more practical than the Mauser. And yes, I will pick up a few more guns down the road, including something for home defense.

Do I feel the need to protect myself against intruders? Absolutely not. But in the end, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Still trying to figure out what to get next, tho.

BB.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by livi
The legislation in Sweden also leaves a lot to be desired in terms of the right to defend yourself and your property. A burglar tripping and hurting himself on an object on my property will be able to sue me. A burglar getting beat up by the home owner in his own bedroom will likely win a law suit. A burglar getting killed by the owner while protecting his children will send said owner to prison for a long time. It is in my opinion really f¤%& up.

Too all and every person her body and soul as well as property should be sacred. Mess with either and you are out. In Sweden you get therapy and a pat on the back..

Ronin, I do like that poster!

The 2nd Amendment does not grant any right. In fact, nothing in the bill of rights grants any rights. It is bill of prohibitions, things our government is never allowed to do. The rights are considered god given or self evident. You have those same rights. Your government is restricting you.

Given the choice between defending my family and going to prision or letting criminals hurt them, I would choose the former.

[Wickd89]

We have so many Porsches and Ferraris in this country, how else are you going to protect them..... just kidding, insurance is enough for me........

[Chocaholic]

I can certainly understand the rationale behind gun ownership for collecting, hunting, target shooting, etc. I don't participate in any of those activites (too many other vices). But don't hide behind the need for home defense. Why not just tell the truth, like BB above?

If you keep your gun unloaded, and ammo locked up...what are the chances that it'll be useful during a home invasion at 3:30 in the morning? Or, if you keep it in your nightstand loaded, how safe is that with visitors and or kids in the house?

And of course...when was the last time that your home was invaded while you were home? I'm sure it happens, but not often enough for "home defense" to be the reason for owning a gun.

[Mo_Gearhead]

Sigh...the never ending debate on guns. It's all about preference.
If you want one, get one ...if you dont want one, don't get one.

Me, honestly, I would have to go drag them all out and count them. I could not put a number to how many I currently have. Less that 40 ...I think????

Ok, I do have a list (with serial numbers) somewhere!

And yes... Ted Kennedy's Oldsmobile has killed more people than any of my guns (so far).

[Rick Lee]

Originally posted by Chocaholic
I can certainly understand the rationale behind gun ownership for collecting, hunting, target shooting, etc. I don't participate in any of those activites (too many other vices). But don't hide behind the need for home defense. Why not just tell the truth, like BB above?

If you keep your gun unloaded, and ammo locked up...what are the chances that it'll be useful during a home invasion at 3:30 in the morning? Or, if you keep it in your nightstand loaded, how safe is that with visitors and or kids in the house?

And of course...when was the last time that your home was invaded while you were home? I'm sure it happens, but not often enough for "home defense" to be the reason for owning a gun.

Home defense is just one reason I have them and I usually have several within arm's reach at any time. And I keep one or two loaded and easily accessible. My dad did this and I never even thought about touching one when they weren't around. An unloaded gun is just an expensive paperweight. Far more kids drown in their parents' swimming pools than get hurt with their parents' guns. But you never ever hear anyone NOT getting a pool because of that or talking about banning pools.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by Chocaholic
If you keep your gun unloaded, and ammo locked up...what are the chances that it'll be useful during a home invasion at 3:30 in the morning?

An unloaded firearm is a complicated rock.

Originally posted by Chocaholic
Or, if you keep it in your nightstand loaded, how safe is that with visitors and or kids in the house?

It's on my nightstand when I'm asleep. Otherwise it is in my pocket. Those not being used are kept unloaded in a safe. Usually we have 3 out at anyone time.

Originally posted by Chocaholic
And of course...when was the last time that your home was invaded while you were home? I'm sure it happens, but not often enough for "home defense" to be the reason for owning a gun.

We live in a very good neighborhood, a gated community. Earlier this year, there were 4 breakins in one week, all occured during the day. The suspects were using a stolen Time Warner Cable truck and Time Warner clothes. My wife is home during the day. She keeps a firearm in her office.

I haven't had to use a fire extinguisher. This doesn't stop me from having 1 in each car, 1 in the garage and 1 in the kitchen.

[Superman]

As many of you know, I appreciate guns. All the males in my family can easily drop an elk from 150 yards standing up, with one shot. But to be candid with you guys, this fixation on guns and the espousing that our homes are far safer places because of those guns' presence there........raises questions in my mind. I suspect that good tires are responsible for saving more lives than guns. I think you guys' emphatic assertion that your guns are necessary to the health and safety of your families........is more an excuse than a reason. I think the gun fetish is just that. A gun fetish. A phallic thing.

You guys would make more sense to me if you confessed that you just like guns, and that you use them for recreation, and that the home protection thing is a minor consideration. I suspect someone should have told you many years ago that you are powerful regardless of what you do, or do not, have in your hand.

[Rick Lee]

Well, bad tires sure would be responsible for a lot of carnage. But then, as with guns, it's the tire owner's responsibility to keep their car safely maintained.

[Superman]

Let's look at this from another angle. Statistically speaking, if a person carries a gun and that gun shoots somebody......what are the chances that the shooting victim is the gun's owner?

Another statistical question: What is the ratio of intruders shot in the home by a gun that lives in that home........versus family and friends shot by guns kept in homes?

