jkh@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (11/03/85)
Article: 10:10 [ This article was originally posted as 9:19. Henry claims that it never made it out, so I am reposting it as 10:10.. -jh ] > Most home defense 'experts' advocate the use of the shotgun for defense. > ... it tends to cover sloppy shooting ... Not at close range it doesn't! The spread of pellets from a normal shotgun load is negligible at the sort of ranges that would be relevant to most home-defense situations. Test it if you don't believe me. As our moderator points out, it's also relatively clumsy. This is not a trivial issue: a defensive gun that is stowed away where you can't get at it in a hurry is useless. Convenience is important. > [on the (Colt) .45]... you have the usual problem with single > action autos in that you can't have a round ready to fire without > having the weapon cocked and on safe. This is not really all > that 'safe' and will compress your hammer spring if you store it > that way for long periods. As some of the readers know, this is a major subject of argument. I'll try to present the other side calmly. The only "safe" gun is one that is unloaded, but it doesn't defend you very well in a pinch. It depends on your priorities: is your safety more endangered by having the weapon more ready to fire, or less ready to fire? A "cocked and locked" .45 is more ready to fire, hence it is available more quickly in a crisis but must be handled more carefully. Safe handling of such high-readiness weapons is possible, it just takes attention. Whether it will compress the spring depends on how careful the maker is about metallurgy. There are reliable reports that Colt springs do *not* "take a set" even when "cocked and locked" for years, so I would think that this is unimportant. If nothing else, replacing the spring now and then isn't going to be excessively costly. > If you can rack the slide to chamber > a round and cock the piece fairly quickly, then this shouldn't > be a big deal. This is an area where you need to consider carefully whether your wife, with less muscle, is going to have to use the gun. Racking the slide isn't easy on a big auto. If she needs to do it, she will need to do it quickly and without fumbling. > [in 9mm]... you can usually get a double action piece that eliminates > the safety problems with the .45.. You just pull the trigger on the > first shot and it cocks the hammer (like a revolver). Each subsequent > shot is single action since the hammer obviously cocks itself... Note that the length and force of trigger pull needed for the first shot is very different from that needed for subsequent shots, and it is not easy to find a grip that is right for both. (You don't want to have to change grip in the middle of firing!) "Try before buy" is the rule here. Don't forget that your wife may have smaller hands. Speaking of safety problems, never trust the "hammer-dropping safety" on a double-action auto. > .357 magnum pretty much rounds out the list. It's a great round > and I like it (I own several .357's)... Note that you will need a substantial barrel length to get any real benefit out of .357. Don't buy a snubnose .357; with a barrel that short, the only thing it gets you that a .38 won't is lots more flash, bang, and recoil. The more powerful cartridge needs a long barrel for its power to show in bullet energy. > ... I HEARTILY recommend > practicing at the range with your chosen weapon, even if using > it only for home defense. You should be absolutely familiar with > it. Practice at least once a month if you can. Definitely. If there is any chance that your wife will need to use the gun, make sure she practices regularly too. On a related subject, there are a couple of other preparations that you should make as well. Make sure you've got a way to get your family together quickly and quietly behind a solid locked door. Make sure that there is a phone behind that door, too. The right way to handle a prowler is to take up defensive positions and call the police. They are trained and equipped for clearing a house of possibly-dangerous intruders; you are not. You should use your gun only if the intruders are homicidal enough to break down that solid, locked door. If for no other reason, note that a man's home is *not* his castle, and the law is *not* on your side nowadays if you shoot a prowler. Killing somebody just because he broke into your house is first-degree murder in most places. Deadly force -- such as that dispensed by a handgun -- is legally justified only in the event of an immediate *unprovoked* threat to life or limb that *cannot* be avoided otherwise; note the emphasized words. Defensive rather than offensive tactics will not save you from substantial legal hassles, but they may well save you from a lengthy jail term. Speaking of which... If you have a gun for home defense, you should be prepared to use it (otherwise it's just a dangerous toy). Which means, you should be prepared for the possibility that you will use it. Which means, you should be prepared for the legal aftermath. The police get paid to take no chances; if you kill a prowler, even if it was *clearly* self-defence in a desperate situation, you will almost certainly be arrested and charged. So... when you buy your gun, locate a local lawyer who has handled armed-self-defense cases. If you ever need the gun, shortly thereafter you will need the lawyer. BE PREPARED: get both. DISCLAIMER: My knowledge of these matters is general and theoretical. You should get the aforementioned lawyer to fill you in on the practical details of local laws. Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry
jkh@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (11/12/85)
Article: 11:4 For legal advice, Ayoob's book, "In the Gravest Extreme," is MANDATORY reading. If you ever contemplate using "deadly" force, check this out FIRST. Jon Kaplowitz