I am open about being a gun owner and recreational shooter as well as being a licensed CC holder. For this reason more than one person has asked my opinion on what or if they should get a gun for protection either for carry or in their home.
My first few questions to them are always the same. Why do you feel you need a gun? What is/are your major concerns? Have you ever fired a weapon (you might be surprised at the number of people you have not and think they should have one)? If you felt you needed to draw your weapon could you fire it at someone? If you fired it at someone one could you shoot to stop the threat (possible killing someone)?
At this point many of them say they would never shoot to harm someone. My response to them is you have no business owning a gun for self defense. You will only end up getting yourself or others killed.
This is just my opinion and I am curious what others think and have to say. Should people with no intention of actually defending themselves or others own guns for self defense?
I think you hit the nail on the head. I ask almost the same question. I ask a three part question.
Why do you feel you need a firearm?
Are you willing to put in hours of training Monthly to properly handle the firearm?
Are you prepared to handle the aftermath of shooting someone emotionally, financially and legally?
If they answer I don’t know to 1 and 3 I tell them to educate themselves and make up their mind. If they don’t answer yes adamantly to 2 I tell them don’t do it your just going to be a negative statistic.
I agree with you both. I know a guy who has told me that his wife has her LTC and has said if anyone breaks into the house at night, she’ll scare them away by just aiming the gun at them, and that she could never shoot anyone. I told him to tell her to sell the gun and sleep with a cast iron frying pan!
I agree with ya, self defense could mean at some point having to shoot, if ya cant see yourself taking a life to save ur own or ur families then leave them alone. Dont need others hurt or giving a criminal another gun cause if they see it they will take it.
Nobody knows what they’ll do until the time comes. Educate and train yourself. Know why you carry. In my case it’s to protect my family, my wife and kids, not necessarily myself. If I happen to get in a situation defending someone else the situation dictates what I’ll do. It really depends on what the situation presents. I’m thinking age of an assailant what he’s doing. If he hurts someone with a weapon he’s dead. I won’t give him opportunity to hurt someone else. The next person he hurts might be me. Aiming a gun may not be the reason. But it might. It just depends on the scenario. But discouraging people who have a right to carry doesn’t cut it in my book.
I’m not taking away that right they still can do whatever they want. I just want them to fully understand the importance of their choices. That just having a firearm and not the proper training is more a liability than asset. Time and again it has been shown that taking the one day handgun course (more like 6 hours tops) then just safeing the gun and never practicing has resulted in tragedy more often than not
A guy I know who recently started carrying said he would shoot an attacker in the leg to disable them. I told him he needed to reevaluate carrying a firearm. When I pointed out that a persons legs are one of the smallest parts of the human body and he likely would miss, and be shot himself.
You all make great points. @Phil-G45, you can let that person know that shooting someone in the leg will get you arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in most cases.
The only time we can use lethal force is when there is imminent danger of death or grave bodily harm. In that type of situation we will not have the time to aim for a leg (very small and moving target), we want to stop the threat. To stop the threat we’ll have to aim for the chest as we’ll have the best opportunity to stop the threat.
We all realize that shooting someone in the chest could kill the attacker, however our goal is to stop the threat.
The scary thing is when someone comes into the range carrying concealed and tell me they’ve never shot a gun before…
I agree that someone without training is dangerous. But instead of telling them or insinuating they not carry encourage them or invite them to training. Not everybody has the income to take classes often. But keep encouraging them. Tell them about online resources.
I think that at that moment in time someone might not think they could defend themselves and possibly kill someone. I wondered the same thing when I started to carry but after going through training and living on a farm where I’ve had a put down an animal (I know it’s not quite the same), I know that I could pull that trigger. Not because I want to but because it’s a necessary thing to do to defend myself or those I love and care for.
I should have added more to my post.
Many of these people I talk to, I end up taking to a range and allow them to shoot a variety of weapons. Sorry if I made it sound like I was an ass (although I can be if/when needed). My overall intent is to educate not belittle, in almost all cases you have to get their attention first. What I say might be extreme but it does get their attention. Then they begin to think as well as listen to what you have to say and not just hear what they expected to.
The first step in teaching/educating someone is to get them to first listen.
The few times I’ve had conversations with people that say they’ve thought about getting their concealed carry license, I really don’t encourage or discourage them, but I do share some of the thoughts that went through my mind when I decided to get my license. I also tell them that it’s been an all consuming thing for me for quite a while because I’m new to guns and felt I needed to really dive deeply into learning about safety, laws, tactics, etc. etc., as well as constantly developing my skills. I strongly encourage people to do their research and be prepared to put some work in. To be a responsibly armed American and not just an armed American requires more than just a gun and a willingness to shoot.
I have always given those that ask if they should carry a firearm as much information from a third party and ask them to go over all that’s involved. USCCA has great information and since I have joined it’s where I send them. Then ask them the questions needed. When you just confront them with can you take a life the answer that you should get from everyone should be know. Educate them with all the information let them see just how fast and how bad things can really get. Then give them time to decide if they want to go to the range to see what goes on fine show them all the safety issues and give them a chance. You truly know pretty fast who shouldn’t have a firearm. But don’t discourage those that are on the fence we need all the good people with guns we can get. Teach don’t preach is always best.
Carrying a gun is a huge responsibility. Not everyone can or should take on that responsibility. I think the biggest essential is having the right temperament. You must be level headed and slow to anger. No more road rage. No more arguments over petty things. No more ego. No more having a beer after work. I gladly live my life by these rules to keep myself and my family safe. I pray my gun never sees the light of day when I’m carrying, but if need be, I’m glad to have it.
Just as a bit of a point. I cannot tell you how many times my anti carry friends, yes I have some, have said they think it is too dangerous to let people like me carry in public. I have taken it well for the most part and not many know if I do or don’t.
The one time I more or less let the contention get to me was in a meeting establishing security for a organization I was a member of. I made a response that I have used more than once.
Back when we had a draft my country took me into the military between semesters in my last year of college. Yes I took the summer off the refresh my ever shrinking bank account. They dragged me away from home and put me with a group of other young men and trained us as soldiers. In 8 weeks we learned to shoot a .45, a M 14, a M 16, a 7.62 machine gun, a 50 cal, machine gun, a 40mm grenade launcher/shot gun, and a folding rocket launcher. Then they sent me to a country to use these weapons and know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys.
There were more than 100,000 of us and we could be trusted at 18 to use weapons that not even the police have and people worry about a concealed 9 mm when we are looking to protect our friends and community?
The state and Feds checked my background so yes I believe I am qualified.