Guns, I know a beat to death topic

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PatrioticStabilist

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I am getting a little concerned about all this civil unrest.  Most of the way I will drive and where I'm staying near the Woodlands I have no safety concerns.  Going from here in southern Indiana to Houston only about one city I'm concerned about, never stop there anyway.  But I get a little nervous around Memphis, I stay either north of it or south of it. Only concern I had in the past was possible theft.

I had quit taking a gun as things were pretty good but I'm thinking this trip I may go back to taking my 32 Colt and a shotgun.  I can lock the handgun in my small fireproof box I carry Sue Anne and my medicine in.  The shotgun can just go under the couch. Tom laughs at me, I have a fillet knife in my drivers side pocket, that thing would slice a vein in short order and then there is my tire "knocker", it has steel on the end of it.  He said when have you ever had a problem traveling, never, but I'm older, its Sue Anne and I and even though I likely will never need it I may take them.

One thing in our favor is the motorhome is big, unless I was camped someplace it would be fairly difficult to get into and if there was trouble I could just keep driving.  So I tear it up, better that then us getting hurt.

So are you folks changing anything with what is happening right now?

Am I being silly? 
 
What difference does it make if you are "silly" or not in the eyes of others?  If you are uncomfortable and feel the need to carry firearms with you then you should.  With all the media attention to violence, I understand the concerns, but personally I refuse to go through life in a state of fear and worry, especially when you consider the odds of needing a firearm for protection is pretty slim. 
 
I guess my recommendation would be to just avoid areas where you feel uncomfortable.  Memphis can be a stink hole, all right, at least in certain parts of the city.  But, I lived there (in midtown) for several years and somehow managed to survive without a personal arsenal.  Probably my biggest problem these days with Memphis is the lack of decent camping facilities for the "just passing through" travelers.  Consequently, I try to make my overnight stays well before and after.  All that said, I doubt Memphis is any more dangerous for travelers than Houston (lived there, too).
 
I'm not afraid, wouldn't be traveling alone if I were.  And I'm probably just listening to to much faux news scaring people to death. 

We lived around Houston for 20 years so I understand that but we were up north by the Woodlands.  I know some areas we owned rent houses I was going to sell 2 before we decided to move because the former good neighborhoods were deteriorating but I knew where the bad areas were down there and where to stay out of.

I may just take one seems like "overkill" to take more then 1, just one is easier to get out then the other.  Might be better off with pepper spray or something like that.  I don't plan on stopping anyplace and opening my door to anyone that is suspect.

I do have a CC permit.
 
PatrioticStabilist said:
  I can lock the handgun in my small fireproof box I carry Sue Anne and my medicine in. 
Click to expand...

You are not being silly. I have a loaded pistol in my 5vr next to my bed. I don't have any concerns during the day but I do at night especially while traveling. You never know.  The only question I would have with you is why would you lock up your pistol? How long would it take for you to get to it if you needed it in a hurry? I would leave it out but concealed. Maybe in a pocket on the drivers side door and at night, move it to your sleeping quarters.
 
There is no sense in carrying a gun unless you can get to it and use it. And, you need to really think about the use of it. Can you kill another human being?  Can you pull the trigger without hesitation? If you answer "No" to either of the questions, do not carry it. It will just get you in more trouble. Paying attention to your surroundings and avoiding the "gut " feeling of uncomfortable  will do far more good than a gun locked up or one that is taken away from you because you did not use it.

 
As a retired LEO Firearms Instructor I agree with self-protection.

Two things I always advise:

1- Obtaining proper instruction
Under stress you do what you are trained to do.

2- Make "The Decision" before it is time.

What is "The Decision"?
It has nothing to do with Religion.

"The Decision" has to do with searching within yourself and deciding
that you will take a human life, if necessary, to protect your family,
yourself or others. You must make "The Decision" before the need arises.

If the time comes, you may have less than a second to decide.
If you can not decide, you will be the victim due to indecision.

The Firearm is not a noise maker or something to scare someone.
It is for protection.

If you can not do this, Do Not get a firearm for protection.
Target shooting is a great sport.




 
All that would go through my mind as far as hesitation is do I stand here and get killed?  Or do I likely get sued for everything we own if I protect myself.  Fear of shooting someone, no, I must be a hard person I guess, terrified of the consequences of killing or injuring a criminal, yes.

There is more fear now in defending myself then in the act.  Somehow we are giving the criminals the high road.

Perhaps police may be using to much deadly force, but look at the backgrounds of so many of these people.

It's damned if you do and damned if you don't or possibly dead if  you don't.  What a dilemma

I probably won't take them again, I fear the financial consequences of defending ourselves.

 
Use "critical defense"  ammo,, you want only ONE story told.>>>Dan ( .40 cal. Beretta storm- Sig Saure .45 cal.- Ruger redhawk .44 mag (yes it comes with wheels)
 
You raise interesting questions.

A major part of the "Proper Training" is know what is justified.
State laws vary from Stand your ground, The Castle Doctrine,
to you have to retreat to the furthest corner of your own home
if a home invasion occurred.

