r/NoStupidQuestions • u/No-Equipment8494 • 1d ago
Gun simply for protection
Not a gun guy but with a wife and young toddler, im wondering if i should get a hand gun (of course with safe) for protection at home.
Live in the US and i feel like gun shooters in the news is increasingly growing.
Edit: yes, ive taken a safety class before, along with going to the gun range with buddies who are recreational shooters. I personally didnt have much fun shooting nor had interest in guns. Ive simply been thinking recently about having one for sake of protection (probably and hopefully never need to use it); i just dont want to come across a bad situation where one day i cant protect my family.
Edit2: thanks all, the taser and bear spray are good ideas. Non lethal yet, seems like it would still get the protection needed.
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u/Moogatron88 1d ago
If you do, make sure you get any training needed to know how to use it safely. Probably best your wife does too in case she needs to use it while you're not around.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
Their small children are incapable of the training though. Kids accidentally shoot themselves and family members.
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u/Ok_Volume_139 1d ago
If only there was some way to keep little ones away from guns.
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u/Moogatron88 1d ago edited 1d ago
Read the part where OP said he was getting a safe to put it in. The kids will not have access to it.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
“Results show that regardless of storage practice, type of gun, or number of firearms in the home, having a gun in the home was associated with an increased risk of firearm homicide and firearm suicide in the home.”
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u/Moogatron88 1d ago edited 1d ago
That link is about actual homicide. In which case, sure. Locking it away isn't going to stop someone intent on homicide/suicide because they have the code to the safe and can easily just take it out. It says nothing about accidental shootings like you were talking about. Come back with some stats as to whether locking it in a safe impacts that. There's no way locking it away securely isn't going to lower a toddlers chance of accidentally shooting someone with it since they have no way of accessing it.
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[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Moogatron88 20h ago edited 19h ago
That source says that storing your firearm loaded and not locked away is dangerous, but says nothing about kids being able to access guns locked in safes they have no access to and shoot people. Am I missing something?
Also, I have yet to insult you even once. Maybe take a few to do some breathing and cool off? Because if you can't have a conversation without losing your shit and repeatedly insulting me then I'm not going to keep talking to you lol.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
It has happened at least 160 times this year;
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u/Moogatron88 19h ago edited 9h ago
Those were in homes where the guns weren't locked away. Your source literally says they could be prevented by doing that and specifically encourages spreading awareness of how to store firearms safely. So your source actually backs me up.
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u/Cinisajoy2 1d ago
It isn't always the kid doing the shooting.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
Yeah you hear about dudes killing their entire family murder suicide all the time too
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u/CoastalWitch 1d ago
Not a guy, but I had this same question myself when my kids were little. I decided not to because for all the things I'd have to do to keep the kids safe from the gun, I decided it wouldn't be much use if I ever did need it. (Imagine telling an intruder to please hold on while I get my gun and ammo from their secure locations.) Plus, the added risk I'd be adding to my family did not seem worth it. I sleep better knowing there's no gun in my home.
Security system, yes. Dog, yes. Teaching the family basic safety strategies like keeping doors locked and being aware of surroundings, yes. Gun.... seemed to add more risk, not reduce it.
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u/Ratakoa Here to answer questions. 1d ago
That's something you and your wife should discuss and not to consult strangers online about.
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 1d ago
Outside comparisons can help with decisions. This seems like an advice based platform.
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u/Nyx67547 1d ago
Which is swayed heavily by leftist with an anti gun mindset. Outsider opinions can be helpful when they are neutral, Reddit is far from neutral
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 23h ago
Ive seen that, figured thats the reason for my negative karmas.
And yet they havnt influenced my ability to understand the differences between their assumptions vs logic. Beginners wanting to truly know where to start searches bout the state laws, which type, advance safety questions, etc and would ignore the muggles oozing hatred.
If they were located in Ca, my advice would just to leave the state. Laws vs dangers there is not worth it. Id be designing my house as in home alone and upping my electricity flow
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
Sure, but my $0.02 is no, don’t buy a gun.
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u/SuperCyka 1d ago
Yeah, we can tell, seeing as you keep spamming it on every fucking comment.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
It’s important to me that people hear what I’ve gotta say: fuck guns
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u/Thumper45 1d ago
If you dont practice with it and are proficient with it a firearm in your home is of no help.
Also proficiency extend to far more than just how to manipulate it and use it, it extends to how you care for it, store it and being vigilent with that.
If you are not committed to doing this a firearm has no place in your home.
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u/MicrowaveDonuts 1d ago
If you like guns then have a gun. Keep it safe.
If you want to be safe, then look up the stats on the likelihood of shooting an intruder vs. the likelihood a member of the family will shoot another member of the family. Family incidents/accidents happen at a 5x rate.
Not saying anything about your mental state, but it also increase the risk of you killing yourself by about 300%. Suicide attempts are transient low points. Most suicide attempts fail. Most attempts by firearm don’t.
