At 04:36 PM 1/12/01 -0700, you wrote:
>i've never owned a gun before, though i've shot them.
>as a young man, i have a certain fascination with guns(compressed power,
>basically) but i'm also a little leery of them.
>
>but it seems that some on this list see self defense as impractical
>without one(i originally continued studying martial arts for similar
>reasons..) so it seems i must be interested in defending myself. and i'm
>wondering what people in this thread think of whether someone like me
>ought to get aquainted with firearms, and/or purchase one. any suggestions
>would be welcome, with an addendum to my personality that i would rather
>save up and buy a nice solid item, than start with a "newbie" item and
>have to ugrade later. i'm thinking that would hold true for firearms as
>well, but don't know enough about them to make an informed decision.
>
>justin
I would recommend that everyone become at least comfortable with guns.
Knowledge is never a bad thing. After you learn to shoot, it is hard to
fall victim to the mindless millions who demonize guns - you will know
better. Safety training is a must, of course.
The gun is the great equalizer for those persons who cannot spend years
becoming proficient at martial arts. To learn pistol well enough for self
defense is a matter of weeks, not years. Handicapped persons can use a
handgun when they are confined to a wheelchair, for instance. The mere
demonstration that one is prepared to use deadly force to defend oneself is
often sufficient to end a threatening situation - especially where there
are many attackers, such as a gang attack in an urban area.
Most large urban areas have a pistol range or three, and most of these
offer rentals of popular models. Some have training classes regularly, or
can get you in touch with NRA certified instructors.
I would recommend a .22 revolver or pistol as a first personal gun. It's
not the best thing for self defense, but you will learn the basics, and the
ammo is dirt cheap. For personal defense, I would recommend at least a .38
caliber revolver, or a 9mm pistol, as the minimum that gives real "stopping
power" against an attacker. Beware of "cheap" brands, such as Lorcin or
Jennings - they tend to fall apart and become unsafe in short order.
Happy shooting!
Chuck Kuecker
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon May 28 2001 - 09:56:18 MDT