There is/is not a firearm in my household.

[BikeWriter]

Poll question: There is/is not a firearm in my household.

[Maddy McCall]

1. Is a 12 gauge a "firearm?"

If so, then yeah, I have a firearm in my house. :D

[BikeWriter]

4. That's the best self defence weapon extant, Maddy!

[Maddy McCall]

10. LOL!

"Put the kid behind you, back into a corner, squat, then open fire." At least, that's the self defense course my father taught me. :-)

[BikeWriter]

24. Damn right, and sweep the barrel a bit as you squeeze the trigger.

:)

[ArkDem]

172. This would be very good advice if your intention is to miss.

[BikeWriter]

192. No, I'm talking about hit them on one side then the other.

When practicing with handguns I do two to the chest, one to the head.

[BikeWriter]

2. I have mine! :-)

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Okay, I have to add other -

I have a lot of firearms, but they are all in other people's homes in safes until I get something safe in which to put them.

So, my home is void of firearms, but I own a lot.

[BikeWriter]

7. Dayum, well, I guess that will average out...

[MnFats]

32. thank you for being responsible...

lotta people are not so cautious...

[Zuni]

85. Good for you

If you own firearms, keeping them in a safe place where children or burglars who would put them on the street cannot get them is one of the most important steps you can take to be a responsible gun owner.

Thank you for being responsible. As a gun owner myself, I am disgusted when people use firearms in an irresponsible manner.

:toast:

[Rabrrrrrr]

118. Actually, it's not so much about safety - in terms of keeping kids

away from them - it's about safety in terms of keeping burglars from hauling off with $20K worth of guns. :-)

But I, too, am disgusted with improper firearms usage. Ammo and guns always kept separate. Never point a gun at anyone if you are sure it's unloaded - that was taught to me from the moment I was able to speak, I remember. Keep the safety on. And when the revolution comes, the republicans are the ones in the shitty suits and/or have their names on their belt buckles.

[Squatch]

5. There are 7 firearms and 1 bow in my house.

Plus 2 fly rods and 2 saltwater spinning rigs.

[BikeWriter]

9. There ya go! :-)

[Squatch]

13. Oh, and I've also got a kegarator.

[BikeWriter]

30. Uh, is that dangerous?

[Squatch]

35. You, my friend, have never enjoyed one of my homebrews, have you?

Hangovers at my house are legendary.

[BikeWriter]

52. No, shit? I used to brew ALL my beer and wine!

I love that little swirl of mist when you pop the cap off the home brew...

[Squatch]

53. I keg my beers...hence the kegarator.

Haven't needed bottles in years. Too much work.

[BikeWriter]

62. It is a lot of work cleaning everything. When do we work on Skinner...

...and get a group together?

[Maddy McCall]

12. I have a crossbow.

Love to play around with it. It's a bitch to cock, though. :-)

[BikeWriter]

18. Oh yeah! They are cool though. :-)

[stevebreeze]

6. If I had one I would shoot, either myself or the cat

by accident but it would happen.

[BikeWriter]

11. Aw hell, I hope not!

[stevebreeze]

46. I wont, I would not have a gun for that reason alone

I am one of those people who has to play with everything. I can't ski at an area that has no hard slopes, as I start screwing around until I get hurt if I have no real challenge. If I had a gun i would fool around with it until something bad happened.

[BikeWriter]

50. Well, uh, in that case be careful and don't hurt yourself with that PC!

;)

[stevebreeze]

69. I'll so the best I can

LOL

[BikeWriter]

72. :)

[tjdee]

8. Two girls here, maybe I should get one.

Sometimes when I see a rapist/killer movie (I keep that to a minimum) I entertain the thoughts of learning lethal martial arts and buying a gun for every room. And investing in getting my bedroom to be my panic room.

But then having a gun in the house would seem dangerous just because it's there, somehow.

[BikeWriter]

15. It feels dangerous when I don't have one! I had a home intruder once...

I held him at gunpoint until the police arrived.

[Maddy McCall]

56. Same thing happened to a friend of mine...

a guy kicked his door in, thought no one was at home, intent on stealing his stuff. My friend picked up his AR15, put it in the guy's face, and called the cops.

Guy was arrested, and he went to jail for seven years for home invasion, and a list of other crimes he had committed.

[BikeWriter]

80. That sounds good. The guy who came in my house...

...kept asking me what would happen if he just walked away. I told him I wanted the cops to make damned sure he didn't come back while I wasn't there and I'd shoot him if I had to. He waited for the cops.

[The Sheik]

280. Now that is one awesome story.

[Floogeldy]

14. There is no door knob on the other side of my bedroom door

And the door jamb is in the way of kicking it in, at the top of the stairs.

Needless to say, it would take an axe or a lot of kicks to break through.

I hope it never happens. That is because I hope I don't have to ever discharge that .38 Smith & Wesson Police Special I sleep with into some stupid motherfucker's face.

That would be bad and I wouldn't like it.

[BikeWriter]

16. You got that right, Floogeldy!

[Floogeldy]

23. Yes Sir! ***

[SheilaT]

22. So how do you get into your bedroom?

If there's no doorknob on the other side, and it closes, what do you do?

[Floogeldy]

37. I never close it until I go to sleep for the night

I live alone, except for my sweetsie weetsie cutsie wutsie little doggy woggy, Prince!

[BikeWriter]

79. Good thinking, Floogeldy!

:)

[SheilaT]

107. Do you prop it open?

I realize all of this is none of my business, but given the frequency with which people who habitually lock themselves out of their cars (when they're in the habit of flipping the lock switch instead of using the key or remote to lock) I can all too easily picture something similar happening at home.

Of course, with any luck at all, your doggy woggy is a good intruder alarm also.

[Floogeldy]

121. Luckily

It has never been a problem. I never have a reason to close the door unless I am going to bed. And it would take a miracle for my wittle doggy woggy to close it and latch it.

Yes, he is a GREAT watchdog. When the meter man comes into the backyard, my doggie makes a very soft, quiet barking sound to alert me, but insuring to not tip off the meter man that he knows he is there and is secretly telling me, if you know what I mean.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

17. we have two, but there's no ammo anywhere in the house

we have a 12-gauge and a .22, though they both reside dismantled and unloaded on a closet shelf. they were my husband's growing up (his family hunts). he brought them from his parents' house to our apartment when we lived in an apartment complex known for police chases through the parking lot. it made him feel safer to have them around...I think I actually felt less safe.

Edited to add: they weren't dismantled and unloaded at the other apartment (duh). I always figured anyone who lived in my neighborhood and would break into our place probably had much more experience with guns than I did, so it wasn't going to help me much.