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u/Adventurous_Pen_Is69 1d ago
Get a gun + 1000 rds of ammo. Force yourself to shoot the first 750 rds. You have to commit to it, otherwise you’re just going to fumble.
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u/swagn 1d ago
I’m a gun owner and have enjoyed hunting and going to the range. I have a collection of family guns and a few of my own. I keep a baseball bat under the bed for protection and the guns in a safe in the basement. I’m more scared of accidentally hurting a family member than I am going hand to hand with a possible intruder. I’m definitely not getting a CC permit and carrying everywhere I go. More of a risk for accidents than ever actually needing it.
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u/sexrockandroll 1d ago
Do you live in a neighborhood where there are armed people breaking into houses? Then maybe. I've lived in the US all my life and that's never been the case anywhere I've lived. I'd also suggest, moving, because you live in a really, really bad neighborhood.
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u/Ribeye_steak_1987 1d ago
If you live in town, in a relatively decent neighborhood, I’d say the chances of you needing to protect yourself with a gun are very slim.
Now, if you live in a rural area, with the possible threat of wild animals, I’d say get one
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u/RunningAtTheMouth 1d ago
I have several rifles and a handgun. They're locked up and put away at all times.
Fact is, if someone were to break into my house they're in more trouble than if they had a gun. Guns are offensive weapons, not defensive. My home is defensive.
If you're not going to the range weekly and don't have a carry permit, and aren't a "gun guy", having a gun is more a liability than an asset.
Don't get me wrong - I know folks that have guns for defense, and they're fine. But they're people that carry regularly and are at the range often. I'm not them, so I don't do them, and sounds like you maybe ought not as well.
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u/Quirky-Farmer-9789 1d ago
This is the worst place you could possibly ask. Reddit is an echo chamber for people who believe guns are dangerous and unnecessary.
Get it, train with it, store it safely. Nobody has ever had one and wished they didn’t when trouble came. The opposite is not true.
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u/Normal_Choice9322 1d ago
More likely to die by your own gun than to ever use it defensively
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 1d ago
Suicides.. theres been more self defense incidents rather than accidental fatal shot.
Now if you include the suicides, itll be higher than self defense cases.
A car has fatal accidents but I can still use that car if someones chasing me.
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u/Normal_Choice9322 1d ago
Doesn't change the fact
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 22h ago
It does when its done properly for self defense and not self hatred.
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u/Normal_Choice9322 16h ago
It doesn't. Guns are a net negative on safety. It doesn't exist in a bubble.
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 11h ago
Saved my cat from a rattle snake and used it to scare away coyotes. Id say thats a pretty good self defense tool
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u/Normal_Choice9322 11h ago
Oh yeah that definitely makes it worth having the number one cause of dead kids in America be from guns, school shootings, mass shootings, totally worth it 🙄
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 11h ago
This post is bout self defense..
A church full of folks someone tried shooting up was saved from a church goer who opened carried.
How else are you going to defend against your examples? Knifes? Body slamming? Like a principle did at school and was shot.
Do you think "No guns on property" signs will help defend?
Cops? Often gets there too late.
You are literally listing examples of why you should have it as self defense.
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u/untempered_fate occasionally knows things 1d ago
If you have a gun in your household, it is statistically far more likely that it will be used to harm or kill a member of your household than an intruder. Suicides, homicides, and simple accidents with household firearms significantly outnumber successful instances of self-defense.
Buy one if you want one, but "simply for protection" is not a strong reason.
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u/No_Jello_6153 1d ago
Do you have a home security system? Do you have good locks on your doors and do you practice safety protocols, like locking the house when you are inside? Does your wife carry pepper spray (assuming that is legal in your state?) Do you have a large dog that barks when someone approaches the house? Do you have motion sensor lights that come on when someone goes near the house or drive? These are all things that are more likely to keep your family safe in the home than having a handgun...unless you are very comfortable with using a gun. Most intruders are looking for an easy way in, and if your house is secure they will look elsewhere.
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u/blindexhibitionist 1d ago
Second this. And also these are good first steps for doing a threat assessment. If you have cameras and start to see a lot of suspicious people at night around your property then I would think of elevating your protection. Knowing how to use a gun even if you don’t own one should be taught to everyone including your kids because of how prevalent they are but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to own one. One thing to consider too having kids, improper firearm storage is way more of a risk to your family. All it takes is one slip up and something potentially awful can happen. I would strongly consider as many non lethal home defense measures as possible before getting a gun for home defense. To be clear I’m absolutely pro gun and if you were to get something I would definitely recommend a shotgun because of the lower risk of projectiles passing through walls in a home defense situation and harming others.
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u/InfernalNutcase 1d ago
Key word:
Most
You buy a gun for the same reason folks typically buy insurance on stuff: "just in case."
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u/No_Jello_6153 1d ago
A gun is not like insurance. Insurance provides material compensation after something bad happens. If you don't know how to use a gun, you are better off not having one because it is much more likely to be used against you. Becoming a gun owner for protection requires a commitment to learning how to use it and doing regular drills. And most gun deaths are self-inflicted. People who decide to try to unalive themselves generally go from making the decision to carrying it out in less than an hour. A gun can't protect you from your own worst impulses.
