I have never had the survivalist mentality that i need to go to montana and hide in a cave but lately with the economic downturn and the bozos in dc not having a clue as to what needs to be done i am thinking things might get pretty bad.

up until now i figured that i could take on some punk that might decide to break in. however a couple months ago i hurt my back pretty good and not sure that i would be up to it.

just wondering you guys thoughts on the need for some backup. is un due paranoia setting in?

 

I thought getting a gun was kind of extreme.
Instead, I bought some used numb-chucks along with a VHS trainng video.

I've been at it about three weeks now and the only caualities have been a lamp and a vase.

 

Are you going to use it just for protection or for sport as well? How good of a shot are you with a pistol? If your not that great, get a short barrell shotgun. It might tear up the house a little, but your gonna hit somthing. If you want a pistol a .45 or .40 would be best. A 9mm has to little stopping power.

 

i'm not sure what i would get. i was actually thinking about a 410 pump. i used to be a real good shot. got the medals in a box in the closet to prove it. 38, 45, m16, m203, m60. i think the m60 would give me the best advantage but might be a bit extreme.

 

A shotgun is never a bad idea for home defense. Remington 870's have lots of aftermarket parts fairly cheap. They are extremely easy to work on.

I built this one for less than 500 bucks. It has a collapsable stock and an attached flashlight with a touch pad. Nice set up.

 

It would probably be a much better move to review your rights in your state in regards to defending yourself if need be and any liability you might incur. Considering where you live, you might be 100% wrong defending yourself. In Texas, if you catch someone break into your home, truck, whatever, you have the right to kill them- dead. But the Castle Doctrine is in very few states. Some states require that you die before you can use lethal force to defend yourself. If you decide to buy a weapon, a shotgun is a decent choice but the 410 isn't. There's not near enough shot to much good and there will be no pattern of shot at close range. A 9mm doesn't have much killing power but it usually has a lot of ammo in the clip. The larger caliber autos have more killing power but the ammo count goes down in the clip. I use a 40SW for SD It does anything I need it to do. For most folks, a double action revolver is the better choice. There is no safety, just pick it up and pull the trigger. There have been far too many that have selected a semi-auto pistol only to get killed with it. In the panic that happens, they will pull the trigger over and over on a pistol that is on safety and doesn't go off. If you aren't well trained with an auto, buy a double action revolver and hope you never need it.

 

Currently from reading into alot of my newer convicted felons cases. The chances of takin on a intruder is 80% worthless unless you have a wonderful helper like s2krn. You would't get very far with a knife or un armed self defense when there packing heat as well.

Its a fact that the essential racking of a shell into the chamber of a shotgun will deter a lot of further intrusion from a thief.

 

For home defense, a pump action 12 gauge is a great choice. Great takedown power, reliable, intimidating, and not likely to pass through a few walls into family members or neighbors.

FWIW, the prospects of a prolonged economic downturn have a lot of people (me included) thinking along the same lines as you. Never had a problem with crime in my neighborhood, but there are alot of clouds on the horizon. There have recently been several 'home invasion' style robberies in good neighborhoods in my town. Typically 2 or 3 armed guys bust in with no regard to being quiet, spend a few minutes grabbing valuables, and then leave.

 

^^^^Ive got a .40 xDM that holds 16+1. It doesnt have a true safety. Just a double trigger and a grip safety. So usually its loaded with one in the chamber while at my house.

What ever you get make sure you go out and shoot it alot to get used to it. Try borrowing guns from friends to see what you like the best before you buy. And make sure its clean that way when you need it to work, it works. Oh, and buy a higher quality ammo to keep in it for protection for the same reason above.

 

I've got the matched set of medals and ribbons, right on down to the M203.
But i think I have paranoiya setting in also. I have always kept a shotgun close by.
Now I'm starting to think Labnerd is right. Don't get the concealed carry permit. If you shoot someone, it's going to change your life anyway.

 

I'd much rather protect my family and myself and suffer the consequences. If you shoot an intruder you need to kill them. Either way you're going to get sued. Personally I won't live in a state that doesn't allow you to protect yourself. Remember, when seconds count the police are only minutes away!

 

Agreed!

 

better to be tried by 12 than carried by six

 

I carry a gun because a cop it too heavy.

 

i like that quote. gonna talk to a friend thats a cop this afternoon to get an idea on the current laws and permit requirements.

our neighborhood is pretty crime free, but the tighter things get the more desperate people are.