Wisdom on gun purchase please?

YanmarFever · Jun 18, 2004

Richard
I have walked in your shoes before. My wife & I built a new home on a dead end road just to move 3 yrs later. (we cried for a month) we gave up our dream home We had the problems with crazy neighbors too.Between their mouths, guns & lawyers we decided to move on our lawyers advise. It got so bad that we expected to come home to a pile of ashes many times.I am what you would consider a combat handgunner & our lawyer said that in court they would clean us out if I took any action. In other words it was (cheaper to move) sooo.. we did and we are better off for it.
We spoke with the sherrif about it & they are aware of the situation so that if these low lifes ever set foot on our new property it wont be pretty !! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Sometimes moving does cure the problem. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

**** please substitute the word SNAKE for lawyer in the above story /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Ozarker · Jun 18, 2004

( Things are looking up Richard.

Frankly, I feel a gun available is useless for protection unless it is always in your hand which it never will be.

Egon )

Following that logic..........a tractor is useless for working unless your butt is always in the seat.

A gun is a tool just like all the other tools you have. It doesn't have to be in your hand 24/7. It just has to be accessible when needed.

higgy · Jun 18, 2004

Bill G;

Do you yahoo?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

kensfarm · Jun 18, 2004

I think before you buy a gun.. you can make yourself & family feel safer by securing your house. Heat & motion detection spotlights.. extra locks for windows.. good solid doors.. and reinforced door locks w/ deadbolts. Security System.. more $ but you can also get the monitoring service.

A gun is only good if you have the time to have it in hand and ready to protect.. the extra security around and on your house will give you the extra time you need to help protect your family and call 911.

Instead of worrying about multiple guns.. I would try & keep it simple.. a handgun that you & the misses are comfortable with.. and going to the safety training course together.

My personal favorite is my Dual Action 10mm S&W in stainless.. some hot loads & multiple distance targets.. just talking about it makes me want to do some target shooting.

higgy · Jun 18, 2004

My folks had to do the same thing and move when the new "people" moved in next door. It is odd how at times the law seem incapible of doing the correct thing. These "people" ruined the lives of 3 families in the area and all of them had to move to get away from the repugnant "people". The law officials could/would do nothing to help in the siuation. Funny huh? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Bird · Jun 18, 2004

( As far as guns I would keep it simple. A nice pump would be a Remington 870. Very reliable, cheap, and easy to use. For a handgun I like a revolver. A .38 is a nice handgun that has some knockdown power and is light enough to handle easily and doesn't have alot of kick. )

My sentiments, exactly. During my years in law enforcement, we had several different brands and models of .12 gauge shotguns (one in every patrol car), but eventually standardized everything to the Remington 870; very reliable and easy for everyone to operate.

And while I liked target shooting with automatics, I prefer the reliability and simplicity of the revolver.

Interesting timing of this thread. I haven't carried a weapon since retiring and when Texas first passed the concealed handgun licensing statute, a retired officer had to pay some private instructor to take the classes, etc., just as if he'd never seen a gun before or never heard of the laws before, making it simple enough, but a bit expensive and time consuming to get a license. They later changed that so that a retiring officer could get the license at a reasonable price if he/she applied at the time of, or within some very brief period of time after, retirement. So I would still would have had to start from scratch and spend a considerable amount of time and money.

Then the first of this week, I was informed of another recent change in the state statutes, so that retired officers can obtain the license at a reasonable cost anytime after retirement, provided they were honorably retired after 20 or more years, have an ID card so showing, pass a criminal history check, etc. and qualify on the department's pistol range every two years. So . . ., I got a new ID card yesterday. The old one just said "retired Captain" and the new on, with much fancier graphics, etc. says "Rank: Captain" and on another line "Honorably retired after 24 years." /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Now I've got to go to the range and qualify on the 14th of next month. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

And to the other Richard (original poster), I don't know anything about the process in Tennessee but know they have the licensing since Tennessee is one of the states with which Texas has a reciprocal agreement. That's something licensed carriers should be aware of if they travel outside their home, or licensing, state. To the best of my knowledge, Texas currently only has reciprocal agreements with 7 other states.

I also learned this week that there is what I suspect will be a very controversial bill (H.R. 218 in the House and S.253RS in the Senate) that will permit licensed retired, as well as active, law enforcement officers to carry in any state without regard to that state's laws.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 18, 2004

"please substitute the word SNAKE for lawyer in the above story"

My daughter became a lawyer last month.

You got good advice and were able to avoid ongoing legal fees and potential criminal liability by following that advice yet you disparage not only the person who gave it but the entire profession as well.

It leads me to wonder who the problem really was on that dead end road. If you were there first, you should have bought more land to have created more of a buffer for yourself.

If they were there first it would seem to me that it would have been incumbent on you to exercise due diligence and see what your neighbors were like before you built your "dream house" next door to them. Just some food for thought.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 18, 2004

I like the simplicity of a revolver, too. Some of the urban element around here refer to them as 'sure shots' for obvious reasons. They fire when you want them to. I think that's a top criteria for a handgun, especially a concealed carry piece.

I'd think something like a .38 or .38/.357 would be a good way to go. I like the .38/.357 because I can have the added stopping power of the .357 and still use the less expensive .38 ammunition for practice.

If you're actually intending to carry a handgun then weight and comfort will be major considerations. Make sure you get something that isn't so big or so heavy that you won't carry it. That defeats the purpose entirely.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

MossRoad · Jun 18, 2004

Richard,
At least you are going about the thought process in a calm manner and haven't rushed out and purchased, yet. I commend you for that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As for your questions about which shotgun and pistol; if I were arming my home I would choose one of the combo 12GA pump shotguns that you can buy at most sporting goods stores. They have all sorts of packages that offer two different barrels, pistol grips, scopes, etc... The advantage is you could use a shotgun like that for effective home defense and sporting activities, which is much more enjoyable, and also gives you lots of practice with the weapon. Who knows, maybe you will enjoy hunting or target shooting. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I like a short barreled shotgun better for home defense than a pistol. Just a personal preference. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

For a pistol for concealed carry, I would choose a 357 revolver in a small frame with a short barrel.

For just plain fun and plinking at a reasonable cost, you can't beat a 22LR. Revolvers, semi-autos, rifles, bolt action, etc... in 22LR offer great fun at cheap prices. There are so many to choose from and they all can take the same round. I think there a few folks here on TBN that like that affordable fun, too. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Then, as others have stated... practice, practice, practice on a frequent basis or it won't be an automatic reaction when an emergency happens.

As for moving... tough call. We use to live in a "bad neighborhood". We bought property out in the country. After we purchased, we found out all 3 homes across the highway have been broken into and one older gentleman was mugged on his front porch. It is a reality that bad people have cars and will travel. Doesn't mean you have to put yourself in harms way, though and certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't defend yourself. With that said, my personal #1 rule of survival is to avoid the confrontation if at all possible. Run away fast. If you see bad people with guns on your property, run in the house, dive in the basement, call the police and cling to your gun in case the police don't arrive in time. Do not confront them. Do not step on the porch and chamber a round in front of them. Do not pass go, etc... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif You have your no trespassing signs and a fence. They know they shouldn't be there. They have no reason to be there. They should expect a visit from the law if they make that decision. Just my two pennies. Good luck in your decisions. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

RanchMan · Jun 18, 2004

Bird -

To the best of my knowledge, Texas currently only has reciprocal agreements with 7 other states.

It's 9, not 7. They are: North Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Arizona, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Wyoming.