I held a gun for the first time yesterday.

[lildreamer316]

My parents were very anti-gun people (strange for southern country-folk) and my first fiance didn't want to keep his in the house so I have never held one until yesterday; when an ex-police sniper freind of mine came over with his new one. He and I and my Hubby have been discussing the fact that I am more afraid of guns because I don't know how to handle them than of the gun itself; so I'm going to go learn from them and take my local community college/gun shop course too. I have a family to protect now and I don't want to have to use a gun and not know how.
Scary times.

[karlrschneider]

1. Good plan.

Don't let the rabid anti-gunners intimidate you.
:D

[Gatchaman]

4. In all seriousness...

...your local NRA members should offer gun safety programs. Call a sporting goods store or gun shop for details.

I know, politically the NRA is evil incarnate, but don't let that stop you from taking advantage of knowledgable instructors who really want to help.

[lildreamer316]

9. Gonna do that; thanks! n/t

[billbuckhead]

7. Yeah, us anti gunners are so intimidating without guns

In one of the most gun crazed cities in the world, guns only made the disaster in New Orleans worse by keeping relief workers at bay and amplifying the terror. Because guns were for sale and abandoned in homes, Americas weak gun regs armed the worst people and allowed other bad people who already had guns and were doing dastardly things, to pass as good guys.

[lildreamer316]

15. Please see #12, n/t

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. I've always hated them....

but reprehensor thought about getting a Glock. We got a watchdog instead.

I'm thinking more and more about it. I shot off my mom's 38 at a Coke can with my brother in the backyard when I was about 14. I think I could still do it. Especially with a charging fascist in front of me.

FSC

[Bucky]

3. If you put an elephant on the target paper, your aim will improve

Trust me. If I wasn't afraid to walk out onto the firing range with the stack of papers and a staple gun, I'd be a sharpshooter by now.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lildreamer316]

14. You bet your Democratic ass.

I'm on it! Great visual.

[MissMarple]

5. A gun can be a quite useful tool. Get the gun safety thing down pat.

And shoot it...with ear protection. Shooting it and learning how to and how not to handle it is a good thing.

And consistently hitting your target...priceless. :)

[lildreamer316]

25. Definately.

I just want to know that if it is there and I have to use it; I know how to.
Sorry; my baby comes first. And I will defend him unto death. I'm a Leo.

[MissMarple]

79. I am an Aquarian. And, sadly, I will kill someone to defend the innocent,

and to protect my family. But that would be a sad, most tragic day. I pray it does not come.

[matt819]

6. WTF?

How many DUers feel the need to have a gun to protect their families?

I've lived in the third world, Texas, and in rural America, and I've never felt threatened enough to have to protect my family with a gun. It's good you're learning the right way. And in many respects I have no major problem with the idea of gun ownership. And if you want a gun and can legally purchase one, fine. But your comment about having a family to protect? Sorry, I don't buy that one.

Flame away if you like, but that's a feeble excuse, and I'll put money the likelihood that this reason has got more people hurt with guns than have saved them.

[karlrschneider]

8. Protecting your family is a feeble excuse?

:wtf:

I don't even HAVE a family, but I've owned multiple guns for over 55 years. The protection thing is just a side benefit.

[Redneck Socialist]

75. There are many gun owners at DU

Protection is just one of many reasons to own a gun.

Self defense is way down my list of concerns and locked in a safe as my guns are, they probably won't do me much good in those sort of circumstances, but for many people self protection certainly is a legitimate reason to own a gun. There is nothing "feeble" about it at all.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

78. IIRC, statistically

if a gun is in the house it is more likely to be used to injure or kill a family member than an intruder.

I have no knowledge whether this statistic goes down with proper training and storage, but I expect it does. Take the training and be safe.

[ManiacJoe]

80. Stats correction.

The study actually showed that, because of suicides, if your gun actually kills someone then it will probably be a family member who is dead.

What the study purposefully did not address what who are the likely survivors of gunshots. In my opinion, this would have been a more useful study since most who are shot by handguns do survive.

[benEzra]

89. Kellermann and Reay, New Engl J Med 1986 (314:1557-60)

(Geoff R. Casavant)
IIRC, statistically if a gun is in the house it is more likely to be used to injure or kill a family member than an intruder.

