| I have been called, e-mailed and stopped on | | | | gauge and 20 gauge, there are many other |
| the street, questioned in my office, at a | | | | sizes but for home defense we'll stick to the |
| couple of places where I shop, and at the | | | | more common 12 or 20. Ordinarily the shotgun |
| post office. I do radio ads for Steele's Gun | | | | is less expensive, easier to use, and better |
| Shop and I'm known to be familiar with | | | | for defense than a pistol by far.Many people |
| firearms to some degree. I have been asked | | | | think that shotguns have shot that spreads, |
| about what kind of gun or ammo to purchase | | | | to send out a wall of lead, and that you |
| for home defense and about concealed carry of | | | | can't miss with a shotgun. That is BULL.. The |
| guns and knives. Some of these questions were | | | | longest distance most of us will be able to |
| from people who have never owned guns before | | | | shoot in defense, inside our homes, is about |
| and some from those who "hate" guns and even | | | | 20 feet. At that distance the size of the |
| hate gun owners as well to some degree.One of | | | | circle of shot from a shotgun is about two |
| my friends has interest in a business near | | | | and a half inches in diameter or less. It's |
| the World Trade Center site. One close friend | | | | easy to miss with a shotgun, but not as easy |
| was the one who first reported the plane that | | | | as it is to miss with a pistol. Some people |
| hit the Pentagon, about three windows from | | | | want to get all sorts of specialty ammo for a |
| his office window. Another friend of mine | | | | shotgun to use in home defense. That is not |
| lives on Long Island and works in the | | | | needed. The cheapest "bird shot" is the best |
| building industry and at a huge lumber store | | | | for home defense and the least likely to go |
| there; so she is in constant contact with | | | | through wall after wall after wall through |
| workers and contractors connected to the New | | | | your house and into the sleeping rooms of the |
| York City area. Several of my friends are | | | | rest of your family and the neighbors up and |
| military, National Guard, and police. I am no | | | | down the street.By the way, most pistol ammo |
| authority, in my mind, nor compared to some | | | | will go through three or four walls, perhaps |
| that I know, but I am very open in my | | | | more, before it stops if you miss the person |
| communications on anything. So, I am asked | | | | you are shooting at in self defense. Where |
| about a lot of things. I have been around | | | | are the kids? Think about it before you get a |
| guns, gun shops, police, military, and worked | | | | gun. In fact thinking is far superior to |
| as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, as a | | | | shooting, regarding self defense. In modern |
| Security Policeman in the U. S. Coast Guard, | | | | homes, made of foam insulation, wall board |
| and as a Security and Public Relations person | | | | and vinyl siding; a pistol bullet can easily |
| at FEMA for a while in disaster preparedness | | | | penetrate both sides of five or six homes |
| and as an on-site disaster center worker.I do | | | | before stopping.Guns are expensive and good |
| have some opinions and some are quite strong. | | | | guns are very expensive. There are some ways |
| They are based on knowledge and experience | | | | to beat the system however. There are lots of |
| and information from those who know better | | | | used guns on the market, especially police |
| than I. So here is some data in the form | | | | guns, because everyone, especially the |
| of;Frequently Asked Questions and My | | | | police, want to have the coolest and most |
| Answers.Q: WHY HAVE A GUN IN THE FIRST | | | | awesome and most new gun that is being |
| PLACE?For the same reasons we have smoke | | | | advertised. So they trade in the old guns and |
| detectors, first aid kits, fire | | | | often the older guns are the better guns |
| extinguishers; life, health, dental and home | | | | although less cool. Silly aren't they? There |
| insurance. Because planning, preparation and | | | | are lots of good used pistols, revolvers and |
| investment in proper tools and devices -- | | | | shotguns in the gun shops of America and many |
| give us more control over ourselves and our | | | | of them are superior to the new stuff in |
| destiny and well being in any arena. And, | | | | reliability and accuracy. Go figure! J Or you |
| having better control of our lives and future | | | | can purchase a new gun.No matter what you |
| is a native concern and need for most of us.I | | | | get, make certain that you learn how to use |
| think, and most of us think, that any life | | | | the gun correctly and get some training from |
| worth living is worth defending. We have | | | | someone who really knows guns and safe |
| dedicated 40, 50, 60, or 100 hours a week to | | | | handling. Most men think they are genetically |
| providing for our families so that they may | | | | endowed with gun smarts and they are not. In |
| live life without major interruptions or | | | | fact most men who are first time or |
| inconveniences and death or injury at the | | | | infrequent users of guns are far more stupid |
| hand of a "Bad Person". Disaster is certainly | | | | and far more dangerous than women and no more |
| not part of our plan for optimum survival for | | | | likely to hit what they aim for either. As a |
