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[Bakersfield_Grizzly]

I move into a nice blue collar neighborhood in Long Beach. One of my neighbors came over to welcome me. Said that if I didn't toe the line that he would make me pay for it. He then brandished a 38 special in my face. I slammed the door in his face, grabbed a home defense shotgun, Chambered a round as I reopened the door. He ran like a scared schoolboy. Next day as I was unloading my moving truck he came over and threatened me with his fists. I said step on my lawn and you get the first swing, then I will defend myself. He never bothered me again. Would I recommend having a gun available? YES, or the bullies in this world will never quit walking all over you.

[Hoshnasi]

I move into a nice blue collar neighborhood in Long Beach. One of my neighbors came over to welcome me. Said that if I didn't toe the line that he would make me pay for it. He then brandished a 38 special in my face. I slammed the door in his face, grabbed a home defense shotgun, Chambered a round as I reopened the door. He ran like a scared schoolboy. Next day as I was unloading my moving truck he came over and threatened me with his fists. I said step on my lawn and you get the first swing, then I will defend myself. He never bothered me again. Would I recommend having a gun available? YES, or the bullies in this world will never quit walking all over you.

Wow, I have to ask, what did he mean by "toe the line"?

[cudakidd]

I've had a CCW for 30 years now. I use it to carry whenever I travel outside of town.

I don't make a habit of hitting seedy areas at night or high crime areas. I have placed all the normal precautions in place on my home, motion detector lights, a dedicated Alarm system, security doors, two English Bull Terriers.

I finally felt my wife was emotionally ready to get her CCW, she now has hers. I have her carry when she travels without me. And again, no seedy areas, solitary visits to bad areas etc, to minimize the Risk...

I carry one firearm (revolver) with one speed loader if in town, out of town, multiple reloaders. Each vehicle has additional ammo stored in all CCW calibers. My Wifes Jeep has a secure lock box with take down 22 rifle and 410 Snake Charmer.

I have a shotgun for each of us on each bedside, handgun at bedside for me, handgun near the front door for her. All with Lasers/flashlights.

Why do I do all this? Why Not? I put my preps in place and went on with my life. I don't dwell on it, I don't worry about events. And just as I have Numerous Fire Extinguisher and First Aid Kits in place, Firearms are just another tool to have ready.

Sounds like a lot of precautions and extra firearms. But with our always uncertain world why would you NOT have prepared yourself to a level you feel secure?

[Bakersfield_Grizzly]

Wow, I have to ask, what did he mean by "toe the line"?

I found out a few weeks later that he threatened the previous owner of the house I moved into with that same gun. When he reported the neighbor for brandishing a weapon, the neighbor said he never owned a gun and never threatened anyone. (He was about 6'4 and 350 lbs) he also threatened the next door neighbor with the same gun for calling the police because he had left his 40' motorhome parked in front of her house for several weeks. She didn't know what to do. After him and I had our little talk, he became a much better neighbor for all concerned.

[Hoshnasi]

But with our always uncertain world why would you NOT have prepared yourself to a level you feel secure?

I don't think most people will answer this truthfully, but I think people would rather tell themselves almost zero percent is worth the risk than to bother with being prepared.

I'm with you, I don't lust over guns. I'm prepared, things are in place... I move on with life, having peace of mind if things where to go bad I'd be ready, or at least better prepared.

[Bakersfield_Grizzly]

I've had a CCW for 30 years now. I use it to carry whenever I travel outside of town.

I don't make a habit of hitting seedy areas at night or high crime areas. I have placed all the normal precautions in place on my home, motion detector lights, a dedicated Alarm system, security doors, two English Bull Terriers.

I finally felt my wife was emotionally ready to get her CCW, she now has hers. I have her carry when she travels without me. And again, no seedy areas, solitary visits to bad areas etc, to minimize the Risk...

I carry one firearm (revolver) with one speed loader if in town, out of town, multiple reloaders. Each vehicle has additional ammo stored in all CCW calibers. My Wifes Jeep has a secure lock box with take down 22 rifle and 410 Snake Charmer.

I have a shotgun for each of us on each bedside, handgun at bedside for me, handgun near the front door for her. All with Lasers/flashlights.

Why do I do all this? Why Not? I put my preps in place and went on with my life. I don't dwell on it, I don't worry about events. And just as I have Numerous Fire Extinguisher and First Aid Kits in place, Firearms are just another tool to have ready.

Sounds like a lot of precautions and extra firearms. But with our always uncertain world why would you NOT have prepared yourself to a level you feel secure?

Gotta love Cudakid. Bakersfield attracts good people.

[Hoshnasi]

I found out a few weeks later that he threatened the previous owner of the house I moved into with that same gun. When he reported the neighbor for brandishing a weapon, the neighbor said he never owned a gun and never threatened anyone. (He was about 6'4 and 350 lbs) he also threatened the next door neighbor with the same gun for calling the police because he had left his 40' motorhome parked in front of her house for several weeks. She didn't know what to do. After him and I had our little talk, he became a much better neighbor for all concerned.