I have no knowledge whether this statistic goes down with proper training and storage, but I expect it does. Take the training and be safe.

The study in question is undoubtedly Arthur Kellermann and Don Reay, "Protection or peril? An analysis of firearms related deaths in the home," New Engl J Med 1986 (314:1557-60), and has been widely discredited.

As ManiacJoe points out, the vast majority of the deaths Kellerman et al cite are suicides, not homicides or accidents. I'm not at risk for suicide, so there goes most of the alleged risk.

Accidental gun deaths are statistically insignificant, so much so that I doubt he even recorded any (current rate is ~600/year nationwide for 80+ million gun owners, and this figure does not exclude accidents by gun-owning criminals, a fact which tends to skew the perceived risk higher).

Of homicides in which the victim was the gun owner, Kellerman counted these as if the homeowner's gun were at fault, but in every instance the gun used was the criminal's gun, brought into the house by the criminal with lethal intent. He also didn't control for the possibility that people who are in greater danger of being murdered are probably more likely to purchase a gun than those in the control group, though I'm not sure how one would quantify this, nor did he control for understatement of gun ownership by the control group (which given the area and political climate almost certainly would have skewed his results).

The "43 times more likely to kill a family member than defend against an intruder" statistic from Kellerman et al excluded all defensive gun uses that didn't result in the death of the criminal, which acts systemically to hugely underestimate the number of actual defensive uses. Using this methodology, if the intended victim pulled a gun and the criminal fled, it didn't count; if the victim fired a warning shot and the criminal fled, it didn't count; if the victim shot the criminal, halting the attack, but the criminal survived, it didn't count; and if the criminal were shot and killed, and was known to the victim, IIRC it was counted in the "shooting a friend or family member" category. Not exactly an objective study. Using this methodology, one could prove pretty much anything she/he wants.

Certainly one can quibble about the Lott et al data, and the Gary Kleck et al data on defensive gun uses, but if you exclude suicides I don't think there is any data anywhere that suggests a gun in the home is a significant danger to you or your family.

Also, the National Crime Victimization Survey did show that intended crime victims who fought back with a gun were less likely to be injured than victims who used any other method of defense (including nonresistant compliance), and ALL of the injuries to gun-using intended victims occurred before the victim accessed the gun, but the sample size in that study was extremely small since the study was not designed to assess the efficacy of defensive gun use.

FWIW, there are a lot of systemic problems with most of the medical literature on guns, and peer review on this topic seems noticeably less rigorous than peer review on actual medical topics, with egregious procedural blunders and idiotic misunderstandings of technical issues appearing fairly regularly in the peer-reviewed medical literature. For an overview of the disconnect between the conclusions of peer-reviewed medical researchers on guns vs. the conclusions of peer-reviewed criminologists on guns, see Kates et al, "Guns and Public Health: Epidemic of Violence or Pandemic of Propaganda?" Tenn. L. Rev. 1994 (61:513-596). The types of egregious blunders and biases pointed out in this article are the reason Congress yanked gun funding from the CDC back in the '90's. If you can find it on the web, the transcript of the committee hearing in which the head of the CDC was confronted over the issue of "advocacy studies" on this issue is also rather enlightening.


Mr. Casavant, I do totally agree with you that if anyone chooses to own a gun, they should get training and store the gun responsibly. My wife and I (both gun owners) have both taken that responsibility seriously.

[Silverhair]

90. Problem with those stats.

If a person uses a gun to chase off an intruder without any shots being fired, then the antigunners don't count it. Since you can not absolutley know what would have happened if the person had not threatened the intruder, then they refuse to accept that anybody or anything was saved.

I know several people who have chased burglars out of their homes, no shots fired. I don't personally know anybody who has killed a burglar in their home.

[benEzra]

88. Well, I do...

How many DUers feel the need to have a gun to protect their families?

I've lived in the third world, Texas, and in rural America, and I've never felt threatened enough to have to protect my family with a gun. It's good you're learning the right way. And in many respects I have no major problem with the idea of gun ownership. And if you want a gun and can legally purchase one, fine. But your comment about having a family to protect? Sorry, I don't buy that one.

