Curious about gun safety

[Eastoff]

I was wondering, if you have ever scared off an intruder who has broken into your home with your fire arm. Or if you know someone who has committed suicide using a gun. Nothing in between please.
edit: If you know someone who scared off an intruder

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

'Right to bear arms'

It's also lets scum of the earth like this bear arms:

whatchagonnado

But to get to your questions, no on both counts.

Halloween way back when I was in 5th grade my friends and I were less than a block away from a gang drive-by.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

There are far more incidents of accidental shooting in a house than someone using it to deter burglars.

Is that in between or just way off topic of the thread?

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

Luckily I've never had anyone break into my home, so answer number one is no.
Luckily I've never had anyone commit suicide via gun, so answer number two is no.

I do however know someone who committed suicide via pills. I also know two others who tried.

 

[MARIS61]

There are far more incidents of accidental shooting in a house than someone using it to deter burglars.

Is that in between or just way off topic of the thread?

Myth.

 

[Eastoff]

Luckily I've never had anyone break into my home, so answer number one is no.
Luckily I've never had anyone commit suicide via gun, so answer number two is no.

I do however know someone who committed suicide via pills. I also know two others who tried.

tried with guns though?

 

[MARIS61]

I was wondering, if you have ever scared off an intruder who has broken into your home with your fire arm. Or if you know someone who has committed suicide using a gun. Nothing in between please.

What, if anything, do either of those have to do with gun safety?

 

[Eastoff]

What, if anything, do either of those have to do with gun safety?

The safety of the individuals involved with guns. I guess I chose a bad title.

 

[MARIS61]

My 8th grade teacher, Mr Brock, shot an intruder in his infant son's bedroom at 3AM. Shot him in the thigh, and got sued for it by the convicted burglar. Burglar lost the lawsuit.

I knew a guy who 'supposedly' hung himself with his pants (in jail).

 

[The_Lillard_King]

My 17 year old cousin found his dad's gun and shot himself (I think because he was gay and could deal with telling his dad)

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I was shot by a burglar once.

 

[oldguy]

My best buddy's nephew put an SKS in his mouth and killed himself. Not much of a story, but that's what you asked.

In about 1964 our neighbor shot himself with a 300 Win. Mag, which is your basic elk/bear gun. He shot himself up through the chin and out the top of his head. Lost about a cup of grey stuff, half his tongue and one eye, but he freak'n lived, so I guess this doesn't meet the all or nothing criteria. He was back plowing his fields in about six months, but you really couldn't understand him due his lack of half his tongue.

Go Blazers

 

[Eastoff]

So just to clarify, two suicides, one additional attempted with guns. One foiled robbery and one robbery that might have been stopped (or escalated in my opinion) if guns at been present in the home.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

tried with guns though?

Nope.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

My best buddy's nephew put an SKS in his mouth and killed himself. Not much of a story, but that's what you asked.

In about 1964 our neighbor shot himself with a 300 Win. Mag, which is your basic elk/bear gun. He shot himself up through the chin and out the top of his head. Lost about a cup of grey stuff, half his tongue and one eye, but he freak'n lived, so I guess this doesn't meet the all or nothing criteria. He was back plowing his fields in about six months, but you really couldn't understand him due his lack of half his tongue.

Go Blazers

After reading the content of this post, then seeing this, it made me chuckle.

 

[oldguy]

So just to clarify, two suicides, one additional attempted with guns. One foiled robbery and one robbery that might have been stopped (or escalated in my opinion) if guns at been present in the home.

That's not a fair comparison, IMO. On one hand, you ask for personal experience of gun owners in stopping one specfic crime (home invasion burglary/B&E). You are comparing that to anyone that you know of that killed themselves with a gun.

I know two guys in Seattle that stopped home invasion burglaries with their guns. I only know this one guy that killed himself with the SKS.

Having my gun in my car saved me from at least a SEVERE beating by four very angry (and very inebriated) members of the Klamath or Modoc tribes.

Go Blazers

 

[MARIS61]

That's not a fair comparison, IMO. On one hand, you ask for personal experience of gun owners in stopping one specfic crime (home invasion burglary/B&E). You are comparing that to anyone that you know of that killed themselves with a gun.

True enough.

My family was in a Mexican standoff with 2 drunk poachers we had turned in to authorities the day before. They found our campsite while my boys and I were out hunting and spent the next hour or so pointing their guns at my wife from their van and laughing. When we returned to find the situation as it was, we'd probably have been killed had we not been armed. As it was I was put in the position of having to instruct my boys (11 and 12 at the time) to not take their eyes off the poachers while I packed up our tent and gear, and that if anyone started shooting they would need to kill or be killed.

While I felt confident I could drop both of them if it came to that, I did not want my boys and wife to witness that outcome, nor did I want to have to kill someone because they were stupid morons.

In hindsight I should have simply killed them immediately, they did not deserve to live, and I will never risk my family's life again like that for a stranger's.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I had a drill sergeant pull a Cobain after getting busted with cocaine. Made for a weird graduation from Basic Training, that's for sure.

 

[MARIS61]

I feel very fortunate to be unable to identify with the feeling of total helplessness that leads some people to end their lives.

No doubt about it, I'm a lucky guy.

 

[ehizzy3]

I feel very fortunate to be unable to identify with the feeling of total helplessness that leads some people to end their lives.

No doubt about it, I'm a lucky guy.

Its not fun

 

[Paxil]

Had a friend in highschool I ran cross country with commit suicide. I remember one race where we decided that we would just cross the finish line together. Then with 50 yards left it sprinted away to beat me.

Had a squad mate in the army blow a hole in his leg when he dropped a loaded weapon.

