During a Manhunt for a Terrorist Half of All Non-Owners Want a Gun

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Would you lend a gun to a non-owner in such circumstances (provided they asked you and were otherwise legal)?
A number of years ago I would have said that I would lend a firearm to my brother if we were in an SHTF / EOTWAWKI situation. Fast forward to today, now that I have a better grasp on my abilities and a realization of what it has taken me in time, effort, expense and dedication to develop those skills (such as they are), there's no way I would lend a gun even to my brother. We both learned to shoot at the same time as kids, but I'm reasonably sure my brother hasn't fired any sort of firearm for over fifty years. No way will I be responsible for arming him. If he wants to arm himself, he can arm himself.
 
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Seriously, someone with no firearms experience needs more than just a quick and dirty safety lesson.
How true.

A couple of weeks ago, the owner of the range where I shoot had scheduled a family of four for a "First Steps" type of introduction to handguns and shooting class. He had a family emergency and had to scram, and when the family showed up and found no instructor the woman was not a happy camper. I'm certified to teach "First Steps," so I volunteered to play instructor rather than have prospective customers go away mad and probably bad-mouth the range for three towns in every direction.

We did almost an hour in the classroom, going over safety, types of guns, and such. I very clearly explained about sight picture, and used the range's show-&-tell props to illustrate it, as well as a real gun. They all said they got it.

So we went down to the range to shoot, and Mama's shots were all over the map, and all high -- VERY high. This persisted for several cylinders' worth of .22 ammo. I could see from standing next to her that she was aiming way high and I kept telling her, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Finally I reeled in the target, took the gun out of her hands, and put the muzzle right on the bullseye, and explained again about aligning the top of the front sight with the top of the rear sight. The light bulb finally lit up in her brain. When I explained it upstairs, she said she understood (and she perhaps thought she understood), but in fact she had no idea that there was any relationship between that thing on the front of the barrel and the sight at the back. She thought you just looked at the bullseye through the notch, and you were done.

The time to be teaching and learning the basics of shooting is NOT when the zombie hordes are breaking down the door ...
 
how many times have we heard people say "all you need to do is fire a couple rounds in the air...", or "just point the shotgun in their direction and you can't miss..." or other, equally irresponsible BS?
Actually, we and millions of other Americans heard it from a fairly prominent politician :rolleyes:

The sad fact is, his advice is nothing I haven't heard hundreds of clueless husbands and fathers give to hundreds of wives and daughters who are neophytes. They might make one quick trip to shoot a few rocks at the old quarry, but that's the extent of the training given.

The illusion of safety is sometimes the most dangerous thing out there.
 
Loan a gun to somebody who has no idea how to use one? No way. Think of the legal ramifications, or god forbid if somebody has to use it and doesn't know how or makes a fatal mistake.

But I think, for somebody on good terms, I would invite them in to my house if it made them feel safer being in an armed environment.
 
No problem: My door is always open to a neighbor.

So:

Greet your neighbor, offer them shelter and protection as long as they fill out a simple contract that you offer them to sign.

"Just one simple form and you can come in and hide here... yes, that's right... sign here... thanks, and welcome to the NRA Family. Oh yes, here's an extra "NRA" sticker for the car. Walk over to yours and place it on the bumper. Good man! Now come on back and you can take your first safety lesson while we discuss 2nd amendment rights. Did I mention that I am one of those "Kitchen Table FFL's" that you read about? Let's step over to my kitchen table and get you started... here's a nice .38... ".

What a great way to sign up another Life Member! Make sure they sign the check too.... :D

Or they can hide in the bushes. Their choice. :p


Willie

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Sorry to sound cynical, but waiting until a crisis to arm oneself is a bad idea. Without training, mindset, and preparation, the gun will be a liability.

Those folks don't need to come beating on my door at such a time, saying "I see your point! Loan me one of yours!" Panicky, unprepared, and untrained people are the last folks on earth I want handling firearms.

Very well said.

Although it might seem a bit selfish to some, there is also an economic factor to consider; folks like that essentially want us to foot the bill for their self defense, by having "extra" guns and ammo on hand to loan them.
 
I agree with many of you in that in any emergency scenario, you put the loanee at risk when giving them a gun and they don't know how to use it. I will never loan a gun to anyone under any circumstance these days. If you feel you don't need to own a gun, that's fine with me. Don't come knocking on my door asking to borrow when you feel you need it. It might sound like I'm apathetic to everyone else, but if you weren't smart to arm yourself to begin with, then that's exactly what I am about you when the chips are down. In life, we all suffer the consequences when we're not prepared. I think, unfortunately, people need to suffer for that stupidity for things to get better for people like us.
 
Although it might seem a bit selfish to some, there is also an economic factor to consider; folks like that essentially want us to foot the bill for their self defense, by having "extra" guns and ammo on hand to loan them.

