Gun owners, your intentions?

[Mr. P]

Gun owners, your intentions?

Owning a gun for personal protection is one thing, what you intend to do with it in the event you have the need is of the utmost importance. I don't think many folks give this much thought. I've heard many times "I have a gun but I'd never kill anyone". Well, the potential is there so why have a gun?

Breaking glass announcing the arrival of a "bad" guy at 2:00a.m. is NOT the time to think things over. The confusion will be huge, the adrenalin will be flowing, your action must be carefully thought out in advance and decided on. You must be mentally prepared for a specific action.

I've heard:

1. I'd just shoot to scare them

2. I'd just shoot to wound them

3. I'd just shoot to disable them

4. I'd shoot with the intent to kill

Me? #4 is THE ONLY option. Would that always be necessary, maybe not but it is the mindset I have and I am mentally prepared for that course of action, if I ever need to actually fire a weapon at another human being who is a threat to me. I sure don't want to give them the opportunity to kill me if they are not scared away or I just wound them. Nor do I want to face the law suit that would come if I wounded them or caused a disability. There is a possibility they could win such a suit but even if they don't prevail you must still defend yourself in court. A wrongful death lawsuit is also a possibility. The suits are an issue for another thread.

So, your thoughts and intentions?

[5stringJeff]

I voted "shoot to disable," but my definition of "disable" is "fire until the other person isn't moving any more," which would likely make them dead.

[Mr. P]

I voted "shoot to disable," but my definition of "disable" is "fire until the other person isn't moving any more," which would likely make them dead.

I did see that as a flaw in the poll questions but forgot to fix it before I posted.
I do agree with the logic.

[jackass]

I dont own a gun yet, but when I do, I would rather kill the person then let them kill me or my family.

[Nukeman]

I dont own a gun yet, but when I do, I would rather kill the person then let them kill me or my family.
Not to mention suing you for disabling them and ruining their "quality of life"....

[Trigg]

If I had to shoot someone to protect my family I'm going to aim dead center (chest) and with a rifle, a person probably won't get up from that.

[crin63]

2 words: Medulla Oblongata

1 well placed shot there.

[hjmick]

Never point a gun at someone unless you intend to end their life.

[Mr. P]

Never point a gun at someone unless you intend to end their life.

The very first lesson I learned at age 8 with a BB gun.
Don't point at anything you don't intend to shoot or kill.

[darin]

I'd shot to stop the threat. When the threat was no longer there, I'd stop shooting. Not "to kill" per se.

[Gadget (fmr Marine)]

Seeing the barrel of my .45 will be the last image someone sees. It doesn't come out to impress anyone.....

[emmett]

A gun does not necessarily have to be used to kill. If an unarmed intruder made his way in to my house, I would not necessarily shoot to kill him. As a matter of fact I wouldn't shoot unless that much force was necessary! I am not one of those who subscribes to the theory that you have to shoot what you point at. If they were unsrmed i would point and advise that they needed to be seated while police are called. If they refuse I would then shoot and then toss an unregistered 32 cal I keep for just such instances at their feet after making a good impression of their fingerprints on it.

[crin63]

It would be my sincere hope that any intruder would back down and not give me cause to have to shoot them. Its the last thing I want to do.

[Sitarro]

It would be my sincere hope that any intruder would back down and not give me cause to have to shoot them. Its the last thing I want to do.

My bedroom is upstairs....... if the distinctive sound of my 20 gauge advancing a shell into the chamber followed by the same action with my Baby Desert Eagle 9 mm doesn't make a person want to run out the door, he will probably need to die, I agree that it's the last thing I want to do........ legal problems, clean up and living with that action would last forever, no matter how justified.

A cop once told me that he could walk through a crowd with a handgun and not get noticed but making that universally recognized sound with a shotgun makes people scatter and not look back.

[crin63]

My bedroom is upstairs....... if the distinctive sound of my 20 gauge advancing a shell into the chamber followed by the same action with my Baby Desert Eagle 9 mm doesn't make a person want to run out the door, he will probably need to die, I agree that it's the last thing I want to do........ legal problems, clean up and living with that action would last forever, no matter how justified.

