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Should I be carrying a weapon?
- Thread starter mentaluproar
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Should that not read "and kill you if I must"?
We have job openings in Florida, for a go-getter like you.
also would suggest a combination of self-defense training and the consultation of the a real estate agent and move somewhere else (if possible).
Go take some Krav Maga classes. At the very least you'll have an idea of what to do if you have to fight
Though if 3 people want to jump you in a tiny little bathroom, there's really not much you can do
Though if 3 people want to jump you in a tiny little bathroom, there's really not much you can do
I read this Krav Maga guide online the other day. It's frickin scary how fragile the human body is. There are so many ways to disable your opponent.
I really hope I'll never be in a situation where I would need to fight my way out, but yeah....I found a class near me.
Should that not read "and kill you if I must"?
No. The point in which you initiate violence on another with intent to do serious harm, all bets are off. You lose your right to life. So you better hope you get away.
usual trolling
*yawn*
Gotta feeling this thread is going to be headed to the Political section soon...
If you kill someone who is unarmed, you run the risk of being charged with second degree murder. I understand about being in the moment and your life could be on the line. Cops do it all the time. They shoot someone who appears to be armed but in reality it's nothing more than a comb, knife (well distance from you would play a role there), or something else. It requires quick judgement and hopefully it's the right choice.
I'd hate having to live with thought that I shot and killed an unarmed person even though they were a threat to me. You'd probably be asking a lot of "what ifs."
If they were armed then, yes, you can claim self defense.
This isn't directed at you...
Personally, I've shot a gun at a gun range. And let me tell you, it's a very 'scary' experience. The though of even pointing an unloaded gun at someone freaked me out, let alone armed. There's a lot of power in a gun.
It's a sticky situation, but that's my opinion at this moment.
If you kill someone who is unarmed, you run the risk of being charged with second degree murder. I understand about being in the moment and your life could be on the line. Cops do it all the time. They shoot someone who appears to be armed but in reality it's nothing more than a comb, knife (well distance from you would play a role there), or something else. It requires quick judgement and hopefully it's the right choice.
I'd hate having to live with thought that I shot and killed an unarmed person even though they were a threat to me. You'd probably be asking a lot of "what ifs."
If they were armed then, yes, you can claim self defense.
This isn't directed at you...
Personally, I've shot a gun at a gun range. And let me tell you, it's a very 'scary' experience. The though of even pointing an unloaded gun at someone freaked me out, let alone armed. There's a lot of power in a gun.
It's a sticky situation, but that's my opinion at this moment.
Having a gun (if it is permitted) is one thing, you need to know how to use it and be quick enough in the emergency situation that you can make effective use of it.
You may well be overpowered by a group and have no chance. And worse, it might be used against you. In that case, is having the gun more likely going to save your life or be a threat to it?
And once you have used it, will you face the possibility getting in trouble with the law? Signal-11 gave some good advice.
You may well be overpowered by a group and have no chance. And worse, it might be used against you. In that case, is having the gun more likely going to save your life or be a threat to it?
And once you have used it, will you face the possibility getting in trouble with the law? Signal-11 gave some good advice.
There's no more power in a gun than there is in a car. Only people who are, like yourself, afraid of guns are going to hold that opinion. Tell me: are you equally afraid of a car? Do you have a license to drive? Do you own a car? Do you have any idea just how much damage you could do with a car if you wanted to?
Don't react to what I just said, stop and think about it first. Then reply.
There are a lot of opinions being offered in this thread and very few of them are backed up with experience or facts. "It'll be taken away from you and used against you" is the biggest line of bullsh** spewed forth, initially by the media, and now by folks that are convinced of it. If you're properly trained to handle a firearm and practice, practice, practice (it doesn't take years of that, either...) then your chances of surviving a mugging unhurt and unrobbed increase dramatically.
Bad guys don't like armed "victims". They'd rather go pick on folks who aren't armed.
If the OP is truly interested in exercising a Constitutional right, then by all means get some training! And then go find a pistol that fits you and practice, practice, and practice some more.
