Do you take politics into consideration, when choosing your defense weapon?

G

G-Cym

Moderator
I notice a lot of people seem to e carrying either really tricked out guns with Surefires and CT grips, or have some sort of shotgun or even AR/AK in their vehicle and what not. Any many seem to be using handloads for self defense. I am curious, do any of you take public opinion and such into consideration when choosing how to defend yourself? Let me be clear, just so I don't get 20 responses all saying this, I am not advocating being under-prepared. But it seems to me that if you were involved in a shooting, a DA would have a lot of fun paining you as a psycho. Let's face it, most of the public doesn't know jack about guns. They don't what makes an "assault rifle" really an assault rifle. They don't know what handloads are or why they are economical. Things we think of as common sense seem like something out of a Die Hard movie to most of the public. And those are the same people sitting on your jury if you are involved in a shooting. I saw in another thread someone said they have an AK in a canvas bag with 5 mags in their truck. Is that guy prepared for most anything? Sure. But is it worth being labeled an "assault rifle toting madman with a bag full of bullets"? Because that's what the media would say. And handloads? A DA would love to tell a jury about how store bought ammunition wasn't good enough. That you needed to make your own bullets in order to kill your victim. We even had a large thread about why or why not we should be able to walk around in public with exposed long guns. The media/prosecution would eat that #### up.

I understand being prepared. I really do. That's why I carry in the first place. But I have to draw the line someplace. And for me, I just carry a compact pistol, with no fancy attachments or modifications. I use factory ammo. And even then, I would be painted as a crazy man just for having a weapon at all.


So picture yourself. A few weeks ago, you just had an incident in which you shot, and killed, someone who was intent on harming or killing you. But now you're being prosecuted for manslaughter. The DA is making his opening statement. What is he saying about you? What is he saying about your choice of weapon and ammunition?


Hey mods, would one of you be so kind as to fix my 4th grade spelling in the title? Thanks :)
 
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I am curious, do any of you take public opinion and such into consideration when choosing how to defend yourself?
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For the most part (OK, all of it) I only share my thoughts about firearms with my family and close circle of friends. Some people get really freaked out if they know you have firearms. I prefer the "low-profile" approach.

As far as defense -- I keep one loaded near the bedside, and the rest are locked in the safe.
 
Check out Ayoob's article in the new "Combat Handguns". He covers this subject in detail:

-Don't carry a pistol called a "Super-Death Dealer Rambo Commerative Bloodspiller". I think this would also apply to all the stupid pistols with "Special Forces" and whatnot stamped on the slide...

-Don't carry handloads.

-Don't modify your carry piece (most importantly the trigger).

There are many more nuggets of wisdom in the article and he gives numerous examples of court cases where people have been keel-hauled for these simple "mistakes"...
 
To answer your question, yes, I have considered those things in choosing my carry weapons and carry ammo.

However, this topic is an emotional one and many people don't understand how the legal system works.

It seems to me like you have thought about this topic enough to make a wise decision. So do what you think is reasonable.
 
Check out Ayoob's article in the new "Combat Handguns". He covers this subject in detail:
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Massad Ayoob is often brought up in these arguments.

Question: have any of his scenarios (I.e. a person shooting someone with, say, a hollow-point and then losing in court over it) been confirmed in a court of law?

Are there documented cases of it actually happening?
 
I agree on not using handloads for defense. Carry what the cops carry. That can't be argued with. The exception to that would be when you are carryng your outdoors (in the outdoors of course), dinkin' around-in-the-woods gun stuffed with your hunting handloads and were forced to use in for SD on something or someone other than furry critters.

I disagree with the use of commerorative guns. What's stamped on the side doesn't change what they are. Ones with stupid names...........I wouldn't buy one anyway, let alone carry it.

Don't modify modify your carry piece? Come on now. Every STI, Les Baer, S&W Performance Center pistol, Yost-Bonitz, C&S, Nighthawk Custom, Wilson Combat et al, IS a modified carry piece with modified triggers.

Maybe Mas can poke his head in here and clarify some of the points in the CH article?:)
 
Mas makes no mention of court cases lost because of hollowpoints because he advocates using premium personal defense ammunition. I'm sure it's happened, but that one is worth the risk because it would be inadvisable to carry ball in most carry calibers.

He does give examples of court cases where people have paid dearly for modifying their carry weapons or just using one with an intimidating name... LOTS of examples. Something like 8 pages of short summaries of these sorts of cases in this one issue alone.

There is no denying that this happens often.

For modifications, I think non-factory home-gunsmithing is what he is really talking about.
 
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I don't worry about it. As long as I am within the law and it's not too inconvenient I am going to carry and use whatever handgun, shotgun or rifle I think will keep me alive regardless of what some DA may or may not say or what a bleeding heart juror might "feel". In short, I'll worry about that bridge when I cross it.
After that and when and if I do get to court, my attorney will keep stressing that I WAS the victim in this shooting. Said dead goon was trying to kill ME. PERIOD!
As far as hand loads go, I wouldn't use them anyway, heard too many stories about how they misfire or messup in some way. Best to stick with factory loads. If I need anything especially hot, I go to Buffalo Bore (and I just use them as a backup reload, too much recoil.)

I don't do political correctness.
 
Nope, if it's a good shoot, it's a good shoot. IMO, it won't make a rat's rearend what you use if it's a bad shoot.
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Bingo.

I don't care if you are carrying the Super Deathdealer 3000. If you were justified in using deadly force then what you used is irrelevant.

The question of "will I be sued" is a totally different issue. Anybody can sue you for anythign they want. In fact, in todays society if you shoot someone, whether completely justified or not, you will probably be sued.

However, as some here have already said, if the situation arises where I need to shoot somebody, future litigation is going to be the last thing on my mind.
 
Owning and carrying weapons.

The words that best describe my carry guns are "discreet, professional, personal, inconspicuous".
Ditto those for any accessories or ammo.
It's not so much to do with other peoples' sentiment, but my own.
I personally prefer to keep things very low key. Whether it plays to my advantage or not in a shooting situation and it's aftermath is irrelevant to me really.
 
I don't care if you are carrying the Super Deathdealer 3000. If you were justified in using deadly force then what you used is irrelevant.

The question of "will I be sued" is a totally different issue. Anybody can sue you for anythign they want. In fact, in todays society if you shoot someone, whether completely justified or not, you will probably be sued.

However, as some here have already said, if the situation arises where I need to shoot somebody, future litigation is going to be the last thing on my mind.
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I guess that's a plus to living in FL. If it's a justified shooting, they can't sue you. One of the smarter things a state has implemented.
 
If you were justified in using deadly force then what you used is irrelevant.
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That is not a correct statement. It may be mostly true where you live, but there are 50 states, and countless cities and court systems in this nation. There are some places where no matter how justified you really were, some lawyer will try his hardest to either put you behind bars, or take every penny you have. And carrying a tricked out AR in your truck and pistol on your side that has a trigger job and is carrying hand loaded hollow points, is going to make it easier for that lawyer to get what he wants. America is not a nation of justice, it is a nation of lawyers. It's dangerous not to remember that.
 
That is not a correct statement. It may be mostly true where you live, but there are 50 states, and countless cities and court systems in this nation. There are some places where no matter how justified you really were, some lawyer will try his hardest to either put you behind bars, or take every penny you have.
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I highlighted the operative word in that statement. No matter what you do where you live there will always be a lawyer willing to try to take what you have. Even here in FL. They will attempt to circumvent the law. Fortunately, we seem to have some folks who have common sense in most of the state when it comes to self defense.
 
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