[BikeWriter]

20. Hmm, I sure don't feel right unarmed when all the crooks have them!

:(

[Ravenseye]

19. I Want A Shotgun

just in case things collapse and I have to protect my family as we fight our way out of the city. I want my 'mad max' chest with guns, football shoulderpads with spikes on them, and a hairtrimmer to give us all mohawks.

oh and a dunebuggy rigged up in the garage.

[JitterbugPerfume]

26. no

i have never allowed guns in my home Not even toy guns


well--i might have had a water gun ot two

[BikeWriter]

33. Don't shoot a burglar with it!

[BikeWriter]

27. Dayam right! I already have the wild beard!

:)

[havocmom]

21. "a firearm"? No, that wouldn't be accurate to say.

:evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

28. What, uh, would be accurate?

[DS1]

25. Every now and then my right arm is on FIRE!

Practicing darts, of course

[BikeWriter]

34. Oh, I was fix'n to ask if it hurt...

[NightTrain]

29. Does a flamethrower count as a firearm?

:evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

38. It would if you used it. :-)

[-..__...]

54. No.

Actually (State laws aside), there's no Federal law that says you can't own one... they're considered an "agricultural device". The BATF could care less. So... "burn, baby burn".

Check this out...



Instructions here...

:evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

67. Do it to 'em!

[-..__...]

74. Feh!!

Never mind gun shops and "gun show loopholes".

If Dianne Feinstein and Sarah Brady are really serious about thwarting terrorism and protecting the safety of our nations LEO's, they should take a hard look at Home Depots wares and sales practices.

Did you know anyone (even a child), could walk in and buy sand paper with no questions asked or a background check?

Think about it!

[BikeWriter]

83. OMG! I hadn't thought about it until you pointed it out! Ghastly!

:(

[shesemsmom]

31. We recently had to sell ours and at times wish we had it back

but I do own a very good ball bat that only goes off if I draw it back and swing hard. Great protection from anyone who doesn't have a firearm lol

[BikeWriter]

39. I'd druther have a firearm :(

[shesemsmom]

41. so would we but we needed money for food

during these trying times. Some day will get another one

[BikeWriter]

43. Dayum, the best of luck to you, Pard.

:)

[-..__...]

73. I had one of those once.

But, I got to "thinking about the children" and decided to get rid of it and turned it in to a local PD "bat buy back program".

[BikeWriter]

92. Gee whiz, Batman. That's awesome!

[brokensymmetry]

36. Oh, yeah.

I have firearms. They are loaded. The safety is off, but no round is in the chamber.

Fortunately, my cat has shown no interest in them. :)

[BikeWriter]

40. Kool Kat! ;)

[tibbir]

42. When I was married we used to have a gun.....

then, during a rather heated exchange, he went back to get the darned thing to "prove" he wouldn't use it when he was angry. WTF? Needless to say, I didn't stick around to see how THAT was gonna turn out.

I'm not married any more but I'm way too afraid to have a gun around that could get drawn into an argument so easily.

[BikeWriter]

45. The trick to that is don't use them on anyone you love.

I'm glad you weren't hurt.

[BikeWriter]

47. I'll add a howdy neighbor to that. I'm in Bacliff.

[Not_Giving_Up]

57. Hey Bacliff

Pearland here :hi:

[BikeWriter]

65. Way cool, Neighbor! Howdy! :-)

[BigMcLargehuge]

44. firearm no, live sword yes

[BikeWriter]

48. Live sword, as in a real one?

[BigMcLargehuge]

49. as in high carbon steel

sharp edge, full tang

[BikeWriter]

55. Very good. I love good steel! I never leave home without a Buck Knife.

[Lisa]

141. what style? spatha, Norman, greatsword, katana/wakizashi, sabre?

I've been thinking of getting a Migration-era sword sometime, but I'm already out of room for my assorted metal objects.

[BigMcLargehuge]

150. It's a Chisa Katana

[Bouncy Ball]

58. I LOVE BOTH VOLUMES OF KILL BILL!!!!!

[Xithras]

182. Downside to a sword

I own a claymore and a pair of bastards, and I have to admit that they'd be brutal if used against someone out in the open. Unfortunately, most homeowner/intruder confrontations happen in hallways and swords tend to be extremely ineffective in tight spaces.

Which is why my house has a firearm.

[BikeWriter]

203. Yes, you could thrust, but not swing.

[Bouncy Ball]

51. What about "there are two firearms in my household?"

After all, this is Texas. Bersa Thunder .380 (that's mine) and an 18 inch shotgun (that's the husband's).

And on edit, two large German Shepherds who ARE trained appropriately, if you know what I mean.

No one dares.

[BikeWriter]

59. I hope you practice with that Bersa. :)

[Bouncy Ball]

61. Yep.

I took a 40 hour training class (spread out over a few weeks, of course) and I have been to an indoor training range many times.

Funny thing, I had never shot a gun before about five years ago, when we got it, and I found out I'm a natural. Not to brag or anything. But the instructor was shocked at my accuracy on the target. I was, too. Even my Army vet husband, who is not shabby with a firearm at all, couldn't hit it as well as I could and at as far distances. I would knock out the whole center of the target.

I did win first place trophies for archery when I was a teenager. But that's a different skill.

[BikeWriter]

66. Great! Thats what I like to hear! I've trained some superb Lady ...

pistoleros! :)

[Bouncy Ball]

68. OHMYGOD!!!

YOU CAME UP WITH THE NAME OF MY PUNK BAND!!!! THE PISTOLEROS!!!

Thanks, you rock, BikeWriter!

[BikeWriter]

84. LOL! BW bows in BB's general direction.

:)

[guitar man]

60. 3 lines of defense

Line 1 is an alarm

Line 2 is an 80 lb. American Staffordshire Terrier mix named Birdie(see DU pets gallery)

Line 3 is a 12 ga. pump and .45 auto, whichever one I am closest to. If an intruder gets past the alarm and the dog, it's all over for them.

[Bouncy Ball]

63. You reminded me.

We have a whole house alarm system, too. Then the two dogs (well, really we have three. The smaller one IS very protective of her family, but is too small to do a lot of damage, it's the other two who will tear some shit up) and THEN the two guns, in that order.

We've never had to use any of them, thank goodness.

[BikeWriter]

70. That'll work! I always did like a good dog around, though I don't have...

...one now.

[-..__...]

64. I had a lot of guns...

many guns, but unfortunately, I lost them all in a boating mishap (just in case anyone should come around asking). :evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

71. Oh, uh, yeah.... Sure, Pard. I remember when that happened!

[-..__...]

75. Plausible denyability.

Hey, it worked for Reagan.

The insurance claims adjuster gave me a funny look though when I filed a report. Hey... shit happens.