Well, I do, as do a majority of Democrats in this state (NC).

My own father had a likely "save" by means of a gun in the early 1970's, in an isolated rural area late one night. He never even had to draw it; he merely turned so he'd have ready access to it, and asked the drunken thugs approaching him "May I help you?" They looked at the gun and at each other, told him to "have a nice day" and left.

My wife and I own several firearms (including some that Feinstein et al don't believe are "suitable" for mere plebians such as ourselves to own) and are proficient in their use. We store them intelligently, have studied self-defense law quite a bit, and take lots of other steps to ensure as best we can that we will never have to use them defensively.

[Wcross]

95. How about homeowners insurance?

Have you had to use that in all these years? What would you do without it if the "unthinkable" happens? It is the same thing with a firearm. You learn how to use it and hope you never need to.
I guess some people would rather call for someone with a gun before they would arm themselves. Fair enough.

[thedoctors308]

96. The police

The police have no duty to protect you.
Who will protect you, if you won't take the responsibility into your own hands?
Hell, do you even deserve protection, if you won't take care of yourself.

[jody]

97. "do you even deserve protection, if you won't take care of yourself."

:rofl: :thumbsup:

[Spazito]

10. Have you watched Bowling for Columbine?

If not, I would suggest it, it is a very interesting perspective of gun cultures and what they can bring about.

[lildreamer316]

12. Yes.

I am not sure that we are going to get a gun immediately ( I can rent the kind I want to buy to practice).I just want to know first that if I have to pick one up to defend myself that I know how to use it. Safer that way than NOT knowing.
Even Michael Moore knows his way around a gun.

[Spazito]

49. No criticism here only a question

What do you see you protecting yourself and your family from? Do you live in a dangerous neighbourhood?

[lildreamer316]

55. Again

CRITICAL DISTINCTION:I am not buying a gun as of yet. Just learning how to use one so that if confronted in the situation I will know my way around it. Part of my fear of guns is that I don't know squat about them. If I confront my fear head on then I figure it will lessen; no?
Always better to be prepared. Better to know than not know.

[Spazito]

65. Ahhh, I am sorry, I read your interest as an intention to buy, I am sorry

Learning how to handle a firearm is, indeed, very wise. Again, I apologize for misunderstanding you.

[lildreamer316]

67. No biggie.

Sometimes I'm not very clear; guess I should qualify a little better. My emotions get in the way..........

[MisterP]

13. an advantage to the homicidal negligence and reports of bad'uns roaming

is that the more people are afraid, the more Republican "products" they buy--weapons, deregulation (look how bad FEMA is, let's mismanage it even harder), authoritarianism ("law and order," then MREs), seedy news stations, etc.

[lildreamer316]

16. Again; please see #12, n/t

[Zynx]

21. Ask anyone who was in the Andrew aftermath if guns are needed

There are most certainly "bad'uns" that come out in the aftermath of a hurricane.

[phusion]

17. Have fun!

Target shooting can be extremely fun.

They also offer great protection from animals and people if you spend any time camping out.

[Mythsaje]

18. Good for you...

Self-defense is an important skill. No matter the tool. Me, I don't have guns...I have dogs and 30+ years of martial arts experience. But I can use a gun if I have to. I know how to load, unload, disassemble, clean, and reassemble a weapon.

These are skills that shouldn't be disparaged for a variety of reasons.

[lildreamer316]

22. That's what I'm talking about.

I was a very sheltered child and a pretty sheltered young adult. Having now gotten a clue a few years ago; I am trying to learn some of these things.

[Mythsaje]

23. I used to be rather anti-gun despite my upbringing

until a very nice woman who happened to stand about 5'1" explained to me how a pistol was the ONLY way she could guarantee her safety against someone like myself.

The difference between me and a lot of folks--I do my damndest to see the other point of view.

[applegrove]

32. Oh - you are such a liberal. I can just see you as a child! n/t

[lildreamer316]

36. What is that supposd to mean?

[applegrove]

39. See Post # 37

[lildreamer316]

46. Oh. I see. I must be a freeper. I get it.

I don't have to prove anything to you. You haven't been paying attention. Your problem. Bye.