| us and our family.Because people are neither | | | | matter of fact, women are usually better |
| natively brave nor courageous and because | | | | shots than men atfirst, according to my |
| people are natively more comfortable, less | | | | experience. I have taught several hundred |
| fearful, having something to hand for self | | | | people how to shoot for the first time and |
| and family defense; having a weapon to hand | | | | have helped a few dozen others shoot better. |
| or a method of defense and protection is an | | | | By the way I'm not a professional firearms |
| internal instinct that is intrinsic and | | | | instructor, just a willing friend and |
| native. That can include decisions to lock | | | | neighbor who has shot a lot and owned a lot |
| the doors, live in safer areas and staying | | | | of guns over a lot of years.IF you do get a |
| alert to news and current events. Even those | | | | gun, and I'm not at all certain that you |
| who hate guns and want all of them gone, | | | | should; keep your defensive firearm handy but |
| always seem to have a kitchen knife, a | | | | secure and practice, practice, practice. |
| baseball bat or a sword (Ha) to defend | | | | Practice often enough to be dangerous to the |
| themselves with. The Bad Person, BP laughs as | | | | Bad Persons and often enough to NOT be |
| such implements in the hands of someone not | | | | dangerous to yourself and your family. At a |
| used to fighting for their lives and it is in | | | | minimum that will be weekly for a few months |
| fact laughable if you've ever seen a street | | | | and then monthly for several months and then |
| thug fight or attack someone.Those who decry | | | | at least every two or three months |
| guns are the first to call 911 and beg | | | | thereafter. Even those who hunted all the |
| someone, a policeman, with a gun to come and | | | | time 30 or 40 years ago but not much in the |
| defend them - the police can not and WILL NOT | | | | last 10 years, are not to be trusted to be |
| ARRIVE IN TIME. In fact the police are not | | | | safe and accurate with a firearm now.Q: WHAT |
| even expected to arrive to defend you. They | | | | IS THE BEST KIND OF AMMO FOR MY GUN AND FOR |
| are expected only, by law, to come and mark | | | | SELF DEFENSE? IS IT BEST TO USE THE BULLETS |
| chalk lines around your dead body and that of | | | | THAT COST 2 OR 3 OR 4 OR EVEN UP TO 12 |
| your family - and to write up the reports, | | | | DOLLARS PER SHOT?The silly news shows, the |
| take pictures of the blood splattered walls | | | | major media evening news is fond of showing |
| and floor, and file them away along with a | | | | off all sorts of buzz saw bullets and bullets |
| report on what they find at the scene of your | | | | that will penetrate bullet proof vests and |
| murder. Check it out; even the Supreme Court | | | | all manner of other nonsense. Almost anything |
| of the United States had made a written | | | | on the evening news about guns, ammo, self |
| decision to that extent.Q: FOR A NON SHOOTER, | | | | defense, etc. is a lie or at best BULL. Now, |
| WHAT GUNS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR DEFENSE?None. A | | | | regarding ammunition; you don't need a lot of |
| non shooter should not have any gun. Having a | | | | ammo for self defense. In a defensive |
| gun without taking the time and effort to | | | | situation if you need more than ten or twenty |
| learn how to USE it correctly and safely hit | | | | shots, you are likely going to die anyway as |
| what is aimed at is not only silly but it's | | | | there are either too many people for you to |
| dangerous. Here, I agree with the anti-gun | | | | defend against or you are too bad a shot to |
| people. THEY shouldn't have a gun because | | | | defend yourself. However, under the stress of |
| they wouldn't use the gun and would likely | | | | self defense, it is not unusual for police to |
| shoot someone for nothing, or miss and hit | | | | miss every single shot from a 15 shotpistol |
| someone else. Non-Shooters should not own | | | | when shooting at a Bad Person that is only 15 |
| guns, period. Anti-gunners are more likely to | | | | or 20 feet away. In shoot outs where trained |
| become murderers or accidental killers with a | | | | police are shooting at BPs who also have |
| gun than without. It is a cinch that if they | | | | guns, it is not unusual for several hundred |
| don't trust others with a gun, they certainly | | | | shots to be fired for each person that is |
| are not worthy of trust with one themselves, | | | | killed. Think about it. They need to practice |
| and that's certain.Q: FOR AN INEXPERIENCED, | | | | a LOT more don't they. Luckily BPs don't |
| NEW SHOOTER, WHAT DO I RECOMMEND?First of | | | | practice much, if any, either. What you need |
| all, don't buy a gun if you are not going to | | | | lots of ammo for is practice.How about all |
| become proficient with it and that takes some | | | | these wonderful and special self defense |
| time, repetition and training. My first | | | | bullets? There are bullets that cost $6 each |
| suggestion is the .38 caliber/.357 caliber | | | | or more that are supposed to work better and |
| revolvers. These are inexpensive and easy to | | | | faster for self defense. The real truth is |
| find new or used. The .357 revolver and can | | | | that it doesn't matter a HOOT how expensive |
| be used with low power .38 caliber ammunition | | | | the bullet is, if you miss a vital spot in |
