From: matth@hpcvccp.cv.hp.com (Matt Heineck)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Trouble in MiraMesa
Date: 22 Jan 93 04:01:58 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

In article <1993Jan19.170624.15773@btree.uucp>, btree!andy@UCSD.EDU (Andy Bosik) writes:
|> Hey Y'all!
|> I have a dellemma at the house I live at.
|> I rent a room a a friends house,and my friend
|> likes keeping one of my guns,a Ruger GP100
|> .357 revolver, in His room for self-protection.
(Bunch of text deleted)

Well Andy I am no lawyer so this advice is worth exactly what you paid for
it.  
It is possible in todays litigeous (sp?) society that you might be found 
partially responsible for any death or injuried resulting from the use of
a gun that you own.

I would also be concerned, not only about his ability with the gun, but how
he stores it, etc.  If he has a friend over that "plays" with it, there could
be big trouble.


|>                  .....You don't need regular
|> practice,which I feel is an ignorant,and
|> dangerous attitude.

If he is competent with it, constant practice is probably not as important as
is mental preparedness.  That is - has he (and you) thought through the
senarios in which he would use deadly force.   Thought about things like,
being sure of his target, what is behind his target, how scared does he have to
be to risk a shot in a residential neighborhood, etc.  

|> What should I do? Should I not continue to allow
|> Him to use the .357,hoping that nothing trajic
|> happens due to lack of training,or rusty marksmanship?

#From what I have read, the vast majority of self-defense shootings happen
at "contact range".  This means that the person is close enough to hit you
with their hands, feet, or short club.  In this case "rusty marksmanship" is
usually not an issue.  If someone is 25 yards away, your life is probably
not in danger (note I said probably, so hold the flames) and so being able
to place 5 shots into a 25 yd bullseye is not as critical as having training
on when to shoot and being mentally prepared, etc.

|> He also has the attitude that if He ever has
|> to use the gun for defense,He'll "Shoot em in
|> the leg!".

Everything I have ever read suggests that this is a very bad idea.  When
a person makes a decision to shoot another person, "deadly force" is involved.
Most states (I believe) have pretty stiff restrictions on when you can use
deadly force to protect yourself.  (i.e. your life is in clear and imminent 
danger).  I believe the argument you would face in court would go something
like this -- If you are shooting someone in the leg than you are essentially
admitting that you didn't feel that killing him was necessary.  So why did
you use "deadly force"?

My advice is:
-- Be sure your life is in "clear and imminent danger" (or a loved one)
-- Be sure there are no options. (within reason)
-- Be sure of your target.  (what is behind him, etc.)
-- Be prepared to accept the consequences, because your life will be
   irrevocably changed.  (innocent people may be killed in the fight)
-- Shoot to kill.

If you and your friend have not thought this stuff through then you should
definetly not be sleeping with loaded guns.

Like I say, this just my advice, I would talk to an attorney if I were you.

Standard disclaimers apply.  These opinions are obviously my own.  
Please keep flames to a minimum.