My dad shot the end of his finger off in a hunting accident... he had safety off because he was siting a deer and then noticed the end site was loose... though he better just pull it off and put it in his pocket so he wouldn't lose it... trigger caught on keys and finger disappear.

Stupid all of them... I suppose... but accidents happen. My personal feeling is with kids in my house... no way I'd have a gun at home. If we didn't have kids maybe my opinion would be different. I think guns can give you a false sense of security. In general I think good people think twice about pulling the trigger and bad people don't.

 

[Eastoff]

That's not a fair comparison, IMO. On one hand, you ask for personal experience of gun owners in stopping one specfic crime (home invasion burglary/B&E). You are comparing that to anyone that you know of that killed themselves with a gun.

I know two guys in Seattle that stopped home invasion burglaries with their guns. I only know this one guy that killed himself with the SKS.

Having my gun in my car saved me from at least a SEVERE beating by four very angry (and very inebriated) members of the Klamath or Modoc tribes.

Go Blazers

Okay, so let me clarify, it's not fair because i'm comparing suicide to burglary? It would better if I included people that carry their guns around with them too? Okay feel free to add more to the list.

So that's now 4 suicides and an attempt, to 3 burglary stops and 1 situation that could have been avoided, and 2 stopped assault (or murder).

edit:
4:6. (FYI I can't exactly ask if anyone has commited suicide themselves with a gun.) and not counting the military suicide, because that is not firearms in homes.

 

[MARIS61]

Okay, so let me clarify, it's not fair because i'm comparing suicide to burglary? It would better if I included people that carry their guns around with them too? Okay feel free to add more to the list.

So that's now 4 suicides and an attempt, to 3 burglary stops and 1 situation that could have been avoided, and 2 stopped assault (or murder).

edit:
4:6. (FYI I can't exactly ask if anyone has commited suicide themselves with a gun.) and not counting the military suicide, because that is not firearms in homes.

The invisible elephant is the enormous prevention effect guns have on a populace.

Here in Beautiful Central Oregon house the handful of break-ins and burglaries usually involve a relative or an acquaintance, someone who knows not only the victim but also the victim's neighbors.

Most people here own guns and use them regularly.

To just break into a random house around here almost guarantees you'll be staring down the barrel of somebody's gun, if their dog doesn't tear you apart first. It's not what you'd call easy money.

Road rage is nearly non-existent here for the same reason.

 

[Eastoff]

The invisible elephant is the enormous prevention effect guns have on a populace.

Here in Beautiful Central Oregon house the handful of break-ins and burglaries usually involve a relative or an acquaintance, someone who knows not only the victim but also the victim's neighbors.

Most people here own guns and use them regularly.

To just break into a random house around here almost guarantees you'll be staring down the barrel of somebody's gun, if their dog doesn't tear you apart first. It's not what you'd call easy money.

Road rage is nearly non-existent here for the same reason.

I've lived in "the ugly big city" I have never seen Road Rage. I would prefer to have a dog over a gun. But if the break-ins are in fact family friends, then the dog would also know the burglar?

This reminds me of a joke, do you know why elephants paint their feet red?

So they can hide in cherry trees! Never seen an elephant in a cherry tree, well that's because it works so well!

All joking aside, perhaps guns are necessary for your safety. I'd assume most of the burglaries are due to meth addiction though. Oregon should address the meth problem and I would hope burglaries will go down.

 

[ehizzy3]

how exactly do you address the meth situation tho? what really can you do?

 

[oldguy]

It's good to hear that there aren't many home invasion break ins in central Oregon. That's not the case in Lane County. Lane County laid off about 50 from Public Safety a year or so ago. Until recently, the county jail had been "matrixing out" guys busted for home invasion within 24 hours. There was not enough budget to keep enough jail beds open for business. It seems like the criminals come here because they know there is little chance of going to jail for long.

When the Sheriff was asked about how the public should guard themselves without enough police, he said, 'get a dog.' (Not bad advice, but I expected better from the guy in charge of our safety.) That tells me that I'd better be prepared to take care of myself, whatever the situation. I feel like I am up to it, with my gun. I'm not so confident about going mano a mano with some Billy Badass in my living room in the middle of the night.

So, while the odds are that I won't have a bad guy in my house in the middle of the night, it does happen here, at lot. I sleep better with my gun on the nightstand, and a dog sleeping the living room.

I've owned and shot all types of guns for over 40 years and have never come close to accidentally shooting anyone. I'm also blessed to never have had any inclination to commit suicide.

Go Blazers

 

[Eastoff]

how exactly do you address the meth situation tho? what really can you do?

that is a difficult thing indeed. Perhaps get users into rehab and keep busting the cooks.

 

[oldguy]

Okay, so let me clarify, it's not fair because i'm comparing suicide to burglary? It would better if I included people that carry their guns around with them too? Okay feel free to add more to the list.

So that's now 4 suicides and an attempt, to 3 burglary stops and 1 situation that could have been avoided, and 2 stopped assault (or murder).

I would add that the three burglary stops could have also been rapes, murders, kidnapping, etc.

:4:6. (FYI I can't exactly ask if anyone has commited suicide themselves with a gun.) and not counting the military suicide, because that is not firearms in homes.

Hadn't thought of that. Good point. lol!

Go Blazers

 

[ehizzy3]

that is a difficult thing indeed. Perhaps get users into rehab and keep busting the cooks.

i am sure if you get busted with meth you have to go to some sort of rehab, or at least i'd hope. tho they might need to build some more rehab centers

 

[Eastoff]

i am sure if you get busted with meth you have to go to some sort of rehab, or at least i'd hope. tho they might need to build some more rehab centers

I really doubt they do just based on the fact that they let so many burglars out after a short time, that they have money for rehab.