[BikeWriter]

78. Yes, it does, and who could have known airplanes could be used as...

missiles?

[Historic NY]

76. I've got only a few.........

from Brown Bess's to 9mm & 40cal......right now they are all locked up because I don't want to scare my housekeeper.

[BikeWriter]

86. Very good. All you need is one where you can get to it. :-)

[CanuckAmok]

112. I had a Brown Bess once...

I was a "Historical Interpreter" for Parks Canada...'twas my high-school job every summer to march around the historic parks and fire muskets, cannon and mortar for the tourists. I was a bona-fide Redcoat (Royal Newfoundland Regiment).

[BikeWriter]

261. That sounds pretty cool for a summer job!

[CanuckAmok]

77. Mama Amok has a pump-action .22 and a double-barrel 20 gauge skeet gun

not even registered!

I have a 30Mw plasma rifle in the 50Gw range, and some rubber bands.

[BikeWriter]

87. A twice barrel shoot gun be one fine duck gun. We make some gumbo.

[CanuckAmok]

111. LOL!

They beloned to her old neighbours... they had a house fire a few years ago, and the guns were reported to have been destroyed in the fire. Luckily, they had been kept at my mom's place for safe-keeping while the neighbours were on vacation, and they forgot. They both died a few years later, without reclaiming their guns.

[BikeWriter]

116. You lucked out. They may be worth some big bucks. too.

[Az]

81. Guns no. Swords yes. Many many swords

Ok, none of them are sharpened. I collect swords.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

88. I have a katana.

I bought it relatively cheap from a vendor at a karate tournament. I showed it to my sword collector friend afterwards. His reaction was priceless..."yeah, you got a good deal because it's really not the best grade of steel. I mean, you could still decapitate someone with this pretty easy, but it's not as good my my katana."

[BikeWriter]

94. An "Old Hickory" butcher knife can decapitate someone if you know what...

you're doing.

[Az]

96. A katana can decapitate someone if you don't know what you are doing

[BikeWriter]

97. Good point, Az! :)

[BikeWriter]

89. I've owned a few myself. :)

[Lilith Velkor]

82. No firearms here.

Just a katana and a dog.

[BikeWriter]

90. Well, watch your back then. :)

[Lilith Velkor]

224. That's what the ferocious dachshund is for. ;)

Soon as I move out of Mom's, I'm gettin me a shotgun.

[BikeWriter]

252. A woman after my own heart, Lilith! Way to go! :-)

[thecai]

91. No Firearms

But I have an Akita. And clubs and rubber hoses placed strategically around the house.:spank:

[BikeWriter]

93. Err, does the Akita know how to use a club?

[thecai]

95. Not Yet

But I do.

[BikeWriter]

98. Good deal. Those Akitas are supposed to be good dogs...

...I watched one once run around the corner of my house and clear a five foot fence into the back yard. My 65 lb. Pit Bull out of Championship fighting stock came running. The Akita cleared the fence again, ran down the street as fast as he could until he was out of sight and as far as I could tell he's still running.

[thecai]

99. Big Snuggle Puppies

I have to confess.
SHHHH! Don't tell any burglars or bears!

[BikeWriter]

113. ROFL! That one wanted no part of that pit bull. :-)

[Rhiannon12866]

104. Welcome to DU, thecai! Glad to have you with us!

Akitas are beautiful dogs, but know they can be protective. My neighbors have two, and, though they have a high fence, I still don't walk by their house with my dogs. I have a nine-pound Brussels Griffon, who thinks he's pretty tough, LOL!:D

[thecai]

131. Thank You, Rhiannon!

I'm glad to be here. I love this forum and all the awesome people.
My Akita is extraordinarily gorgeous, (wish I knew how to post his picture), and he's very protective of me. The bigger the other person or dog, the more aggressive he is, "the bigger, the better", he thinks. I also had a Rottweiler, but she died last spring.
The only pit-bull I ever had, was the only dog I could not train or hand-feed. But my cousin raises pit-bulls, and his are always so sweet and smart, yet very protective.
My favorite dog is a doberman. I had one for over ten years that was so smart, I had to spell words that I didn't want her to understand, until she started to recognize spelled words. Honest to God! I've never seen a smarter dog, before or since. I had a detective neighbor who stopped by my house one day while I wasn't home, and he later told me, "you have NO worries, you have THE BEST protection, I thought your dog was going to break through the glass on the door". All my neighbors thought I had an underground electric fence, because she would NOT leave the yard, even chasing deer, she'd stop short at the property line or the ditch. I was able to train her so well, she was so eager to learn.
R.I.P., Teesha, my beloved doberwoman!

[Rhiannon12866]

160. You're welcome! And, yes, there are awesome people here,

Mostly real animal lovers, always ready to inform or advise or offer support. It's a real community here.:-)

I have no doubt that your Akita is not only beautiful, but protective. My neighbors' scare me to death, but my Dad's cousin also has one, as well as a shepherd mix, and she loves those to pieces. She's getting older, and lives alone out in the country, and those dogs are the best companions in the world for her. Once I was on the phone with her, when someone knocked on the door, and they reacted just as you said. I have no doubt that she is more than safe.:-)

I have had mostly cocker spaniels, and I tend to adopt older dogs, from rescue. My Barney was the love of my life, so I understand how you feel about Teesha. He was a 10 or 11-year-old cocker who had spent his life as a stud dog in a commercial kennel. When he got too old, they were just going to put him down. Fortunately, he was rescued by a wonderful lady, and found his way to me. He had never lived with people, was not housebroken, but he turned out to be the most gentle, wonderful pet, the best dog I will ever know. I had him for eight years and lost him two years ago, at around 18. I love them all, but he was special.
:loveya:

And the great lady that rescued him also had a Doberman, Greta, who was the love of her life. Even though she has worked in rescue for years, when she lost Greta, she was inconsolable.;(

I hope sometime you will be able to post pix. I'd love to see your guys. It's great to have you with us!:hi:

on edit: I am not on the right computer to post pix of mine, but I just posted them a few days ago, on another thread. Here is Barney, and my amazing cat, my namesake. And the rest of my guys are on post #35, on this thread, most with sad stories, but also mostly still with me.:-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=243&topic_id=1918#2655

[thecai]

210. Beautiful Pet Family, Rhiannon!

What nice things you write about them, too.
I've always felt that if you raise a dog like a member of the family, they will be protective, without training.
Even small dogs are a deterent for would-be burglars.
I've always kept a Beware of Dog sign in my window, whether I had a dog or not.

