Feince sitter may have seen the light today.

[GigaBuist]

A fellow I work with isn't anti-gun at all, but he doesn't own one himself. Doesn't think I'm weird for owning them either (my background at work is of my gun collection) and generally speaking I think we agree politically. Well.... read this:

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2040501&nav=0RcdOnU4

Summary: Violent convicted felon running loose. Did 5 years for B&E and got out -- did the whole thing over again and nearly beat a 64 year old man to death.

Here's the kicker: The police were hunting for the guy in his neighborhood today. He found out from his wife who called him at work. She was obviously worried when she saw a police helicopter and squad cars in the area in large numbers. They shut down entrances and exits to the area even it seems.

He gave me a quick brief after he got off the phone and I kid you not as soon as he got the situation out of his mouth his first words were, "Man, and we don't even have a gun at home."

I wrote it all up in my "blog" and the guy I work with does read it so he'll see my suggestions on a HD shotgun in there. I thought about engaging him then and there about getting some HD tools but figured it'd be best to not fuel any panic. I certainly didn't want to emphasise the fact that his wife was home alone with their child while an armed and violent ex-con was in the neighborhood and entirely defenseless. He had that pretty much figured out for himself but at least the police were out in full force.

While it's not a happy thing (the perp has left the area as far as the police know as of 4pm) it might be enough to turn a fence-sitter into a firearms owner in short term.

 

[RooK]

Times like those are really what make people 'see the light' and liberals with an anti-gun agenda completely dismiss. I think the best example is the LA Riots and the only stores not touched by looters were the ones run by the Chinese and they stood guard with AKs. And people said those semi-automatic rifles have no civilian use, pfft. I also remember someone mentioning how him and some friends did security with personally owned firearms after a hurricane to prevent theft within their area.

I'm glad you recommended a shotgun. It seems too many people are quick to suggest a handgun for home defense for a first timer and this can cause several problems due to inexperience. Most rifles and shotguns are simpler and give you a stepping block when it comes to firearm safety.

 

[Standing Wolf]

"Man, and we don't even have a gun at home."

Better late than never.

 

[capt_happypants]

I'm not comfortable with the idea of a newbie with a pump-action scattergun for personal protection.

Under extreme stress, an inexperienced operator can induce various failures in a pump gun. He shouldn't try to clear a double feed when a bad guy is kicking down the door.

If he wants a shotgun, a coach gun in 12 ga would be simple to operate, have good stopping power, and should be easier to manipulate under stress.

Personally, I'd recommend a 4" medium framed revolver in 357 Mag.

YMMV, of course.

 

[DorGunR]

I think the best example is the LA Riots and the only stores not touched by looters were the ones run by the Chinese and they stood guard with AKs.

Rook, you're ALMOST correct............I was working in LA at the time and it wasn't the Chinese shopkeepers it was the Korean shopkeepers.

 

[kernal_panic]

a rossi or winchester lever action in .357 mag. get the 16 inch version. a 12 ga shottie is going to turn that wife off to using it real quick.

 

[molonlabe]

I think the best example is the LA Riots and the only stores not touched by looters were the ones run by the Chinese and they stood guard with AKs.
-------------------------------------------------

Those were Koerean store owners using HK's I think SA MP-5's and I remember one firing a 9mm glock. I also remember the local DA wanting to prosecute them using the news footage. A good reason to wear one of those swat hoods when defending your property in The Republic of California. When I lived there that was perhaps the most memorable experience I had in that state. I don't remember any AK's but there could have been.

 

[Black Snowman]

kernal_panic: a rossi or winchester lever action in .357 mag. get the 16 inch version. a 12 ga shottie is going to turn that wife off to using it real quick.

Don't let Tamara here you say that My advice, let the wife decide

I went the 223 route for home defense. Sure, I'll be temporarily deaf, but they should be permanently stopped Recoil? Pbbt. Negligable! Overpenetraion? not with hollowpoints. Stopping power? 30 rounds of it baby!

Of course that discussion has been done to death. You can direct them to this site for tons of advice. Some of it actually useful

 

[Frohickey]

...and if its a shotgun, make sure you don't leave in a DragonsBreath shotgun shell in there and leave it for the wifey.

I think it was Preacherman's friend that did that.

 

[RooK]

DorGunR/molonlabe, thanks for the heads up. It's been a while since I've heard the incident and I'm nowhere near LA. I'll apparently have to research the matter closer to see what actual firearms they had in their possesion.

 

[10 Ring Tao]

I also remember the local DA wanting to prosecute them using the news footage.

Any idea if some clips are available?

*opens new window with google to start searching*

 

[GigaBuist]

Well, we're riding to lunch (Friday ritual it seems) with soem of the other techs in a rented Mustang. The fence sitter and I were in the back of this thing. Commetns were exchanged about it being a rather small backseat, but yes, it does move well. Anyway, being the "gun nut" I couldn't help it:

"Dang, you know it's a small car when -my- head hits the roof; and there's no way you'd get a gun rack on this back window."

We chuckled. The Californian guy in town as a consultant asked if the other two guys in the car were gun owners. First one said nope, and the fence sitter said, "Nope, not right now... but after what happened Tuesday I'm thinking about it."

I just smiled as he explained the situation to them.

 

[twoblink]

It is also situations like this that make people see why waiting periods hurt the innocent.

LA Riots and the only stores not touched by looters were the ones run by the Chinese and they stood guard with AKs

I missed my flight that day because of the Riots.. (and had to take a later flight, subsequently, my grandmother died with me seeing her before she died one last time )

But my mom's friend owned a TV store in downtown LA..

All the stores on his street were broken into... I wish I had a pic of it though;

He was sitting on a big screen TV, eating a sandwich with a shotgun on his lap, and 2 boxes of #00 Buck shot on the side..

For some reason, he wasn't robbed

I wouldn't leave a panic'ed wife at home with a shotgun who's never shot before...

 

[molonlabe]

http://www.emergency.com/la-riots.htm
http://www.kang.org/LARiot.html
http://www.capaa.wa.gov/koreanamericans.html
http://www.gunowners.org/pr0207.htm
http://www.clarkhumanities.org/histories.htm Oral Histories.
http://www.salemthesoldier.us/the_2nd.html


It's been a while since I look at this thread. Here are some refernces and links if anybody is intrested.

 

[harpethriver]

It's amazing how convincing reality can be.

 

[mfree]

Is there such a thing out there as a 20 gauge lever action shotgun? Seems perfect, loads can be light, the weapon itself is lighter without extra kick, and it'd be much harder to short-stroke...

 

[TechBrute]

A semi-hijack on the LA riots semi-hijack:

Not too long after the riots, the Dallas Cowboys had a parade to celebrate winning another Superbowl.

During the parade, a few low-life inner city types decided to assault a female reporter, light some stuff on fire, try to tip cars, etc. The news coverage showing while it was happening implied that the LA riots had come to Texas. My dad made the comment that we could toss a couple of the rifles in the truck and drive downtown to join the fun, since we were in the suburbs. He figured that a riot in Dallas wouldn't last long enough for us to get there, so we shouldn't bother. He said it all in jest, but it got me thinking about the differences in the gun cultures and how he's probably right that the type of crap that went on during the LA riots probably wouldn't have the same chance to escalate here that it did there.

Besides, our cops can kick their cops' asses.

 

[Bullet]

I don't like guns.

We've got a name for people like you VICTIMS.