[Rick Lee]

A gun does not have to discharge to defend one's life or property. The mere knowledge that an area is likely to have a high concentration of armed homeowners can discourage criminals. And lots of attacks are foiled when the attacked produces a gun, but doesn't even have to fire it. They sure have no deterrent in Wash. DC.

And Supe, guns don't shoot people.

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by Superman
As many of you know, I appreciate guns. All the males in my family can easily drop an elk from 150 yards standing up, with one shot. But to be candid with you guys, this fixation on guns and the espousing that our homes are far safer places because of those guns' presence there........raises questions in my mind. I suspect that good tires are responsible for saving more lives than guns. I think you guys' emphatic assertion that your guns are necessary to the health and safety of your families........is more an excuse than a reason. I think the gun fetish is just that. A gun fetish. A phallic thing.

You guys would make more sense to me if you confessed that you just like guns, and that you use them for recreation, and that the home protection thing is a minor consideration. I suspect someone should have told you many years ago that you are powerful regardless of what you do, or do not, have in your hand.

Sup, didn't you read why I own them??

I look at my guns like some of my cars, do I really need them, no, but they are styles I like (914-6GT, RSR, AR-15, ect) and how they preform, I love shooting targets, frozen 2 liter bottles, ect.

[Superman]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
A gun does not have to discharge to defend one's life or property. The mere knowledge that an area is likely to have a high concentration of armed homeowners can discourage criminals. And lots of attacks are foiled when the attacked produces a gun, but doesn't even have to fire it. They sure have no deterrent in Wash. DC.

And Supe, guns don't shoot people.

A legislator I know back in my home town, a logging town in N. Idaho, once suggested a county ordinance requiring all homes to have a gun, and ammunition for that gun. I'm not necessarily in disagreement with the decision to own a gun and keep it in one's home. Right now, another friend of mine is trying to keep a handgun away from his adult son who is a meth addict. The meth addict is about as fixated on that gun as some of you guys seem to be. Oh, and one more thing. If I have a gun and someone breaks into my home, there will be no waving of the gun or warnings or discussions. The most I might do as a favor to the intruder (unlikely) is to cock the hammer of the gun audibly. The intruder would then have approximately one second to exit the residence. One of the problems with arming people is that they try to avoid shooting bad guys. If any of you have an armed wife, she needs to fire that gun as many times as it takes to get comfortable and.......(here's the important part).......she needs to be drilled that if there is ever a situation where she needs to point the gun at someone.......she needs to then pull the trigger. Don't point and then not shoot.

Yes, Byron. Absolutely. Guns are art.

[nostatic]

I was pretty antigun for a number of years after almost being shot. A couple of things made me revisit my stance. First I decided that the best way to deal with a fear (being around guns made me nervous) was to learn about it and engage it. So I took a class. Then I discovered that target shooting is quite fun and relaxing.

Second, I got involved in disaster preparedness work. Through my interactions with a number of agencies, I've had the opportunity to talk with lots of experts in the field. I get the same story from all of them: when the ***** hits the fan, you are on your own for probably a week. Don't bother calling the cops because we won't be able to make it. Given that reality and witnessing Katrina, I upped my disaster supply stash of food, water, etc, and added a Sig and plenty of ammo to the mix.

My guns are locked in a safe with a trigger lock on them. I do not believe in "home invasion" defence, and with a 10 year old around, I think the risk is FAR higher than any "safety" I get. Ymmv. But in the event of an earthquake or civil unrest, I'll have plenty of time to get to the safe and deal with things.

So, to summarize, I find target shooting almost zen-like (think archery with a bigger bang), and feel that even though odds are low, I want some coverage for myself and my family if (when) the big one hits, etc.

[Rick Lee]

I also LOVE target shooting and find it extremely satisfying. But even if I didn't like to shoot and didn't care about home defense, I'd still own a few guns just to pi$s off gun haters.

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
I'd still own a few guns just to pi$s off gun haters.

Gun owners are, in general, more mature than non-owners.

[Rick Lee]

I don't know about that. I just like irritating people who want to trample on my rights.

[berettafan]

Where i live you are never more than a few miles from bad people. Said people are not afraid to break into an occupied house. Livi you might call such a person a 'man after midnight!' i prefer to have something beyond a telephone to deal with immediate threats. i haven't touched my KZ45 in months but i'm sure glad it's there!

Regarding the feel good story i wonder what in the heck a clays champion is doing with a POS mossberg in the house? i'd at least expect a Benelli!

Supe that is one damn quiet intruder if he hears you cock the hammer!

If a person doesn't want to own a gun then good for them! i enjoy them and find them somewhat therapeutic. if that makes me an immature person than so be it. in fact i can't think of a more serene moment in the day than 35 minutes before sunrise when the safeties are getting clicked off and all talking stops in the hope that a pair of nice fat woodies or mallards will drop into the decoys!

[m21sniper]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
One topic that will always bring out quite diverse opinions is the subject of firearms. I, for one, do not at this time own any, but I respect the right of those who do. It is just unfortunate that so many of us feel that having a firearim for protection (rather than hunting or competition) is necessary. It is a problem that seems to grow more serious with time, and I wish I knew why.......Perhaps it is the flawed nature of humanity and the need to counter that flaw..

You ever stop to consider that they're right?