If I had an isolated cabin in the woods then I'd feel the need to have a gun. Wild animals or some crazy wandering nut scares me...maybe Ive seen too many horror movies Here I have my security system...a sheriff lives in the house behind me. The police station is only a few blocks away and they're never that busy since this is the good area of Fresno.
Ken, we are safe most of the time here, too, but my wife starting getting death threats from the husband of a friend who was getting a divorce from an abuse situation. She stated carrying a handgun in her fanny pack around the place when I was at work. I always felt she would hesitate to use it if needed, and it would then be used against her. She now carries a "taser-type" weapon when in uncomfortable situations. She has never had to use either one. We have a trooper station only about 3 miles away, but that still can be too long in a bad situation, even if a trooper is available to respond.
@Don Alaska My choice of shotgun for defense purposes is the High Standard 10-B Police Shotgun: I have owned two; both are gone. Legal, the overall length is 26", with barrel length 18". This is achieved via the "bullpup" design, where the trigger sets forward of the action, with no shoulder stock except the curved pivoting piece. Front sight folds down, backwards, the carrying handle is optional; mine had none. However the appurtenance right of the handle is a flashlight mount. Semiautomatic, I believe 4 rounds capacity, extended tube magazine raised that to 6 or 7. 12 gauge only. A 26" long shotgun is ideal when swung about inside a cluttered residence. Originally aimed at the police marketplace, public distaste for these displayed in patrol cars, upright against the dashboard, prompted a civilian ownership campaign, but still, production was discontinued around 1970. I remember seeing them in the cop cars as a kid, and thought how thrilled I would be to have one! First one bought at a gun show in Phoenix, second from an individual who had one new in the box, with flashlight! Recently I contacted a gentleman selling one: very good condition, $1295. Licensed dealer. To buy, I would have to send him copy of the FFL # (Federal Firearms License) of my dealer here, along with full payment, fill out the Federal Firearms Purchase Form 4473, undergo background check, AND pay my dealer a fee ($45). Not my way of buying.
"He once produced a video for civilian use that outlined all the "wives' tales" that people believe make them safe. One was "If you break down, stay with the car." He demonstrated how easy it was for someone to extract you from your vehicle with a crow bar, lug wrench, or baseball bat. If you crack your window, you can be maced. " @Don Alaska , what would you recommend that a woman do instead?
I have a big knife under my bed....don't know why because I'm pretty sure I'd rather shoot someone than stab them...ugh.
Shirley, I am no expert. Mr. Strong said, if conditions allow, leave your vehicle and hide in a nearby location where you can see your vehicle, but not be easily seen from the roadway. Call for help if you can. If a MARKED law enforcement vehicle or uniformed police officer stops to check out the vehicle, step out of hiding and identify yourself as the owner of the vehicle. He showed a video taken by a woman who had followed his advice. Her video showed her car being vandalized and contents stolen while she was in hiding recording the proceedings. Obviously, weather and terrain can be factors that would affect your actions.
Well I don't have all that but maybe I should keep some Tabasco,sauce under my bed...a squirt in the eye would really p*ss off someone. Then I'd run. My bed is right next to a sliding glass door...I'd be in my back yard but I'd scream.
I would suspect your choice of retirement location was a wise one, and doubt there are that many thugboys roaming the desert.
My advice would be that if you feel you are in danger, or think you are in danger, its far better to load up before you know you are in danger. Little late to go for the gun, and put in some bullets, after the door has been kicked in. Worst case, it turns out the danger passes, false alarm, you have to unload, and put the gun away...I think you can probably survive that.
Go to a gun training class. That will give you an idea whether or not you can handle it, without having to buy a gun. Some go to a few classes, find out its nowhere near as awful as they thought, become desensitized, and buy their own gun. Some go to one class, never go back, and settle for Bear Repellent.
@Neville Telen Please reveal your source as to some doing one thing and some another. Not nit-picking, OK? Just wonder how we might explain to folks considering arming themselves, how to examine their own motives as well as personal foibles, stumbling blocks, hesitance, guarded reluctance. Fact remains, if one has been personally violated, or one feels he/she ought to not allow himself/herself to be personally violated, by some intrusive person bent on harming them, the single best means of protection to fight back against such intrusion, is the handgun. Forget pepper spray, Tasers, Mace, knives, clubs hidden on one's person (?), sharp fingernails, whistles (!?), umbrellas, only a handgun remains the most effective personal protection means. An antagonist with anything less is decidedly negated. The above is a self-evident fact. Carrying through on it for yourself is another matter. If local law precludes buying/carrying a gun, one is faced with the further decision, assuming a gun has been decided upon, of whether to become a law-breaker to carry a gun, or remain fodder for the criminal. I would much rather be charged with the crime of carrying a gun, if it saved my life, than becoming a crime statistic of killed by a criminal who likely will never be brought to justice. This philosophy incidentally is quite parallel to the advice put forth by Massad Ayoob, of whom I mentioned elsewhere. HE knows the score. Frank
No source, just common sense. Some are scared of the unknown. Guns are an unknown To get over that you have to become familiar with a gun...best way is to take a gun safety class, then a shooting class. First you must overcome the general fear of being able to handle it safely. If you are too afraid to go near it because you are convinced it will go off at the slightest touch...you are at an impasse. Next you have to overcome the fear of actually firing it. Best way is take a class where an instructor teaches you how. Both sorts of training classes ( safety class and shooting class) usually supply guns there,so you don't have to invest in buying your own. Guns are not for everyone. Some can overcome fears and some cannot. Some can pull the trigger on a home invader, and some cannot. I think classes are the best way to begin to find out what you can and cannot do, at minimal expense: https://www.nrainstructors.org/search.aspx Find a safety class in your area. If it turns out you can deal with that, find a shooting class in your area. If it turns out you can deal with that, buy a gun, find a shooting range, and practice marksmanship. One step at a time. This advice is meant for Americans. I have no idea what is or is not available in other countries, gun laws, etc.