My Dad bought his first gun

[Saddlebag Preacher]

I wasn't raised by my real dad, but by my stepfather who was lifetime military. So I hunted and shot since I was a kid. My real dad lives in the city all his life and my stepmother HATES hunting and guns.

The whole time I was a LEO, at Christmas and visits, I had to assure her I didn't carry a gun into the house. (To appease my Dad).

Now my dad is 73 and I'm 54. I live on a farm and he still is in the city. He drove out for a visit the other day and as we were talking, he said he wanted to show me something. He pulled out a Ruger LCP and said he had gotten his CCW and the gun without my stepmother knowing. He wanted to know if he could shoot at a target with it. He was also under the assumption the gun was dangerous with a round in the chamber.

I showed him he could and unless he pulled the trigger it wouldn't go off.

When I asked him what changed his mind, he said the neighborhood had gotten too dangerous and he got to old to fight or run.

I'm waiting for him to come back with a knot on his head from his wife.

 

[MachIVshooter]

More and more people are seeing the light these days.

Will it result in lower crime? If nothing else changed, probably. But with the economy spiraling downward still, I expect crime will continue to rise. I do believe it is a mitigating factor, though (to some extent)

Will there be an increase in accidental GSWs? Probably, but it'll be negligeable at most.

Is the net result of a larger armed populous postive? In my not-so-humble opinion, yes, for many reasons.

In short, good for him.

 

[Inebriated]

Awesome.

Though I will say that he needs to either lock it away, or inform the wife. The LAST thing I would want is someone coming across a gun, and having zero knowledge about safety.

 

[Ignition Override]

Congratulations.

With less disposable income on the horizon (taxes, higher deductibles, less Flexsaver etc), in order to cover the hidden costs of Obamacare, and many doctors stating that they will avoid Medicare patients, life will be more stressful for people.

Imagine now how many are being shifted from full-time to part-time, to cover new health care costs by employers: a second serious factor all over the country. This will indirectly contribute to more crime and the need for personal protection.

 

[Davek1977]

Personally, when it comes to marriages, secrets are as dangerous as lies, and in the case of guns, maybe moreso! If there is a gun in the home, I believe the spouse should be aware of it, and ideally, be able to handle it despite her distaste, just as a simple safety precaution.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

Awesome, always good to hear of someone seeing the truth about firearms. BTW thank you for your public service. I have a good friend that is finally coming around, I too am expecting lumps on his head...lol. He is ret. Army and has not touched a firearm since he left the Army in 94, he called me the other night about intrest in a AR and a1911. It warmed my heart to hear him excited and asking questions about laws and the modern civilian weapons.

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

UPDATE*****

He told my Stepmother. She is not happy, but I think at that age "whadayagonnado"...?

They will be fine, he'll continue puttering around the garage and she'll do he ladies thing.

I think he knew all the time how far he could go, maybe a little couch time, but he got his gun.

P.S. I don't believe in family secrets either, we had that discussion. I'm just happy that now I can look back at all those "NO GUNS" conversations and smile.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

Well glad to hear, other than a little couch time, things are ok. When people realize that the firearm is a tool, no different than any other, they usually become a little more open about them.