[Rhiannon12866]

100. There used to be, but not anymore

And it was a 22-rifle, that I used to shoot competitively, not a gun to scare away would-be burglars.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

114. It still would have done the job. You're a sharpshooter, are you?

:)

[Rhiannon12866]

119. I was, but my best positions were prone and kneeling

If I had time to load and aim, I probably could have taken a fly off his nose, but I'm hardly Chuck Connors, LOL!:D

[BikeWriter]

120. I used to be good with a rifle, too. I reloaded for my .270. I had five..

...different bullet loads I used. The best would give me 3/4 inch groups.

[Rhiannon12866]

125. Wow! I only shot one at a time, paper targets

Mine was a 22, very light, with a floating barrel and an adjustable butt plate. I loved that gun, LOL!
:loveya:

[BikeWriter]

134. I know what you mean, Rhiannon. An accurate .22 can be so much fun...

...out of dozens I've owned I've had oneexceptional one, a Remington Auto. I could nail frogs across a pond with that one!

[Rhiannon12866]

149. Well, it had to be accurate. I had to shoot out a tiny pinwheel at 50 feet

Dozens?! How many guns do you own now? I've only owned the one, but have shot several others. I had a friend whose brother had inherited three guns from his grandfather, and he let me try them all. I remember that one was an antique rifle and another was a 30-30. That thing was much more gun than I was used to! It had these huge shells and such a kick that I landed on my rear!:D

What did you do with the frogs? I've never shot anything living. That was one of the first rules we were given.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

151. You've never hunted? I like fried froglegs. They taste similar to...

...chicken. I've hunted all sorts of things, and eat anything I kill.

[Rhiannon12866]

152. No, I never hunted. My high school rifle coach did, and I never let up

On him, about it. And his reply was always the same, that if he didn't go hunting, he'd take his frustrations out on his students. I'm sure that this was just a throwaway line. The thing is, he was a really nice person, so I didn't understand it.

I learned how to shoot at a girls' summer camp, where I spent six summers. We had to memorize eight rules before we ever were allowed to pick up a gun, but there was a ninth rule that was unwritten. We were never to shoot anything living. If we did, even by accident, we had to eat it. In all the time I was there, there were very few accidents, and nobody ever broke that ninth rule.

No, I have never had frogs legs. But my Dad liked them and used to order them if we went out. And that's what he said, that they tasted like chicken.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

153. Yes'm, frog legs are yummy...

Hunters are needed now to balance the ecology, since we've killed out most of the predators. Better one swift bullet killing a deer than starvation or disease. Deer populations are exploding exponentially in many locations around the country.

[Rhiannon12866]

154. We have deer around here, that I sometimes see when I'm driving home

At night, since there are a lot of woods and mountains. They're just such lovely animals. I take your point, but I've worked so hard, over the years, to save animals, that I just cannot fathom killing one on purpose.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

155. It needs to be done and it's an increasing problem. There's a new...

...deer disease out now.


Wasting disease found in Colorado domestic elk
State agriculture officials have confirmed that a bull elk killed recently on property near Canon City tested positive for chronic wasting disease -- the first case of its kind in southern Colorado.

The 4-year-old elk was killed on a 2,800-acre hunting ground maintained by Ron Walker, who may sell his herd to the U.S. Agriculture Department so all 323 animals can be slaughtered and studied.

"It's terrible," he said. "I have 300-plus head of healthy elk here, and they quarantine me?"
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/02/10/news/wyoming/a65a7fcda00b7ce787256fa3005355d7.txt

[Rhiannon12866]

156. That's really terrible, poor things

Maybe I should send this to my cousin, in Colorado, but I don't think he hunts anymore since his father died. If this is related to mad cow disease, how can hunters solve the problem? If it is related, I'd just think it would create a new, and more serious, problem in our food supply.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

157. Yes, it's very serious, and the wildlife people are trying to stay...

...on top of it. What will complicate it though, is dense concentrations of deer, especially if they're weak and stressed by hunger and illness.

[Rhiannon12866]

161. So what is the solution?! What can the wildlife people do for them?

This sounds like a terrible problem. I think I will send this on to my cousin, since they are near the mountains. Thanks.:-(

[BikeWriter]

162. I've had too many other irons in the fire to research it properly...

...I expect it to get much worse before it gets better. Murphy's law at work.

[Rhiannon12866]

164. Well, I was just going to send him that article that you posted

If it's a serious problem, it must be covered in their news!:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

163. Here's an url to an informative website concerning Chronic Wasting...

Disease.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hunt/chronic_wasting_disease/

[Rhiannon12866]

165. Here's some more. Save you some time. Poor things.

http://realindy.com/cwdinfo.htm

http://www.vernal.com/cmsimple2_3new/?January_26%2C_2005:Front:Chronic_Wasting_Disease_found_in_Colorado_elk

http://cfapp.rockymountainnews.com/cwd/killer/side1.cfm

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/hunting/CWD/CWD%20information.htm

[BikeWriter]

166. I'm sure you noticed it has an extended incubation time, so the...

...full extent of the disease may be catastrophic in nature. Portions of the midwest and east are teeming with deer. One friend reports herds in her town and frequent highway accidents. I'm predicting the epidemic will spread exponentially.

[Rhiannon12866]

176. I only got one major news outlet hit, my old friends, The Rocky Mtn. News

That does not bode well. If it's this potentially serious, it should be being reported in every major news outlet in the affected areas. My cousin is in Denver, as is the Rocky Mountain News. I'll have to ask how prevalent the news coverage of this is.

Where is your friend? The last story talked about cases in both Colorado and Ohio. Poor animals.;(

[BikeWriter]

177. She's in Des Moines, IA, but we've been seeing reports of deer...

...downtown in a number of places. There's been several recent incidents of them jumping through windows and such. All of which indicate large numbers of them.

[Rhiannon12866]

180. This should be getting national news coverage,

Not just local coverage or articles on the web, that you have to research to find.:-(

[BikeWriter]

183. Yes. it should. It's something that could kill millions of deer if it...

...continues to spread!

[Rhiannon12866]

186. I'll e-mail my cousin in Denver. I have more one than on in the area,

But there's only one of them that I think would know about this. My other cousin is into saving animals, like me. She has four cats.:-)

[BikeWriter]

191. I'm becoming disturbed more aren't aware of it...

...I brought it up on my own forum, too. I'll research it more and keep abreast of any developments.

