What was your first handgun?

Guns scare me. I'd rather wait on the police to respond in an hour than defend myself and possibly hurt another human......Just sayin'

 

First handgun was a 22 revolver Saturday night special. First real handgun was a Glock 22 if my memory serves me correctly.

 

1) it worked for me when I did it at my front door and the intruder just left. I'm sure you would have rather stay hidden crouched then shot him in the head. But I sleep easier knowing I've never killed anyone.
Thieves aren't breaking in for a gunfight, they just want your shit because they are too lazy to work.

2) ok? clearly if I'm choosing a shotgun over a pistol to NOT KILL I would just use bird shot, not buck shot. A slug would go thru two walls, point being?

3) that's exactly my point. if this is someone's first hand gun they, will most likely not be trained enough or good enough of a shot to handle the adrenaline and make a good shot. On the other hand a 4 year old could hit the target with a shotgun.

You miss my point all together in hitting someone with the gun. Some people want to deter a thief and would not choose to kill. The shotgun, unloaded would be no different than a super scary baseball bat. Which people use under their bed for the same purpose.

Im sure you wont agree, and that's fine. But it doesn't make someone else view point wrong, stupid, or to be ignored.

 

I've seen this before......

 

No, your view point is wrong, stupid and should be ignored.

Suggesting someone own an unloaded shotgun as a deterrent is idiotic. Period. If you own a firearm and plan to deploy it for self defense then you better damn well be prepared to use it and the outcome of using it. If you're not ready.... don't own one.

Shouting 'I have a gun and will shoot you if you don't leave' works better than racking a shotgun if you really feel like giving away your position.

You know nothing about shotguns and how they behave with various loads. I suggest you stop giving 'expert' advice online because all you're doing is parroting inaccurate information you heard as fact and then someone else will do the same and the cycle continues.

Birdshot in a shotgun is most certainly lethal and should never be treated as a non-lethal load. Ever.

Birdshot will most certainly go through several walls if you miss your target and if you doubt me go ahead and go buy a few dozen sheets of drywall, take them out in the country and test it out for yourself. You'll be amazed by how many sheets stacked back to back even birdshot penetrates.

This notion that you don't need to aim a shotgun is complete bullshit. While you're out there shoot targets at various distances and see how far away you need to get before your patters start to open up.

Until you've done ALL of this save your opinion because it's based on nothing other than urban legend and will get someone in trouble someday. The sooner all this BS dies the better off we will be. I've done everything I suggested you tried above and after doing all my own testing I now use a handgun for bedside duty and if it's something that 20+rds of 9mm can't handle I'll deploy an AR15. I own, compete/train with several shotguns of various variations and feel that I'm pretty familiar with them. Knowing what I know it's not my first go to and certainly wouldn't be for any of the reasons you mentioned.

Remember, you are responsible for EVERY SINGLE PROJECTILE THAT COMES OUT OF YOUR FIREARM. Keep that in mind when you're considering what type of firearm to use and what load to use.

 

IBTL.

 

is owning a baseball bat as a deterrent idiotic?

 

yeah, that was my point

 

given the choice of fighting a guy holding a bat or a guy holding scissors, ill take the scissors....
ie a bat is more of a deterrent, which is all a gun would be to me.

granted im not married nor do I have kids and that might change my willingness to take a life.
again that's why in my op I said be honest with yourself of what your capable of

 

Not my first but one of many "The Party Pooper"

 

I had to read this about 7 times before it made sense, I think.

 

Damn. I was hoping to see a discussion about handguns...

Just for the record, in some states, shooting an intruder without killing them can lead to a lawsuit. Example: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/burglar-sues-calif-homeowner-90-who-returned-fire/

My shotgun stays under my bed with a few rounds of Buck Shot next to it. If I absolutely have to shoot someone, they won't walk away.

 

Yeah, I have a bat and a machete. My house also stays unlocked and keys in the ignition of all our vehicles. Not that much crime around here but if there was I would change my ways.