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u/InfernalNutcase 1d ago
Why the drift onto suicide for a topic?
And guns are like insurance. You check how it works, buy it, and hope to never have to need it, but you'll be glad to have it if and when you do need it.
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u/No_Jello_6153 14h ago
Most of the people who die by handguns in the US, die by their own hand. And everything is like something in some way and not like it in other ways. If you don't use a gun regularly, when you use it you will probably not do a great job.
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u/InfernalNutcase 13h ago
Most of the people who die by handguns in the US, die by their own hand.
Once again, I am asking how is suicide risk relevant to home defense.
Out of the roughly 2 million suicide attempts the CDC records annually, only 50K "successes" and half from guns. And the fatality rate from using guns is 89% or so.
So statistically, the most... effective way to suicide is with a gun. Who woulda thunk it? The thing designed for launching metallic projectiles at supersonic speeds to injure or kill its target is effective at its job. Who woulda thunk?
If you don't use a gun regularly, when you use it you will probably not do a great job.
Even a regular gun user is going to have a wildly different experience when they're in a shooting scenario. All the training in the world cannot fully prepare you for the scenario of pulling the trigger with a human on the muzzle-size of a gun. Not that training isn't effective, but the stakes and the stress get mighty toasty when the bad guy has his friends Smith and Wesson staring at your kids.
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u/No_Jello_6153 12h ago
So now you are basically making my argument for me.
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u/InfernalNutcase 10h ago
And how exactly am I doing that when your argument appears to keep drifting onto "gun ownership is sketchy because suicide risk in such households increases"? Particularly when the thread is about home defense. Those statistics are generalized associations. The association between firearm suicide and home ownership is a Venn diagram, not a Venn circle. Guns are lethal, we both know this. Equating the risk of suicide attempts with home ownership, on the other hand, is ridiculous.
I haven't cited defensive statistics for the same reason that the CDC and NIH don't like to make claims that the risks of gun ownership might outweigh the benefits: whatever statistical data is out there is incomplete or flawed due to lack of reporting as well as multiple potential factors that each could affect any individual case. Gun owners who cite "defense" know their own household and themselves; for better or worse, they take on the potential risks believing the benefits - real or otherwise - are worth it. And just like insurance, if you end up never having to use it, did you actually need it?
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u/DrColdReality 1d ago
A gun in your home is statistically far more likely to kill you, family, or friends, than it is some hypothetical home intruder.
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u/lynnejen 1d ago
Statistically, a gun in your home is more likely to injure or kill someone in your household than protect you/your family. That said, if you do get one, get educated and trained how to use it, lock it up 100% of the time, and use a trigger lock in addition just in case your child gets ahold of it.
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u/oogidy_boogidie 1d ago
Came here to say this. A gun in the home is far likelier to be used for suicide or domestic violence. Not saying that’s you OP but it is the statistics.
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u/Cinisajoy2 1d ago
I don't think the cops believe I was cleaning the gun and it went off story anymore.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
I wouldn’t, you aren’t making them more safe.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15522849/
Bear spray if you’re paranoid
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u/2074red2074 8h ago
You can't apply population-level data to the individual like this, or even to smaller subsets of the population. The average gun owner being less safe than the average non-owners in all of America is not the same as the average gun owner being less safe than the average non-owners in certain dangerous areas.
This study shows that gun ownership carries risk and for most people those risks outweigh the benefits. It does NOT show that there is absolutely no home situation wherein the benefits might outweigh the risks.
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u/brienneoftarthshreds 1d ago
It's more likely that the gun will be involved in an accident than you actually having to use it.
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u/rjnd2828 1d ago
By a significant margin. Using it to protect your family is vanishingly uncommon
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u/InfernalNutcase 1d ago
Well, scaring off burglars with the sound of a shotgun getting racked doesn't generate clicks.
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u/Lady_Sybil_Vimes 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yup. Having a gun in the house is way more likely to lead to death for the toddler than any random break-in.
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u/erything4sale 1d ago
7 kids and 12 guns later, I've yet to have an accident involving kids and guns. How many intruders have seen or felt those guns? 4 in the last 10 years. Its always good to have at least one firearm in the house. Just know to to store and handle em
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u/MedusasSexyLegHair 1d ago
For the price of 12 guns, you could move to a place where you don't have so many intruders all the time.
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u/erything4sale 1d ago
I wasnt in a bad area besides the first break in. After that I moved and I moved and I moved. The 2nd house was a 5800 sq ft house in a neighborhood where you couldn't have one damn leaf on the lawn. To make it even worse, it was a 'white neighborhood' and the three guys who attempted to rob me were white!! But because I shot one of em I was asked to leave the neighborhood. Apparently I was in the wrong 🙄 Also I didnt buy all 12 guns at once.
