# Do you own a handgun ?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 26, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452 "2010-10-26T23:04:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/1 "2010-10-26T23:04:30Z")
Poll coming
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/2 "2010-10-26T23:14:54Z")
Don’t know what to choose. I own a handgun for both target practice and protection.
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### Author:  [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/3 "2010-10-26T23:18:12Z")
A “hundgun” eh? Are those for shooting German dogs? 😃
Anyways, here in Finland the all the byrocracy you need to go through to get a handgun licence is quite a bother. Got a friend who has a number of guns so I’ve seen what it is like. Hunting guns are a lot easier to get a licence for, AFAIK.
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### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/4 "2010-10-26T23:18:24Z")
> [@Amp](#):
>
> Don’t know what to choose. I own a handgun for both target practice and protection.
Which is more important to you?
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### Author:  [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/5 "2010-10-26T23:28:59Z")
I’m not sure how to answer this. I am American and own five handguns but all are failed gun designs and were purchased as collector’s pieces. There is no category for American - other. All are functional, but I have never shot them, nor do I own any live ammo for them as a compromise with my wife, who hates guns.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/6 "2010-10-26T23:37:06Z")
I have no guns of any kind.
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### Author:  [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/7 "2010-10-26T23:43:12Z")
I don’t own any guns, but I am an oddity in my family. Everyone else, even the nieces and nephews over 12, own multiple guns and rifles.
I frustrate and bewilder them. 😃
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/8 "2010-10-27T00:00:35Z")
You also need a class for collections, I have a very nice pre ww2 p.08 that is serialized, still has the spare magazine and tool. I won’t shoot that, though it is in excellent condition. I have a different one for using. I also have a fun .22 for target shooting only [that is what it was designed for, though I do not compete.]
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/9 "2010-10-27T00:14:31Z")
yes, two. mainly for just range use, but if needed I’d use them to save my ass. don’t carry, though.
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### Author:  [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/10 "2010-10-27T00:14:45Z")
I own five handguns. I enjoy target shooting. I have a concealed handgun permit, but I rarely feel the need to carry a firearm for protection.
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### Author:  [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/11 "2010-10-27T00:38:33Z")
People hunt with handguns too, you know.
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### Author:  [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/12 "2010-10-27T00:46:47Z")
I have a handgun; I bought it and use it mostly for as protection from bears when I’m in the woods. I do keep it by my bed so I guess you could say for personal protection but rarely think about it in that way. I have hunted with it as a matter of convenience.
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### Author:  [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/13 "2010-10-27T01:19:58Z")
I have more than 1 for protection and more than 1 for target practice and more than 1 Rifle and more than 1 Shotgun.
American.
Unclviny
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/14 "2010-10-27T01:26:39Z")
I bought my first pistol for target practice, so that’s what I picked. Even though in the 20 years since then, I’ve used them for personal protection (on six occasions) and as a tool of the trade (Armed Security work).
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### Author:  [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/15 "2010-10-27T01:38:09Z")
American here
I’ve got nothing against gun ownership, but a few years back I had a brief dark period. I don’t think I ever seriously considered hurting myself, but the idea popped into my head from time to time. I always dismissed it, but even the fact that for a moment or two I considered it was enough to scare me deeply.
So I don’t think I’d ever be comfortable owning a handgun.
…unless the zombie apocalypse comes to pass, but even then I’d get a shotgun first
😃
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/16 "2010-10-27T01:43:22Z")
Shotguns are just as effective on yourself as handguns are. Not much benefit there.
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### Author:  [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/17 "2010-10-27T01:45:19Z")
Not American, but I live here, so I voted as an American.
No handgun yet, because I haven’t got round to getting one.
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### Author:  [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/18 "2010-10-27T01:54:48Z")
American, three, protection and target.
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### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/19 "2010-10-27T01:59:28Z")
> [@Cowgirl\_Jules](#):
>
> People hunt with handguns too, you know.
I didn’t know.
What do you hunt with a handgun ?
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-handgun/558452/20 "2010-10-27T02:07:12Z")
Nope and don’t ever plan to. American.
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