Bluff Gun???

[soonerboomer]

My situation:
While I've got no problem using lethal force to defend my family, my wife has a different take on things. Not that she objects to people defending themselves with lethal force, its just that she's not willing to do so personally. Honestly, part of it is that she's somewhat of a klutz and does not trust herself with a loaded firearm. And, even more honestly, I don't trust her either. Plus, she has a strong startle/flight reflex and would not do well with a firearm in a self defense situation.
Now, many may have opinions on her position, but, I kindly ask you to refrain from sharing those opinions. Besides, thats not my point.
My Point:
What if I gave my wife a disabled gun to bluff with? I have an intimidating looking Taurus 970 Tracker. Yes, its just a .22 but it looks like a freaking .44 Magnum, assuming you don't really pay to much attention to the small hole in the barrel. =)
Here's my thinking... My 970 has one of those hammer locks on it. I could disable the gun. She could still bluff with it, and it could not be used against her (unless she gets beat over the head with it, or the perp happened to have a Taurus key and a few extra .22 rounds in his pocket).
I say this because I remember a NRA article years back saying that the vast majority of self defense situations are resolved simply at the presentation of a firearm, and a shot is never fired.
So, what do you think about a "bluff gun"?

 

[Gamera]

That's possibly one of the worst things you could possible do. Get your wife a heavy duty flashlight and some OC spray.

 

[Ruodo]

Trusting my wife's safety to a bluff gun would be insane. It would only take a second or two for the BG to realize that she can't shoot and that it isn't loaded. If you don't trust her with a loaded gun why not take her to a class or two? Teach her how to handle one in case she is ever in a position to need to.

 

[PT1911]

I think it would be a horrible idea... if she is not comfortable with a gun and her ability to use it, then opt for some sort of stun gun in combination with a pepper spray, tear gas, UV dye combination.. there is no point in carrying a gun that is disabled or unloaded... one must be ready to fire a gun if the situation requires it to be pulled in the first place...

 

[Ed Ames]

The lady needs training. Get her to a school, with competent instructors, and chances are the startle reflex/"klutz" factor will melt away. Those are the natural starting points of anyone who hasn't learned to use a firearm, not impossible roadblocks. She will probably out-shoot you by the end of a couple days (I speak from experience there).

Yeah, I know you asked us to refrain from offering opinions, but you've presented a solvable problem and then asked about an alternative to solving it...and, surprise surprise, the alternative is worse than no solution.

 

[Rockwell1]

What if I gave my wife a disabled gun to bluff with?

You'll end up with a dead wife

 

[Macmac]

Bad idea... She would be better off to just go insane. No one ever messes with the insane...

A mad look in the eye, drooling with a grin, and perhaps puking will be her savior if she remains this way.

Some women are beaten and raped repeatedly and contine that way of life... I guess some are simply hardwired to it. That seems to end when they are raped and beaten to death.

My wife knows I could be taken out in the chance of life, and so she knows it just might be her defending me.

Her parents were stabbed to death Easter 99, so it is very real to her.

 

[searcher451]

Ditto ditto ditto. You couldn't come up with many worse ideas than that one, in fact, even if you ran it through a committee. It's the real deal or nothing. A bluff gun, so-called, will get someone killed. Look at the cases of LEOs firing on kids who have nothing but look-alike toys.

 

[chris in va]

Firearms aren't for everyone.

 

[mesinge2]

The problem with bluffing is that sometimes a person will call your bluff. A lot more to lose in your situation than a poker hand.

I like the taser idea. Look at the Taser C2, cheaper than a gun and it will actually do something. It has a built in flashlight and laser sighting system.

http://www.taser.org/

I'd prefer a gun but its better than nothing.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

It's a revolver. They could see that it's empty.

 

[texgunner]

That sound like good way to end up dead.

 

[EdistoMic]

Strategy

A bluff only works if it's not called.
Someone calls your bluff in a card game, you lose money.
Someone calls your bluff in a live or die situation, you lose your life.

It's the consequence, not the odds.

The odds of needing a firearm are enormous.
The consequences of not having one to protect yourself when needed could be fatal.

Familiararity with a firearm breeds comfort and piece of mind.
Make your wife as familiar with a firearm as she would be with a vacuum.
(not meant to be sexist--just couldn't come up with a similar analogy).

 

[LibShooter]

I'll join the "very bad idea" chorus. If she doesn't want a gun, don't get a gun. This sounds like a great situation for a big loud dog.

