Posted on 08/16/2011 5:35:26 AM PDT by marktwain
Booming business of fear: Sales of safes soar.
I have a question: How long will your safe protect valuables when a home-invasion gang is holding a pistol to your two-year-old daughter's head? There's a lot of guys who have some gold or silver tucked away on the top shelf of their gun safes. That's fine. But what I am questioning here is the belief that a safe -- and a safe alone, absent firearms and the will to use them -- can protect your valuables from predators. Even if it is a break-in while you are not there, they will discover the safe, conclude it has valuables, and come back later with a better plan and a bigger crew when you are home to open it for them and available for a little friendly persuasion.
There is a man up in Winston County I know who once had a meth addict try to rob his house about ten years ago. The meth addict did not survive the experience. He regretted having to kill the man, but observed that the predator's death had netted some benefits. "Bought me a heap of peace and quiet," he told me. I pointed out that he still carried, even when he was on his own property. "Well," he explained, "there's always some dumb sonofabitch that don't know me and ain't smart enough to take the time to ask around."
Safes are fine, I suppose. Vigilance, ability and a neighborhood defense plan are better. Building a reputation for those things doesn't hurt either.
I am an average sized, mild mannered man, who teaches a CCW course with passion. I have taught about half of those that have permits in my county. My firearm skills are modest: mid collegiate level for pistol, lower state competitive level for rifle. I know a bit about knives and sticks.
Somehow, those modest skills were translated into "one of the deadliest men in the county". I guess I could have a worse reputation.
With comments like that, he is no friend.
I sold a large gun safe when I left Canada. The guy that bought it came with a friend and slings and had it in their truck in 15 minutes. They did take the doors off first, but I don’t think that made all that much difference.
People aren’t ‘deadly’, weapons are.................
Certainly preferable to "one of the deadest men in the county."
You’ll be the first one he calls if he has a run in with the wrong person.
Obama speaks?
I did this for protection (had an unknown Rottweiler stalk up my drive one day. He left for good when I put a warning shot in the ground) and to let everyone know there was a gun-guy living here. I wasn't concerned about the neighbors as much as their friends or cousins who might not be as law-abiding.
I've never had a problem in the 6 yrs I've lived here. One funny thing was a neighbor came by to visit with a California relative. She definitely had never seen a citizen walking around with a gun on his hip. I'm sure she was glad to leave.
I think another good line of defense is for one to keep quiet and not advertise that they ccw or they have a black belt in karate or that they might have access to valuables.
It is surprising how many times people give clues, to those watching, about their capabilities or limitations to those watching.
For example, using a gold credit card that has an unlimited balance, when you can get your standard credit card to have the same conditions as that gold card.
Not a good reputation to have if you ever have the police showing up for any reason.
1- Don’t advertise what you have in terms of wealth or security.
2- Safes should be bolted to the floor or wall.
3- Weapons should be accessible by you at all times.
(Less than 10 seconds, preferably 5)
4- Practice, practice, practice
(point shooting practice can be done w an empty weapon, in your home)
I take the opposite.
A weapon is an inanimate hunk of minerals.
The best pistol in the world is a rock if wielded by the incompetent.
Men are deadly.
Should be bolted to the floor or wall, yes, but I have never yet lived in a place where that was practical.
All the other points - right on!
Safes i- bolted, hidden, and not easily accessible.
Safes protect valuables for a number of reasons including home break-ins, fires etc. Safe’s do the job they are intended for but they can’t protect the individual and that’s obviously not what they’re for.
So when the question comes up: How long will your safe protect valuables when a home-invasion gang is holding a pistol to your two-year-old daughter’s head?
You never let it get to that point. I have an alarm system, a couple dogs and a couple guns by my bed. The dogs will let me know something is up so I will be, the alarm system let’s me know there’s someone breaking in and the laser spot lets those who broke in what I’ll be doing.
I have heard that said about you - more than once.
Agreed. I never talk guns with the neighbors. You cannot account for who they speak to or how in depth the neighborhood intelligence net is.
I would like offer that is advantageous that everyone in the household that can shoot, be taught to shoot.
I’ve never really understood trying to impress people that way. I’ve carried upwards of 65 grand in my pocket at one time or another and you’d never know it, because I don’t wear an Armani suit.
I've trained my body and clothes to emit the odor of large dogs and gun solvent.
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