From: sml@ssc-vax (Stuart Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: suggested weapons (was: Killing burglars.)
Date: 1 Sep 92 17:31:56 GMT
Reply-To: sml@ssc-vax.UUCP (Stuart Lewis)
Organization: Boeing Aerospace & Electronics

>So, what specific weapons and ammo do you folks recommend for home 
>protection?  Assume it's for an adult with no previous firearms experience
>(bows and crossbows aside) and a willingness to learn.  (Of course, no weapon
>gets into my house under *my* power before I've been properly trained with 
>it.)  Goals are to maximize effectiveness (shooting to wound is stupid) while 
>minimizing both risk to others (pass-through on walls) and property damage.

Good for you! (about wanting to get instruction first...)

There are a couple of variables to consider.  Do you have children?
If so, how old are they?  Old enough to be taught firearm safety?
Or just old enough to get into things when mom and dad aren't
looking?

When my wife and I lived B.C. (before children :-)), the bedroom
weapon was a .357 with +P+ hollow point loads.  (We've got a real
nice waterbed that has sort of a hidden cubby hole with a spring 
loaded door in the headboard - perfect for a pistol).  This is a revolver
and it was kept loaded at all times.  Not very convenient to try and
load in an emergency. 

Now, however, we have a small child under the roof and, no matter
how well hidden, *never* take the risk.  So, we replaced the .357 with a
9mm semi-auto and we keep the clip in a location that we, and not
he, can get to in about 3 seconds.  I keep this loaded with a
heavier than usual (for 9mm's) solid lead round nose, ~125 grain.
But again, hollow points are the best choice for a defense load.
You don't want to use a metal jacketed bullet - it'll pass right
through and keep on going.  Of course, *any* bullet is no match for
sheetrock, but a metal jacketed bullet will go and go and go.

We also keep a .223 semi-auto rifle in the bedroom with the clip
seperately located - this is kept for coyotes. (we live on five
wooded acres in the country).  By the back door, hidden behind the
dryer, is a bolt action, clip fed .22 that is loaded with bird shot
- this is for dogs.  Those I really don't want to kill - makes for
bad relations with the neighbors!  So the bird shot is good enough.
(We ourselves have two dogs, but are the only family on our hill (of
6) that keep their dogs fenced - really p*sses me off).

Both my wife and I know how to use firearms, and when our children
are old enough, they will too.  There is absolutely no excuse for
ignorance when it comes to firearms ownership.  I've taught a number
of people how to shoot, and the first thing I ever tell them is that,
"It's a statistical fact that more accidental shootings occur with
unloaded firearms!"  ["Gee!  I didn't know the gun was loaded!"]

I've sort of meandered a bit here, but in my opinion, if you don't
have children to worry about, go with a large caliber revolver -
.357, .38, .41 magnum, etc.  If you have kids, go with a semi-auto
with a clip that can be kept seperate.  Again, something large, no
smaller than 9mm, i.e. 10mm, .45 auto; there's even a .357 semi auto
- but they are really pricey.

Stuart Lewis
sml@ssc-vax.boeing.com
From: borowski@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Don T. Borowski)
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 19:02:39 GMT
Subject: Re: Painting radiators?
Organization: Hewlett Packard Company, Spokane, Wa.