A cop once told me that he could walk through a crowd with a handgun and not get noticed but making that universally recognized sound with a shotgun makes people scatter and not look back.

You got that right about that sound. I think thats why my daughter loves my 12ga pump. She realizes that sound is nearly as powerful the shot that follows. I'm pretty sure if I cycle my .45 it will get an intruders attention and if that doesn't, the red dot between their eyes and the blinding light from that LED beam will certainly help.

My memory has enough scars that remind me of things I would rather not remember and I really wouldn't want to add that one to it.

[Gadget (fmr Marine)]

You got that right about that sound. I think thats why my daughter loves my 12ga pump. She realizes that sound is nearly as powerful the shot that follows. I'm pretty sure if I cycle my .45 it will get an intruders attention and if that doesn't, the red dot between their eyes and the blinding light from that LED beam will certainly help.

My memory has enough scars that remind me of things I would rather not remember and I really wouldn't want to add that one to it.

I'll add an Agnostic AMEN to that!!!!!

[No1tovote4]

Gun owners, your intentions?

Owning a gun for personal protection is one thing, what you intend to do with it in the event you have the need is of the utmost importance. I don't think many folks give this much thought. I've heard many times "I have a gun but I'd never kill anyone". Well, the potential is there so why have a gun?

Breaking glass announcing the arrival of a "bad" guy at 2:00a.m. is NOT the time to think things over. The confusion will be huge, the adrenalin will be flowing, your action must be carefully thought out in advance and decided on. You must be mentally prepared for a specific action.

I've heard:

1. I'd just shoot to scare them

2. I'd just shoot to wound them

3. I'd just shoot to disable them

4. I'd shoot with the intent to kill

Me? #4 is THE ONLY option. Would that always be necessary, maybe not but it is the mindset I have and I am mentally prepared for that course of action, if I ever need to actually fire a weapon at another human being who is a threat to me. I sure don't want to give them the opportunity to kill me if they are not scared away or I just wound them. Nor do I want to face the law suit that would come if I wounded them or caused a disability. There is a possibility they could win such a suit but even if they don't prevail you must still defend yourself in court. A wrongful death lawsuit is also a possibility. The suits are an issue for another thread.

So, your thoughts and intentions?
The reality is, even highly trained cops taught to shoot for the core of a target miss 60% of the time in high-stress situations.

Shoot for the body.

And I couldn't care less about a "wrongful death" lawsuit. My family is worth it.

[Sitarro]

You got that right about that sound. I think thats why my daughter loves my 12ga pump. She realizes that sound is nearly as powerful the shot that follows. I'm pretty sure if I cycle my .45 it will get an intruders attention and if that doesn't, the red dot between their eyes and the blinding light from that LED beam will certainly help.

My memory has enough scars that remind me of things I would rather not remember and I really wouldn't want to add that one to it.

That red beam has become pretty well known too, good point about the .45, in the silence of the night, to hear that coming from a dark room should turn most home invaders into Michael Jackson........ moonwalking their "scared white" ass back out da do'....... :laugh2::laugh2::laugh2:

[darin]

My newest toy will have a holographic site - no red dot to tip-off my position. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd-FwJjpUbE

[crin63]

My newest toy will have a holographic site - no red dot to tip-off my position. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd-FwJjpUbE

I threw a cheap ($225) Nikon on my AR-15. My .45 has night sights on it as well. I well covered in the dark

[darin]

Have you seen those...bascially stick-on dots? $10 for a package? Pretty thrifty.

:)

I'm going to get a tactical light for my pistol so I won't be fumbling for a lamp/lightswitch if need be.

[Mr. P]

Have you seen those...bascially stick-on dots? $10 for a package? Pretty thrifty.

:)

I'm going to get a tactical light for my pistol so I won't be fumbling for a lamp/lightswitch if need be.

You have kids use a light..ID the target...I know someone that almost shot a house guest at 2 a.m. that was heading to the bathroom just before a light was turned on. A common cause of home accidental shootings.

