Looking to own my first firearm, in fact, I'd like two. A shotgun to keep locked up for calamity, and a pocket pistol to keep in dresser for home invasion and bring with me when I go out.
I have a loving, liberal wife and two young kids. She will not tolerate guns in the house.
Has anyone successfully kept firearms in secret?
Obviously, I would be extremely responsible. And yes I have balls, but I married a liberal and I have to live with certain consequences.
Thanks in advance.
First, let's address a few issues you raise. Try this...
I have a loving wife and two young kids. She will not tolerate guns in the house...
....Obviously, I would be extremely responsible. And yes I have balls, but I married (her
) and I have to live with certain consequences.
You say you have a loving wife; does she have a loving husband? If so, why would you put her down in front of a group of people you don't even know?
"Liberal" adds nothing to the anti-gun issue and, as you an see, incites derogatory comments about her. Your wife could be so far to the right she thinks Rush Limbaugh is liberal and still be against guns in the home. Being conservative is no guarantee of being in favor of RKBA.
You want to buy your first guns. If these truly are your first guns, you've picked two of the worst I can imagine. Well, the shotgun isn't really "worst" but keeping it locked up for calamity just isn't realistic; calamity isn't going to wait while you retrieve it. In addition, a pump shotgun (the one most often recommended) requires two hands, can be difficult to deploy in tight quarters, and is the only single-action firearm I have ever heard anyone recommend for home defense. That "Ka-Chunk!" that everyone talks about may be intimidating, it will also give away your position. In a stress situation, it is easy to short-pump and fail to load a fresh round in the chamber, leaving you with a club.
Pocket pistols are among the most difficult firearms to master and many are unpleasant to shoot. Mere possession of a handgun doesn't mean you're prepared in case of an emergency.
If you plan to keep it in the dresser, get a larger handgun. As far as carrying it when you go out, check your state and local laws to see what might be involved with doing that. In practical terms, it's not difficult to conceal a handgun larger than a pocket pistol. There are some very good compact 9 mm pistols on the market. If you want something small and manageable, consider a Ruger SP101 revolver. A revolver has a lot going for it as a first self-defense weapon.
To be honest, my real recommendation for anyone getting a first gun is getting a .22 caliber firearm. A good .22 caliber automatic can be lots of fun, is easy (and inexpensive) to shoot and will give you the opportunity to learn safe handling and marksmanship and practice safe storage at home. A lot of people will recommend a Browning or Ruger, both of which are fine pistols, but I think you should look at a Walther P22. It's small, more fun than a barrel of monkeys, and inexpensive.
Moving to your actual inquiry, everyone has given lots of reasons you shouldn't try to hide it, but the main one is trust and one of the things you're going to have to do is trust your wife to love you and your life together more than she hates guns. This obviously isn't an issue that's going to go away, so you might as well be straightforward about it.
Tell your wife you want to buy a handgun. Tell her that it's important to you, not because of any real or imagined threat, not because you're standing up for God, country and the Second Amendment, but because you want a handgun. Sounds weird but if you're honest with yourself and with her, it's the truth. This takes away all the media brainwashing, all the politics and rhetoric and brings it down to the fact that you want a gun because you've
always wanted a gun.
Tell her that you have considered her views and ask that she now consider yours.
Also tell her you have also researched safe storage techniques to prevent your children from gaining unauthorized access to the gun or any ammunition.
Now comes the second reason for selecting a .22. It's the least threatening and most sporting of the handgun calibers. Yes, it's still a lethal device, though not the best choice for a self-defense weapon, but you can go out to the range and spend the day punching holes in paper for $20.00 or so. And they're just little cartridges. Might make your pitch easier.
Above all, be firm. This isn't a decision you have made lightly, but it's a decision, nonetheless, and not subject to negotiation. Every marriage is built on love, adjustments and compromises. Just don't forget you owe her one down the road.
