[steve-b]

A sober summation of an important right and responsibility.

[gogeo]

Great read.

[Lloyd227]

There is one more, and probably the single most important question to know the answer for, BEFORE you decide to start packing.

The purpose of the tool in question, is to provide the user with the ability to kill or at least inflict VERY severe harm to another human being and from a distance large enough to inflict that damage or death before the bad guy can harm you.

The thing to be aware of, consider and know the answer to is this:
~ Every thing in your world is about to change the moment you pull that gun out to brandish it with intent... That moment should be considered thoughtfully, daily and deeply. When the circumstances are such that you are forced to protect yourself, your family or your property, there is no substitute for a good gun and the ability to use it... But are you prepared to kill or maim another human? That weapon should not come out of it's holster or storage safe unless your intentions are clear and you're at peace with what you're about to do.

And if you have not truly thought this through and are comfortable with your answer to yourself, then please don't buy a gun and if you own one now, lock it away.

[Freedom4US]

"While I believe that everyone should have the right to own a gun..."

Bzzt. He still isn't quite firing on all cylinders. Rights are _taken away_, not granted or bestowed upon the great unwashed by virtuous politicians or buearacrats.

[D1X1E]

Rights and personal responsibility in the exercise of those rights have always gone together. Seems that fact is just now dawning on this writer.

[Xenalyte]

Xena's Guy and Bacon Man went to the gun shop last weekend . . . XG came home with an AR-15!

Y'all need to get him to the range when I'm stuck in P-ville.

[Osage Orange]

I'm right.

And even better.....I don't know how many I own.

[mad_as_he$$]

Like all rights - just cause I can doesn't mean I should.

[Joe Brower]

Good thread. Sorry I missed it earlier.

[Hazcat]

This should be required reading for all first time "thinking about it" owners.

[NonValueAdded]

you? weigh in!

[Hardastarboard]

famed firearms instructor Jeff Cooper said that "owning a gun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a piano makes you a musician."

Mr. Cooper knows more about guns that I ever will, but I have to point out here that one requires years of training to use, while the other requires minutes of training. Much like Samurai swords, which is why the Japanese banned guns. They didn't like the thought of the upset to a social order that had been carefully cultivated over centuries.

[Mazda3Fan]

Yes, you are right to own a gun, even though I don't own one personally.

[R. Scott]

While I'll acknowledge that many confrontations do end when the bad guy sees a gun, I'll suggest that assuming that will apply in your case is cargo-cult thinking at its worst.

Pretty much a sensible article, and the above is of particular interest. The worst thing a person can do is depend on the mere sight of a weapon scaring off the bad guys. You have to be ready, willing and able to shoot to kill without mental conflict. Pointing a firearm at many will just make them angrier, and if you don’t shoot to kill they will take the weapon away and use it on you.
Knowing when to draw the weapon is dependant on knowing the law and being as aware as possible of the true seriousness of the situation.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Being a grown-up requires responsibility and common sense?

Who knew?

[stainlessbanner]

bttt

[LifeOrGoods?]

I may or may not be right to own a gun, but I'm in my right mind to.