EDIT to add: lack of target ID is also a cause of most hunting accidents..bushes move some folks fire..and shoot another hunter. Happens every year somewhere.

[sgtdmski]

11 years in the Army, I will aim at center mass plain and simple.

I am sorry but an intruder has no rights in my home, if you break in, expect to be shot.

[DannyR]

Don't need to shoot at all. The booby traps have already taken out the intruder. :laugh2:

http://homesecurity.net/security-alarms/booby-traps/

Seriously, #4 is the only option I'd consider.

[manu1959]

my father was a criminal defense attorney....he alwaystold me to make sure they were dead and make sure they were inside ....before you call the police....

[Mr. P]

my father was a criminal defense attorney....he alwaystold me to make sure they were dead and make sure they were inside ....before you call the police....

My Dad wasn't a criminal defense attorney but said the very same thing.

[hjmick]

my father was a criminal defense attorney....he alwaystold me to make sure they were dead and make sure they were inside ....before you call the police....


My Dad wasn't a criminal defense attorney but said the very same thing.


My cop buddies stress this point frequently.

[emmett]

I don't give a shit where they fall! I ain't dragging their sorry ass anywhere!

Booby traps snare the family housecat!

A burgler who breaks into Crin's house is just a stupid son of a bitch or from another town!

I ain't even gonna drive in front of P's house at night!

Red dots do tip off position!

Personally I'd rather just beat the hell out of em anyway, the interrogation as to "why" they broke in my house would be fun.

So many people come and go from my house I wouldn't know who the damn burgler was. All repomen are scary looking characters.

After getting out of bed I would probably wake to find that my chihuahua had already remedied the situation. Vicious! Does not to be disturbed at night! Doesn't bark at friendlys, best security system in the world, no monitoring charge! Won't testify against me!

Why would you have to drag them inside? If they were outside, they were not a burgler!

[DannyR]

Ok, so the real question here is: What type of ammunition/gun should you use to guarantee the guy doesn't get up, but doesn't leave too much of a mess in your living room that you have to clean later?

And do you aim for the chest (as I was taught), or take the movie route: three to the head, know they are dead?

[emmett]

In 2003 I was sitting in my living room watching TV when I noticed out the front window the silhouette of a man walking across my front yard. It was about three in the morning and I lived on a 95 acre farm, basically with no neighbor that I could see.

It was not uncommon for one of the guys to leave cars at my house in the middle of the night to avoid the trip back to the repo yard from time to time but I realized it was not any of my guys.

I reached into my liftup coffee table and removed my Colt Anaconda and went to the front door. I opened the door as the guy was walking up the front porch stairs. I was of the mindset that he could have been a disabled motorist. As I greeted him I gazed down to the road to see if I could see a car on the side of the road. He was a figety sort, kept rubbing himself and chewing his tongue. I realized in about a flash that I was dealing with a doper. The thinjg is though, they don't realize that you realize usually.

The dumb bastard absolutly ignored the gun in my hand and started right into some bullshit story about how he was broke down in his "truck". I asked him what kind of truck it was. He replied that it was an, "Ah.... Um... something!" I said, "check this out sport! I'm gonna give you two fucking seconds to get started off toward the road." What do you think he did? HE IGNORED ME!!!!

This cat was so out there on that stuff he actually ignored me. What he did do was leaned forward as if to lunge at me. Now.... according to the logic I have seen on here I guess I could have shot the idiot and buried him somewhere out on the back 40, but instead I just gave him a good quick palmstock, with extended arm, straight to the nose. He folded up and fell neatly at my feet, coming to rest on the front porch!

The County Sheriff's Dept hauled him off to jail where I guess he remained until he bailed out. I never heard another word of it. I have sometimes wondered what would have happened had I not happened to have been sitting downstairs watching TV. Was he coming in? Probably! I mean hell.... I don't lock my doors! Never have....never will!

Just a little story to let the anti gun nuts that not every self defense advocate shoots every person who represents a threat to them. Would I have shot him? Oh sure! I just didn't have to! So I didn't! I hope everyone would show the same restraint if presented with a similar circumstance.