The time tested justification is being in fear of your life.

Civil suites can be brought by anyone. That does not mean
they will win. A homeowner will turn it over to his Home Owner
Insurance company. I am not sure if any RV insurance company
would defend you. Then you would get into counter suites.
Several states have instituted laws at do do not allow suites against
people who legally defend themselves. Some have not.

You mentioned PD use of deadly force.
Officers are trained to fire two shots at center mass, 3 button on the shirt.
Reassess the situation and fire again if needed, Always a series of 2 shots, known
as a double tap. The arm, leg, hand shots on TV are just that. TV action.
Studies have shown many aslant were not stopped by one or two shots.
There are too many variables to count on one shot naturalizing the assault.

It can be a difficult decision.
Take time to carefully way your options and true feelings.

 
My feeling is I'd rather be alive and possibly in prison than dead and on the wrong side of the grass.  ;D
 
There is always someone who says the chances of getting into a situation to protect yourself is similar to being stranded in snow in southern CA. I used to think that way. Two years ago, I stopped at a rest stop in southern Ohio at 2am. Nature calls. I was approached by two gentlemen walking a large breed dog. They "suggested" I give them my wallet and truck keys, so they don't turn their dog on me. I "suggested", if they do, they will need to get a new dog. The discussion abruptly ended. Unfortunately, there are times. Good for you, if you never experienced any of the building violence.

I do have my CCL.
 
Rene T said:
My feeling is I'd rather be alive and possibly in prison than dead and on the wrong side of the grass.  ;D
Click to expand...
Really?  I'm afraid I'd have to weigh that at my age.  Most any prison sentence for me now would be effectively a life sentence and I think I'd rather be "on the wrong side of the grass" in that case.  I realize self preservation is a powerful instinct, but how one lives after "preserved" bears some weight for me.
 
    Carolyn, my question to you knowing that Sue Ann is challenged, is what would she do if she picked up a loaded gun?  Everyday there seems to another press release about an accidental shooting, and while we all may think that we wouldn't be so careless, could you live with yourself if anything happened, or does she know enough to leave it alone.

Ed
 
Although I have a concealed carry permit, I rarely carry a gun.  When I took the concealed carry course a number of years ago, the instructor  talked about situation awareness.  Are you aware of whats going on around you?  If the situation doesn't look OK to you , it probably isn't.  If it doesn't look right, don't stop. As you come out of a grocery store, do you look around to see if anything look threatening?  If so, go back into the store.  If you buy a loaf of bread, take a shopping cart.  You can keep that between you and a stranger walking up to you.  I'm not saying it will adddress every situation, but it is easy to become complacent, not pay attention to your surroundings, etc.
 
Having a CCW for many years, and valid in many states, my weapon is next to my keys.  Never leave home without it.
 
I carried it before in a set of drawers we put in where the TV used to be.  I could reach it easily.  I have been reading that you really need to keep it locked up so that's why I was considering that.  This is an older one my mom had, small, very simple to use, no safety.  Tom said if I take it be sure and have the hammer resting on an empty cylinder.  We have several other kinds but this is one of the smaller ones.  We have a very nice Ruger I think it is, its my sons but it is hard for be to pull back on.

Sue Anne is terrified of guns, she wouldn't touch it, I'm not worried about that. 
 
The issues of guns is mixed... There have been occasions where a gun, in the hands of a responsible owner, has made a change for the better.

There have been cases where the owner was not responsible.

There have been cases where the bad guy got the gun away from the good guy with a very bad result (Dead good guy).

One of the concerns I have is this:  If you pull a gun to defend yourself, you have to be both able and ready to USE it (Aim true and fire)..

Now ... As it happens, I believe I could do that, and get a good night's sleep after.

Which,, is the major reason, I do not have a gun.

If this post sounds a bit confused.... Well... yes.. I do admit to being confusing (if not a bit confused) on this issue.

(For your info I worked with a large number of folks with guns, (police), and I was very happy to let the sworn officers carry the guns... I have often thought about a CCW permit,  but this is a side effect of what happens if I'm having lunch with a friend and HE has a medical issue and his weapon needs to be transported, than owning and packing myself.
 
Well, mine is loaded and in the console of the truck and beside me in bed if I feel I am in a bad area....however, I am fully aware of situational awareness and rarely stop where I feel it might be needed, with that said, what if you break down on some lonely road??

I was approached in a hotel parking lot in the Denver area, they said give me your money, I said hang on a second, my wallet is in the truck and came out with the pistol....needless to say it was over in a second and they managed to spend at least one evening in a nice warm cell. Both by the way were armed but neither had pulled their weapon and had no opportunity once I had the jump on them and a kind passerby called 911 while I told them to stand still. The police frisked them when they arrived and discovered their handguns.

Yes there was some explaining to do, but I still have my wallet and life, it made a difference.

My suggestion is don't approach me or my truck or my 5er in a threatening way....

BTW - the gun is of no good locked up...loaded and nearby is the only reason to have one!


Watching your surroundings will almost guarantee your safety!

Good Luck.

Jim
 
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