Public Service Post (new gun owners)

[masterblaster]

For any people that are panicked by the coming assault on your Freedoms and Rights by President Obama and the Elite in our country. Some of you (most) are gun owners already, please remain calm. For the new Gun owners or the renewed gun owners, please think before you go out and buy the latest tacti-cool weapon, they very are dangerous, not the 22 you grew up shooting. Think about what you really need and why you need a gun, talk to other gun owners before you buy one. Talk to the people at the gun store, tell them your situation and more than likely you will get some good advice. Think about where you will store the gun safely, think about others in your house and how they will react. Are they mature and sane enough to be in the same house as a gun. Think about your own temperament and marital situation, will your wife use it on you, do you have a girlfriend on the side? If so, she will use it on you and the all female jury will let her walk. Do you have kids? Do you let the video machine with violent games babysit them all day? If so, don't bring a gun into the house , your kids are dangerous and you are an irresponsible parent. Does anyone in the house have a drinking or drug problem? Do your kids bring lots of other shorties over to get baby sat by the video machine?After you consider all of this and you still think yourself responsible enough own and operate a gun, do some more research and get what you think you need. Once you do, it is vital that you go get some training at your local range with a qualified instructor. Most ranges have instructors and most here in Fla have classes for a nominal fee ($10 or so). Always remember a gun is a real life dangerous tool, misused it will kill you or some innocent by accident, safety is always number one.

I might also suggest, a shorty 12 gauge pump shotgun is the most effective weapon for home defense, the sound on cambering a round by itself will stop anyone in their tracks, it is good enough for 99.9% of any situation a home owner might find themselves in. I urge you think through all considerations above.

For the experienced gun owners please chime in with other constructive considerations. Please, no convincing or arguing, just safety pointers and considerations and responsibilities of gun ownership for the uninitiated.

[jphilipson]

Heck - I think I might actually agree with this. ???

*Justin pinches himself*

[mr8ball]

Great advice

[Tiller]

I actually picked up a 18.5 inch pump 12 gauge today rather than just grabbing whatever AR was left in stock off the shelf.

[Poppy]

Good advice, especially about the wife/girlfriend thing!

[gueroaero]

Folks, if a firearm is not about to be (legally) used or carried by YOU; it should be locked up.

[gueroaero]

If there is a competent and responsible child you would like to teach firearms to, spend a good chunk of time on SAFETY. Also, even after much use, lock up firearms around those children also (further reinforcing what you have already taught them as well).

[Fastfrog007]

Great post Sir!

Im sure alot of people are just buying to buy at this point, with no knowledge of how to safely operate the weapon.

[chrisjp]

teach your children well. teach them to have a profound respect for all life (animals included, even if they want to hunt). teach them how to safely operate the tools to self defense in the home.the mind is the first safety in any firearm's use. remember sometimes protecting your children especially means protecting them from themselves. know who their friends are and their parents, as it will tell you what they teach their kids BE A EXAMPLE! be involved in their lives, go to their school functions, help them with their home work, and above all LOVE and ACCEPT them.

[Defiant]

Not to mention with the current rush, their jacking up the prices for everything. ???

[MoNoXiDe]

I can't agree with the video game playing making someone want to shoot someone. Hell I grew up and still play violent video games. I carry a gun every day. I'm not shooting up schools or grocery stores etc. Some people have sanity some don't. There is always someone trying to put the blame on someone or something else. How about saying that person was f'n nuts. Not o, he must have sat at home and played Call of Duty too many times. Its just rediculous.

[Postal]

Good advice. This will all blow over in 10-15 years......

[AV8R_Murf]

teach your children well... ...teach them how to safely operate the tools to self defense... ...safety in any firearm's use...

Absolutely. I taught my kids about guns and the proper/safe handling of them at a very early age. The other day watching a TV show with my youngest (20 years old now) we both cringed at the same time when a gun was carelessly waved around on the show. The recent shooting was due to mental illness, not gun ownership.

[dadofthree]

I actually picked up a 18.5 inch pump 12 gauge today rather than just grabbing whatever AR was left in stock off the shelf.

such versatility, all kinds of rounds available.

My advice, get some good training, and practice, practice, practice

[dadofthree]

My favorite for CQB / home protection will be my Glock, second choice M-4. If I had a tactical shotgun, it would have a sling and be my third choice. All of that is a personal preference and where I'm comfortable operating.