Carry a gun, because a cop is too heavy!
I normally carry at least my my little .32 two shot derringer, and only to divert any problem long enough for me to crank up my hush puppies and get out of dodge. Not my choice caliber for self defense, but it has it's advantages. That being said, I normally carry my little Ruger LCP .380 acp. It is a nice little gun, and double action only. I at first didn't like the idea of the double action only but then, I thought it was a little more safe for concealed carry, since you had to pull the trigger to fire it. I don't have to worry about a piece breaking or failing, on an automatic and shooting certain parts of my anatomy I have become attached to..... It took some getting used to the long trigger pull, but it was pretty accurate at 25 yds, and with the Crimson Trace sight on it, I think it has the psychological effect on any aggressor also. That is good, since I am not a big fan of the .380 or 9mm for self defense. I do carry a 9mm now and then, with Federal Hydrashocks, and Hydrashocks in the .380 also. But it all goes to shot placement. But my hands down favorite carry weapon is my Kimber Ultra Carry in .45 ACP. I carry wherever I go. Because I never know where the lunatic, or bad guy, or crack head, or meth bulb is going to be, or why. I fish at the Inlet here in Ft. Pierce, and there are some rather strange looking, and acting people that go there, especially with no fishing tackle, and just hang out. At the Bridge one night, my Dad was confronted by a scruffy, looking guy, and he asked my Dad if he any spare change, my Dad said no, and ignored him, then the guy stepped closer to my Dad, and said look old man I know you have some change, and started to reach towards him. My Dad didn't have gun, but he pushed his rain coat back and reached for his fishing pliers, in a leather holster he had made for them, and the Guys' attitude immediately changed, and he started crawfishing real quick, and said hey, take it easy old man, I was asking....and turned and left. My Dad was going to smack him in the head, with those pliers if he had tried to grab him. He didn't have a gun, but the guy thought he did. If you are uncomfortable with a gun, by all means don't carry one. If you can't actually use it when necessary, then don't carry one and have it taken from you and used on you and others. I am not paranoid, I just know that it is not a safe world out there, and when you least expect it the situation can take an ugly turn. I don't worry about my house catching fire, but I have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. I am always aware of my surroundings, and I try to avoid areas, and situations that could be bad. Sometimes that can't be helped. As for not carrying one in the car because it wouldn't do you much good there, how about on the way home? Break down, stop at a light, or sign, or carjacking? etc. I pray I never have to shoot someone. But I will tell you this, if I HAVE to shoot someone, I will not play hollywood bullcrap and stry to shoot to wound! I will shoot twice, with the definite intent to kill! I will try to avoid it as far as I can, but when all other options are gone, I shoot. I am not a killer, I do not like seeing someone killed. I do not want to ever be in a situation where I have to shoot someone, but I will not forfeit my life. There have been robberies down here where the victims did everything they told to do, and were shot anyway, just to keep from being able to identify the criminal. Like I said I try to be aware of my surroundings at all times, and try to avoid situations, but that doesn't mean that someone else will abide by my wish to avoid trouble. I do feel more safe when I am carrying. Even the little .32 gives me some measure of safety. I know that if I had to use, it, it would be only a disorienting weapon, but hopefully enough time for me to get out of the situation. I have Friends that are law enforcement officers, and family members that were law enforcement officers, and they all carried when they could, and even told us to be armed when able. When I was a kid, I used to have no problem with going into bad parts of town, and hitchhike to where I was going, whether it was alone, or with a friend. Not now. As for a weapon for a woman who is not familiar with a weapon, I would highly recommend a .38 revolver. As for the House, a pump shot gun, with number six seven and a half bird shot. Reason being, the sound of the pump is universal, whether you like, hate, or are unfamiliar with guns, EVERYONE knows the sound, and what it means! As for the shot size, at the distances in a house, it will almost cut someone in half, and you miss, it will not go through the dry wall, and kill someone else, friend or foe, in the other room. All the energy is pretty much expended going through the wall, unlike buck shot, or slug, or rifle, or pistol round. My Girlfriend is a State Arson Detective, and she is from Fall River Mass. Left wing Liberal central. She asked me why I always carried, and I pointed out some recent robberies, of restaurants, hotels, and such, where the customers were pistol whipped, just for the fun of it. She later had seen where a concealed licensed guy had stopped a bank robbery, and had disarmed the bandit, and had him on the floor, when the cops arrived. The police are an after the fact response. Are you going to be alive, or dead when they finally arrive, or IF they arrive. Or In two very similar cases, one in New York, and one I think in Connecticut, or Mass, not sure now which, quite a few years back, a woman had called 911 and told the dispatcher that someone was trying to break into her house. In each case they were told the police were on the way. When they called back saying that the intruder was almost in the house, they were told the police are almost there. Well the women were beaten raped, and beaten again. The police? They never showed up. It went to the supreme court, who summed it up very nicely why you should be armed. They said the police have no obligation to protect the individual, but only the community at large. Huh?
Anyway, my girlfriend now carries off duty. She has my guns! I make the mistake of showing her a new gun, and she wants it!
Anyway, I carry, I do feel safer with a gun, but I don't feel cocky. If anything I feel more responsibility by carrying a gun. I have certain rules I have to follow, while the criminal has no restrictions at all. Laws are for law abiding people. Criminals are called criminals because they disregard laws. Which makes gun control laws laughable as a deterrent to crime.
Wayne
Wayne
