. . . my wife would be ok with it, but she doesn't yet know I've bought the .38
. . . Money is REAL tight right now, and she would hit the ceiling knowing I bought a gun during this period. (hey, it was a GREAT deal that I couldn't pass up)
Is this the proper forum for what I am about to say? I am not sure. We are all supposed to take THR, and I feel that I would be doing you a disservice by my silence, so here it goes:
As a man, you feel the need to protect your family from predators with force. I think that is something we can all appreciate. However, it is also your obligation to protect your marriage, and your family's bond. Doing things behind your wife's back will always hurt the situation, especially when you did something that you KNEW she would "hit the ceiling" over. A "good deal" on a gun comes along every single day. EVERY DAY! Your wife came along once, and your job is to protect her till death do you part. That includes protecting her from that voice in your own head that urges you to make that purchase, lie to her about it, and then blame it on wanting personal protection. That voice is as dangerous to your family as any predator you might find on your trip, and if you don't stand up and fight him, he will take your family down right in front of your eyes.
Here's a hypothetical situation for you. A man has been planning a trip with his family out of state. He starts to feel concerned about the family's safety on the trip. He lays awake in bed at night worried about how he can protect them. One day he brings his concerns to his wife, sitting her down and saying, "Honey, I am very excited about our trip, but I have become more and more worried about our personal safety, especially given the rough area that we are travelling into (wilderness, etc.). I am worried enough to consider getting a gun to bring with us. Heaven forbid I should ever need it, but in the event that we do need it, I wouldn't want to be without it." Together they decide if a gun, the trip, or both is in their budget. Maybe they decide to go without a gun, maybe with, maybe they decide to go on a different trip. Who knows? Either way, the man has addressed his concerns, and his wife is happy that he could share them with her, and that they could reach an agreement about it. She is also doubtless pleased that he is so concerned about the family, even if his concerns mean thay have to change their plans.
At this point, the high road would be to tell your wife that you bought the gun, explain why you did, and then discuss where to go from there. Entertain the possibility of selling the gun off and re-considering your trip, especially is money is "Real Tight". You are not being a responsible gun owner by being an
irresponsible gun buyer. Good luck.
Sorry to the folks who feel that this is off-topic, I think we all can agree that a discussion of when and how to buy guns should be welcomed here.