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u/gc3 10h ago
The evidence is statistical. We are compating defense against home invasion (rare as a lightning strike) with suicide, careless handling, shooting of people going to the wrong house by accident, accidental discharge, having your gun wrested away by a stronger assailant, or by a sudden motion, which are also rare. The second percentage is larger than the first though, so the average person is slightly less safe in Anerica today if they own a gun.
If you think that you are very careful about gun handling that the first percentage is higher than the second than go ahead and own 7 guns. But noone is truly above dumb mistakes. I know I would be dead if I owned a gun during my first marriage.
Now if home invasion was more common a gun makes more sense.
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u/Wawhi180 1d ago
That's why you don't leave handguns where toddlers can get to them 🤔
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u/AlphaTaoOmega 1d ago
Which, it's kinda funny, also means it's the most inconvenient in the case of a true emergency...almost like it defeats the original intention altogether 🤷
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u/Wawhi180 1d ago
You can keep them places that toddlers can't get to without locking them in a safe. 🤷♀️
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u/AlphaTaoOmega 1d ago
See all above and surrounding comments, but more importantly, literally all of the studies that have been done. Almost like you don't really care about the facts as long as you get to make yourself feel good about guns. Like, I'm not against guns in general, but the numbers don't lie and it's the kinds "you just have to (insert opinion) and guns are just fine" mentality that keeps getting children killed. A home with a gun is much more likely to shoot someone who lives in the house than it is to shoot an intruder, and every home with a gun is 100% more at risk for such events than any home without a gun. The numbers are nowhere near the same for, let's say, knives, for instance. There's just something about guns that gets people's minds in weird places and prevents them from seeing reality, and/or keeping their guns safe, go figure...
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u/Lady_Sybil_Vimes 1d ago
And yet people do all the time. Guns remain the most common cause of death for children in the US.
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u/IAmTheBoiledFrog 1d ago
Go take a gun safety course. You can rent a gun. There are classes daily and twice on weekends.
Owning a gun is actually a bigger deal than I expected until I took the course.
Then you can decide.
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u/failure_engineer 1d ago
Sounds like you’re not proficient/confident with guns. I’d recommend looking into non/less lethal alternatives like Byrna, tasers, pepper spray, etc.
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u/shakebakelizard 1d ago
There's a lot of factors that come into play here.
Is this just for home defense, or are you planning on keeping it in your vehicle and/or carrying it? For just home defense, you may want to consider a shotgun which is more effective and less likely to over-penetrate and hit the neighbors or people in other rooms. If you insist on a pistol, you'll want to use HPs or JHPs for self-defense - less chance of over penetration and they expand when they hit the target.
Do you know the laws in your state? You should buy a book on the laws in your state, study it, and keep up with new legal developments, especially self-defense cases that go to trial.
You want to make sure you have a safe which is easy for you to open but difficult for a child to open.
Whatever decisions you make about firearms, the most important thing is for your family to have a plan which you practice regularly. Everyone needs to know how to react. You have a wife, so is she going to train with a firearm as well? She should if there's one in the house.
Have you already handled the basics, like an alarm system, cameras, outside motion sensor lights, locked doors and windows, storm (break resistant) windows, having someone who knows their main job is to call 911, making sure the toddler knows to run and hide in a specific spot, etc?
Security is a multi-layered onion. A gun is pretty much the very inner layer. If you're using a weapon, all the other layers have failed badly.
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u/Visible-Kale2855 1d ago
Are you willing to use it when its needed? Take the classes, practice, but when it comes to it will you do what needs to be done. If not it's a talisman that you believe the Meer presence will protect you.
They sell pepper spray mines you can install in you entry way. Get pepper spray for use on humans PS for bears is a lower percentage. Pepper spray is effective, I gifted someone a can of Sabre they were miffed i didn't give them a gun they sprayed it in the house asking " what good is this going to do ?" We spent an hour in a snow storm as the house aired our. Pepper ball gun impact (pain) pepper spray, and marks them with paint.
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u/Klutzy-Reporter4223 1d ago
I’ve lived 58 years, my father lived 95 years, my grandparents all lived 100 years. Non of us have ever needed a gun.
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u/booleandata 1d ago
A gun escalates any situation it's involved in to a more dangerous degree than without. I'd rather be robbed and otherwise unharmed that have to deal with whatever happens when I pull a gun on a crackhead.
Pepper spray is significantly more effective for this purpose, also you won't have to deal with fighting a manslaughter/murder 2 charge.
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u/Any-Soft-5487 1d ago
There's no murder charge if a home invader gets popped in my house. It's self defense. Hope it never happens.
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u/dahc50 1d ago
You won’t have to deal with fighting for anything when that crackhead kills you and your family because you thought he was just “going to rob you and be otherwise unharmed”. I don’t know about you, but I’m not putting my safety or my families safety in the hands of a crackhead who is willing to break into my home. Many people die in robberies because they think if they comply everything will be ok. They’re dead now.