[Rhiannon12866]

211. I just checked and I haven't heard back from my cousin

I'm much closer to his sister and any e-mails we exchange are pretty perfunctory, so he's probably still trying to figure out how to respond to my uncharacteristic message.:-)

I agree that this news story deserves a national forum. I asked my cousin what, if anything, he's heard about it. If he draws a blank, then we have reason to worry, since this should be major news in Colorado.:-(

Thanks for keeping me informed.:hi:

[BikeWriter]

212. You're very welcome, Rhiannon. Thank you for the conversation. :-)

[Rhiannon12866]

268. And thank you!

I run across so many amazing people and points of view on DU, and am so grateful to have discovered it. I may be into animal protection legislation and you may be a hunter, but I am a liberal, so I am perfectly willing to accept other points of view. And we have a love of good firearms in common. I'll let you know when and if I hear back from my cousin. As I said, he may just not know how to respond. I am thinking of e-mailing his sister, who I'm much closer to. She may not know about this, but might be grateful for the heads-up, and I know that she'd reply to me.:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

270. It is an amazing site, with so many brilliant people. I'm constantly...

...seeking knowledge, and there are tons of it here. I hope to encounter you again soon, if not here. :)

[Rhiannon12866]

272. Thank you, my friend. This is a truly amazing site.

There are so many points of view, and such a depth of knowledge, but liberals respect those who differ with them, and all points of view are welcome here. I welcome that. And you will encounter me again. Your thread is not going away anytime soon. It is a pretty remarkable one. But you can always find me on DU. I have signed up with other sites, but rarely access them. DU is my home.:-)

Rhiannon:hi:

[solinvictus]

101. Yep...

Tito's finest, a Yugoslav Zastava arsenal SKS...

[BikeWriter]

115. Uh huh, I've fired one of those. Not bad for a military firearm. :-)

[jdots]

102. I voted other

Is a death beam a firearm ?

[BikeWriter]

132. Hee hee hee! :)

[Richard Steele]

103. My girlfriend only allows me ONE...

So my deer rifles and my MINT 1873 Rolling-Block are 500 miles away at my Dad's house.

The ONE that I picked is a Semi-auto 9mm UZI carbine, full of Federal 158gr +p JHPs...out of that 16-inch barrel, they equal the ballistics of a 357 mag, and the total package is short, handy, and VERY SCARY.

The 'Very Scary' angle is important to me; I would much rather hold an intruder at gunpoint (or even just chase them off) than actually shoot them.

I guess I'm just too "reality based" to imagine that shooting ANYONE would be 'cool' or 'fun' in any way.

I actually had an intruder in our house about a year ago; I chased him out with a stick...didn't even think about the gun until a few hours later!

[BikeWriter]

133. I envy you your Rolling-Block! What sort of accuracy does it have?

[Richard Steele]

139. Dunno; I've never fired it!

But with its 16-pound trigger pull, I doubt I could achieve any outstanding accuracy.

[BikeWriter]

144. Hmm, I'd have to fire it. I've heard some of them are tack drivers.

[NickB79]

105. I have a few for hunting and target practice, I need more though

A CZ 452 bolt-action rifle and a Ruger 10/22 semi-auto rifle, both chambered in .22LR for squirrel and rabbit hunting and target shooting. The Ruger has been upgraded with a match barrel and a few 25-rd magazines now that the AWB has expired. A CZ 527 chambered in .223 Rem for coyotes, crows, woodchucks, and target shooting at long range (out to 250 yds) on the family farm. My latest addition has been an RWS 93 magnum pellet rifle; it is wonderful practice shooting targets in the basement during winter, yet powerful enough to drop squirrels and starlings at 40 yds. I had a 12-gauge Remington 870 shotgun that I used for deer and bird hunting when I was a teenager, but had to sell it for college money. I'll probably buy a Benelli Nova 12-gauge shotgun to replace it when I get the money. A nice handgun would be fun as well, but the girlfriend draws the line at those. Apparently a 12-gauge shotgun that can blow a man's legs off is ok, but a puny 9mm handgun is off-limits?

[BikeWriter]

138. You have some nice fire arms. I love the pellet rifles, too...

No one else is in my house and yard. I can practice all I want. :)

[Seabiscuit]

106. I learned as a child not to play with fire.

The British and the Canadians have a much healther attitude - they think we're fucked in the head to be so obsessed with firearms, fear, and fighting. And they're right.

[Floogeldy]

124. In my hometown . . .

. . . back in the 70's, there were three big guys with shotguns who were walking up to houses after dark, kicking the front door in, beating up the males in the house, raping the women, and robbing them. They started hitting the same general neighborhood over and over.

Finally, the cops put an officer in every single house in a several block square area, waiting for them to strike again. So, when the bad guys pulled up in their car and got out, the officer in the house was alerted that they were coming. Two of them made it through the door and were killed with shotgun blasts. The third guy ran and, of course, he was quickly outnumbered and arrested.

That is when I decided to buy a gun.

I am not a firearms enthusiast and I am not a hunter. I am guilty of being a bit fearful but I sure sleep well.

[Seabiscuit]

135. Sounds like a horrible place - where is your hometown?

I've never heard of anything like you describe.

[BikeWriter]

147. That would be enough to convince most people! I won't be taken...

...advantage of, either!

[ScreamingMeemie]

108. There are 8 firearms in the Grumpy household. Disassembled until

hunting season rolls around again. No ammo.

[stevebreeze]

109. If you want a gun for protection (and don't like guns)here is my suggestion

get a pump action shotgun. Here a noise, just pump it. Nothing sounds like a pump action shotgun. All you would see is assholes and elbows. The best part is it doesn't need to be loaded, or even functional.

[livinginphotographs]

169. I agree.

I had one for a while, and man, those things have a disinctive sound.

I'm not much of a gun person, but if I needed one to protect my home, a pump-action would be exactly what I would get. Plus, they're relatively cheap...

[VelmaD]

110. I learned to shoot as a kid and I refuse to have a gun in my home

I'm perfectly competent with guns. I lived in rural Texas and learned to shoot at a fairly young age. But I refuse to have a gun in my home because I know the statistics. It's more likely that an intimate acquaintance would use the gun on me than that I would ever use it on an intruder.

Plus I tend to go with my mom's theory. She never kept a gun when I was a kid because she was afraid she'd shoot me or my brother when we were wandering around the house at night. Instead she kept a baseball bat or a pitching wedge next to the bed. She wasn't sure she'd hit what she aimed at in the dark with a gun...but she was pretty confident of her swing. :)

[BikeWriter]

171. Never take a baseball bat to a gunfight.

[Milspec]

201. True

But a bat + 2 dogs vs a knife can stand in at times, my sister can testify to that!

[BikeWriter]

214. I still prefer a firearm in a serious altercation.

[cabbage08]

117. 12 gauge

used for trap and skeet shooting

[BikeWriter]

253. Trap and skeet shooting is a lot of fun! :-)

[4_Legs_Good]

122. Is not nor will there ever be.

eom

[jswordy]

123. Four long guns, including my great-grandpa's black powder shotgun

He made his living and set his table by hunting and trapping.