| for practice and for defense the same gun | | | | the attacker. What you need is practice, |
| will allow the use of extremely powerful .357 | | | | practice, practice, so that you can certainly |
| ammunition. They are made to hold 5 or 6 | | | | hit what you are aiming at and STOP an |
| cartridges and that should be fine for home | | | | attacker. REAL experts say: It is better to |
| defense. They are quite accurate and fairly | | | | shoot the attacker 6 times quickly and |
| easy to learn. They have no "safety" lever so | | | | accurately when you need to stop the attack |
| under tension and in the terror of having to | | | | than it is to hit them with one |
| use one for self defense, there is no safety | | | | super-duper-Cowabunga-pooper bullet. So |
| to remember about changing to the fire | | | | practice. It is bullet placement that will |
| position from the safe position. Many, many | | | | save the life of you and your family; bullet |
| people have died as a result of trying to | | | | placement that STOPS the Bad Person fast |
| defend themselves with a gun that was still | | | | enough to stop that BP from hurting you or a |
| on safe when they needed to fire it to stop | | | | loved one.Q: GUNS ARE NO HELP AGAINST AN |
| someone from killing them. The Bad Person | | | | AIRPLANE AIMED AT YOU, OR SOME ANTHRAX |
| won't wait for you to remember the safety. | | | | SPORES. WHY ARE YOU SO SET ON HAVING |
| I'm not in favor of safeties at all. Every | | | | GUNS?Some folks are concerned about potential |
| person in the home that has access to the gun | | | | social turmoil, rogue bands of harmful |
| MUST be trained in safe handling. No safety | | | | burglars, perhaps dangerous riots, and there |
| switch, lock or chain will make a gun safe in | | | | is a certainty that, for the first time, this |
| the hands of an idiot or an unsafe gun | | | | war is happening here and there are no safe |
| handler - same thing.A revolver is the gun | | | | zones, at least no certain safe zones. As |
| that cowboys used. The cylinder holds six | | | | members of a community, we seek to support |
| shots, and revolves as it's shot, hence it's | | | | our community with personal and community |
| called a six shooter or revolver, and after | | | | commitment -- a price others are and have |
| each shot the cylinder revolves to put | | | | been willing to pay. Now it MAY be our turn. |
| another cartridge in back of the barrel ready | | | | I'm not saying this is correct or right or |
| to fire when the trigger is pulled to slam | | | | even necessary; I'm just saying that is what |
| the hammer down and fire the bullet out the | | | | some people feel and think.Owning a weapon is |
| barrel to what is aimed or pointed at.Once a | | | | a personal decision. Some people have swords, |
| person has fired several revolvers or several | | | | canes, baseball bats, pepper spray, potato |
| handguns, many of them choose a pistol. A | | | | mashers and even hornet spray or a water |
| pistol is a semi-automatic handgun that does | | | | pistol full of vinegar for self defense. |
| not have a cylinder but has a magazine to | | | | Years ago almost all women carried a few long |
| hold several cartridges instead. It is called | | | | hat pins for defense and almost all men |
| a semi-automatic because it moves a new | | | | carried a stout umbrella or a walking stick. |
| cartridge in place to befired each time the | | | | In many countries, even today, it is |
| trigger is pulled, just like a revolver. Some | | | | considered sensible to carry a dagger, a |
| pistols hold 15 or 20 shots or rounds as we | | | | dirk, or even a pistol (such as in Israel) or |
| call it. Modern pistols are only allowed to | | | | a rifle all the time for self defense. I |
| have 10 rounds in America as a result of some | | | | don't take a position either way for whether |
| idiotic laws passed by people who should not | | | | or not YOU have a weapon or decide to defend |
| be allowed to have guns themselves. I prefer | | | | yourself against those who would rob or harm |
| pistols to revolvers myself but advise | | | | you and those near you.I do take one position |
| revolvers for first timers to learn on.By the | | | | however. I think that those who say guns are |
| way, an "automatic" is a gun that fires all | | | | bad and no one should have a gun and no one |
| of the shots, in machine gun rapid fire | | | | should protect themselves with a gun should |
| fashion with ONE pull of the trigger. Few | | | | have signs on their clothing, their cars and |
| people own and even fewer can effectively use | | | | around their homes and businesses. That sign |
| an automatic weapon. They are better for | | | | should say "I do not believe in guns or other |
| noise than for hitting something. The real | | | | weapons, and I do not have any weapons, and I |
| best choice for home defense is a shotgun. | | | | will not defend myself, and I do not believe |
| But most people want a pistol as it's easier | | | | in anyone protecting themselves against an |
| to have next to the bed and to get ready. The | | | | assailant." If you are really against self |
| shotgun however is easier to aim under stress | | | | defense and against guns - prove it and post |
| and is more likely to stop an attacker | | | | the signs!Otherwise, for those of |
| faster. Shotguns come in many configurations | | | | intelligence; Take care, prepare, practice |
| and sizes. They come in several cartridge | | | | and be safe. |
| sizes too. The two most common sizes are 12 | | | | |