# Serious Question for Gun Owners - NOT POLITICAL **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856 "2013-01-11T14:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/41 "2013-01-11T18:16:01Z")
If you know what you want and Walmart has it, feel free to buy it there, but if you have questions, it is far better to go to a local gun store. The clerk at Walmart is likely just a minimum wage shelf-stocker who happened to be assigned to keep an eye out for customers in sporting goods while he stocks his own department. The people at your local gun store deal with people in your situation every day. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/42 "2013-01-11T18:22:16Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I’m not a gun owner, so I’m just spitting the digested conclusions of other threads like this one, but something that always stuck in my mind was the recommendation to have a pump-action shotgun for home defense, because nine times out of ten, all you have to do is make it go ka-chung ka-chung and the intruder will leave. > > Since you’re out in the country, it seems to me that having to deal with an aggressive animal is also a possible scenario. Think about what animals you might have a problem with and get a gun big enough to stop one. The problem is the gun you want to use outdoors at some distance, (My first choice would be an AR-15 if I could afford one, otherwise any medium to high powered semi-auto rifle) is a lot more gun than you want on an inside home defense type situations. Again with my suggestion of a M1 Carbine or a commerical rifle of similar size and power, it may be suboptimal outdoors (and take several shots to drop an aggressive animal) but it’s not vastly too much power indoors. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/43 "2013-01-11T18:29:49Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > If you know what you want and Walmart has it, feel free to buy it there, but if you have questions, it is far better to go to a local gun store. The clerk at Walmart is likely just a minimum wage shelf-stocker who happened to be assigned to keep an eye out for customers in sporting goods while he stocks his own department. The people at your local gun store deal with people in your situation every day. This was going to be my advice. If you’re a first time buyer, you’re probably better off going to somebody who knows the product. A local gun dealer will know firearms and local laws and will also know the local availability of classes and ranges. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/44 "2013-01-11T18:42:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > This was going to be my advice. If you’re a first time buyer, you’re probably better off going to somebody who knows the product. A local gun dealer will know firearms and local laws and will also know the local availability of classes and ranges. Good points. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/45 "2013-01-11T19:32:28Z")
Also, I thought I’d address a point of the OP that I don’t think hasn’t yet. Don’t ask the police. They’ll probably tell you not to get a gun, period, just to “let them handle any problems” and they probably don’t have any more experience with home defense type weapons than anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/46 "2013-01-11T20:09:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > What with a child, I’d think you couldn’t keep a firearm away from him and still get to it quickly. > [@Sattua](#): > > **I’m not a gun owner,** so I’m just spitting the digested conclusions of other threads like this one, but something that always stuck in my mind was the recommendation to have a pump-action shotgun for home defense, because nine times out of ten, all you have to do is make it go ka-chung ka-chung and the intruder will leave. Really? Why not just put that sound on your Ipod and push play when someone breaks in. Let us know how that went.:rolleyes: This is why you don’t ask firearms questions on a general board. There are some very smart people here, but this topic seems to bring out, well, everyone else. Obtaining and using a gun is a serious responsibility, and your questions should be addressed to a trained professional, not idiots who just want to join in and be noticed. As a certified firearms instructor, I am always happy to answer questions such as yours so that you will be properly informed. Please see this linkArtemis gave, and see my post. That way I won’t have to re-type anything. There are some members here with the knowledge you seek, and then there are others. Since this is a deadly serious topic, I urge you to seek an instructor or two near you and let them guide you instead of trying to determine which of us is which. You may PM me for further information if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/47 "2013-01-11T20:18:20Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > I wholly disagree with everyone in this thread who suggested anything but first taking a firearm safety or basic pistol class. This is good advice. But I don’t think it’s \*absolutely mandatory \*that a gun owner take such a class. I bought my first rifle 12 years ago, and I learned to use it all on my own. A number of books helped. My favorite was _The Art of the Rifle_ by Jeff Cooper. Learned a lot from that. In lieu of professional training, a trusted and experienced friend or family member can often suffice. > [@thatguyjeff](#): > > Find out and enroll in a firearms safety or basic pistol class in your area. > 2. Go from there. Good advice on taking a safety class. But I would \*never \*suggest a handgun as a “go to” weapon for home defense. If a Bad Guy is trying to get in my house (or they’re already in my house), I would never grab a handgun. This is because handguns _ **suck** _, for the most part; they’re inaccurate and underpowered. I am going to grab a long gun, either a shotgun or rifle. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/48 "2013-01-11T20:21:55Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Not to pick on you but in these types of threads someone always comes in to spout this nonsense, mainly because they think it sounds cool and it’s what they’ve seen on TV. Then one of the knowledgeable gun owner/user has to correct it. Next time please don’t bother. > > On the other hand the point about having to possibly deal with wildlife is a good one. I’m not a gun expert, but my general sense is that having a gun to “intimidate” is a bad idea. You’d be much better off hiring a foley artist to make noises around your house all night. And forget “wounding”. You aren’t Buffalo Bill, Wild West trick draw artist. If you plan on using a gun for home defense, it’s pretty much an all-in thing. Like once you have identified a threat (important, by the way), plan on squeezing off shots center o’ mass untill the threat is no longer moving or you are out of bullets. Also, a Mossberg tactical shotgun might be a bit powerful and unweildy to be blasting around the inside of your house. You might be better off with a Glock or similar 9mm or .45 handgun 9mm. Assuming the OP isn’t a mentally deranged ex-felon drug addict of course. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/49 "2013-01-11T20:30:00Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Good advice on taking a safety class. But I would \*never \*suggest a handgun as a “go to” weapon for home defense. If a Bad Guy is trying to get in my house (or they’re already in my house), I would never grab a handgun. This is because handguns _ **suck** _, for the most part; they’re inaccurate and underpowered. I am going to grab a long gun, either a shotgun or rifle. A shotgun or a rifle is a horrible thing to clear a house with. Too long and unweildy. Why do you think the military made their weapons shorter? I always see people recommending shotguns for home defense. Unless you are totally confident and experienced in their use it is the worst choice. Long, heavy, awkward and unless you get a semi hard to opperate under stress unless properly trained. And a novice will be scared of the kick. My advice is to find a range or a Rod and Gun Club that will let you try out different weapons. The best weapon for your purpose is the one you are most comfortable with. And then shoot shoot shoot. Go to the range with it until using it becomes second nature. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/50 "2013-01-11T20:47:10Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > And then there’s option C: don’t lock anything up. That’s what I do. We have three children, and it’s never been a problem. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/51 "2013-01-11T22:49:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > A shotgun or a rifle is a horrible thing to clear a house with. Too long and unweildy. Why do you think the military made their weapons shorter? I always see people recommending shotguns for home defense. Unless you are totally confident and experienced in their use it is the worst choice. Long, heavy, awkward and unless you get a semi hard to opperate under stress unless properly trained. And a novice will be scared of the kick. First of all, I would guess that 95% of gun owners do not have the faintest idea on how to properly clear a house. It is a specialized skill that requires many hours of specialized training. (The only people I know who possess this skill are a few LEOs.) So practically speaking, I do not think that having a long gun would be a detriment for your typical homeowner who is trying to clear his house. Secondly, a homeowner should never try to go out and clear their home with a weapon unless they \*absolutely \*have to (e.g. children are sleeping downstairs). It is \*always \*a much better strategy to hide in a bedroom or bathroom and let the Bad Guy **come to you**. After he opens the door, and you positively identify him as a BG, you blast away… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/52 "2013-01-11T23:21:16Z")
My Concealed Carry instructor was a former cop and member of the SWAT team. He really stressed that you never go looking for someone in your house. Gather your family in a secure place. Shut the door and wait with the gun drawn and safety off. Bad guy comes in then shoot. It really is a last resort action. We were even told to keep on driving if we arrive home and see the door open. Or people in the house. Just keep on driving down the street and call 911. Let the cops earn their pay and handle it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/53 "2013-01-11T23:45:22Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Secondly, a homeowner should never try to go out and clear their home Good Lord, no. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/54 "2013-01-12T00:05:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > We were even told to keep on driving if we arrive home and see the door open. Or people in the house. Just keep on driving down the street and call 911. Let the cops earn their pay and handle it. If only that were common wisdom among gun owners, we would have no need for Stand Your Ground laws. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/55 "2013-01-12T00:14:52Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If only that were common wisdom among gun owners, we would have no need for Stand Your Ground laws. It’s the other way around, actually. If everyone who owned a gun had that common wisdom, Stand Your Ground laws wouldn’t be problematic. Stand Your Ground laws just mean that I don’t _have_ to retreat from a confrontation if I’m in a place where I have a legal right to be. But anyone with a lick of common sense will in fact retreat if they safely can, because who in their right mind wants to risk getting involved in a gunfight?! Same thing when it comes to clearing my house. I have a legal right to do it - but I’m not that stupid. Even police, who receive special training on how to clear buildings, always try to do it in teams, and they are the first ones to tell you how hellaciously dangerous that job is. Guns are for when a violent confrontation is unavoidable. In any other situation, putting your feet into high gear is much the best option. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/56 "2013-01-12T01:33:17Z")
I suppose there’s some truth to the notion of some Rambo wannabe charging downstairs to spray bullets at some punks trying to steal his stereo system, as opposed to holing up in your bedroom with your shotgun and calling the cops. But what if you hear a crash downstairs? Is that the punks trying to steal your stereo or the cat knocking a plate off the shelf again? Are the you going to call the cops to check it out? After 5 calls that turn out to be the cat and some punks break in how long is it going to take the cops to come out at time number 6? Maybe you’re not willing to defend your stereo with deadly force, but what if the punks go to your kids’ bedroom instead of yours where you’re waiting with the shotgun. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856/57 "2013-01-12T01:35:48Z")
Not every shotgun is long. I’ve got one that’s pretty short and still legal. You can get real short ones if you fill out the right forms, like this one. [http://www.serbu.com/top/superShorty.php](http://www.serbu.com/top/superShorty.php) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-question-for-gun-owners-not-political/646856.md?page=2)