I bought a gun today.

Cool. I've lived in Sussex (Byram, Newton, Hopatcong), Morris (Budd Lake, Parsippany, Whippany) and Essex (Livingston) - I live in PA now, but miss NJ really bad.

Oh, and - this thread has inspired me to get a gun again! ;)

The colonists weren't exactly the most imaginative bunch were they?
 
picked one of these up this weekend:
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The reason people over here (in the UK) don't get the gun thing is that we're taught about crime prevention, and guns are totally reactionary. If you want to stop someone breaking into your house, you get an alarm - even a fake alarm is enough to deter most people, as there are so many houses without any protection. A gun however, is totally useless until the crime has already been committed - it won't stop someone breaking into your house, it just means you can hurt them if they do. That's totally counter-intuitive to most people, and on a forum full of guys preaching "get it right at the source, and you don't have to fix it later" it's really strange standpoint.

Nothing against the OP, as that's a very specific case - though to be honest, if you think waving a gun a meth head looking for a fix will stop them trying to rob you, you're kidding yourself. Like someone else said, you'd be better off with a baseball bat etc. as most people are more likely to swing a bat than fire a gun, so it's a bigger deterrent - plus a bat to the knee will put down most people, whereas shooting them that effectively and precisely is way harder when your adrenaline's and heart rate are up.

Steve
 
The reason people over here (in the UK) don't get the gun thing is that we're taught about crime prevention, and guns are totally reactionary.

While I completely respect your opinion on this topic I would ask that you stop stating it as fact .. its an opinion, you're entitled to it and more power to you for feeling that way

that doesn't mean others are wrong for believing differently
 
The reason people over here (in the UK) don't get the gun thing is that we're taught about crime prevention, and guns are totally reactionary. If you want to stop someone breaking into your house, you get an alarm - even a fake alarm is enough to deter most people, as there are so many houses without any protection. A gun however, is totally useless until the crime has already been committed - it won't stop someone breaking into your house, it just means you can hurt them if they do. That's totally counter-intuitive to most people, and on a forum full of guys preaching "get it right at the source, and you don't have to fix it later" it's really strange standpoint.

Nothing against the OP, as that's a very specific case - though to be honest, if you think waving a gun a meth head looking for a fix will stop them trying to rob you, you're kidding yourself. Like someone else said, you'd be better off with a baseball bat etc. as most people are more likely to swing a bat than fire a gun, so it's a bigger deterrent - plus a bat to the knee will put down most people, whereas shooting them that effectively and precisely is way harder when your adrenaline's and heart rate are up.

Steve

You're oversimplifying things IMO. Of course the gun won't prevent the crime...duh. But in Brian's position, working late nights with loud music, it's quite possible that he will be unaware of an intruder entering his place late at night.

Your reason for not getting guns can also be becuase your government is trying to maintain it's political correctness and does not trust it's citizens, which happens here as well.

I remember the story about that British dude who lived on a secluded farm and shot one (or two, I forget) assailants when they attempted to break in. Guy went away for a long time IIRC. Ridiculous.

The time it takes for police to respond to a residence is ridiculous at times. I'd rather defend myself than worry about waiting around for the police and possibly dying.

I just think that some of you guys don't believe that some of these situations occur.

Joe
 
I've had two guys break into my home, guns in hand, threatening to kill me if I didn't tell them where the cocaine was that whomever (can't remember the name) had. Guess what, I didn't know the person and had no drugs. They where freaking out and looked like they had been up for days, obviously trying to get more. I was lucky to get away while they searched my closets leaving me unattended for a few seconds. Now the thing is, I had enough time to grab a gun if I had one before they cornered me. If something similar happened today, I would be ready. Not that I would want to hurt anyone but the prior situation taught me a good lesson. Shot them. Don't even ask questions, no warning, just shoot shoot shoot.

This coming from a guy who genuinely avoids killing ants.

I guess you can argue "if no one had them" then we could counter "knives, bats, bow and arrow ect" I would go for the long distance weapons myself, even if I had to rig something up that shoots knives.

Until everyone in the world can respect all living things like I do, I can't trust them. Besides, there is a lot of Christians that threaten to kill me every single day. We all know I'm out spoken about this stuff, I take it a lot further in other public forums. My wall on Facebook alone would drive someone to kill me.
 
I've had two guys break into my home, guns in hand, threatening to kill me if I didn't tell them where the cocaine was that whomever (can't remember the name) had. Guess what, I didn't know the person and had no drugs. They where freaking out and looked like they had been up for days, obviously trying to get more. I was lucky to get away while they searched my closets leaving me unattended for a few seconds. Now the thing is, I had enough time to grab a gun if I had one before they cornered me. If something similar happened today, I would be ready. Not that I would want to hurt anyone but the prior situation taught me a good lesson. Shot them. Don't even ask questions, no warning, just shoot shoot shoot.

This coming from a guy who genuinely avoids killing ants.

I guess you can argue "if no one had them" then we could counter "knives, bats, bow and arrow ect" I would go for the long distance weapons myself, even if I had to rig something up that shoots knives.

Until everyone in the world can respect all living things like I do, I can't trust them. Besides, there is a lot of Christians that threaten to kill me every single day. We all know I'm out spoken about this stuff, I take it a lot further in other public forums. My wall on Facebook alone would drive someone to kill me.

Glad you made it out alright bro! :kickass:
 
I love how many people think a knife is an acceptable form of protection instead of a firearm . Stab wounds are as bad and often worse than bullets !
Not imo a valid alternative .
 
I am just baffled at the fact if someone breaks into your home in Europe and whatever transpires you end up shooting them, YOU go to jail. Fucking absolutely god damn retarded.

Baseball bats and alarm systems are great, unless the person breaking in doesn't give a fuck about those things - which a lot of criminals don't. But you show me one person who isn't afraid to get shot and I'll give you a bazillion dollars. That's something a firearm has over any other alternative means of protection, the mere sight of it will scare most people off, you don't have to fire it.
 
I am just baffled at the fact if someone breaks into your home in Europe and whatever transpires you end up shooting them, YOU go to jail. Fucking absolutely god damn retarded.

Tell me about it :/ If someone came to terrorise my farm, and i saw them running off into the sunset i'd gladly AWP their back off.
 
I am just baffled at the fact if someone breaks into your home in Europe and whatever transpires you end up shooting them, YOU go to jail. Fucking absolutely god damn retarded.

Baseball bats and alarm systems are great, unless the person breaking in doesn't give a fuck about those things - which a lot of criminals don't. But you show me one person who isn't afraid to get shot and I'll give you a bazillion dollars. That's something a firearm has over any other alternative means of protection, the mere sight of it will scare most people off, you don't have to fire it.

+1 to all of this - surely there are drug addicts in Europe?