Sept. 19th....Do I need a Gun?

Sept. 19^th

“Do I need a gun?”

That was a question posed to me by a neighbor who knows that our house is, … well…let’s just say “well armed”.  He was concerned about the upcoming presidential election and thought that it might be wise to buy a firearm now rather than risk not being able to buy one later.

Fair enough…..

Politics aside….there will always be movements to ban firearms, or to loosen the restrictions on owning them.  That is simply not something that is ever going to go away.  The decision to own a weapon…be it a baseball bat, a knife, or a handgun is an intensely personal decision and one that should be made independent of the political whims of the electorate. 

That said….as Col. Cooper once said (paraphrased) “Owning a gun does no more to make you a shooter than owning a piano makes you a musician.” 

This is a fundamental truth. 

Whims of product design or tactical methodologies will change and evolve until men become angels and put down their arms.  They have for the last 6000 years and I see no indications that we have reached the End of History and the Last Man. 

Weapons systems will change, some for the better some for the worse, good and bad ones will be abandoned, crappy and good ones will remain.  It just is the way things are.

In the world of shooting though, what "works" usually does tend to stay around for a while, while the truly ludicrous goes out of fashion relatively quickly.  The Colt 1911, one of the most ubiquitous handguns on the planet, has not really changed for over a hundred years.  Same with the 30.06 cartridge. 

So…with everything “tactical”…with zombie ammunition and targets all the rage….what are the fundamentals we should keep in mind as we ponder “Do I need a gun?”

Well…first of all….are you prepared to use it?

Going back to Col. Cooper….There are many people that have a grand piano in their living room that acts  more as a piece of furniture than a functioning musical instrument. 

Look…here is the brutal truth: are you the type of person who is simply not prepared to engage an enemy…(and when I say enemy, I mean someone who has violated the law and is in the process of threatening you with deadly force)….with the a counter-offensive, explosive use of lethal force?  No?  Then you probably are not a good candidate for gun ownership. 

Or a baseball bat for that matter.

On the other hand….when you peer down into your soul and come to terms with the fact that you are prepared do what it takes to protect yourself and your family we arrive at the second fundamental….YOU NEED TO PRACTICE!!!

Firearms competency is not a factor of the weapon.  For the purposes of this discussion we will assume that all firearms you potentially have access to go “bang” when you pull the trigger. Actually stopping a threat under extreme stress with a targeted round….well…that is another story. 

If you have come to the conclusion that you are prepared to use lethal force to protect yourself you have to always keep in mind that your primary weapon system is YOU.  The gun,..the knife, the baseball bat….those are just force multipliers increasing the amount of pounds per square inch that resist an on coming threat.  If the gun is not readily available, the chair…or the remote control, of that cup of coffee is. 

But let’s focus on the gun.

I mentioned that you need to practice….and to practice well…and consistently….you need to enjoy the practice.  The reality is that the chances of you being involved in a life or death struggle with an assailant are thankfully low.  Spending hours at the range…and a fair chunk of money…does seem a little ridiculous unless the actual practice is a form of entertainment.  You won't go unless it is fun, and it won't be fun if the gun you own is difficult or painful to shoot.

So….  “Should I buy a gun?”

Well….my answer is in turn a question:  “Would you use it, and will you practice?”

If your answer is yes to both, then it’s time to head to the gun shop!