Want a firearm for protection. Advice?
 

Some sorry sack of crap stole a trailer from my home this past weekend. I live in an older subdivision with larger, unfenced lots. Anyway, I was dumb and left the trailer near the driveway. I only had a lock on the coupler.

Believing that criminals will eventually return to the scene of the crime, I want to be prepared.

I have thoughts about a Saiga 12 or .410. They appear to be inexpensive and reliable. I want medium-range ability. I have no intention of defending myself in my home with this gun, but if the SOB wants to get on my property and pick up some goodies, I want to be able to reach out (at least 40-50 yards).

Nay or yea?
jurgen

Any 12-gauge can do a decent job, though to get 40-50 yards, you'll need slugs instead of buckshot.

Get ready to be sued into bankruptcy, if not sent to prison. Not too many states let you reach out and touch someone or pre-emptively shoot an intruder.

What Rick said, you can't use deadly force to protect your property in most states.

I think you can in Texas.

what rick said.
if you have to shoot......make sure the body ends up in the house.

Get a game camera that takes night shots on a sensor. Get one that will lock up tight to a tree or post. It will get a photo of the intruders, and you won't go to jail or get sued for an unjustified shooting(it will also be cheaper than a gun). Its easy to get angry about a theft, but if your going to get a gun involved, you have to prepared to kill someone. Think that through.

No, you can shoot intruders in most states. But if they're 50 yds. away, unless they had a rifle, they were no threat and you had no reason to fear for your life. Just because someone needs shooting, doesn't mean it's worth being sued or prosecuted for doing it.

In TX you certainly can.

In fact you can also use it to protect your neighbors property.

Saiga-12.

And +1 to what others here have said. You most certainly can carry and pull a weapon on your own property to ward off or lawfully detain (citizen's arrest) an intruder but you can't actually use deadly force unless you are in imminent fear for your life.

So just make sure "he was coming right for me" with some sort of weapon and you didn't have any reasonable path of retreat.

Fire a couple of warning shots into the ceiling afterwards too. That'll probably help some.

And always remember to empty the clip into the perp. Single shots show you were calm, empty clip shows you were scared ****less.

texas is pretty cool. you can shoot someone if you see him commiting a felony...i think this i what my bro said.

i think you should get a 12 gauge. or a pistol.

For this to work, you need to buy two guns. One should be really weak and small caliber. That's the one you fire all around the house, then stick in his hand, pretending that he shot at you first.

No duty to retreat if you have reason to believe your life or well being may be in danger. Stand Your Ground laws ROCK.

Put a pry bar in his hands and you're set, just make sure your prints aren't on it.

Never fire a warning shot. It's proof you did not fear for your life and thus were not justified in using deadly force. An innocent man is now rotting in prison in very gun-friendly AZ for quite justifiably shooting an assailant, but having first fired warning shots. He had a bad lawyer and a dumb jury. But those warning shots not only wasted ammo, they convinced the jury he had other options.

Mini 14 or semi auto shotgun.

Jurgen: First delete the first post and replace it with something less likely to be used against you and ask "sniper" to unquote your first post.


You might consider a hand gun. ...I'm sure the guys here can come up with plenty of scenarios in which you would be better off using a hand gun over a rifle or shotgun.

if you think a firearm is appropriate for keeping your trailers from being stolen i suggest you also put a good attorney on retainer.

My first reaction upon realizing the trailer was stolen was to install a camera and put some bait out. Only downside is what if the scumbag steals my trailer AGAIN and I have useless video.

For clarification, I phrased my first post wrong. I'm not intending to shoot the dirtbag(s). I sure as hell wouldn't mind putting a few slugs into their radiator and maybe get a lucky shot into the engine block. Then, we can have tea and crumpets whilst waiting for the cops. I don't see the need to shoot a man for theft. I sure as hell am not going to let someone steal my property without confronting them, and I'd be stupid to act without being armed.

Yeah, you're right, beretta. I'm venting now, but I won't take action until I have a lot of time to think things through. I am a very deliberate person. I never act on impulse. I am not convinced a firearm is the best defense, but it can be effective in the right situation.

Souk, I don't a handgun, because I feel I can only be effective at close range. My lot is 7 acres and my house is about 350 feet from the road. If I am confronting someone, I want to do so on my terms. A shotgun, in my opinion, gives me some distance. Hell, I should just put a damn gate up and go hermit style.