It's really not difficult. Guns don't just "go off" and shoot people on their own. As long as you treat the gun with respect (not fear), you'll be fine.
jas
Learn about the threat and get some training
http://www.nrahq.org/rtbav/
If you are serious about firearms
http://www.frontsight.com
Dont listen to the nay sayers.
Find out for yourself and take back control.
http://www.nrahq.org/rtbav/
If you are serious about firearms
http://www.frontsight.com
Dont listen to the nay sayers.
Find out for yourself and take back control.
Thats because you aren't supposed to point a loaded gun at someone unless your life is being threatened. Id probably have more sympathy for some of the birds/deer I have shot over the years than for someone who broke into my house or tried to rob me.
Unwad your panties. I don't want a gun. I already said I dislike those. They go far beyond what is necessary and there is a disturbing permanence resulting from their use.
So much nonsense on this forum. First off, I would advise against carrying a KNIFE for protection. I always have one for utility but walking around with a switch blade for "self defense" is just stupid.
Second, whatever you decide to get know this. It's not the tool, it's the knowledge behind it. Mace, gun, knife, bat, any of those are going to be ineffective and quite very deadly if you don't have training (physically and mentally) cause they are escalators. You better know how to end the confrontation effectively and quickly cause otherwise you're looking to kill or be killed. And if someone takes that weapon from you, good luck.
Carry pepper spray. There are pepper spray gels that do not mist so it does not get into your eyes. If you hang out on gun forums or officer.com, you'll hear that pepper spray is the most chosen form of self defense second to a firearm. Learn to spray it and deploy it effectively and get out of there. It can handle multiple assailants and give you the few seconds you need to get your ass out of a hairy situation.
Taser is extremely effective but it is bigger, bulkier, and you only get to deploy one cartridge before you can reload. Multiple assailants will be a problem and will only escalate the situation. 1 on 1, it's VERY VERY effective. I'd choose pepper spray if i had to carry one. Carrying both means more training, more money and more hassle. Taser is around $400 + tax.
Firearm. This is the most effective and most dangerous choice aside from knife. If you go this route, it requires training. Lots of it. It can save your life if it comes to it but it can ruin your life if used improperly. That Zimmerman character in Florida is case and point.
I'd say get a good pepper spray gel and enroll in some reality based self defense classes to train your mind and learn awareness, body language, cues, positioning, etc. Things that they do not teach in "fighting" classes. The scenario you are describing is not a fight, it's survival.
Second, whatever you decide to get know this. It's not the tool, it's the knowledge behind it. Mace, gun, knife, bat, any of those are going to be ineffective and quite very deadly if you don't have training (physically and mentally) cause they are escalators. You better know how to end the confrontation effectively and quickly cause otherwise you're looking to kill or be killed. And if someone takes that weapon from you, good luck.
Carry pepper spray. There are pepper spray gels that do not mist so it does not get into your eyes. If you hang out on gun forums or officer.com, you'll hear that pepper spray is the most chosen form of self defense second to a firearm. Learn to spray it and deploy it effectively and get out of there. It can handle multiple assailants and give you the few seconds you need to get your ass out of a hairy situation.
Taser is extremely effective but it is bigger, bulkier, and you only get to deploy one cartridge before you can reload. Multiple assailants will be a problem and will only escalate the situation. 1 on 1, it's VERY VERY effective. I'd choose pepper spray if i had to carry one. Carrying both means more training, more money and more hassle. Taser is around $400 + tax.
Firearm. This is the most effective and most dangerous choice aside from knife. If you go this route, it requires training. Lots of it. It can save your life if it comes to it but it can ruin your life if used improperly. That Zimmerman character in Florida is case and point.
I'd say get a good pepper spray gel and enroll in some reality based self defense classes to train your mind and learn awareness, body language, cues, positioning, etc. Things that they do not teach in "fighting" classes. The scenario you are describing is not a fight, it's survival.
One thing I like about Krav is they stress not to be a badass, but to do whatever it takes to get home safely.
Sometimes that means fighting. Other times it means just giving up your wallet so the mugger leaves you alone.
