Slims

Jorgelito: Where do you live?

In all but the most socialist of states, you will experience absolutely ZERO harrassment from the authorities for owning a firearm. You will probably experience no problems obtaining a CCW or carrying, should you so choose.

I believe that most police, in most states, look at law-abiding gun owners as good citizens who are trying to take responsibility for their own well being. I shoot and compete with police officers and have never had any problems. I have also never had any problems while carrying, though I have been pulled over. When I showed the officer my permit he thanked me and let me leave without a speeding ticket. There are asshats with regards to weapons, but they are mostly concentrated in particular regions and are fairly rare elsewhere.

It is good that you and Fallon are both worried about the potential for an accidental discharge because you won't be complacent about learning safe gun-handling techniques. But firearms are not something to be viscerally afraid of either. Accidents only happen when people stop paying attention to safety and start doing something stupid.

Glocks are just as safe (safer actually, in my opinion) as revolvers. Unlike some older pistol designs (Ahem...) they have numerous internal safeties which prevent the weapon from firing under any circumstances other than the trigger being pulled. And, unlike single action automatics, they have a longer trigger pull and a trigger-safety (the little lever sticking out of the trigger) which prevents incidental trigger contact from causing a discharge. Accidents can happen, but they are usually the result of someone pulling the trigger.

I used to store my main defensive pistol in a handgun safe when I was in college, but back then I had all kinds of friends and acquaintances moving in and out of my apartment and I did not want to leave a firearm unprotected.

My lifestyle and needs have changed. Now my pistol is either on my person or on my nightstand. I want either my wife or I to have immediate access to a firearm at all times when we are home now. A few weeks ago someone stole her car right out of our driveway, before that someone shot out one of my windows, before that people followed her home. Oh, and on the fourth of july someone lit my mailbox on fire (from the inside) and burned my mail. Thugs tried to break into a neighbors house while his wife was home, but their pittbulls put an end to that. I feel that a home invasion is a very real possibility for us now, and I want to be prepared.

You guys will have to decide what level of readiness you are comfortable with based on your individual circumstances. Just remember that those circumstances can change very quickly.

Edit: Jorgelito, if a Sig-Sauer is too pricey, consider the S&W M&P. I took a risk and bought one, and now I love it. It is less expensive than a glock, but has many of the same features.

I am all for starting a collection, but I would take it slow...Don't start purchasing a bunch of weapons until you are competent and comfortable with whatever you buy first. I would far rather have one gun that I can shoot well than several that I shoot poorly. Ammunition is expensive and you can easily shoot your way through a hundred dollars worth of ammunition during a day at the range.

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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence