What do you think is the best "self defense" weapo

[Martial_Artist]

Handgun, best weapon second to brain and good training.

 

Most people don't need brains to use a gun to save their lives or the lives of a loved one. You just have to want to survive and keep loved ones alive. Some people can't afford good martial arts training. A handgun is a cool 300-800 USD and you're through. Point and shoot. In fact, just brandish. 2.5 million crimes a year are prevented in the US by law-abiding citizens carrying a firearm. THat's 550 rapes a day, 1,100 murders, and 5,600 other violent crimes a day.

 

A gun make anyone deadly. A gun isn't designed to kill as much as a hammer is. A gun is a tool of self-defense. It always has been. Whether defending one's land from invasion or one's house from the criminal element. Firearms have always first and foremost been a weapon of defense and freedom in America.

 

A gun only becomes a tool of evil when the person holding it is evil. I have yet to see a gun kill someone. I have yet to see a hunk of metal make a decision of its own, act on its own, and take a life on its own. It is always the person holding the gun that turns it into a tool of death.

 

For me, a gun isn't designed to kill, but protect. I don't have to shoot someone if I don't want to. I can subdue, control, and detain merely with the presence of a gun, without ever firing a gun. And 2.5 million people have done the same thing. Funny thing is, in the 2.5 million cases of lawful gun use in the US only 0.9% of those resulted in the gun actually being discharged. The other 99.1% were prevented by merely 'showing' the gun.

 

Imagine that, the old lady down the street can prevent personal injury to herself by merely showing a gun. She doesn't have to be among the martial 'elite' or the physically capable. She doesn't have to stay indoors for the rest of her life and not enjoy it. She has the freedom to choose how her life will be lead and not be dictated to by the 'threat' of criminal element.

 

I carry a gun. I carry a knife, pepperspray, and sometimes a stick. I also am pretty darn proficient empty-handed. What does all this mean? I haven't limited myself in any means to personal protection. Because I carry a gun doesn't mean it will ever be fired at another person, but I don't take the chance that I will never have to, either. I carry for that very reason. I will not be caught unarmed. I carry a knife for utility purposes, of course, it may find its way into a fight. Pepperspray for alternative force options. A stick, because well the Philippines rubbed off on me.

 

For a note, a neighborhood doesn't have to be bad for bad things to happen. Here, a mother was returning to her house to pick something up she forgot to take to a thanksgiving dinner. Two men got out of the car behind her at a light and walked up to her car and shot her to death. She lived in a pretty affluent neighborhood.

 

Crime doesn't only happen to the impoverished. Anyone can be a victim. Why let it be you? Or your wife/girlfriend, or your child--or someone else's child?

 

For pure simplicity the handgun is the most effective self-defense tool available. Rudimentary training and regular range time can enable most average people to shoot responsibly.

 

Just for fun, police accidentally shoot an innocent person, i.e. the wrong target, in 11% of their shootings. Civilians do it in 2%.

 

Just my 2cents worth of rant.

 

MA.

[Martial_Artist]

ps.

 

I didn't answer for Withers, although it seems I did. I merely responded from my point of view to the comments directed to Withers and I just wanted to share some information concerning handgun/firearm use.

 

MA.

 

No offense to anyone intended.

[Treebranch]

Sorry, but unless you live in a really jacked up neihborhood or someone is after you, or you're really rich and you have something thugs want. Carrying a gun on your person is pretty paranoid in my opinion. If the presence of a gun has been successful at preventing crimes without being fired, than an airsoft gun would be just as effective. I think too many morons own guns, and are often used on their own families (domestic violence). You can justify gun use all you want, but the fact is that First World Countries that have banned guns are far more peaceful and don't instill the kind of paranoia where people feel they have to carry a gun. Military should have guns and police, but citizens should be thoroughly checked out before being able to purchase such a dangerous weapon. The gun is the great facilitator, and in the hands of a mentally unstable person it is very dangerous. I worked in the medical field for 9 years and every night I was called in for a GSW (gun shot wound). Every night there was at least one that survived long enough for me to get there. I was an on call medical technician. I respect a persons opinion on subjects such as these, and they have every right to feel the way they do. It's not their fault for being so paranoid, we are fed fear everyday through the media. I have an experiment for everyone. Don't watch TV for a whole week or listen to the news, and tell me if you don't feel a little calmer. Just my opinion thanks for respecting it as I do yours.