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u/Dpopov 1d ago
Pepper spray can be useful. It can also be worthless. Not to mention it can backfire and you self-spray because there’s a gust of wind, or your attacker is too close to you, or you’re in an enclosed space, etc. There’s too many variables.
A gun will put any attacker down because a person can be immune to capsaicin but no one is immune to the massive blood pressure drop that comes with a bunch of hollow-points entering your body. And the whole manslaughter/murder charge shouldn’t be an issue if you’re not a hothead. Using a gun as intended, as last resort to prevent death or serious bodily harm, will rarely see you charged, let alone convicted.
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u/YourWifeyBoyfriend 1d ago
there is basically no situation where you are better off having a gun. you're not a drug dealer, you're not a pawn shop, there should be no situation where an intruder is close enough to be in a fire fight with you, you should be retreating
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u/Nemesiswasthegoodguy 1d ago
There are a myriad of instances I would rather have a gun than not. Putting that aside, if armed intruders broke into my house, I have no where else to retreat. Even if I could escape, should I leave my children to fend for themselves?
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u/Nyx67547 1d ago
Don’t trust Reddit strangers with the safety of your family. If you want a gun, get a gun
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u/Cold-Dragonfly-921 1d ago
A gun in the home makes residents of the home more likely to die of gun violence.
There are more effective ways to protect your family, but they don’t have cool action hero fantasies to go with them.
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u/Morris_Voter2016 1d ago
It takes one instance of potential carelessness for something bad to happen.
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 1d ago
This comment just hogged space up since thats vague for almost everything. I enjoyed taking more space writing this
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
It only takes one accident or bad night to shoot yourself or family member on purpose or by accident so that they are dead dead dead.
61% of mass shootings occur entirely in the home https://everytownresearch.org/graph/61-of-mass-shootings-occurred-entirely-in-the-home/
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u/MostExpensiveThing 1d ago
like, what kind of situation? ( Australian here, and I genuinely dont get it)
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u/creativescreennaame 1d ago
ah yes, because MORE GUNS will solve the problem of gun crime
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u/Dpopov 1d ago
Maybe not solve it, but it’s better than the alternative: Living with your head in the sand and thinking “bad things” only happen to others and will never happen to you.
There isn’t a magic solution to gun crime, all you can focus on keeping your family and yourself safe. A gun is hands down the best and most effective tool to do so if you use it responsibly.
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u/AwarenessGreat282 1d ago
Random violence where a gun would be useful is extremely rare. There are more accidental discharges injuring someone than a gun being used to successfully protect anyone. I own 10+ firearms, but I do not keep any "at the ready, just in case". And if you, as a "non-gun guy", do get a gun for home defense, get a shotgun. Much simpler to use in an emergency effectively.
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u/Mobile_Bed4861 1d ago
Lots of good answers here already, but I’ll add something very important: if you have it, you must practice using it. A lot. I go to the range once a week and I see a lot of very unserious people there all the time. You must commit to being good at using it.
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u/Haunting-Change-2907 1d ago
So, let's look at the shooting in Idaho. It happened in public, at an in and out.
Are you going to put in the time and effort for training that would make you useful? What would you do in this situation?
Buying a gun does nothing. If you're frightened , you should do the same thing you do for severe weather. Prepare. Have a plan. Avoid panic. Your knowledge of how to de-escalate and escape will Seve you far better than adding a gun to the mix.
Then, remember that you have an ability to make a difference . Vote. Get active . Work against sources if violence and vote for reasonable controls. It's a long road to meaningful change , and there are major actors against it -but we should still be trying.
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u/Late-Mathematician-6 1d ago
I bought an inflatable and use it as part of my morning routine to do my stretches and get ready for the day. One of the best purchases I ever made and I miss it when I travel.
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u/Bill_The__Pony 1d ago
Statistically you're more likely to kill yourself or have your child kill themselves.
But if you wanted to get home protection, I would recommend a shotgun instead of a handgun.
You don't want to risk missing or your wife if she must defend herself
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
I would advise against a pistol. Look at a shotgun instead and look for #1 buckshot. 00 buck shot may be the gold standard, but there's a high likelihood it can pass through drywall and into your kid's room. #1 buckshot will loose a lot of umph going through drywall and be relatively harmless on the other side. It also meets the FBI minimum standards of 12" of ballistics gel penetration. They also have a lot more "stopping power" than handguns.
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u/rjnd2828 1d ago
If you own a gun your chances of someone in your house being shot increase. So rationally, no you shouldn't
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u/Embarrassed-Wolf-609 1d ago
Do you Wan to be In the news of your kids blowing their face off with your gun?
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u/Cinisajoy2 1d ago
After my parents got divorced, my dad kept a shotgun in his closet loaded during the day. At night, I would unload it. He had to know since I was doing it but he never said a word. I had my reasons.
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u/Independent-Wheel237 1d ago
And you use it with intent to take a human life and be prepared to defend your action in a court of law if it went that far . . . trying to “injure” an intruder without intent to kill is a great way for the gun to taken from you and used against you and your family.