[Oeditpus Rex]

19. I held, and fired, a handgun

...for the first and only time a few years ago, as part of the local citizens police academy. I wrote a series on the academy as city editor of the local paper. Here are the final two paragraphs of that installment:

I’ve felt the immense, seductive power of a handgun. I’ve watched highly trained police officers take the utmost care so that “safety first” is much more than a motto, and I’ve seen their hands shake — perhaps from the residual force of the weapons, perhaps from a natural uncertainty over the possibility of a mistake by a rookie shooter that could lead to disaster.

Disaster needs only one mistake. That’s more responsibility than I want.

[ManiacJoe]

81. Knowledge and experience are good things.

That’s more responsibility than I want.

While I personally do not agree with the outcome in this case, I most certainly respect ones honest self-assessment.

[Retired AF Dem]

86. Do you drive a car?

Disaster needs only one mistake. Do you take that responsibility? It is much simpler to handel a gun safely than it is to drive a car safely.

[Silverhair]

91. Do you drive a car?

You said: "Disaster needs only one mistake. That’s more responsibility than I want."

Do you dive a car?

[spuddonna]

20. Damn, I was thinking the same thing last night...

That's a sad, but good idea...

[nookiemonster]

24. It is sad, but it's a also a really good idea.

I'm not a gun nut, but I love my .45. Shooting can be alot of fun, especially with someone who can teach you the ropes.

You gotta shoot often and get used to it. A few hundred rounds is pretty wise. I've discovered some really good shooting ranges.

Remember, it is a weapon. A weapon that can take life if necessary.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

26. Lock it up really well when you're not using it.

Lot of guns end up being stolen or picked up by kids....

[nookiemonster]

27. I missed it, you nailed it.

Lock it up!!

Obviously, the most important aspect of gun ownership.

[theboz]

28. Liberals should be pro-gun

I really don't understand the deluded view that burying our heads in the sand and pretending that if we ignore weapons they will cease to exist.

The fact of the matter is that owning a gun is a personal choice, but not a bad thing. Knowing how to use one is actually a good thing whether you own one or not.

The purpose of the 2nd amendment is not to go hunting, or even to protect yourself from burglars/rapists. The purpose was for when the government gets too corrupt and requires a revolution. We have lots of problems today, but I don't think that we're at that point. The idea of owning a gun for your own home for personal use was just a given. Our founding fathers didn't seem to really think there would be a controversy about this.

Bowling for Columbine was also not an anti-gun movie. If you think that it is, then you missed a really huge point. The movie was anti-culture of fear. Fahrenheit 9/11 also touched on this. The American culture is one where we are taught to be afraid at pretty much all times of the most ridiculous things. Our gun debate is exactly that. One side is afraid that they're going to be attacked at any time and need to kill someone to defend themselves, the other side thinks that guns are evil sentient beings that will attack them without human intervention. It's all about fear.

Anyway, I doubt anyone's opinions would change if I start debating on this. Still, one day you may wish that you knew how to use a gun. I hope not, but it's best to be prepared for anything.

[lildreamer316]

38. EXACTLY my point. Thank you.

I'm not sure that I/we are even going to buy one as of yet; although the merits of learning on your own gun vs.one that is exactly like but rented/whatever is another discussion. I just want to know that if I am confronted with a situation where there is a gun to use and it needs using (MY CHILD IS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF HIS LIFE) I know my way around it.
Some of these ppl kill me^^.

[applegrove]

29. Welcome NRA! No time like a crisis to get new customers. Man -

it was really scary there.. it looked like law & order might be restored on Tuesday for a bit.

That was a close one!

:woohoo: NRA makes more money for its corporate bosses.

:sarcasm:

[Redneck Socialist]

76. Hunh?

I'm no fan of the NRA but I have no idea what you are talking about. :shrug:

[maveric]

30. I'm seriously considering arming myself. Never cared for guns...

but with the bu$hitas and their rabid racist/fundie folloers, we may need to do this to survive.

[Alex146]

31. I used to be anti-gun

but I have come to believe that a time may come in this counrty when every responsible citizen will need a gun to defend himself (or herself) from either outside enemies, factions of our own nation, or our government.