If people wanna gamble and risk escalating the situation by carrying a gun, then yeah you better get serious firearms training. And I don't mean shooting paper at a firing range but being able to do things like shooting while moving, finding cover, and knowing what kind of threat is bad enough that you have to pull out your gun in the first place
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lol. Ok I'll bite. Why?
Well, for the most part yes. But confrontations with some thug are going to happen quick, fast, and violent if that's the route they're going to take. But, at the same time, it's going to be real hard and much more intimidating for somebody to attack you if they know you're armed, or if you're armed and they aren't. If they approach you and pull a weapon, they have the eliminate of surprise and you should just give them whatever. But if you are able to get your weapon out, or retaliate in any fashion, any weapon is going to be good and "knowing how to use it" isn't going to matter much, since you're likely to have the same knowledge as anybody else.
First part. Why should you not carry a knife for "self defense". Well, as someone who studied knife defense and knife attacks, there are many reasons. Bottom line is, it's just not efficient. Knife attacks (defensive or offensive is SLOW)
Are you confident enough in your "knife skills" that you will be sure they will not take it from you if things escalate to such levels? A knife wound is most likely fatal but it isn't instant and doesn't have stopping power that a firearm has. If you read accounts of people who have been stabbed in confrontations, you will always hear that they initially thought they were being punched over and over. After the 30 second ordeal, they see a pool of blood and realize there is something wrong. How much damage can you do with a knife against ONE GUY to stop him from doing whatever he is doing (assuming he is intent on hurting or killing you)? A lot. How long does it take? FOREVER. (relatively speaking) And you have a knife against multiple people, it's not going to stop your head from getting smashed in. "2 guys in a knife fight and both will end up dead."
I will give you the deterrent or "intimidation" incentive. There are 2 problems with that. So, when do you pull the knife out? Because if you pull one before the "attackers" or "trouble makers" pull one, you just escalated a situation from what possibly could have been a simple, "give your money and leave" situation, to a possible life or death situation. I don't know about legality in your state, but you cannot brandish a weapon like that or you're looking at serious time. Unless you feel your life is in danger. Which brings me to the second scenario:
They pull a knife or some weapon on you, or THEY escalate the situation first to one where you feel your life is in danger. In this case, you pulling the knife makes sense if it's all you have. It will be intimidating. But wait, oh one of the guys has a gun. Or 3 of them have knives and one has a bat which has a longer range and they feel challenged. They're angry you would even attempt to challenge them, you don't look confident. You look scared. They can take you for what they came for and because you tried to be a hero, they're gonna teach you a lesson.
A knife is just as illegal as a gun if used improperly and just as much of an escalator as a gun, without the instant stopping benefit. I can go on man, I've studied knife defense to know that there's only a few things I know about knives. Knives are no joke, run whenever possible. If studying knife defense teaches you anything, it's that there is no 100% foolproof method of defense and that means you wielding a knife is just as much of a danger. It can be stolen.
I'm not going to even go into the legality issue, timing, range and just the general shortcoming of a knife. If you're going to carry a knife to feel better and empowered walking the streets, then you are sadly mistaken and do not know the reality of knife attacks. (by you, i'm talking generally not addressing eric)
The second part, I don't understand the logic. You're basically saying that having a knife as a deterrent and being the primary aggressor is so intimidating that they would not challenge you, therefore you don't need to know how to use one? You are banking on the fact that they will not challenge you. As I wrote above, I don't know if you're picturing some college town with some douchy frat boys stealing beer or something but I'm talking thugs in a bad neighborhood. You would be lucky to get out there alive with a GUN if there are more than 1 of them. Wielding a knife that is barely an extension of your striking range against multiple attackers in such environment is absolutely suicide. It's a challenge.
Frankly, you can know how to use the knife like it's your 3rd hand and know exactly where to cut on the human anatomy to disable an opponent instantly and there is still the issue of legality. People who haven't studied the legal ramifications of such attacks and encounters have NO IDEA how your life can be completely ruined because of ignorance of the law. The reason why I don't recommend knives as self defense is because most people carry those $20 home defense big5 clip on knives and naively feel empowered and yet have absolutely no idea what comes after an encounter.
