What not to do:

A popular magazine has a page called the “Armed Citizen” with recaps of how people defended themselves with guns. It should be called “ I’m lucky to be alive ”.
How about the guy who heard a noise outside, took his dog and went out to investigate. The intruder shot the dog (he survived), the man ran back into his house to retrieve a gun. Or the woman who heard banging on her front door. When she got to the door she saw a panel kicked out and a foot sticking thru. She then went to get a gun.

DO NOT GO LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, LET IT COME TO YOU

What you should do:

If someone breaks into your house, it is either to rob you or cause you bodily harm. It often turns out to be both. If they come towards your bedroom, expect the worse.

Have a firearm ready. That means loaded with a round in the chamber. No locks. At 2:00 AM you will not have time or presence of mind to unlock it.
A phone near your bed, preferably a cell phone. Call 911 but remember average response time is 15 minuets.
If possible your bedroom should be laid out so you can easily get out of sight behind the bed, dresser or other furniture. Stay low, an intruder will look for you at their eye level. Be sure to shout “stop or I’ll shoot” before you do so, especially if you have 911 on the phone. Some self defense courses go to lengths describing how to take prisoners. You are not trained or equipped to take a prisoner. Do you have handcuffs in your bedroom?
The best defense is a good offense. Do you have adequate locks on your doors, AND windows?Do you have motion lights outside your house? Are there places someone could hide and surprise you as you exit your car or walk to the door?

What kind of weapon should I have:

Many people advocate shot guns or rifles. I do not. They are long and cumbersome. Where are you going to keep it? If you are lying in bed, will you be able to retrieve it and maneuver it towards the door?

I prefer a semi auto hand gun. It should be on your nightstand or under your pillow.
Lights and lasers – they’re great under certain circumstances, but they take training to use properly. Remember, you are in familiar territory, an intruder does not know where you are. Turning on a light says “here I am”. If they have a gun, you have just made a target of yourself.

When you leave your house, secure your weapon, 70-80% of the guns used in crimes were stolen from houses. Keep a record of all serial numbers and description of guns. Report any lost or stolen guns to police immediately.

SELF DEFENSE IS A FRAME OF MIND – BE AWARE – BE PREPARED – PRACTICE

Liberty Guns Inc
libertyguns.com

Dear Arlene,

When people come to buy a gun, we call Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE). They check for criminal records (around the Country) or for any mental problems or restraining orders. Any one of those and the person is denied. There is a 5 business day wait in our area, unless someone has a Concealed Carry License. They still have to be checked with FDLE, but since they went through an extensive check to get the license, (FBI, Immigration and FDLE) they don’t have the 5 day wait. If someone is a Florida Resident, but is not a citizen of the USA then they get a conditional standing and the FDLE sends the application for a gun to Immigration to make sure that the person is legal and has no international criminal record. That is as complete as we, or anyone can do.

There is always a black market for guns, internationally. Pakistan is one of the largest (small business) gun manufacturers in the world. They sell to anyone. Guns will always be available to the “bad guys”. It is the law abiding citizen who will not have protection and will be at criminal and despots mercy.
(end reply)

For some reason people are under the misconception that guns are easy to get, from licensed guns stores. In our area, and most jurisdictions in this Country, this is just not so. Unfortunately, guns are easier to get on the street, than any law abiding citizen would like to think. The point is that criminals don’t usually go to a gun store. If they do try (and some do) they are denied. Most criminals just buy their guns on the street or from private sales, which are not monitored NICS or in our area FDLE. It is definitely a problem, but one which would only be exasperated by more stringent gun laws that affect the legal gun store or legal gun purchaser. It is an old saying, but true that “when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.”

Off we went (if memory serves there were about six of us) up to the high country, above Tucson. We shot towards what we thought were rabbits, but not hitting anything, we couldn’t be sure. All I know is there was a kick to the gun that landed me on my backside and that was my complete firearms experience until 2000 . A new millennium. A new me. Two children later, six grandchildren of our combined family and a new state, Florida, I got reacquainted with firearms and found out what I had been missing. My husband and I even ended up buying a gun store.

Here, in South Florida, firearms fall into three major categories. First and foremost is protection. Not that we are any more vulnerable that any other location, but our population is a little older and more diverse culturally and economically, than some other areas of the Country and we have a wise Legislature who tend to follow the 2nd amendment. We have the right (and some think the obligation) to help protect ourselves. To do that we learn how to safely carry a firearm and what our responsibilities are when we do carry a deadly weapon. Much like your responsibility of driving a car (also quite deadly if used incorrectly).

There are some people who do not wish to carry (a special class background check and license is required) but want to protect themselves when at home; there are others who are not comfortable with a firearm, so we inform them of other devices such as pepper spray and stun devises. (But that is a subject for another day).

The second reason for having a firearm is the sport of shooting. I know that many don’t think of it as a sport, but it is in the Olympics and actually has a great following. There are ranges throughout this Country where people can perfect their proficiency and there are groups and clubs for skeet, trap, and cowboy shooting, just to name a few. My husband and I took two of our older grandchildren to our gun club to shoot for the first time and they did quite well. Actually our granddaughter did amazing and our grandson caught on quickly, too.

The third category is hunting. South Florida is not a hunters paradise, but we have our moments. (Can anyone say alligators?) We also have wild boar and some deer, but not like north of us.

There is a fourth category, but not as common. That is the collector of guns. Some are antiques, some are from one maker, from one period in history (civil war, WW1 or WW2) or from one Country such as Norway, Finland or Italy.

Guns are a lot more interesting and not as frightening as I grew up believing. They give you a sense of confidence but not cockiness. As I age, I am glad that I feel I can protect myself, and hope I never have to.

Susan
Liberty Guns Inc.
Libertyguns.com

The Liberty Crew

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