[BikeWriter]

136. I'll bet that one has character! I love antique firearms.

[flvegan]

126. I have 3, though I'm not terribly proud of it

I don't believe in violence, but I do believe in protection...

Colt M1991A Officer's small frame .45. Semi-auto, 6 in the clip, 1 in the chamber. Black Talon's (still got a couple boxes).

Mossberg 500 12-gauge, pistol grip handle, pistol grip on the slide.

.22 long rifle, unknown exact specs. Works, though (gift from former father in law).

[BikeWriter]

158. I believe in protection, too. If we don't protect ourselves no one will.

[terrya]

127. No and there never will be. n/t

[BikeWriter]

159. I hope you never need one.

[Maine-ah]

128. my husband has two.

we have no kids (yet) but when/if we do, they'll be locked up good & tight.

[BikeWriter]

184. Very good, and as soon as the kids are old enough to understand...

...explain to them they are never to touch a weapon without an adult.

[Padraig18]

129. There are *several*, in fact.

"Forget the dog--- beware the owner!"

:evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

185. Very good! I have a sign on my front door saying simply, "BEWARE"

[EstimatedProphet]

130. I got 4

and someday will have more, likely. Target shooting is a fun hobby.

[BikeWriter]

187. I love tack drivers, whether rifles or pistols! :-)

[Seabiscuit]

137. Is it legal to fill a fire extinguisher with mace?

[BikeWriter]

189. LOL! Yes, it would be, as long as you used it in self defense.

[Lisa]

140. no -- but I have a nearly-complete suit of 15th-C European armour

And a riveted chainmail hauberk. (Not good against guns, but it should stop a knife.)

[BikeWriter]

193. LOL! Only if you have time to don it.

[Lisa]

205. the mailshirt is easier to get into than my winter coat!

I've timed myself.

Also, where I am, I have a greater risk of being killed or injured by an edged weapon than by a gun.


http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2003/10/02/214598.html

Of course, the plate armour would protect me against knives, strangulation, and beatings ... but as you say, I'd need to go through the whole routine of putting it on whenever I heard suspicious noises outside -- or make a lot of noise going around the house all the time.

[BikeWriter]

257. Be careful around water. You don't want to fall in with that on.

[name not needed]

142. No. But I have a katana and a rusty hatchet.

:7

[BikeWriter]

194. You might give an attacker lockjaw!

[jody]

143. Yes but why don't you ask how many have an instrument of rape? n/t

[BikeWriter]

195. Rape is not a joke.

[Squeegee]

145. No guns in my hosue...

But I do have a friggin' large knife under my bed.

[BikeWriter]

196. Hmm, what if an intruder is under the bed?

[ZoCrowes]

146. Quite a few

Few glocks, 2 tactical shotguns and an AR-15.

[BikeWriter]

197. Good, you're prepared! :-)

[BornaDem]

148. Yes, more than one.

[BikeWriter]

198. That'll work! :-)

[noonwitch]

167. I don't have one, but have no problem with those that do

I'm not from a hunting family. My mom never let us play with toy guns, either, not even cap guns. Exceptions were made for water guns. I've never fired a gun, and don't really feel the need to.

That said, we did have lots of friends who were hunters and such. I've never had a problem with hunting, and have no problem with law-abiding citizens having handguns or rifles. I don't think anyone needs to have an AK-47 or an Uzi, however.

[BikeWriter]

199. You sound ambivalent towards firearms, at least. :-)

[trogdor]

168. Wouldn't you like to know?

Bwahahahahahahaha!

[BikeWriter]

200. *Sniff!* That's okay, don't share then. ;-(

[GOPBasher]

170. None here. nt

[BikeWriter]

204. Your choice.

[Billy Ruffian]

173. More than one

several loaded pistols. Favorite is the Para-Ordnance P-12. .45 ACP, 12 round magazine, one in the chamber, cocked and locked.

What Would John Moses Browning Do?

Mossberg 500 Persuader, with 4 rounds buck, 3 rounds slug in the tube.

have my father's very old Remington .22 rifle, and a S&W .22 plinking pistol

They must be defective, though. 25 years of having a loaded gun in the house, and no one has been hurt (well, I did pinch my thumb once putting the 9mm back together. That left a mark.)

[BikeWriter]

207. You've got some great ones! :-)

[Freebird12004]

174. I'm licensed to "carry"

but my gun stays at home... and there are NO children in my home.

[ArkDem]

175. So what was the point of getting a license?

[BikeWriter]

208. I should get one myself.

[NNadir]

178. I have one of the items pictured below.

I'm exercising my constitutional right to protect myself against a nuclear first strike by the North Koreans, the Iranians or the French.

I don't have any oil on my property worth stealing, and therefore I expect that no one will bother me too much about the matter.

[BikeWriter]

209. You'll do just fine. Just remember NO OIL!

[Floogeldy]

179. Saw another story on the news yesterday

Four males kicked open a door in the middle of the night, went inside the house, beat the crap out of a handicapped man, and stole all of his valuables.

Disgusting.

[BikeWriter]

213. Ah, man. That really sucks big time! :-(

[Shredr]

181. I don't own one

But I've taken lessons and I know how to use one.

[BikeWriter]

216. Now if you just had one in your pocket you'd be good to go. :-)

[u4ic]

188. I've never owned one, ever

and hope to never have to.

My partner has a starter's pistol (he works for a corporate entertainment company that does murder mysteries, etc) but it's a prop for him.

It gives me the :scared: just looking at it. Guns terrify me.

[BikeWriter]

217. I hope you never need one then. :-(

[traco]

190. Not yet, but I'm thinking of going in Monday

to get the registration requirements done for one.

[BikeWriter]

218. I wish you luck on getting one easily. :-)

[traco]

219. I just found out I have to pay

for a class, and then file the insta check papers to see if I am eligible to own one.

[BikeWriter]

220. If you don't have any felonies you should be eligible for it.

[traco]

225. Never been in trouble.

Just some bad credit...but there is a man that attacked me several years ago that is coming up for parole. I need to be able to protect myself and my kids.

[BikeWriter]

233. Damn right! Don't let the asshats control you!

[traco]

241. I am prepared to protect myself to the fullest

I will not let him hurt me again, or my children!

[BikeWriter]

250. You have my best wishes. I think you'll be prepared. :-)

[traco]

251. Thank you n/t

[leftydad]

202. I own several

weapons, two pistols among them (WW2-era Walther PP & modern-era Lorcin .25, if anyone's interested). Unfortunately, they are stored in my parent's home in Ohio since my other half (leftymom on DU) won't allow them here.