[Budderfly]

The best weapon you have is your limbs and body cause you got lots of them. I find handling a weapon restricts you and one tends to forget what to do with the rest of their body when they are holding a knife/gun or whatever.

 

Being open handed means you got your 2 legs, 2 arms, 1 head, 2 knees, 2 elbows, etc. That's 9 weapons right there.

[Treebranch]

You can have all that and a weapon if you are taught correctly.

[Martial_Artist]

I don't watch tv. I haven't watched TV in 3 years. No one has fed me anything. As for police and military being the only ones to have guns, that would lead to disaster. Seeing as how police are more likely to accidentally shoot you than an average citizen I don't see your point.

 

First world countries that have banned guns are statistically worse off than the US. In a study done by the Dutch Ministry of Information the UK and Australia ranked #1 and #2 for percentage of violent crime among 17 industrialized nations in the world. The US ranked 4th from last.

 

The thing is if you take guns away from the law-abiding only the criminals will have guns. And that's just silly.

 

I don't see what's paranoid about taking my personal safety as my own responsibility. And since the criminal won't give up his guns, neither shall I. Just so you know, the Police in the US have been declared by the US Supreme Court that they have NO RESPONSIBILITY to save an individual life. It's not their fault if you die, or they fail to protect you. Their responsibility is the general peace of an area, record keeping, criminal apprehension(and you only become a criminal AFTER you commit a crime), and deterrence by presence.

 

So, when you call the Police because some crazed psycho is in your house trying to kill you they can arrive and sit outside and wait untill it's safe for them and then apprehend. Or, they can take an average 18mintues to arrive on scene after which you will most likely be dead.

 

My safety is my own responsibility. I don't put my life/protection in the hands of anyone else. Nor do I do the same for my family.

 

Criminals do bad things with guns, there's no denying that. But the gun is not at fault. No more than the hammer that is used to kill, or the knife, or the box cutter.

 

Criminals do bad things. That's why they're criminals. They break laws, not follow them. Regulating guns would only hurt the law-abiding. Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns.

 

In all honesty, I think it is you who have been fed a line from the media. Something about how the police will protect you, about how criminals follow gun restriction laws, and about how if you comply with the thug somehow you'll come out alive.

 

In the Dodge city of the 1800's(the city of Wyatt Earp) everyone had guns. Most people might think that there was a lot of violence, that the murder rate was high. Well for them it was. It was 5 (five) murders on average a year. That pales to the murder rates of places like NewYork or Washington D.C. which have the strictest gun control in the US. Their murder rates per year would sicken you. The average citizen in those places cannot own a gun, cannot carry a gun, and if they have one in the house it must be locked and put away. These people are being killed by criminals who don't follow the law.

 

I'm not sure which Utopia the media has convinced you you're living in, but every city that has strict gun control laws has high murder rates. Every city that has "shall issue" concealed carry permits for citizens has low murder rates. Vermont, the state with the most lax gun control laws, has the lowest or second lowest crime rates in the nation every single year.

 

I don't know how you think, but I'm not here to find out. I respect your opinion and think if you want to trust your life to an agency that has no responsibility to save it, then go ahead. I won't.

 

But then again, guns are evil. Guns kill people. Funny, though, I have yet to see a gun kill someone on its own free will. In fact, I have yet to see my pencil write without my hand directing it.

 

Guns aren't dangerous. They're simple safe tools meant for a more responsible mentality. I agree, not everyone should carry guns, but I won't dictate that, because who am I to tell someone else they don't have the right to defend themselves with the best possible tool? Who am I to tell someone else that I don't think they're special enough to protect their family with their own means?

 

Politicians, the rich, and elite have armed bodyguards. Are they any better than the rest of us that they are "allowed" to protect themselves and their families with better means than the rest of us? I, for one, do not think so.

 

Luckily, the US constitution guarantees the individual right to keep and bear arms as part of a fundamental right of the US citizen. It's called the second amendment. "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"

 

I appreciate your opinion. I really do. I'm not trying to convert you to "pro-gun". Take what I said and do what you will. I respect the individual's right to opinion as much as I do the individual's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

MA.

[Treebranch]

Well then I'm going to go out and buy a AK 47 and couple of hand grenades. People are dangerous, all people are potentially dangerous, put a gun in their hand and you have just made them lethal. I don't trust anyone, especially if they have a gun. How often have you personally had to use your gun to protect your family? In reality you most likely will never have to. I don't think we live in a utopia, I think we live in a ultra violent society with alot of paranoid people going around carrying guns. Believe me the media has no influence on me, I rarely watch the new. I despise the media. Once you use that gun on someone, out of anger or jealousy or whatever. Now the law abiding citizen has become the outlaw. This happens all the time. I much rather be attack by someone armed with a hammer than with a gun. At least I'd have a chance. That's why I study MA. I hope to god that your kids or someone's kid get a hold of your gun and it misfires. You do have the right to have a gun, I just hope you never have to use it.

[Martial_Artist]

I won't pursue this any further. Like I said, I'm not preaching. But one final thing, I trust the average citizen more than I do a cop.

 

All people are potentially dangerous. What exempts the police officer or soldier? Yet, somehow you trust them more than the average joe.

 

Let me illuminate something.

 

70% of all police officers have never even fired a gun before Police Academy. In the Police Academy they will only fire 2,500 rounds and then be placed on the street. Every year or two years, depending on department, they will have to re-qualify at the range. This requalification will not be as extensive as the meager 2,500 rounds during training. Most police officer related shootings happen with rookies.

 

The average responsible gun owner has better training than the average police officer in justifiable firearm use. They almost have to. They're held to a higher standard than the police. When a police officer accidentally shoots someone he gets paid leave. When a citizen does the same he goes to prison. Also, police officers are responsible for getting secondary training throughout their careers. This secondary training isn't done at the academy or department. The police attain their secondary education(in firearms tactics and usage) at civilian gun schools taught by civilian gun instructors. Civilians are more often than not better trained in the judicial and responsible use of firearms than an average police officer.

 

Ak 47? See, you have been influenced by the media. What makes you think you can buy an Ak 47? If you're thinking fully automatic, those guns have been strictly regulated since 1934. A semi-automatic AK47 is almost no differnt from a .306 hunting rifle. The rounds are almost identical. The AK-47 is just "scarrier" to look at. Also machine guns, the ones that are fully automatic, are considered a non-problem by law enforcement agencies because year after year they are used in less than one percent (1%) of crimes across the US. So your neighbor owning puts no risk on you. Statistically you'll die from drowing, suicide, car accident before you'll ever be shot from a full-auto firearm.

 

No, I do think the media has influenced you. You think we live in an ultra violent society filled wth crazed psychos. You've been taught to believe that every person around you is a gun-totin' maniac just waiting to "clear leather" and fill "that scum-bag with lead." Thugs and criminals act like that. Not law-abiding gun owners. Most gun owners are scared to death of using their gun because of the 20,000 gun laws that restrict their usage and little slip up in judicial use will send them to prison no matter how clear cut the situation is. For example, a man shot another man in his house that was trying to rape his daughter. The father is going to prison for illegal possession of a firearm. The "bad guy" didn't die and will be serving a lesser sentence, because the draconian gun laws in D.C. are pro-criminal.

 

Crimes of passion are not reason alone to restrict the use of an object, nor do they make someone a criminal along the lines of serial rapists or murderers. Cars, knives, hammers, scissors are used much more frequently and with much more fatal results than firearms. Again, the media doesn't show the story of the woman murdered by a kitchen knife when it can show the woman killed with a gun by her jealous husband. Crimes of passion can never be resticted. But, a woman with a gun has a 85% better chance of surviving a crime of passion than if she didn't. In fact, she has a 90% chance of surviving that 85% without any injury. Yet, woman who fight back empty-handed, with a knife, stick, or pepperspray usually end up dead. Unfortunately, the media never tells us of the lawful use of firearms.

 

In actuality, of all the weapons used in crimes firearms do not overwhelm. You are more likely to be beat, stabbed, hit with a car, bat, stick, brick, iron rod, or anything else before you'll get shot with a gun from a law-abidng citizen. And then there are more accidental ways to die than anything statistic a firearm a could produce.

 

You see, the citizen isn't the person you should be afraid of. The media has taught you to be afraid of your fellow-man, but most people, in fact, the majority of people are good-hearted people only concerned about their safety and well-being. These people don't have any malicious intent in their hearts towards their neighbors. They just want to walk in peace and safety.

 

It's the criminal, the person who breaks laws for a living that you need to be wary of. No amount of words on a piece of paper will stop this person from being a criminal. None of the 20,000 gun laws in federal books has ever stopped any of the crimes being committed with guns across America.

 

You want to know what does lower crime? Armed citizens. Every city that enacted a concealed carry permit law "shall issue" has seen a decrease in violent crime. Why? Because criminals are just as afraid of armed citizens as you.

 

A survey done among prison inmates said 70% of hardened thugs wouldn't attack someone if they knew that person was armed. 50% wouldn't if they thought that person was armed. And 60% were more afraid of armed citizens than armed police.

 

You see, you have this sad condition, you don't trust anyone. Why? Do think that the next person isn't just as concerned about public safety as you? Do you think that the next person is just waiting, incubating, to become a criminal? You sound like you live in a state of paranoia.

 

I carry a gun because I know criminals have guns. Because I know criminals are bad people. I don't carry a gun because I'm afraid of the guy next door, or the people at the grocery store. In fact, fear has nothing to do with me carrying a gun. Do you carry a knife because you're afraid? No, you do it because it is a tool of self-defense. That's the same reason I carry a gun. And in almost every self-defense situation, whether my assailant has a knife, stick, or other weapon, my gun will win out over their weapon and I will survive safe, my family will survive safe and life goes on. Even against multiple attackers the gun is the best weapon.

 

I don't carry a gun out of paranoia. I carry it because it is the best tool for the job. And 2.5 million cases a year verify that.

 

You say you'd rather be attacked by someone with a hammer than a gun, who wouldn't. But criminals have guns. They get guns despite regulations and laws. That's partly why they're "criminals" and not law-abiding citizens.

 

I study martial arts because it's the best tool for when I don't have a gun. Not because I expect my attacker not to use a gun.

 

But, then again it's a matter of opinion, I suppose. We all have the right to choose how we will go about procuring our personal safety. I choose not to put it into the hands of another. It is my life and therefore my responsibility. Others choose to put their lives in the hands of an agency, in the hopes that the criminal won't use a gun or other weapon. That's the beauty of America, freedom of opinion.

 

I respect your beliefs and I can see you feel strongly about them. I respect a person who is willing to defend their beliefs. It's a good trait. Sadly, we have too many people in this nation who stand idly by and do nothing to defend their beliefs.

 

Lastly, there is no logical argument against law-abiding citizens carrying guns. Every statistic testifies to the opposite. Millions of people a year testify otherwise. The good far outweighs the bad. But that's not the reason. The reason is every person has the right to live a free life. To pursue happiness without the shadow or threat of criminal acts. The best weapon for self-defense is a handgun. Who are we to tell someone their life isn't that important to protect with the best tool for the job?

 

MA

 

ps

 

I don't know why you wish someone would accidentally discharge my firearms. If my children do something stupid with the firearms while they are young it's my fault for not teaching them properly. When they get older it's their fault for being so stupid after all the training I'll give them.

 

One final thing. How many times I have personally used a gun in self-defense has no bearing on how effective the gun is as a defense weapon. In fact, it doesn't change anything. But, you have asked and I shall answer.

