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December 10, 2003, 10:37 PM
Here in New Zealand we don't have quite the same freedoms enjoyed by the gun enthusiast citizens of the US. Our cops don't openly carry guns (though the patrol cars carry guns in the trunk) unless there's an Armed Offenders Squad callout (kinda like SWAT team). NZ citizens have to jump thru quite a few hoops to get a handgun licence and nobody in this country has a CCW permit.
We do have a variety and abundance of privately and publicly owned wide open spaces in which to hunt and a variety of deer species to chase with no animal predators or snakes to worry about, so maybe there's balance in all things (?).
When it comes to home defense, however, our cops take a very serious view of anybody even presenting a firearm, let alone using it. And, of course, our anti-gun lobby is pushing for harsher and stricter controls and the safety of kids and the banning of military style semi-automatic firearms yadda, yadda, yadda.
This doesn't mean that we don't have our fair share of burglaries, rapes, home invasions, assaults, kidnaps, armed robberies, murders, etc. In fact, if anything the spread of methamphetamine use in this country is making more violent crimes more common ........ yet I'm not allowed to take precautions to defend me and mine from a goblin with drug-induced psychotic intentions to commit who knows what level of heinous violence. I'm supposed to call the cops who may (or may not) be able to respond and come out to my place to deal with the offender. More likely they'll arrive in time to scratch their heads, pick up a few pieces and notify the relatives.
So, my plan is to have a sporting firearm (O/U shotgun) with a handful of rounds which are clearly intended for sporting use (say duck loads) readily available to confront any malicious goblins. The theory being I can say I heard a disturbance and thought it was a roving dog worrying my stock (or a pesky possum in the plum tree, or whatever) and grabbed the gun to deal with it only to find a badguy intent on mischief.
I'm picking the muzzle of a 12 ga would be a pretty good attitude adjuster but in case the worst comes to the worst, would a load of birdshot at close range (and it would have to be close range to even get close to being at all justifiable) .... say 10 yards or less, be effective? If I have to let a goblin get that close, I don't want him any closer so I'm looking for something to stop him in his tracks if possible.
I know the double shotgun and bird shot is quite restrictive but necessary if the "accidental" home defense argument is to be used. An evil black military looking mankiller pump action (or semi-auto) shotgun would just be impossible to defend.
Other options might be a lever action rifle in .44 mag, but overpenetration is a concern unless I load it for reduced velocities.
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We do have a variety and abundance of privately and publicly owned wide open spaces in which to hunt and a variety of deer species to chase with no animal predators or snakes to worry about, so maybe there's balance in all things (?).
When it comes to home defense, however, our cops take a very serious view of anybody even presenting a firearm, let alone using it. And, of course, our anti-gun lobby is pushing for harsher and stricter controls and the safety of kids and the banning of military style semi-automatic firearms yadda, yadda, yadda.
This doesn't mean that we don't have our fair share of burglaries, rapes, home invasions, assaults, kidnaps, armed robberies, murders, etc. In fact, if anything the spread of methamphetamine use in this country is making more violent crimes more common ........ yet I'm not allowed to take precautions to defend me and mine from a goblin with drug-induced psychotic intentions to commit who knows what level of heinous violence. I'm supposed to call the cops who may (or may not) be able to respond and come out to my place to deal with the offender. More likely they'll arrive in time to scratch their heads, pick up a few pieces and notify the relatives.
So, my plan is to have a sporting firearm (O/U shotgun) with a handful of rounds which are clearly intended for sporting use (say duck loads) readily available to confront any malicious goblins. The theory being I can say I heard a disturbance and thought it was a roving dog worrying my stock (or a pesky possum in the plum tree, or whatever) and grabbed the gun to deal with it only to find a badguy intent on mischief.
I'm picking the muzzle of a 12 ga would be a pretty good attitude adjuster but in case the worst comes to the worst, would a load of birdshot at close range (and it would have to be close range to even get close to being at all justifiable) .... say 10 yards or less, be effective? If I have to let a goblin get that close, I don't want him any closer so I'm looking for something to stop him in his tracks if possible.
I know the double shotgun and bird shot is quite restrictive but necessary if the "accidental" home defense argument is to be used. An evil black military looking mankiller pump action (or semi-auto) shotgun would just be impossible to defend.
Other options might be a lever action rifle in .44 mag, but overpenetration is a concern unless I load it for reduced velocities.
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