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In an emergency, would you give a gun to an untrained loved one?


  

49 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you give them a gun?

    • Yes, I trust them more than the robber.
      30
    • No, I wouldn't take the risk.
      0
    • Tough call, would depend on the situation.
      19


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Suppose somebody breaks into your house at a time when YOU are unable to use firearms. Say you broke both of your thumbs or you are recovering from eye surgery. Either way, you are unable to safely wield a firearm.

 

Would you trust an untrained spouse or loved one with one of your guns to defend your family? Say it is just the two of you in one locked room, no kids, waiting for the person to go away. You don't send them out to go find the guy or anything, you would just give them the gun in case the person tried to get into your room.

 

If you say yes, what would you tell them? I doubt anybody would be able to retain the four rules under such pressure and in such a short amount of time, also consider the fact that they would probably be extremely jumpy holding a gun for the first time AND confronting a robber.

 

If you say no, what would you tell them if they ask for one? Suppose they know you have guns around and they make the case that they are able to legally defend themselves in this situation. What would you say?

 

If you are on the fence, what would sway you either way?

Edited by Stacks
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First of all i would have made sure my loved one already knew the basics of handling a firearm and be prepared to use it if and when the time comes.

 

Well since this is a hypothetical, suppose you are living with roommates who aren't opposed to using a gun for self defense but just never got around to going to the range with you. In real life, I doubt this poll would apply to more than a few people on this board.

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Yes. While my wife knows how and I trust her. I did like you said in put myself in my own shoes back when I had clueless roommates.

 

Yes, I would have told one of them where the gun was and to get it.

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Give em the shotgun and tell em to just start blasting away! Nobody is going to stay in the house with all that lead flyin!

 

 

Really a watered down question. If the 2 of us are just sitting in a room waiting for a bad guy to come to us, How hard is it to point a gun at a door?

 

 

 

Unles it was a TACTICAL weapon, in which case, if they hadn't made the last few "Ninja-meetings" no way they could handle the TACTICAL responsibility!

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I would rather be alive with a few holes in the wall than dead with holes in me!

 

There are too many hypotheticals here... I don't live in an apartment or have room mates. My wife can hold her own when it comes to firearms and my neighbors aren't close enough to be in danger from my shooting the way my house is situated, but risk significant danger from the perp shooting.

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Give em the shotgun and tell em to just start blasting away! Nobody is going to stay in the house with all that lead flyin!

 

 

Really a watered down question. If the 2 of us are just sitting in a room waiting for a bad guy to come to us, How hard is it to point a gun at a door?

 

 

 

Unles it was a TACTICAL weapon, in which case, if they hadn't made the last few "Ninja-meetings" no way they could handle the TACTICAL responsibility!

 

Even people who train to use guns and know the law can get into trouble. In a robbery, people are prone to freezing up and making irrational decisions. I want to know if people think it is wise to give an untrained user a firearm in that state of mind.

 

I would say you are taking a risk either way. Suppose the only gun you have is an AK with 30 round magazines. If they see a robber with all that adrenaline, they might pull the trigger as many times as they can without thinking.

 

Or something more high powered, like a Mosin-Nagant. If they had never fired it before, they might not realize how many walls (and people) a round like that can go through before it stops.

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Give em the shotgun and tell em to just start blasting away! Nobody is going to stay in the house with all that lead flyin!

 

 

Really a watered down question. If the 2 of us are just sitting in a room waiting for a bad guy to come to us, How hard is it to point a gun at a door?

 

 

 

Unles it was a TACTICAL weapon, in which case, if they hadn't made the last few "Ninja-meetings" no way they could handle the TACTICAL responsibility!

 

Even people who train to use guns and know the law can get into trouble. In a robbery, people are prone to freezing up and making irrational decisions. I want to know if people think it is wise to give an untrained user a firearm in that state of mind.

 

I would say you are taking a risk either way. Suppose the only gun you have is an AK with 30 round magazines. If they see a robber with all that adrenaline, they might pull the trigger as many times as they can without thinking.

 

Or something more high powered, like a Mosin-Nagant. If they had never fired it before, they might not realize how many walls (and people) a round like that can go through before it stops.

 

Suppose cows can fly, you can't cover every situation. Make the decision and live or die by it.

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I would trust them with the gun because I wouldn't have any choice but I wouldn't trust that they could actually pull the trigger once they saw a human being. I would barricade the door enough so they would have to use force to get in and tell the person with the gun to fire through the center of the door as soon as it opens even a crack. Other than that, if they don't try to get in the room we are in we let them take what they want and leave.