I am thinking more like a failure to plan at all. This brings the old adage out;

...A failure to plan on your part does not necessarily result in an emergency on my part...


Anyhow had a conversation with an avid anti at work about this. He knows me so he stuck by not wanting a gun figuring there were plenty of cops in the area to protect everyone.

:confused:

I told him that the bad guys had started at least one gun fight with the police and one had gotten away for a period of time after that. He did not really have an answer for that.
 
Wouldn't loan a gun in that situation because the threat was non-existant and a gun is not a security blanket.

I remember growing up in the suburbs during the 60s race riots. Even though they were separated from the violence by many miles, lots of people wanted to armed themselves against the marauding hoards.
 
I just find it hilarious that our politicians think we are nuts for being prepared for crazy situations that will never happen. The bombers running around through neighborhoods in Watertown is EXACTLY why my house is armed. No body in that town ever thought the two most wanted people on the planet would be hiding in their own backyards. It could have been any neighborhood.

They should feel fortunate though. I'm surprised the two bombers didnt run into a gun owner at any point. I know mass is pretty tight on guns but there's plenty of gun owners there
 
A Non-Gun person? Maybe, given the circumstances.

An openly Anti-Gun person? No, not a snowball's chance. Let they're beloved police help them.
I've gotten to the point where that's me as well. Kurt Russell was once asked if he'd loan a gun to a normally anti-gun person in a time of crisis, and he replied something on the order of, I'd tell them, sorry, they're all being used.

Personally, I wouldn't even be that nice.
 
I woulden't loan a gun. In this case, it would probably be a scared, non-trained, non familair with firearms person. It is making their situation more dangerous than not having a gun.
 
i can't stand non gun owners and won't even talk to them. in a crisis situation i'll tell them they made their choice, now live with it.

if im out in public and some fool goes on a shooting spree, i'll hide as best as i can, draw my weapon and only use it if the bad guy comes to me. i won't try to save anyone except who ever was with me.
 
if im out in public and some fool goes on a shooting spree, i'll hide as best as i can, draw my weapon and only use it if the bad guy comes to me. i won't try to save anyone except who ever was with me.


Not going to say what I really feel about you. But it's not good.

I feel the complete opposite. I rather be the sheepdog with a gun than a sheep with a gun.



EDIT: Sorry, I was side swiped when I read that.

Anyways, I was thinking that the entire time I was watching the coverage live in Boston. It must be a pretty defenseless feeling to be an anti in that vicinity.

That situation, quite honestly helps our community of gun owners out a lot.
 
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I see alot of guys saying they would not loan anyone a gun mostly because of safety issues.
Why would these same people be safer if they went and purchased a gun vs. you loaning them one? Assuming the person asking to borrow one was a close friend or family member.
You could/should always give them the operators safety guide.

Thoughts?
 
You could/should always give them the operators safety guide.

I doubt anyone would read it under such circumstances. How many people read the book that comes with their new car or their microwave? Besides without any frame of reference they would have little idea what they were looking at without at least some training.
 
Alabama shooter,

You make a strong arguement for mandatory training when people buy guns.

I dont want that but it seems your suggesting it. Most responsible people read owners manuals. I know I do with eveything I buy and I keep a file with the receipt. Especially guns.

I keep all my receipts for all firearm related accesories so I cn prove I bought them and I paid the tax on them.
 
Most responsible people read owners manuals. I know I do with everything I buy and I keep a file with the receipt.

That is great, I read the manuals when one came with the gun. Most often they come without one when you buy a used gun and I believe that most people do not obtain one later. I have doubts that everyone reads the manuals.


You make a strong argument for mandatory training when people buy guns.

I think if the first time you are shooting a gun you are shooting it an armed intruder there has been a serious failure chain of events there and that such behavior while potentially life saving is irresponsible at it's core.
 
I'd loan a non-gun neighbor a walkie-talkie. He can call me if the baddies show up.

An anti-gun neighbor or the one with wingnut kids? I'd loan them my 9-iron if I'm in a good mood.
 
"Not going to say what I really feel about you. But it's not good.

I feel the complete opposite. I rather be the sheepdog with a gun than a sheep with a gun."


go ahead, say what you feel. in my state almost anyone can get a ccw. if they choose not to thats their choice. lets say im shopping at wal mart. i hear gun fire, people start screaming and running. if i draw my weapon and move toward the gun fire to be a hero, to protect those who imo should have a ccw. now im walking or running around a store where shots are fired with a gun in my hand. whats stopping another ccw or cop from thinking im the bad guy shooting all the defenseless sheep?

are you gonna go shoot anyone with a gun drawn now? under cover/off duty cop doing his job that might be the bad guy in your eyes?
 
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