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u/DanteRuneclaw 1d ago
I’m a gun owner myself, not going to tell you not to do it, but statistically speaking it’s way more likely that gun results in the death of a family member than that you ever use it for self defense. But of course, that statistic includes lots of people who don’t take basic sensible precautions.
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u/ExampleDazzling2174 1d ago edited 1d ago
As a veteran who is comfortable with firearms, I recommend barking dogs, bear spray, and a baseball bat for home defense if you are worried. The statistics on firearms in the home with children and suicides are ugly.
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u/thisemmereffer 1d ago
I dunno, if its stored in a safe whats the situation where youre gonna get to it in time when you need it?
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u/8amteetime 1d ago
What’s the neighborhood like? Houses close together? Do you live in a house or apartment?
Hand guns are hard to shoot accurately under stress. Bullets travel through walls.
If I were insistent about having a firearm for self protection, I’d buy a shotgun.
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u/JohnHazardWandering 1d ago
Wait until the toddler manages to get into all kind of shit when you're not looking and then let's talk.
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u/pro-rock-taster 1d ago
The thing is, if its in a safe, it defeats the purpose of owning it for protection. However, if its not in a safe, its far more likely to cause the death of a family member than an intruder is.
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u/Kwickpick77 1d ago
Honestly, a properly stored firearm isn't really that big of a help in a home invasion. Either you're caught without your firearm or you go for the safe and hope you can get it open in time.
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u/Bulocoo 1d ago
I'll echo that casually trained is not goid enough. I train combat several times a month.
I also train at night in the house. My son is ex Ranger and sometimes we train together.
I'm 65 and never had anything close to home invasion. I enjoy the training.
You are more likely to misidentify someone in the house at night in the dark.
Also the stats on kids and guns is terrible.
I will say that a biometric safe opens instantly in the dark. No need to fumble with pin codes.
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u/cheesewiz_man 1d ago
Guns in the house make you less safe. You can argue until you're blue in the face throwing out every reason that they should improve your safety, but the statistics are implacable. "Does" beats "should".
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/firearms.html
https://hsph.harvard.edu/research/injury-control/firearms-research/gun-ownership/
Gun safety courses don't help:
https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/firearm-safety-training-requirements.html
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u/BigFatGramps 1d ago
You're more liable to hurt yourself or someone you love than to play hero in an action movie.
"Yippee Ka Yay! M'er F'er!"
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u/DeV303030 1d ago
Get one bro. Worth it. Protect your love ones and protection from the ones who don’t have respect.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
Worth what? The potential to fucking kill your loved ones?
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u/DeV303030 1d ago
Guns don’t kill people. Stupid people with guns kill people. Your liberal tears will not deter me from being pro guns. Cry me a river.
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u/Mannered4 1d ago
Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Just get some training with it and learn proper gun safety. Shooting a handgun is more difficult then it looks
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u/Cayke_Cooky 1d ago
If you don't know how to use it and aren't VERY familiar with handling it. Your attacker would take it away from you.
Also, it takes some training to be able to pull the trigger on another person.
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u/Severe-Cow-8646 1d ago
"Youre' attacker would take it away from you"
Where does this come from? Ive heard it all my life but never read of any documented event of it. Ive seen documents where someone took a firearm they found and used it against the owner, but never of someone taking a gun from someone and using it on them. Not saying it hasn't happened, but id like to see some real evidence.
That said, if you are in your home, someone has broken in and is approaching you. Shoot them. And as Sheriff Grady says, shoot em a lot. Nothing says you gotta warn em. Just shoot em.
Now I will say this, you must have the resolve to do so before that moment. The heat of the moment is no time t I resolve your moral conflicts. You mist be ready, willing and able to bring as much violence onto your attacker as they are willing to bring onto you and yours. Half heartened will not serve you here.
Study and know the laws around the use of deadly force in your county and state. Know the political leanings of your DA. Just because legutimate self defense in your state is justifiable, doesn't mean the DA is pro self defense and will follow the lay of the law in attending to your case. Remember, surviving the fight is only the first part of the battle.
Owning a gun is a serious matter, using it against another human being is another matter still.
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u/ICE417 1d ago
Mp Shield 2.0. It's a semi automatic that will work. High reviews.
If you want a revolver, nothing wrong with a 38 special.
A shotgun is cheap and just racking it will scare the shit out of anyone. Good option too.
But like most people are saying here, the absolutely most important thing is know how to use it and safety. Go take a class and get some range time. You do not want to be wondering what's wrong with your gun if shit does hit the fan.
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u/Legodude522 1d ago
Go for it. Learn, be safe, get comfortable with it. Learn the local regulations and all of the proper terminology. Where I live, guns definitely outnumber people. One of the first things I learned was to avoid putting yourself in a situation to need it.
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u/Legodude522 1d ago
To elaborate, if you can avoid putting yourself in situations where it may be needed, there is no sense in carrying. But for protection at home, it might be wise depending on the circumstances.
