I'll roll with the thread drift here....

Out of curiosity, for those of you that own personal fire arms, what are your main reasons for ownership? Protection? Gun Collecting? Hunting?

Some recent events in my community have gotten me thinking about owning one for home safety/security reasons...though I would absolutely hate to have to use one for that reason.

Any particular recommendations?

 

In many ways it is much like a parachute, fire extinguisher, liferaft or insurance policy. Nobody wants to be required to use it, but prudent people plan for the rare exception to the norm.
What is best? Go with your judgement and training, and make no mistake, training is always the most important part of the equation.
Avoidance is always best, but sometimes fate has other plans.

 

I was just singing a few bars, he knows the chorus

 

I think I will need something bigger to deal with the moose on campus!

 

For home protection, anyone in any neighborhood anywhere is subject to a home invasion these days. Fate favors a prepared soul. Besides when Im gone alot, I feel better knowing if anyone trys to break in, they will get a huge surprise. Shes mean when shes woke in the middle of the night, and she has a gun.., and she knows how to use it

 

Those 1911's are pretty,

Ill take the 56's though if you miss with 75 rounds at least you have the spiker left lol.

 

Thanks for the info.

A couple websites on the subject have recommended a shotgun as their first choice for home defense, with reasons such as being a very effective weapon at stopping an attacker and the shot being less likely to penetrate walls compared to pistol or rifle bullets. 18" barrel length for maneuverability, 12GA, 00 buck shot. And I suppose the sight of a shotgun staring at you would be a bit more intimidating than a pistol.

Though a handgun would be easier to store and maintain, I'd need to be dead on with my sights.

That argument sounds reasonable to me, however storing and keeping secure such a large weapon (compared to a handgun) is probably more expensive and difficult to hide in your home. (I live in a 1500 sqft townhome....not exactly spacious)

I do agree with the sentiment that it is better to be prepared. I like the saying, "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail." I plan to take the various applicable gun classes/courses offered by the NRA.

 

Nobody uses the ole Judi-chop no more?

 

All the time, but you may find it difficult when a rabid wolf has his very powerful jaws clamped on your groin.