 

[Floppy_D]

Flashlight + pepper spray/taser. Something she'll feel comfortable using. With a dummy gun she's defenseless. I wouldn't want my wife to be defenseless.

 

[Cannonball888]

Lets be realistic. Only Dirty Harry can bluff successfully.

 

[psyopspec]

From the information given, you're going the wrong way with hardware to try to solve a software problem.

A disabled gun is the worst of both worlds. It can get a person shot, or targeted by those who would want to steal it, and does not allow for the person who carries it to defend themselves.

 

[a2fireball]

Some gun ranges have "Ladies only" classes. My wife has been to several and she has learned quite a lot. They have all female instructors and they let the students know its no big deal to be nervous at first.

 

[TheVirginian]

That's possibly one of the worst things you could possible do. Get your wife a heavy duty flashlight and some OC spray.

This is good advice and what I was going to suggest myself. That'll give her time to grab a phone and dial 911 or run or both. In fact, it'd be my preference as well. I'd not fancy shooting anyone unless I felt that it was truely the last resort. Holding an empty gun for a small woman would likely be their last act.
-Bill

 

[GRIZ22]

Bluff Gun???


A very wrong idea for all the reasons given already and more.

if you can't trust your wife with a gun get her a Louisville Slugger and one of those bear size pepper sprays. Spray them and then put the Louisville to work.

 

[chieftain]

Chris got it, dead nuts on. Absolutely right.

Firearms aren't for everyone.

I would suggest taking her to or have her attend a high quality, non shooting self defense class. (I have found there aren't many good ones. Many that start out pretty good over time, erode to the level of mediocrity, at best.

I put my oldest daughter through a very good one, after she graduated from University, and before we went to Manhattan about 8 or 9 years ago. (she can shoot and her preferred handgun of mine was the Glock 30).

The course was full contact, and included the use of folding knives.

After going to Manhattan, my daughter told me, one night after she got home, that she had been scared that night. She had visited a friend in Brooklyn.

Apparently a lot of street action, a real dark bridge to go under and she opened up her knife and kept it in her hand at the ready.

Trust me, there ain't many people good guys or bad guys going to go after a woman in Brooklyn walking around with an open blade.

Everyone left her alone.

Go figure.

Fred

 

[WardenWolf]

If you pull a fake gun, you are putting the other person in a position where they must either use their weapon against you or flee. It immediately turns it from an "They're going to rob me and might hurt me" to "They're either going to run or I'm dead." Many criminals will open fire. It automatically escalates it to a 50/50 live or die situation instead of probably a 90 / 10 live or die situation. There is absolutely NO reason to use a fake gun. If you pull a fake gun and the person doesn't immediately **** bricks, you're going to be far worse off than if you'd never had it at all.

 

[Oro]

Bluffs "work" when the risk/reward profile is such that a loss isn't terribly detrimental. Bluffing with deadly force gives the other party the incentive to respond in kind. Don't do it unless you are prepared to use it.

I vote "training" as has been said. I have taught a number of women to shoot over the years and none of them have proven "incapable" of shooting - no one with reasonable motor and mental function is incapable of shooting. Shooting and mastering a firearm is easier than learning to drive a car.

To further refute the idea that a woman isn't as inherently capable of learning to shoot well, an interesting comparison is women pilots. During WWII lots of women were recruited to serve as transport and ferry pilots to free up men for combat roles. Air corp studies of female pilots' performance found that they on a whole:

1) trained more quickly
2) lost fewer aircraft to error
3) were in general more skilled than male pilots with the same number of hours

Needless to say, this upset some folks perceptions! The rationale was that, basically, taking male hormones OUT of the equation made a pilot better as they were more focused and thorough with procedures.

I have witnessed the same with the three women I have taught to shoot over time - all were safer, more accurate, and more calm than a man of the same age with the same experience when first getting to know handguns.

If she can drive a car, she can be taught to shoot well and be as safe as possible.

 

[btg3]

The one bluff gun that seems to have some following here is the pump shotgun because of the sound it makes when the slide is racked.

However IMO, that should be the sound it makes right after the first shot.

 

[WardenWolf]

Well, Oro, there are some people who, in my experience, really should NOT carry a firearm (or be allowed to do many other common tasks). Some people are truly inept. The vast majority of people are just fine with some training, but there are those few. It's important to recognize that, and not push someone towards something that could prove dangerous for them.