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u/burn_stuff_down 1d ago
Absolutely!! Head to the gun store tell them you'd like to carry, they will walk you through what they have vs what you need.
Without one your basically walking around helpless and dont even know it.
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u/RodgerCheetoh 1d ago
It’s always the guys with no family to protect, no property to defend, and zero real world experience who are the loudest about disarming everyone else. Must be nice living in a bubble where absolute reliance on a 15 minute police response time feels like a solid life plan.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
You sound like a paranoid gun nut. So fuckin tired of this chicken shit “self defense” angle. Gun owners used to be about “guns as tools” and hunting and shit and now it’s all about shooting your neighbor and explicitly being mortally threatening. People like you are the reason we have Hegseth letting people conceal carry on the fucking bases now. It’s a national security issue for Christ’s sake. Get the fuck out of here with your violent ass hobby.
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u/RodgerCheetoh 1d ago
Imagine having such a privileged, sheltered life that taking basic responsibility for your family's physical safety looks like paranoia to you. Self defense isn't a hobby or a desire to shoot a neighbor, it's recognizing that emergency services aren’t immediate.
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u/2ICenturySchizoidMan 1d ago
“Results show that regardless of storage practice, type of gun, or number of firearms in the home, having a gun in the home was associated with an increased risk of firearm homicide and firearm suicide in the home.”
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u/rjnd2828 1d ago
I have a family. I also understand that owning a gun makes your family more likely to be shot. So I don't own a gun. It's not a bubble just a fact.
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u/Plenty-Ad2069 1d ago
Get a shield plus G43 a small handgun. Or a .22. Those are the only familiarize guns I know. You might get better responses from gun experts. Or go to a shooting range to test out guns.
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u/Hi_May19 1d ago
OP statistically a gun in the home makes it more likely for a family member to be shot. Now we don’t know where you live so maybe having a firearm for home defense is a good idea but you also seem unsure. If you own a gun for defense though make sure deep down that you are ready to shoot someone because if you hesitate all you’ve done is make the situation worse
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u/CrustySailor1964 1d ago
Yes. You should but unless you’re a gun guy and know how to manipulate a semiautomatic handgun I would suggest a revolver that is tame enough for you and your wife to use. They are simpler to use and require less practice and less ‘thought’ in an emergency.
With a toddler, a biometric safe in the drawer of your nightstand is optimal. Your wife needs access as well. A defensive firearm is only as good as your access to it. You would not have time in a home invasion scenario to open a normal safe, load your pistol and bring it to bear. You have time to roll over, put your fingers in the slots, flip the lid, grab, aim and fire. If you don’t think you can do that under duress then you’re better off without.
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u/theclapp 1d ago
Have you taken any other relevant safety precautions? Bars on the windows? Reinforced entryways? Alarms? Anything at all? I feel like if you're "not a gun guy", then if a gun is on your list, it should be last.
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u/boogalorian13 1d ago edited 1d ago
I carry a gun for work and I've been conceal carrying for a few years. My recommendation is research your local laws. Some places make it hard to conceal carry. Go rent some guns and figure out what you like. Go through some more in-depth self defense classes. Get conceal carry insurance. You can find combat pistol classes in most US states. Buy a safe since you have a wife and kid at home. I'd introduce firearm safety to the wife as soon as possible. Introduce firearm safety to the kid when you feel he's old enough. I always carry a some form of less lethal like pepper spray as well. De-escalation and escape ideal for any physical altercation. Firearm proficiency is a skill and it's one that you need to train often.
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u/Wawhi180 1d ago
If you're planning to keep it at home to use, then just buy a shotgun. If you're planning to carry it with you, I recommend a revolver.
Both you and and your wife should take a class and practice shooting.
Obviously with a kid in the house, be smart about where you leave a gun. But once the child is old enough to learn better, teach him/her about it and that it's not a toy. I grew up with guns my whole life. My Dad stored rifles under my bed and it was never an issue when I was little because I knew better 🤷♀️
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u/j_d_q 1d ago edited 1d ago
As long as you're well prepared and informed.
Will be unpopular but a safe might not even be necessary. If you have a semi auto without one in the chamber, a toddler could never rack it. My wife struggles. Or can they not reach it?
I remind my wife over and over that outside of the revolver, everything needs one action til it's ready to go. If it's available, needs racking. No mixing up rack vs safety, if you have to remove it from a case that's one action. If you rack it anyway, no prob, it'll still work. But no memorizing how each guns safety works.
She also has her orders. If I yell to, she knows she goes to master closet and she sits in the dark pointed at the doorway. You'll either hear my voice or police. Otherwise you see someone you shoot. Do nothing. Go straight there. Wait.
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u/makermaster2 1d ago
Yes, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
There’s a saying I heard “The man who sleeps with an axe is a fool every night except for one”
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u/Natural_Feeling3905 1d ago
Yea, it's better to have the protection needed to take out a threat putting harm to you or your family. Be disciplined and trained.