BTW-I finally bowed to her judgement and registered here, this is my first post. I've heard good things from her about all you folks, and decided to sign up.

Well met, all!

[BikeWriter]

221. Welcome aboard! I'm honored your first post was on my thread...

...Hey, that Walther should be a sweet shooting pistol, Pard.

[Ilsa]

206. I have little kids.

Guns are forbidden in my house.

[BikeWriter]

222. I raised Children, too. They're all superb marksmen and women.

Firearms can be kept out of reach like any other dangerous tool until Children learn not to touch.

[Floogeldy]

223. Way to be in control!

And to all of you kids out there reading these threads, don't snort the AJAX!

You're a good dude, BikeWriter.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[BikeWriter]

228. Hey, thanks, Floogeldy. You're righteous people yourself. :-)

[Behind the Aegis]

215. You betcha!

We (my partner and I) are homos in Okla-HELL-ma! You bet we got a piece! I also have swords and athames. I don't like violence, but if it comes down to "you or me," well, then I would rather go to jail than the funeral home!

[BikeWriter]

229. Aww, shit. watch your back up there, Bro! :-(

[CubsFan1982]

226. Never has been, never will be.

I just don't see the use in having one. Personally, if it were up to me, I'd have the Second Amendment repealed; I don't understand the whole idea that one is safer with a gun than without.

[BikeWriter]

230. You may have seen the wisdom if you'd been here in 1772...

...and I have deja vu.

[CubsFan1982]

235. Maybe so.

But I'm here in 2005. I don't have Indians, British, French, or Spanish troops barging through my door, nor do I need to go out and hunt for my food. If I'd lived in those days, I probably would have a gun, but I don't, so I don't. Nowadays they do much more harm than good, in my estimation. To each his own, I guess.

[imenja]

227. Hell will freeze over before I permit a gun in my house.

[BikeWriter]

231. I hope you retain the option to have that control. :-(

[imenja]

232. control? not to be forcibly armed by the NRA?

[BikeWriter]

234. I don't see anyone forcing you to bear arms, unless you're a GI...

You may see the wisdom of it in the future. It's up to you.

[imenja]

236. I was trying to understanding your comment.

in the previous post. I have no idea what you meant. Do you somehow object to my decision not to have a gun in my house?

[BikeWriter]

239. No not at all. My point was someone else could bring one in. I said...

...I hope you retain that control.

[Floogeldy]

237. When has anybody advocated forcing citizens to own firearms?

I'd sure like to know.

Thanks,

Floog

[imenja]

238. read the poster's comment to me

and my question below

[BikeWriter]

240. There was a misunderstanding. Do you see what I meant now?

[imenja]

242. yes, an intruder I suppose

I'm not worried about it. I know my chances of being shot are much higher if I own a gun than if I do not. I hate guns. I don't want them anywhere near me.

[BikeWriter]

244. That's your choice, as I said. I wish you much luck in your relations...

...with the buttheads of the world. :-)

[imenja]

246. that's cool

I prefer my butt heads unarmed. They are dangerous enough as it is. Sleep well.

[BikeWriter]

248. K, will do. :-)

[Billy Ruffian]

264. Your perception of that issue

is probably based on the 'Kellerman study' It's pretty bogus.

We've had loaded firearms in the house for almost 25 years. No problem.

[PittPoliSci]

243. swords count?

i know they don't fire, but they're dangerous.

[BikeWriter]

245. Oh, please, please, please, don't carry one to a gunfight! :-(

[Fleshdancer]

247. not with a 4yr old in the house

First of all, I'm not trained to shoot a fire arm, therefore, I'm probably more dangerous to myself at this point. Second, I have a four yr. old in the house and keeping a fire arm locked up defeats the purpose of owning a fire arm in the first place (IMO).

My parents told me to never play with the gun in our house and yet I took it out and looked at it when I was home alone (it wasn't loaded but I had no idea at the time). Plus, a high school friend shot himself at the end of freshman year and it still gets to me. I'll probably own a gun at some point, just not now.

[BikeWriter]

249. I hope you're never...

...exposed to a situation with firearms, my Friend.

[Fleshdancer]

256. Gun ownership won't make me immortal...

I have never been in a situation that involved people shooting or threatening to shoot at other people and I'm not going to live in fear that someday I will just so I can be convinced to buy something I don't need, I don't know how to use, and that could pose as a danger to my child.

If someone wants me dead bad enough, I'm probably going to die...gun in hand or not.

[BikeWriter]

258. Perhaps so. I'll admit to a healthy amount of paranoia.

Being shot at will do that to you sometimes.

[d_b]

254. An entire safe full of firearms.

[BikeWriter]

260. You've got a gunsafe, huh? That's cool! :-)

[The Flaming Red Head]

255. My ex got his kicks out of pointing a 9mm at my head

and once acted like he was going to bludgeon me to death with a shotgun, another time he backed me into a closet with a stun gun. I haven't seen him for 15 years and I'm still afraid of getting shot in the back.

I won't have a gun in my house, can't stand to look at them, but (believe it or not) I can understand if others want one and have no problem with gun ownership. I love to eat and cook wild game.

[BikeWriter]

259. Your ex needed his ribs massaged with a pair of size 12 combat boots...

I'll bet you make a bodacious pot of gumbo, too.

[MrSandman]

262. Shoulda voted other...

12 & 20 gauge; .300Savage; .380 and .45 ACP(for daily wear); and the obligatory .22lrs for cheap live fire practice.

[BikeWriter]

265. Woo hoo! You have some fine fire arms! :-)

[MrSandman]

267. My shotguns are opposites...

An 870 12 gauge with a slug barrel and a Berreta A302 20 gauge.

[ChemEng]

263. Yes, we do

a bb gun (one pump to deter squirrels from the bird feeder)
a long tom 12 gauge shot gun from the 20s
a crappy .22 rifle
a crappy Japanese WWII rifle
& a cool pre-war Japanese WWII sniper rifle

[BikeWriter]

266. Those could be a lot of fun. :-)

[solinvictus]

269. Arisaka's??

6.5 mm or 7.7 mm? Arisakas are sweet shooting rifles, except they're expensive to feed.

[BikeWriter]

271. Hmm, 6.5 mm would be similar ballistically to a ___?

[Donkeyboy75]

273. I have no idea if you have a firearm in your household.

:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

275. Uh, I was asking you...

[arwalden]

276. I Love Your Sense Of Humor...

:bounce:

-- Allen <--- gets it.