[nookiemonster]

33. Yup.

And it's not mandatory to own a gun. It may never be necessary. It's a personal choice.

Personally, I opt for the gun. That's my choice.

:)

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[distantearlywarning]

41. Yes. I posted 687 times on DU just to fool you all

into thinking I wasn't a freeper so I could post one pro-gun message as propaganda!

I've been working on this cunning plan since last November 4th - did it work?

:eyes:

[nookiemonster]

42. OMG. I knew it!!

:sarcasm:

:)

[applegrove]

64. Of course a 600+ DUer is right up there with the 1000+ ones. Nobody

would post that often in their free time - if they were not really DUers.

I'm just showing the stats.

[phusion]

51. LOL

and your point?!

[applegrove]

54. Just that it is predictable and interesting.. and always that way on

the NRA threads.

[nookiemonster]

56. I have given a goddamned dime to the NRA.

Is that a prerequisite now? Please enlighten us.

[applegrove]

59. I've been warned by other DUers that when the NRA threads start -

they work together and try to dominate the issue. They obfusticate. And sure enough they do. Tag teams.

don't know if this is one. But every forum I go to - when the pro-gun threads start..the stats are always the same.

[nookiemonster]

63. Cut out the NRA crap.

The original poster of this thread was just explaining a decision that SHE decided to make.

What is the problem with accepting that we may have guns? And may like shooting them? The ones that don't like it, are expressing their opinions. I respect that.

Some us are just providing information from a viewpoint that you don't necessarily agree with. It's called debate. That's good.

:)

[Fatima]

68. I have several guns

and I don't belong to nor do I like the NRA. Please stop the blanket condemnations.

[applegrove]

69. The stats on this thread - match those NRA ones. That is just an

observation.

[distantearlywarning]

60. I've never contributed to the NRA either

and don't plan on doing so in the near future.

I'm not some gun nut, fantasizing about riots happening in my city so I can cap some looter's ass.

I'm a concerned citizen, afraid of my government, who thinks our forefathers put the second amendment in place to help protect us from an administration like this one.

[applegrove]

62. I'll second you on your last point.

[lildreamer316]

58. Excuse me?

What exactly do you mean?
Sorry I don't have my liberal credentials with me; they are somewhere around here.........
Oh,and I'm sorry you are a better DUer than me. I bow before your greatness.
:sarcasm:

[applegrove]

61. Just pointing out the continued stats in pro-gun threads. I have no

idea who you are. If you say your were an over-protected child & now like guns - great. I'm sure that is true.

Just as true are the stats in the NRA posts. And unfortunately for you - your honest post matches the stats in the NRA posts.

Just a pattern. Like when you shoot a little heart shape on the target.

[lildreamer316]

66. OK.

Point taken. Letting it go now....

[BrutalEntropy]

73. and your point?

People put far too much stock in the post counts here. I understand that it is essential to figure out when we have a freeper in our ranks, but you do no one any good by accusing people of being a neocon because they don't have a 1000+ posting record.

I, for example, am an EXTREMELY liberal person. I run a website, http://www.bePOOR.org, and a livejournal (http://brutalentropy.livejournal.com, although a lot of my posts are friends only due to some personal drama with my girlfriend's family). I post on DU occasionally, but read it EVERY DAY. I read a significant number of posts in the LBN, GD, and GDP forums... I don't post often, mainly because a lot of other people tend to say what I would say before I had a chance to say it.

Just because someone's view on a certain subject differs from you, and their post count is lower than yours, does NOT make them wrong/a freeper, nor does it detract from the validity of their comment (usually, although I will say I've seen some really stupid stuff posted on here from people that are obviously neocons in disguise).

To be honest, I'm getting REALLY sick of seeing stuff like this, bashing a person or what they're saying merely because they are new to the website. Do you remember when you first signed up for DU? Did you have 1000+ posts right off the bat? I didn't think so.

FWIW, I believe that people should be allowed to own guns, unless they've been convicted of a felony. I know that a lot of liberals will disagree with me on this, but dissenting opinions are not only allowed in our country, in my opinion they should be encouraged.