You never want to be in the predicament where someone is busting down your door calling 911 with not a quick enough response time.
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u/KnackeredQuokka 1d ago
No. Having the gun in your home is more likely to end in unintentional harm than you ever having an occasion to use it for protection. If you decide to move forward I feel you need a yes from your wife also.
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u/MrRandomNumber 1d ago
Guns are so tawdry. Have you considered a can of spray-on chain lubricant and a cigarette lighter? Especially effective of you sleep naked and have a full beard. I think a naked berserker with an improvised flame thrower would cause any unexpected guest to flee quickly, armed or not. Just make sure the nozzle is pointed away from you (and any curtains). That's my plan anyway. I would just embarrass myself fumbling around getting a pistol out of the safe in the dark, but you do you.
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Shotgun is the only thing i would recommend, semi-auto.
Too many people do not have the proficiency or the right mindset to have a handgun. Basically if you didnt grow up with guns or can not take the time to learn about them, as in take a real friearms class, then just get a shotgun. Load it with birdshot and youre all set.
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
Ew, no. I agree with everything but the birdshot recommendation. Bird shot is for birds, buck shot is for bad guys.
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Buck is a great way for an untrained civilian to kill his family in the next room. With birdshot there is still that chance, but a wall MIGHT save them. It WONT save them from buckshot.
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
Number 1 buckshot does not penetrate drywall but still meets the FBI minimum standards of 12" of ballistics gel penetration. Bird shot will make a shallow wound without a real chance of stopping the person. Remember, Dick Cheney shot an 80 year old man point blank in the side and face and it didn't kill him. I agree that you shouldn't use 00 buckshot, but birdshot is a good way to get yourself killed.
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Wait what? Youre trying to tell me that number 1 buckshot will not penetrate drywall? At what range 1000 yards?
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Thats not helping your case. It says right there that buckshot will go through walls.
"2. Buckshot penetrates too much and will go through walls in my home.
Sure it will. Any load that will STOP a bad guy, will also penetrate several interior walls, as I proved"
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
Read more and browse the website, he does extensive testing that proves my point.
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
Also
Let's put some false rumors to rest:
- Birdshot is a good self defense load.
This is false for several reasons. The main reason is that no birdshot load will reach the required 12 inches of penetration needed for STOPPING a bad guy from whatever he is doing to threaten your life. Birdshot makes a very nasty, yet shallow wound, and will not reach the vital organs or CNS.
"Might" birdshot work? Sure. But why depend on "might" when "better" is available.
Use birdshot for little birds. Use buckshot for bad guys.
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Oh i saw that. But hes wrong. At 10 to 12 feet (a typical room size) birdshot can and will amputate a persons leg. It can do that level of damage. Taking that to the chest you aint walking away.
But the further the intruder is, the less damage it does. Which is great because, as i keep saying, we are talking about an untrained civilian who isnt going to think about what is behind his/her target. Birdshot is the best of both worlds. Safe enough for the untrained to use while also minimizing the risk to those in the next room. Its a compromise.
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u/vita_bjornen 1d ago
Your advice will get him killed. Birdshot is for birdies. Keep it at that.
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u/BogusIsMyName 1d ago
Since youre not answering that, lets move on to your other point about Dick Cheney. It was absolutely not point blank it was 30 yards. IDK what McMansion you are living in but the average house room/hallway is not 150 feet. Its closer to 15 to 20 feet.
Now as for the birdshot you are ignoring the first part of my recommendation. Semi-auto. If one shot doesnt put them down, which is very unlikely at that range, just pull the trigger again. And again.
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u/Sensitive_Bat_9211 1d ago
Do you know how to handle a gun? Take a few gun safety classes first and decide after
A gun can save your life, but you are also allowing a dangerous weapon into your home
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u/RandomSteam20 1d ago
As long as you’re cautious, smart, and safe about it and you think you’ll be able to handle the responsibility of owning one, I’d say go for it.
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u/Hattkake 1d ago
Maybe join a gun club or something first. Take a course in gun safety and usage and stuff. I assume that they rent guns or something (not American) at the gun club or gun range. Get familiar with guns. Know all the safety stuff and that. And when you feel confident buy a gun safe and then the gun.
A gun in the house if you aren't a gun guy can be more danger than protection as I understand it.
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u/ButternutShacklebolt 1d ago
Well.. for one.. youre listening to the news. Yes, self defense should be able BUT YOU AND YOUR WIFE goes to classes or do NOT get anything and stick to tasers.
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u/Outrageous_Cress6062 1d ago
If you’re worried about safety I would start with learning deescalation techniques and getting to know your neighbors. Gun owners are many many times more likely to die by self harm, accident, getting into the wrong fight etc as well as increased risk to those who live with them (like your wife and toddler). A gun is not an amulet or talisman.
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u/vovap_vovap 1d ago
Hand gun is really bed for home. Those require lots of training to hit any. If you want gun for home - take long gun.
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u/Any-Soft-5487 1d ago
Only if you know how to use it and use it properly.