Cliff notes: Don't be a ****ing hero. Give up your money and live another day. EVEN If you are armed. If you are going to be armed, don't choose a weapon (aka knife) that is...1) just as illegal as a firearm, 2) perceived as more gruesome and violent to the jury than a firearm, 3) doesn't give you the range and distance extension of a firearm or pepper spray, 4) doesn't incapacitate and STOP the aggression immediately.
I guess what I'm saying is if you're going to be armed and want to do it right, get a firearm and do it right, legally and train your ass off so you know how to use it safely, properly, and you don't injure someone or yourself. Or carry pepper spray which is $10-20 and has hardly any risk in using it.
If you are asking, then you shouldn't have one. Only those who are prepared to fire a weapon should have one. The question in this case should be towards yourself...
Am I prepared to fire/use said weapon when the time comes?
Depending on that answer, you should consider your weapon dilemma.
This woman disagrees.
I keed. I'm guessing pepper spray is the best option. Are those keychain sprays usable or are there some shortcomings compared to the regular cans? I don't understand the gel either. My understanding with the mist is that you can miss the target, so long as you are close enough it will have an effect. Is that true of a gel?
Personally, I'd rather give over my wallet than have to pull a gun on another person and possibly use it. Not worth saving $20 or whatever I've got with me.
Anyways, if you're surrounded by three people chances are you're not going to be able to remove a gun from wherever you're storing it and even if you do you probably won't be holding onto that gun for long. Then you'd have three people that were originally just going to steal from you armed with a weapon that you were about to threaten them with. Not a good situation.
You'd be better off just carrying credit/debit cards that you can report as stolen and no cash in this situation, avoid going out at night, and avoid going into enclosures such as a public restroom. If you really have a desire to get a weapon I'd suggest something non-lethal that would allow you to escape such as pepper spray
Anyways, if you're surrounded by three people chances are you're not going to be able to remove a gun from wherever you're storing it and even if you do you probably won't be holding onto that gun for long. Then you'd have three people that were originally just going to steal from you armed with a weapon that you were about to threaten them with. Not a good situation.
You'd be better off just carrying credit/debit cards that you can report as stolen and no cash in this situation, avoid going out at night, and avoid going into enclosures such as a public restroom. If you really have a desire to get a weapon I'd suggest something non-lethal that would allow you to escape such as pepper spray
I usually don't carry cash. It's just my ID and bank card, inside my iPhone card case. If I'm getting mugged, they will take my phone anyways to prevent me from calling the cops right away, so keeping them separate is pointless. The bigger issue is telling them "Sorry, I don't have me wallet on me."
They won't buy that. It would instead be seen as resistance.
They won't buy that. It would instead be seen as resistance.
You'd think from the posts here that everyone lives in Somalia or something!
If your area is that dangerous just move somewhere else- and all the fear drops away! I never worry about being mugged where I live, the most I contend with is littering (and you don't have to be rich to live somewhere like that). Don't become one of those sad people who has to carry a knife/gun/bazooka just to feel safe- in most places the chances of you being a victim of crime are low, especially violent crime. At the very most get some pepper spray (presuming it's legal where you are) if you must. If you are one of the unlucky few to be mugged then handover your phone and wallet without resistance- its not worth trying to be a hero over it.
If your area is that dangerous just move somewhere else- and all the fear drops away! I never worry about being mugged where I live, the most I contend with is littering (and you don't have to be rich to live somewhere like that). Don't become one of those sad people who has to carry a knife/gun/bazooka just to feel safe- in most places the chances of you being a victim of crime are low, especially violent crime. At the very most get some pepper spray (presuming it's legal where you are) if you must. If you are one of the unlucky few to be mugged then handover your phone and wallet without resistance- its not worth trying to be a hero over it.
I've never worried about being mugged here either, even though its a bad area. I've never really had a problem. Having two friends mugged though, makes me wonder if I have just been lucky.