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For the record, I would trust the person I know more than the intruder I don't. However, it would be a tough call for me. If I make that decision and they accidentally kill an innocent bystander, or are otherwise screwed by the courts due to my decision to arm them, there is always going to be that doubt.

 

Remember that this is an untrained user with one of your guns. I guess I really shouldn't expect anybody on a gun forum to say no, but I do think it is an interesting question.

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polls.... :rolleyes:

 

the 4th option not listed was...

 

"not possible... all of my loved ones are competant in firearms handling"

 

just the way things are around here... :up: And yeah... too many what ifs... I also think no matter who you are... unless you literally get shot at frequently, or are robbed all the time... no matter what preparations you make... you will never be absolutely prepared for the situation where someone shoots at you or breaks in and attempts harm to you or your loved ones in which you will need to make the decision of life or death for a human being.

 

 

:smoke:

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I would but only if they signed a hold harmless agreement. I have a few in the extended family that are liberals that scare me. During Katrina, their eyes turned the size of half dollars and were looking for a place to hide.

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Unles it was a TACTICAL weapon, in which case, if they hadn't made the last few "Ninja-meetings" no way they could handle the TACTICAL responsibility!

Unless they have the special shoes that allow them to climb up walls, they can't handle my arsenal.

 

And in answer to the original question: no, I want my family members to have no chance to survive an armed confrontation. It cuts down on the number of mouths to feed. Now, pay close attention to the following over-the-top eye roll.

 

waodug.gif

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Here in Montana the laws are pretty strait foreward and everyone understands that breaking into a house will get you shot. Perfectly legal and to be expected. Not too many loopholes there.

Breaking into MY house gives you NO opportunity to explain yourself!

I also keep my shotgun at the ready, not my AK or my Mosin....really man, the thing is 6 feet tall!!

Being in Montana most folks, and everyone I know, have grown up with, and are familiar with firearms. Does anyone really think it is safe to have a gun in the house and NOT teach everyone how to use it?? I don't hang out with folks who "Freak-out" around guns or stressful situations, like most Modern Urbanites I imagine.

So, the short of the long, ....See intruder, shoot intruder.

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This situation would have to be strictly hypothetical for me, my youngest kid still lives with me as does the wife's youngest, and they are both great shots with all the firearms, although the daughter would probably balk at it if I pulled out the Mosin but love the 9mm and is itching to take a shot or 30 with the Siaga.

 

I would hand them the SW40VE and the extra mags, no mechanical safety to worry about and have the Saiga out as well, once the safety's off on it, time to rock and roll until it's empty.

 

Direction wise, from behind my bed towards the door would send a missed shot through about three walls and a staircase, then into the garage and the bank behind it, so not too worried about what caliber to consider. One could almost use the Mosin and just bayo them as them came through the door, then pull the trigger in case there was another BG behind the first, problem solved.

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What Indy said.

 

Anyone on this board who really loved someone would never leave them untrained unless they absolutely refused instruction. If that were the case it wouldn't do any good to give them something they'd drop like a hot potato anyway.

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It just depends, on what you mean by training... Where I live lots of people hunt, most folks including libs have guns.

All my loved ones are trained at shooting. What they might not know is how to load and shoot every gun in the house.

My wife is as good if not a better shot than me. All my kids can shoot.

My grandson who is six is aware of where the barrel is pointing and can hit his target.

I've been taking my niece out shooting lately. She took right to it.

I don't know many people who don't know how to shoot.

 

It just depends, on what you mean by training...

In a high preasure situation, you never know what someone will do. Though sometimes you have no choice.

Edited by PopsBdog
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I have a gun for just this.

 

It's an exposed hammer single barrel shotgun, side saddle ammo carrier, with a mounted laser.

 

I generally keep it loaded with rubber buckshot, which at long hallway range hurts like fuck and at across the room range is probably lethal. In the sidesaddle carrier is clear shelled S&B buckshot.

 

Anyone can be shown how to operate this gun within about 1.5 minutes, all controls are obvious for anyone who's watched TV or is smart enough to operate a can of soda.

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polls.... rolleyes.gif

 

the 4th option not listed was...

 

"not possible... all of my loved ones are competant in firearms handling"

 

just the way things are around here... 032.gif And yeah... too many what ifs... I also think no matter who you are... unless you literally get shot at frequently, or are robbed all the time... no matter what preparations you make... you will never be absolutely prepared for the situation where someone shoots at you or breaks in and attempts harm to you or your loved ones in which you will need to make the decision of life or death for a human being.

 

 

000.gif

+1 Indy!

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