Shooting Justified

[Ratickle]

I totally respect people who have thought about it, and a gun is not for them. I personally prefer having the option of being armed if I feel that it is appropriate.
I also really enjoy target shooting, especially as an-off season alternative to boating. I'll admit that my range time drops off when the weather turns nice.

But I would never go running out of the house with a gun. I simply can't imagine a good reason.
Unless it is a post-apocalyptic breakdown of society, and even then... I am like... you know... these bullets are worth more for trade.
I like food. How many bullets for that can of spam?

I can imagine running out of the house with a gun to stop a thief if they were stealing something I really cared about, or about to hurt someone I cared about. Heck, my neighbors now have come over to our house with guns when people stopped by while they knew we were gone. But that's because of the crap the idiot pulled here.

 

[Tinkerer]

I have run out of the house WITH A GUN many many years ago in order to stop a crime. Wife called the po po as I was going out the door. Crime stopped, 2 went to jail.

 

[fund razor]

I can imagine running out of the house with a gun to stop a thief if they were stealing something I really cared about, or about to hurt someone I cared about.

Let's say that they are stealing my kid. Should I shoot at the kid, or the perp. Oh.... wait.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Years ago, I came out of my house with my pet Colt Mark IV at low ready because of voices between my house and the house next door. Confronted two teenagers standing about twenty feet from me, wide-eyed. At that point I suspected what was going on and said, "Anthony, you there?" and got a "Yeah, Steve" in reply. The grounded teen next door was talking to 2 of his buddies at his bedroom window. I said, "Sorry, fellas." One of the teens replied, "That's OK, mister, I gotta go change my underwear, now.":rofl:

God bless Texas. Texas is one of the few states where you can actually shoot criminals that are trying to make off with your stuff. Most others want you to simply let them take it, even those with Castle Doctrine/Stand your Ground.

 

[fund razor]

So, is your story an example of why you should, or should not go outside and solve mysteries with a gun?

Texas is an outstanding state.

Many people still feel that as much as property crime pisses us off to no end, it doesn't rise to the level of execution. I had a couple of guys go through one of our vehicles a few nights ago. Rummaged through the glove box, grabbed a few things. Pissed me off to no end. Wished I had caught them while holding a 12 guage. Motherphuckers.

But then, on an intellectual level, I knew that killing them in my driveway over almost nothing would have brought more problems and expense than I was willing to incure for a moment of satisfaction.

 

[Ratickle]

In my mind, feeble as it may be, I would have walked out with a gun if I'd heard voices in the drive by my house etc. But, if someone was there trying to steal something I'd tell them to freeze, lay on the ground, while I called the police. If they ran, there is no way in heck I would consider pulling the trigger. Makes absolutely no sense in my mind. If they had a knife and came at me, well at a certain range you'd have no choice but to defend yourself and others at your home.

In this case in Florida, it sounds as if they repeatedly told the person to leave, the person kept coming towards them, and they felt at some point they had no choice. If the guy was deaf, there was no way they could know that. If the guy would have drove away, even on the ski, it seems really obvious they would have let him go from everything I've read. To me, they handled it exactly as I would have, except there would have been at least one warning shot if there was enough time.

I believe you do not confront someone on your property without a defensive weapon. Whether you choose knife, baseball bat, or gun, doesn't matter. The number one use is defense in case it's a truly bad person instead of a punk kid thief. I'd choose a gun, prefer the 1200 marine, because the playing field is pretty much level at that point. It's doubtful in the US they will have a rocket launcher or gernade. I would also always have my cell phone or wireless house phone and call 911 as soon as I was positive there was an unknown tresspasser.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

So, is your story an example of why you should, or should not go outside and solve mysteries with a gun?

Neither. Just an anecdote that tells you I DO use a gun to solve outside mysteries, or if unsolved, I at least am prepared. Will I shoot somebody that flees or lies down in compliance-no. Will I shoot somebody that turns around and tells me "I'm stealing your prize car/boat/ATV and since I'm unarmed there's not a damn thing you can do about, and I know the law as well as you?" (Yeah, it's getting that bad) Doubtful, but I wouldn't mind beating him to within an inch of his life and holding him for the cops.

 

[fund razor]

Neither. Just an anecdote that tells you I DO use a gun to solve outside mysteries, or if unsolved, I at least am prepared. Will I shoot somebody that flees or lies down in compliance-no. Will I shoot somebody that turns around and tells me "I'm stealing your prize car/boat/ATV and since I'm unarmed there's not a damn thing you can do about, and I know the law as well as you?" (Yeah, it's getting that bad) Doubtful, but I wouldn't mind beating him to within an inch of his life and holding him for the cops.

I appreciate your response.

As a gun owner and shooter, I am extremely interested in conversations about where the gun/no gun line is. Who knows what is best?
At the end of the day, the man on the scene is the one who knows.

I had some car break-in dudes come down my street in my earlier post. (bunch of cameras on the house) They looked in two cars, and ransacked the unlocked one. A little part of me wanted to greet them with a shotgun one night. I mean, I can dig a quick hole or be in 200 feet of water in an hour and the town car has a three-punk trunk. But then I thought, phuck... Too much hassle.

At the end of the day, I have to trust my own judgement and instinct in the moment, God forbid it ever occurs. I don't hope for it. But in no area of my life do I want to be unprepared, and in no area do I want to be without choices. Come what may. :cheers2:

I was rear-ended last week. I spent a couple of days regretting that I wasn't still a baseball-bat-in-the-trunk sort of "self employed" fellow. The other driver would have never texted again. Trust me. But alas... we are a society codified and whatnot.