[distantearlywarning]

34. We bought a gun today.

It scared me a little.

I also felt a profound sense of relief as we were driving away. Much more than I expected to feel. And I also felt a little sadness that I now live in a country where I feel I can no longer rely on my government to protect me. Or maybe more that I feel I might need to protect myself against my government. :-(

It was also a little shocking to me how easy it was to do. In some ways, getting a library card was more time consuming. (Probably not what some of you pacifists here wanted to hear. Sorry!)

We just walked in, held a few guns, talked to the man about our needs, and bought it (a Ruger P89 9mm). Both of us have been reading the manual and will be practicing cleaning it, loading, unloading etc... tonight. I'm going to sign up for range lessons at the end of the month (even though I have shot before, I feel I need a lot more time behind the weapon before I will be competent to use it in a crisis situation.)

I know this post will horrify some of you. I'm sorry about that. And I'm sorry we live in times like these.

[H5N1]

43. No waiting period?

[distantearlywarning]

44. Not in my state, apparently.

They did make me write down some personal information, promise that I wasn't a felon or mentally ill, and then spent 10 minutes on the phone with somebody confirming the facts I gave them.

[ManiacJoe]

82. The phone call was the federal NICS check.

The 10 minute length was a good thing, assuming you really have no criminal record. Things start to go bad when the response takes hours or days.

[Silverhair]

92. What good would a "waiting period" do?

In 1988, a lady we knew had divorce a wife beating husband. He wouldn't let go of her, and threatened her life, with witnesses. In fact, he left a death threat posted to her door in his own handwriting. (Yeah, really dumb, but that is a different topic.) He was arrested, but his lawyer managed to get him off with a suspended sentence and a restraining order.

The judge called our friend into his chambers, (I was at the trial.)and told her to get and carry a pistol, even to school where she was a teacher. She had to wait several days for the "cooling off" period.

Now please tell me what good a waiting period did for her. Did she need to cool off?

The waiting period was a piece of feel good legislation that accomplished exactly nothing, except make people who really needed one NOW, wait needlessly. In the real world, people don't get angry, drive to a gun store, buy a gun, then come back and shoot someone. Just doesn't work that way.

[Redneck Socialist]

77. Excellent, have fun.

Shooting is fun. Yes there is a lot of responsibility that goes along with owning a gun, but there is a lot of fun too.

Don't let the anti's get you down. Your life, your decision and from what you've posted it was not a decision made lightly.

[slackmaster]

84. Let me please add "and be safe"

:toast:

[Romulus]

87. that's your choice

I made the same choice for myself after 9/11, lest I get lynched someday for "looking muslim."

Since I have always been concerned about theft, I bought a GunVault quick-access safe, bolted it to the inside of a basement cabinet hidden away, and used it to lock up my handgun whenever I left the house. The Gunvault runs about $120 shipped from www.action-direct.com, or you can search online dealers for cheaper prices. Be sure you get a genuine Gun Vault brand safe, though, because I have seen some mislabeled fakes on Ebay. There are also other strongbox-type devices on the market. The store where you bought yours may have some in stock, or you can try the local Dick's Sporting Goods, Galyans (if you still have one near you), Wal-Mart, etc.

Now that I have a baby at home, the issue of storage when he gets older has come up. As a teenager, I had no problem snooping around and figuring outhow to pick locks, etc. I will most likely put my firearm into storage at my shooting range when the little guy gets to that stage.

I suggest that you join a range or club and practice with your handgun because proficiency builds safety and handling confidence. The range may also let you store it there if you feel the need.

Good luck!

[Silverhair]

93. As he gets older, teach him to shoot and respect the gun.

Dad gave me a shotgun at age 11. Guns have never been a mysterious temptation for me. Simply a machine that requires skill and training to use safely.

[ohio_liberal]

35. Definitely take the gun safety course

Learn how to shoot it, keep up with practicing. You lose the skill if you don't use it. Keep it locked up in a safe place, away from your kids.

[lildreamer316]

40. A given; all of that.

See above replies.......thanks.

[leeroysphitz]

45. I'm feeling the urge to get one as well.

I was a good shot in the Army years ago and the gun safety training we received is something I truly took to heart but it's a conundrum for me.