 

I have used guns on more occasions than I would like. I have never had to fire on someone. Almost every single use of my gun has been near my house. I live in a very nice neighborhood. I know my neighbors, we socialize often. I know almost everyone living around me. I take afternoon walks almost everyday and have interacted with almost everyone.

 

You see, I don't think we live in a ultra violent society. The media wants you believe that. I believe we live in a society of cowards. A society where people don't care about their neighbors and look the other way when bad things are done. It's a sad thing when they tell you to yell "Fire" when you're being raped rather than help, because people care about burning down, but not about you.

 

I don't think America as a whole is a violent society. I think it's a society plagued by the media telling us how violent we are, plagued by pockets of violence and that's the only thing Americans know about their nation.

 

I have been involved in many altercations, here and in the Philippines, I still don't think the average citizen is a criminal. I still don't think that the average citizen is going to go psycho on me and start shooting everything up. I do think the average citizen is just trying to get by everyday and live a peaceful life. But that's just my opinion.

[Treebranch]

Buy some body armor, that will protect you. You just like the power that comes with the gun. Can their be a little truth to that. I live in Los Angeles, the last thing I wan't is for these bozos to have guns on their person. I don't feel safe as it is. I do put trust and faith in Police officers and Soldiers, more so than a citizen. I don't think Anarchy is the answer, do you?

[Martial_Artist]

Power? Do you like the power that comes from knowing a martial art? It's the same thing. Do you like the power knowing you can defend your family with the best tool available? That power argument is old and bears no truth to the law-abiding citizen carrying for personal protection. If I could choose to live without the threat of criminal activity then I there would be no need to carry a gun. A gun is a tool I carry to serve a purpose. I does nothing more. I means nothing more. It is a hunk of metal that can save my life. I know what you're trying to say about 'power', and it's a weak attack. Do you like the power that comes with carrying a knife? I think you need to reevalutate the human psyche.

 

Law-abiding citizens carrying firearms isn't anarchy. It's peace and order, because they're "LAW"-abding and not criminals. I only need to refer to modern states to prove such. In Vermont anyone can carry a gun concealed without permits or regulation. Every year they rank either last or second to last in crime rates. They are very safe and everyone can carry guns. In California, practically every law-abiding citizen is prohibited from carrying a firearm. As we know California is among the highest in the nation for crime rates, so is EVERY OTHER STATE THAT RESTRICTS FIREARM CARRYING FOR THE LAW-ABIDING. Facts don't lie, my friend. That's not anarchy. It never has been and it never will be. Even in the 1800's when guns were everywhere unrestricted in any means there wasn't anarchy. Cities like Dodge and other famous western towns had murder rates number 5 a year. The bad guys stay away from where they can get hurt. They're into getting what they can in the easiest way possible with the least amount of risk to themselves. Going into a town where law-abiding peace-loving citizens are armed and prepared to defend their town isn't what they do. It isn't what they do today, and it isn't what they'll do in any city that allows the law-adibing to defend themselves.

 

I think you need to stay away from the media for awhile. They're having a bad-effect on you.

 

As for LA, they already have strict gun laws and the only ones packing heat are the criminals. The average law-abiding citizen isn't allowed to carry in the People's Republic of Los Angeles. There are on average 650+ murders a year in LA. Which of the gun laws in LA could have saved their lives? I think it would have at least been humane to give them a fighting chance rather than let them get slaughtered defenseless by criminals who "SURPRISE" aren't following the laws.

 

The facts don't lie police aren't as well-trained as you think. Especially in LA. They have a high turn-over rate. Officers in LA are responsible for more accidental homicides than almost anywhere else. In LA you are likely to be shot for speeding at a routine traffic stop because the cop thinks your cellphone is a gun. You will die. The officer will be justified and nothing wil change. It happens a lot. I'm not making this up. I can cite sources in a PM if you want. Almost everyday something bad happens as a result of poor police judgement. In New York an old lady was killed because the police raided the wrong house. Lots of things like this happen.

 

You can put your trust where you want. That's your choice. I really can't explain it any better. The facts have explained it for me.

 

Thanks for your opinion.

 

MA