One more quickie..... In downtown Atlanta I was working one night in a bad neighborhood cruising along slowly looking for a car when a young black gentleman, sprang from behind a parked car with a gun, ran up to my window and mistaking me for an ATM, attempted to make a withdrawl. He came so close to me I couldn't believe it. Stuck the gun right in my face. He was so nervous I could see the fear all over him. He was shaking so bad he could barely stand up. In one movement I grabbed and pulled the gun past my head, which came loose from his grip while drawing from the seatbreak... my trusty Anaconda, which I proceeded to point into his face. It was like a slow motion movie scene. He froze. I guess he was trying to get over the fact that his gun had been snatched out of his hand and trying to digest the sight of the 10 3/4 inch barell, all at the same time. I almost felt sorry for the dude.

He knew he was dead.... you know? He just had the strangest look on his face. I cocked the hammer back..... which was not necessary of course, I was just entertaining myself, and he freaked! He started begging me not to shoot him. I didn't let it go on for long as I yelled real loud," Shut up!" He backed away from the truck and then started to run. The unregistered 32 I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, ...... well...... that is where I got it! That is the one that will get tossed at the feet of the intruder I do shoot!

I've been a repoman for 26 of the working years of my life. I have had a lot of guns shown to me and several pointed at me. It is a freaky experience. I've also been involved in more than a few "heated debates" I guess you could call them. As a result, I don't get too excited when confronted with danger so I guess I handle things a little differently than some do. It isn't say that I think others should do as I did in these instances, it just seemed like the thing to do at the time.

Bottom line... you don't always have to shoot, when you do......it should be to kill someone who you think is going to kill you. Don't allow a gun to become a false securioty blanket however. In scenario #2, I had a gun but did not have the time to draw it even though I had it handy, had practiced drawing it from the middle of the seat and was confident I would not shoot myself in doing so. It didn't matter. Being able to think quick is a better weapon than a gun. My gun was NOT my first line of defense. It was only one of the tools in the box.

I saw someone mention earlier, maybe two, about using the action as a deterrent when confronted by a potential prowler or intruder. I woulod think this is a bad idea personally. It lets the intruder know you have a gun and where you are! He may have gun too and given the fact that you just gave yourself away you might want to expect bullets to start flying your way right after you just jacked a shell into your shotgun. This is why my gun of choice is a long barrelled, double action revolver. It is always "ready", does not have to be cocked allowing me stealth capability and carries a fear factor if shown to a person that is beyond compare. Ever looked down the barrell of a Colt Anaconda 44 magnum. It'll change your life I assure you. Then the last factor. If you fire it, a well placed shot......well....any shot that hits your adversary will ...... let's say...they "stay shot". Arm...leg....finger... doesn't matter really. It leaves alot of room for error lets say. Also you don't have to risk stray bullets.

That's my take!

[5stringJeff]

Ok, so the real question here is: What type of ammunition/gun should you use to guarantee the guy doesn't get up, but doesn't leave too much of a mess in your living room that you have to clean later?

And do you aim for the chest (as I was taught), or take the movie route: three to the head, know they are dead?

The mess would be the second priority. 3-5 shots, center of mass.

[trueblue]

A gun does not necessarily have to be used to kill. If an unarmed intruder made his way in to my house, I would not necessarily shoot to kill him. As a matter of fact I wouldn't shoot unless that much force was necessary! I am not one of those who subscribes to the theory that you have to shoot what you point at. If they were unsrmed i would point and advise that they needed to be seated while police are called. If they refuse I would then shoot and then toss an unregistered 32 cal I keep for just such instances at their feet after making a good impression of their fingerprints on it.

You wouldn't even have to do that. Given the IQ of the people who tend to break in to others' homes, you could probably get his wallet from him and have all the ID you'd ever need. Then if he runs, he runs. Most police departments could track him down within a day or two-- and they'll enjoy the hunt.

[Little-Acorn]

Gun owners, your intentions?

Break into my house in the wee hours and your question will be answered.

I see no advantage in discussing what I will do.

I prefer to let the people who might break in, wonder.