I have two children. One 7 years and one nine months. I want the gun "just in case". I'm antsy and nervous about how things are going in this country (energy, politics everything seems to point to increasingly desperate times for people like us.) but no matter how secure a gun would make feel when it comes to my ability to take care of my family I'm wrestling with the idea because no matter how careful you are no matter how thorough your precautions, education and training I feel that if a gun is in the house there is a chance of tragedy with my children and if there isn't a gun in the house that chance drops to ZERO. I don't know what to do.

[LisaL]

48. I hope you understand that you have to be really careful

regarding keeping your gun in your home, with little kids around.
I don't want to read yet another sad story about one young kid shooting another while playing with the gun.

[leeroysphitz]

50. Not to start a fight but...

Did you even read my post?

[LisaL]

53. I read your post, and I recommend against a gun considering

you have small children. Of course it's your choice in the end.

[ManiacJoe]

83. The fact that you are remembering to put your children

into the equation is a very good thing. Now that you have done so, you have actually made the conundrum very small. Assuming you get a gun, the question then becomes on of proper storage. There are lots of options here, and it is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Some options will work better for YOU than other options.

• gun safe - large, heavy, fireproof, hard to break into, expensive.
  
• lock box - small, relatively light, not expensive, no fire protection(?), moderate to break into.
  
• trigger lock, cable lock - free with most new guns, easy to use, easy to break with tools, better than nothing.
  

The most important thing to remember is that just hiding the gun from the kids is not proper storage because they WILL find it.

[Billy Ruffian]

94. Your concerns can be addressed

Just the fact that you're thinking about the problem puts you half way to solving it.

There are many different ways to secure a firearm from unauthorized use. If you get a good cable lock, you can secure any handgun from operation. There are small locking cabinets, small safes, fireproof strong boxes. Depending upon how accessible you want the firearm to be to you, there are many other options that will greatly reduce the risk.

If you consider the firearm to be just another household hazard, you can figure out a way to reduce that hazard to very near zero.

You've probably childproofed your house before ... you can do it again, and you can childproof firearms, too.

[CityZen-X]

47. Owning A Gun

and using it for the sake of liberty is a noble cause! For the demons of uncontrollable democracy have dictated that owning a weapon, such as yours is not civilized. But think about it if you can not resist their machinations without the proper armament, then you are sheep for slaughter!

[nookiemonster]

52. "Sheep for slaughter"

Thanks. That pretty much sums it up here.

:)

[CityZen-X]

57. Does It Not!!

Study history, or the world is a mystery, read or bleed people, learn or burn!

[gulfcoastliberal]

70. As a kid who spent most summers & winters in Waveland, MS

A city that is now wiped off the map, I learned from my granddad, a WWII vet to shoot guns. He got me to shoot a .410 shotgun when I was like 5 years old and taught me all about gun safety. When you learn such things at an early age, they stick with you. He has since passed away and I inheirited his guns (including an heirloom 1856 colt) and have bought several more. I don't hunt, I only eat grass-fed organic beef, and I keep them and lots of ammo in a storage locker (except for 1 handgun) just in case. As long as you take safety courses, there's no reason they should be accidents. And if you have kids (not me) a safe is obviously a must-have if you keep them at home. I keep mine in a storage locker because I'm concerned about the theft issue. It's $30/month, but well worth it since it is climate-controlled and a really nice facility.

[nookiemonster]

71. A gun safe is a worthwhile investment.

You can pay a shitload for a good one, but the safely factor more than compensates for the price.

[lildreamer316]

72. BTW I love your name!

and avatar. That is so cool.........

[joey93turbo]

74. You made my night

I can't tell you how happy I am to read your post. I find that most people that are afraid of guns do not have any actual experience with them. I was afraid of them too until I learned how to unload a loaded gun and verify that it was safe. I can't tell you how many anti-gun people I've taken shooting lately. Not one of them hasn't asked me to go again. Be safe.

[jody]

85. Good decision. Ignorance is a major source of fear and you began

your education. It's just like learning to drive or use any other tool that can be lethal if used improperly.
:hi: