Just a simply question on guns

[cattails]

I read Darrell's thread on changing the grip and it got me to thinking. I have a question for all that carry guns and I don't mean this as demeaning. Are you really ready to pull your gun and shoot someone, kill someone? Or are you pulling your gun to demonstrate a show of force? Are you really prepared to take a life? I am a Vietnam Vet and I own no guns, my choice, everyone is different. I don't support gun control as the Obama adm. seems to want to take guns away period. I support the right to bare arms, but there is a limit to what arms. The M-16 that I carried, on full auto would empty a clip in seconds, today the military 16 I believe shoots 4 round burst (I could be wrong). Just wondering for those that have/carry side arms are you ready to use them and live with what follows. I understand law enforcement officers carrying weapons and are trained, just wondering about the general public. You pull a gun against someone that has a gun and don't fire, it could get you killed, can you really pull the trigger? What I do is by choice and what I did was not by choice but a "it's you or me". Just wondering, are you prepared to mentally carry out the taking of a life and live with it? Or the legal issues that may follow. Hey I am not knocking any one that carries a gun, I do what I do by choice, but have you really thought it through?

[jazyd]

Carl. I don't own a pistol, my choice. Because of a long trip away from home right after I started working on the road in sales I wasn't used to being in a strange room or bed. The first night home while asleep my wife got up to go to the bathroom, I that type sleep that my mind was awRe vaguely of what was happening but still somewhat asleep I felt someone had gotten into my hotel room. When she started to get in bed I attacked her to save my life. Her screaming, dog barking, me trying to hir her while tangled in sheets, I finally became wide awake. While talking about it afterward it is somewhat hilarious, I realize I could have shot her if I had a pistol.

But I own many shotguns and rifles and yes I would shoot someone if they were threatening me or anyone else. I have thought thru it many times and I am prepared mentally to take a life of anyone threatening my family. We keep a shotgun at deer camp with buckshot right next to it in case of trouble

I don't have a permit to carry, but have thought about it as the world gets nuttier. As more "producers" become fewer and more takers become more número use there is no doubt in my mind my children and possibly you and I, will see riots in this country. Throw in the flood of illegals, terrorists, you should get at least a 12 gauge with a box of buckshot handy

[Darrell KSR]

I'm not going to go into it, but I've had a legitimate threat with US Marshalls advising me to protect myself the best way I could. That threat may be attenuated, I hope, now.

To answer your question, I haven't had to draw the weapon and when I do, it will be to protect my family and me. Although I'm a Republican, conservative in many areas, my conservative friends call me a bleeding heart liberal in partial jest, but there's some truth to it. I do not believe in capital punishment, for example. So for me to tell you that when I draw it the reason is to protect and its life, or death, I think says a lot. Although it will be a horribly traumatic event, I will kill someone who poses a threat to us, and have a clear conscience with it. It will be in self defense, and I have full faith in the Justice system that I won't have any issues with what I do. I am a reasonable person, with common sense, and act accordingly. I trust in the good Lord that He will protect me as I protect myself and my family.

[suncat05]

For my part, there wouldn't be any hesitation. When a suspect who I later found out had a long & lengthy violent criminal history pulls a sawed-off shotgun from under a long coat out on me during a shoplifting theft, I wasn't left with any choice. When I was working drug suppression in the Army a suspect stabbed me during a buy. I'm still here. Short firefights in central America and in Beirut while in the Army have also happened.

Way before I was in the Army or in law enforcement, I lived with a young woman. She became ill and had to be hospitalized for a couple of days. The first night she was gone, I was awakened by my dog, which was barking in a very loud and agitated manner. And then I heard her yelp, as if something had happened to her. As I turned over in the bed and faced the bedroom door, I saw someone standing in the bedroom doorway. I took my. 357 magnum from under my pillow and shot at whoever it was twice. Whoever it was fled, and although I was able to follow a blood trail to an empty parking space over at the end of the adjoining apartment building, that's where the trail ended. I called the JCPD and filed a report. No one turned up in any of the local hospitals.
I was awakened in the middle of the night by an uninvited intruder. He injured my dog, and made me fear for my safety inside my home. I felt that my life was in danger and I shot at him. The police and the Commonwealth's Attorney agreed with me and said my actions were reasonable and prudent.

It's either me or them, and I am ALWAYS for me. I fully intend to see and enjoy my grandchildren before I have to stand tall before St. Peter.

[cattails]

Skip, Darrell I understand your point of view and I understand, I don't disagree. I have a friend that was a ranger special forces, he had hand to hand combat kills, did 3 tours in Vietnam. I think to this day it still bothers him and Kenny is I guess in his early 70s now, I know he saved my bacon once. My problem with a gun is I don't know if I would think twice about using one, it changes you and your idea of fighting. I have not been in any kind of physical fight since I was released from the service. My biggest fear is I wouldn't try to hurt someone, I would try to take them out, that scares me, I really don't know if I could control myself. I am not a violent person at all, I really enjoy people and words do not have an affect on me, you can call me what ever names you like LOL, but don't hit me, it's like a trigger. My wife and I have been married almost 40 years now and I have never laid a hand on her, she is the love of my life and my best friend (doesn't hurt she loves the Wildcats). She used to play around and lightly punch me on the shoulder, when she did I could feel that spark, told her so many times please don't do that and she hasn't for years. We were trained to shoot center mass, a M-16 bullet tumbles and will come out in another location. My advise is if you have to shoot someone shoot them in the leg if you are good enough shot. I have a few friends that were snipers, a different breed, they take down targets not people, they dehumanize themselves. That is something I could never do and one of my friends (same age) is disabled because of the effect of Vietnam as forward recon, tunnel rat and sniper, they would have to break my legs to get me into one of those tunnels. Don't get me wrong, I didn't have it so bad in Vietnam, I was not in harms way that often but was there for the TET offensive the north put on the south, no one was safe during that. I guess what I am saying is it is easy to say you will use a gun, than it is to pull that trigger, once you have, you have to live with it the rest of your life and it is life changing. Just hope neither of you ever have to do that.

[cattails]

For my part, there wouldn't be any hesitation. When a suspect who I later found out had a long & lengthy violent criminal history pulls a sawed-off shotgun from under a long coat out on me during a shoplifting theft, I wasn't left with any choice. When I was working drug suppression in the Army a suspect stabbed me during a buy. I'm still here. Short firefights in central America and in Beirut while in the Army have also happened.

Way before I was in the Army or in law enforcement, I lived with a young woman. She became ill and had to be hospitalized for a couple of days. The first night she was gone, I was awakened by my dog, which was barking in a very loud and agitated manner. And then I heard her yelp, as if something had happened to her. As I turned over in the bed and faced the bedroom door, I saw someone standing in the bedroom doorway. I took my. 357 magnum from under my pillow and shot at whoever it was twice. Whoever it was fled, and although I was able to follow a blood trail to an empty parking space over at the end of the adjoining apartment building, that's where the trail ended. I called the JCPD and filed a report. No one turned up in any of the local hospitals.
I was awakened in the middle of the night by an uninvited intruder. He injured my dog, and made me fear for my safety inside my home. I felt that my life was in danger and I shot at him. The police and the Commonwealth's Attorney agreed with me and said my actions were reasonable and prudent.

It's either me or them, and I am ALWAYS for me. I fully intend to see and enjoy my grandchildren before I have to stand tall before St. Peter.

suncat, that is where your head is at, that is what you were trained to do, that is your daily life, it is very normal for you, it is your job, you are geared that way. But the average person is not geared that way, you have the experience of combat and even in your job today it is still like being prepared for combat. I left that over 40 years ago, 68 and 69, but I still have the training and the real experience. If I had the tool (gun) I believe it would be a natural reflex, for that reason I don't have a gun. Each to their own, this is my choice and I am by no means judging anyone who carries a gun or has them. May be I'll just stay close to someone packing. :4chsmu1:

[KeithKSR]

With the way our society is deteriorating there may be a lot more people wishing the were armed.

[Doc]

I read Darrell's thread on changing the grip and it got me to thinking. I have a question for all that carry guns and I don't mean this as demeaning. Are you really ready to pull your gun and shoot someone, kill someone? Or are you pulling your gun to demonstrate a show of force? Are you really prepared to take a life? I am a Vietnam Vet and I own no guns, my choice, everyone is different. I don't support gun control as the Obama adm. seems to want to take guns away period. I support the right to bare arms, but there is a limit to what arms. The M-16 that I carried, on full auto would empty a clip in seconds, today the military 16 I believe shoots 4 round burst (I could be wrong). Just wondering for those that have/carry side arms are you ready to use them and live with what follows. I understand law enforcement officers carrying weapons and are trained, just wondering about the general public. You pull a gun against someone that has a gun and don't fire, it could get you killed, can you really pull the trigger? What I do is by choice and what I did was not by choice but a "it's you or me". Just wondering, are you prepared to mentally carry out the taking of a life and live with it? Or the legal issues that may follow. Hey I am not knocking any one that carries a gun, I do what I do by choice, but have you really thought it through?

I'm like you. I don't own a weapon and have no desire to own one. However I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. My daughter owns a gun as does her boyfriend, both who live in my home, so against my better judgement we do have weapons in our house. The youngest resident in the home is my 16 years old son. He has been warned repeatedly that they are off limits and the guns are to be locked up at all times.

I would say that if it came down to it, could I or would I kill somebody to protect my family? Damn sure I would. Might mess me up mentally but you can be damn sure I would.

[bigsky]

I am prepared to use it. It's a mean old world.

I am also prepared not to use it as I showed when I didn't shoot the kids running thru my house or the cop chasing them in the middle of the night.

[dan_bgblue]

I would say that if it came down to it, could I or would I kill somebody to protect my family? Damn sure I would. Might mess me up mentally but you can be damn sure I would.

Thanks Doc, that saved me some typing.

I do own weapons, both for hunting and for personal protection. I have truly thought about shooting someone in self defense for many years, and I keep coming up with the same answer. I will not attack someone with out provocation but if I am sure of intent from another person that can kill or harm me or my family, I figure that we deserve to live more than the scum bag that is bringing the fight to us unprovoked. I am comfortable with that, and do not believe I will have any remorse at all after pulling the trigger.

[JasonNorin]

I don't carry a gun because I don't know how to sleep at night knowing you've taken someone's life.. even if it is self defense. Just my thoughts, though..