Wow, there is a high likelyhood that if someone came to my door brandishing he would have been shot the second I saw it. Your neighbor sounds like he was lucky your shotgun was not closer!

[Rosereader]

Living your life without regrets necessitates preparing for life's blind corners. None of us need to be a statistic, and if anyone claims that the odds are low enough not to warrant taking a tiny step to put themselves in a better position, that's their gamble.

When it comes to carrying within my house I do carry my 500 Persuader. Sling mounts make it easy to walk around with and it's not like I'm hurting anyone. I've never prescribed to the thought of making your way to a stash somewhere, reaction is slow enough as is. That, and I'm not too good with pistols. Everywhere else I carry a knife about and there is a stun gun/baton in my vehicle, though you can be sure my nine would be with me if I had my concealed carry permit.

Do I live my life any differently? Nah. Honestly strapped/defenseless doesn't feel any different if you play your cards right. Well, beyond the confidence of being prepared, anyhow. Some people feel the irrepressible urge to carry more and I feel a lot of that is the tactile, not just the psychological, calming factor that holds. Kind of like how people tend to bunch up when they're scared. It wont necessarily help them, but they feel more confident for it. Besides, it's not our place to judge how our fellow man chooses to guard his and his own, is it?


Anyway at the end of the day I probably wont need any of it. But maybe I will. Life's a gamble that way and I prefer to stack the deck.

[Josh3239]

Crime can happen anywhere. I see no problem with it. It takes quite a bit of dedication to do it, I can't at present but would like to. Who cares how another person wants to live their life?

I take chapstick with me everywhere I go. In fact, to some degree it is that "security blanket" you mentioned, if I don't have one I'll go buy one because once I realize I am without it my lips get irritated. Does that mean I am some paranoid loony worried about my lips?

[greensoup]

I freely admit this story is anecdotal evidence, but it shaped my opinion on being prepared to defend oneself.

I used to live in a cul-de-sac in a very low crime rate area in the suburbs. One summer evening, at around 7:00 (still light out). A very large man kicked in the side door of my across the street neighbors house while she fed her young child in the kitchen. The invader beat for savagely and made her take him around to where anything valuable was hidden. The husband and older son were away for some reason so she was an easy target to a would-be criminal. He fled after ten to fifteen minutes of doing god knows what while the young child watched in horror. The criminal was never caught and the neighbor nor any of her family knew the man

Words like basically happens never. get thrown around alot and it is often for one of two reasons:

1. Imply you don't need to something because the statistics are so low.
2. Make yourself feel better for not being prepared because the statistics are so low.

I'm not going to base my prepared-ness on the statistics but the damage and COST of that almost impossible event happening to me or my loved ones.

My neighbor is lucky. Very lucky. I told myself regardless of how rare the chances of something happening are doesn't mean it can't happen. And IF it does happen, not being prepared would be the worst thing to happen in my life. Which is something I just can't bare the thought of.

Better preparedness than caring a gun around in your house all day is to change your doors and locks so that someone can't kick in your door. Also cheaper and more effective.

I'm very skeptical of random home invasion. Some random dude drove to a random neighborhood, broken into a random house and spent time in the house collecting valuable then left without getting caught or shot. Possible but extremely doubtful. Why bother to go that far unless you already know what you're after, there are easier marks. How much time at 7pm can you spend creeping down the sides of houses before someone shoots your or calls the cops. He might have known one of your neighbors but more likely he was at the house before. Construction, termites etc.

I'm not saying don't be prepared. I'm saying the presence of a gun even with you isn't going to replace good judgement in other areas of your life. Like flashing cash, associating with criminals or other risky activities (growing weed comes to mind). Doors with deadbolts or security doors. Motion lights, a dog. Side doors you can't kick in. Etc.

There's a chance ANYTHING can happen. A couple people got struck by lightning at the beach in California and one got killed. A couple people on the beach got killed when a plane fell out of the sky.

[Hoshnasi]

Better preparedness than caring a gun around in your house all day is to change your doors and locks so that someone can't kick in your door. Also cheaper and more effective.

Having a gun does not imply you shouldn't have good doors and locks. You can have both. Further, the neighbor in question had a deadbolt locked door and it was sturdy.

With that said, I'm a locpick hobbyist, locks are so easy to pick or bypass in most cases, depending on them is purely faith-based security.

But that fact that you would imply it is better to have good doors and locks than a gun is foolishness to me.

I'm very skeptical of random home invasion. Some random dude drove to a random neighborhood, broken into a random house and spent time in the house collecting valuable then left without getting caught or shot. Possible but extremely doubtful. Why bother to go that far unless you already know what you're after, there are easier marks. How much time at 7pm can you spend creeping down the sides of houses before someone shoots your or calls the cops. He might have known one of your neighbors but more likely he was at the house before. Construction, termites etc.