[Donkeyboy75]

277. Aw, shucks.

C'mere, ya big lug! :hug:

(That doesn't make me gay, right?) ;)

[Jamastiene]

274. I prefer

to use a slingshot and some BB's. It gets me way more satisfaction than a one time "kill". No, seriously, I don't have a gun, but I have thought about getting one. I just wish someone would teach me how to shoot one. Although I was raised in the south, I wasn't raised in a household that really obsessed with guns. If I get one though, I want it to be one of those 9mm or 45 types because they seem big enough to actually spare me from having to physically fight an attacker. I am a small petite woman who hates to have to move any more than I have to so I would want to be able to end an attack with one shot if I had to.

Otherwise, I still don't see why hunters feel they need an Uzi or an M16 ...

[BikeWriter]

278. If you were closer to Texas I'd teach you. :-(

[Billy Ruffian]

302. Most ranges have instruction available

Some community colleges do, as well.

Some ranges even have 'ladies nights' so that women can learn in a less testosterone laden environment ;-)

It's often easier to teach a woman to shoot, because generally speaking, you don't think you know everything about firearms just cause you've seen some action movies ;-)

As far as your reference to Uzis and M-16s, I'm going to guess that your referring to fully automatic weapons. I don't think any states allow the use of full auto for hunting, and I seriously doubt that many hunters would even use such.

There's also a huge difference between 9mm and .45, so you should try out both (as well as the .40 S&W) before you decide.

[The Sheik]

279. There isnt one but I wish there was.

On Edit: I am the owner of an airsoft M16-A2 electrical. Shoots 350 FPS (Stock) and has a red dot site.

[BikeWriter]

283. That sounds like a badassed bb gun!

[Cuban_Liberal]

281. There are MANY firearms in my household.

Screw the dogs--- beware of the owners!

:evilgrin:

[BikeWriter]

284. I have a "Beware" sign on my front door. :-)

[put out]

282. My response was "Other".

I did not think I did, until I went searching under my bed for something or other, and came nose-to-barrel with a shotgun. Well, WTF? My SO had it for safe-keeping, a hand-me-down, it was his (grandpa's, uncle's, a belonging from his youth) something like that. I really never got the whole story. Our boy was about 10 at the time. A fucking gun under the bed? Gee, what are the chances of a 10 year old boy ever finding that? Is it loaded? Let's pull the trigger and see!

Once it became evident that I was pissed off, it went away. I think. So, it's "Other" because I don't really know where it went.

To credit the SO, I suspect it was handed off to him while he was helping his grandpa or another of his older relatives, and just stashed there in an absent minded hurry and then forgotten. I don't care if he keeps it, none of my business. I just want to know where it is. I hadn't thought of that in a long time. Guess I'll ask about it.

[sffreeways]

285. I have never permitted a weapon in my home

when my son got out of the Marine corp he was obsessed with owning a gun. I wouldn't allow it. He bought a 9mm and I took it from him. He bought another one and kept it in a locker at the firehouse where he was a volunteer. He was firfighter of the year 3 years in a row. He was 21 when he bought the gun. We fought about it, I never fought with my son over anything like that before. He was the best kid in the world.
His father is a gun nut and he moved in with him not long after we argued over the gun. He got a permit to carry it and his Dad let him have it. They bonded over the beautiful weapon. A 9mm handgun.

I told David many times that when you live by the sword you can die by the sword. He was young and didn't realize how serious owning a gun was even though he had been in the military it didn't seem to make an impact on him. He had to own a gun. I hate guns. I've never needed a gun.

One day, mothers day actually 2 years ago my David went to a friends house and he had the weapon with him. They were going to meet up with Dad later that afternoon and go to Target Master to target shoot then he was going to meet me for dinner for Moms day.

I waited for him and the hours ticked by. Around 7 I figured he got hung up with his Dad and then the phone rang. It was Big Dave. He said "David is dead"

My sons friend took his gun from him and shot him in the head with it. He put the gun up against his forehead so hard when I went to the morgue he still had the imprint of the barrel on his skin. He didn't die instantly as one would imagine, he suffered for 30 minutes. They couldn't get ahold of me before he died. In all of the panic Big Dave couldn't find my number. I never got to say goodbye.

They called it an accident. The kid said he didn't know it was loaded, didn't know the safety wasn't on, didn't mean to kill my only child. He's in prison now serving a 25 year sentence for killing my David.

Some of you folks sound just like Big Dave and David and David's friend. You sound real confident, real fucking cool about your guns.

I hope you never have the Mothers day I had.

[sffreeways]

287. I wanted to add this to my reply

http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/bc/4ae00050/bc/Photos/David+111.bmp?bfV8KGCBVxtStnIu

[Cooley Hurd]

286. I have an Airedale...

I dun' need no stinking guns...;)


Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

[BikeWriter]

288. I've only known one, and he was a big wuss...

...with jaws like a twenty foot crocodile!

[Cooley Hurd]

293. Chuckiemutt acts all tough...

...but he, too, is a wuss.:)

[BikeWriter]

295. ROFLMFBO! :-)

[Guy Fawkes]

289. Paintball guns...

's about it. My parents *hate* guns.

[BikeWriter]

290. Bummer! If you get intruders shoot 'em in the eye or the, uh, privates.

[mark414]

291. my roommate just got himself

a still-working WW2 era german 9mm

it was just the regular german army and not the choice of the SS or the nazis or anything...

he would really like some nazi guns, for nothing other than what he calls sweet irony, what with him being jewish and all

i am currently too young to buy a handgun in wisconsin...one more year!

[BikeWriter]

294. Very good, I encourage you to learn how to use them safely...

...and responsibly. Have fun, too! :)

[xmas74]

292. No guns...

But I used to have a real fascination w/ setting crap on fire w/ aerosol hairspray and my Zippo! I still keep the Zippo and the hairspray on my nightstand.
Can that count?

[BikeWriter]

297. Hairspray and a Zippo could be hazardous! Since I have a lot of foliage...

...on my face, I'll stay out of your way, thank you! ;-)

[xmas74]

298. Thank you.

I figured that it would be cheaper than a gun and that I will get more use out of it.

[BikeWriter]

299. Possibly so. Here's hoping you never have to use it. ;-)

[xmas74]

300. Thanks.

I have only used it for show.

[Withywindle]

296. No, but I've thought about it

Handguns aren't legal here, though.

Grew up with 'em in the house, always. (Dad in law enforcement - had to carry off-duty too; in the glove compartment when we went to the movies! I learned respect, that's for sure. Not fear.) But it's been so long since I did any shooting at all I would definitely have to take a lot of training before I could seriously think about getting one.

[BikeWriter]

303. You'd pick it back up soon enough. :-)

[RazzleCat]

301. air rifles count? how about paint ball

got two air guns (yes even the famous red rider) plus one paint ball gun (gas). So if they count than yes. I also own a 12 Gage, but until I can afford a proper safe I am keeping it at a friends house in their gun safe.