Bang, Bang, Yer Dead!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

handgun. I've had it for five years. I keep it in a keypad-activated safe in my bedroom, and only my wife and I know the combination. I bought it brand new, and it has never been fired.

Ian, I am not about to do an about face and say hand guns are OK.
But if you are going to insist on owning one, your method is the best way. So well done.

So, how does the "average American gun owner" keep their weapons? Just wondering what your take is on that.

[Blind groper]

So, how does the "average American gun owner" keep their weapons? Just wondering what your take is on that.

Gawdzilla

The harm hand guns do is two fold.

1. When carried in public and used in homicide.
2. When used for suicide.

Keeping a hand gun in a safe avoids both problems. If your 'average American gun owner' carries his gun in public, that is bad. If he/she leaves a gun available for teenagers and others (including burglars) to get hold of, increasing suicide risk, that is also bad.

I know you guys think I am some kind of anti-gun nutter, but that is not true. I am, above all, practical. My concern is about preventing harm.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

So, my question?

[Tero]

Zilla, between mattress and box spring. If they can afford a night stand, bottom drawer.

[Blind groper]

So, my question?

As i understand it, this behaviour is pretty variable. There is a significant number of suicides from the offspring of gun owners (especially hand gun owners) getting hold of the weapon and shooting themselves.
http://www.vpc.org/fact_sht/hgbanfs.htm
That is ; about 12,000 suicides per year using hand guns. Which shows that a lot of hand guns are not stored properly.

So while I hope that Americans store their weapons appropriately, it is clear than many do not.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

So, my question?

As i understand it, this behaviour is pretty variable. There is a significant number of suicides from the offspring of gun owners (especially hand gun owners) getting hold of the weapon and shooting themselves.
http://www.vpc.org/fact_sht/hgbanfs.htm
That is ; about 12,000 suicides per year using hand guns. Which shows that a lot of hand guns are not stored properly.

So while I hope that Americans store their weapons appropriately, it is clear than many do not.

I don't have the figures on sales of gun locks, but IIRC they are steadily increasing.

[Ian]

Gun thread continued, I think one or two people haven't been insulted yet!

I own a S&W .40 semi-automatic handgun. I've had it for five years. I keep it in a keypad-activated safe in my bedroom, and only my wife and I know the combination. I bought it brand new, and it has never been fired.

That should be enough information for me to draw criticism from people on both sides of this debate.

I know you've been to the range, so you've had some safety training. You can depend on the S&W to work when you need it to work. But what about your wife, what's her status re handguns?

Her dad taught her how to use one when she was younger. She'd be fine with it.

Good. Sounds like you're a raving gun-nut who puts his entire family, and the fucking neighbors too, in peril to satisfy a blood lust of epic proportions. Any excuses?

You mean besides my blood-lust?
This happened five years ago near my hometown, a couple days before my twins were born: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire,_ ... on_murders
Needless to say I strongly identified with the dad, and figured some good home defense options might not be such a bad thing.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

We've been scolded thoroughly about how guns are no good for self-defense.

[Ian]

We've been scolded thoroughly about how guns are no good for self-defense.

Oh well.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

We've been scolded thoroughly about how guns are no good for self-defense.

Oh well.

I was sitting on my patio one day, cleaning 5-6 semiautomatics and this clown came over from the next building down.

"You know guns are dangerous, don't you?"

"Yeah, I've killed a few people with them."

"Well I think you're a horrible person."

I picked up a Taurus and loaded it.

"Would you mind doing your thinking in your own yard?"

He left.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Blind groper]

We've been scolded thoroughly about how guns are no good for self-defense.

If you are talking about me, that is not quite what I said. I pointed out that those who carried guns had a higher probability of being shot than those who did not. This is not an opinion. This is a research finding.

However, that research did not cover guns at home, and I also said I had no problem with someone keeping a gun at home, preferably a rifle or shotgun (mainly because a hand gun is an invitation to suicide, and parents with children should want to avoid that) in order to be able to defend themselves. I would hope that the firearm kept at home is locked in a police approved safe, and children have no hope of gaining access.

The real problem is people who carry hand guns in public. That is the main cause of 8,000 homicides a year.

Well, not quite true. The other problem is 12,000 suicides a year from depressed people having access to hand guns at home.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

BG, there are some moderate voices in this debate, and you're one of them, I believe. However, the more fanatical anti-gun folks are rather strident and seem rather religious in their fervor about guns. The irony has not escaped me.

[Toontown]

I miss the bronze age, when men were men. Nowadays, any punk with a finger and a gun can kill a man.

[laklak]

No, I was implying that they wank off their horses, while polishing their weapons.

Shows what you know. We fuck our horses. They're the only ones that can take our massive cocks.