He could have been casing the cul-de-sac for days for all we knew as well. The point remained that is happened and it was not criminal on criminal. You can attempt to dilute it, but just because something is rare, it still happens and it is life changing when it does.

I'm not saying don't be prepared. I'm saying the presence of a gun even with you isn't going to replace good judgement in other areas of your life. Like flashing cash, associating with criminals or other risky activities (growing weed comes to mind). Doors with deadbolts or security doors. Motion lights, a dog. Side doors you can't kick in. Etc.

All of those things fail, run out of batteries, fall asleep, etc. I say, buy the gun first, then work on the rest of those layers. You seem to be advocating the opposite, which again sounds mighty foolish.

There's a chance ANYTHING can happen. A couple people got struck by lightning at the beach in California and one got killed. A couple people on the beach got killed when a plane fell out of the sky.

You can't prepare for those though. However, you can prepare for crime with little effort.

[Scratch705]

i don't worry about carrying everywhere, i don't even answer the door with a gun, and i don't even keep a gun out at night for emergencies.

most of the time my guns are unloaded and stored away and typically there are clothes are other items actually in front of them. i wouldn't be able to get them out and loaded within 5 minutes even if i wanted to.

my guns were bought for pleasure first, defense second.

[Hoshnasi]

i don't worry about carrying everywhere, i don't even answer the door with a gun, and i don't even keep a gun out at night for emergencies.

most of the time my guns are unloaded and stored away and typically there are clothes are other items actually in front of them. i wouldn't be able to get them out and loaded within 5 minutes even if i wanted to.

my guns were bought for pleasure first, defense second.

Any particular reason you don't have a gun at least loaded in the safe?

I hope you continue to be lucky and crime never comes calling.

[CAguy]

Any particular reason you don't have a gun at least loaded in the safe?

I hope you continue to be lucky and crime never comes calling.

I agree it is good to have at least one gun loaded available or in a locked safe for preparedness. Though it seems that you think a gun is the only tool to use to deal with crime or potential crime. This type of thinking gets many into trouble. When all you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail!

Some of your post strike me as the fearful based type. If you happen to know someone who was struck by lighting would you prepare/live your life with the potential of being struck by lighting? Greensoup is right, most home invasions and crime in general is done by those known to the victim. Real random crime is very few and far between.

Many here have expressed the fact that they keep a gun around and it's no big deal. Hell I keep a shotgun/pistol that I can access in under 1 min. That said it is the fear based, super ninja, totally insecure without a gun that comes off as irrational by some.

This actually happened to me the other day. I went to the Oakland zoo to take the kids for the day and we got hungry and the lines were long for food so we got in the car and I headed out to find food.

Well low and behold we ended up on 98th and International blvd at a McDonald's and immediately after getting out of the car I felt a bit sketch as some guy was eyeing my watch, people were bugging for money, and they had only one entrance w/a alarmed exit.

My suspicions were confirmed when I spoke with the manager about why there were no self-serve sodas machines, ketchup dispensers, or napkin dispensers! (never seen this before EVER). She basically said "in this neighborhood? Please.". Then two junkies came in to shoot up in the bathroom.

For a second I wish I had a gun with me (or anything for that matter as I was totally unarmed less my meat-hooks) but it was mostly fear based after I thought about it. Sure there were rude, nasty, druggie, and ghetto folks but they were just carrying on about their business. I would usually just avoid a area like this or do what I did and keep aware of surroundings and use my "street skills" to communicate and avoid/deescalate any drama if it were to arise.

On my way out I really felt bad for the people who have to live there everyday and deal with the real threat of violence day to day. Most with nothing but their wits and local knowledge. I also felt glad that I didn't feel the need to carry a gun everywhere and appreciated my boring safe city just that much more. There have been some great posts as well about an ounce of prevention going a long way.

Living in fear is no way to live. I guess that is why it kinda seems weird when people post about "must have a gun at all time" "everyone is out to get you" "the world is a scary place" paranoia type beliefs vs. causal cool calm preparedness that others seem to believe in.

[Sky_DiveR]

Bad things happen all the time. Whether you're prepared for them or not.

A 90 yr old lady a few blocks from where I live was home invaded acouple of years back. Assaulted and robbed... on Halloween!

My best friends mother was home alone in the afternoon when acouple of men broke into their garage and tried kicking in the door to the house. All the while she was screaming and yelling. Luckily they have a solid door with a deadbolt and they didn't get in.

My boss' daughter was killed driving home from work one evening. She drove her car into a light pole and was killed. Police called him and said it was possibly road rage. Her purse and ID were missing.

A couple of retiree's I know were fishing one night along the river. Some guys in a car robbed them, forced them to an ATM for more cash, took everything else and left them along the river miles from anywhere to walk home.

A plane crashed into a truck along a highway one morning in Sparks Nevada. Blocked traffic for hours. I couldn't get to the shooting range cuz of it.

These are just a couple of incidences that occurred directly within my small circle of life. Things happen. Only you can decide how to prepare for what life brings regardless of what people think or say.

Just my 0.02