Self Defense

Self Defense

Should I buy a gun, and if so, what kind?

By de Andréa

October 6, 2013

I get asked this question a lot, more so in the last few months so I decided to do just a short piece on it. I hope it will help first time buyers just a little.

Make no mistake, the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is not for the purpose of hunting as some legislators would like you to believe, unless of course you are planning to hunt legislators.

Nowhere in the entire U.S. Constitution will you find the word HUNTING!  The Second Amendment says in plain English what it is for.  Read it:  “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”  Read about it here!

The Second Amendment is “necessary to the security of a free State” and while a gun may be helpful in hunting a bear or an elk, it is not why the Second Amendment was included in the bill of rights.  

While the Constitutional architects were designing the Government they had one important understanding, and that is that government itself is a threat to the very freedom they had just fought for. So in order to keep the freedom and liberty that God gave his people one must have the unalienable and undeniable right to defend it as well as one’s person.  

Guns were necessary to acquire our freedom and they are necessary to secure it.  GUN FREE ZONES as well as restrictive laws regarding guns in America are a violation of the United States Constitution and an obvious threat to the lives of your children and the defense of personal liberty.

But the ignorant America hating and freedom hating gun grabbers are right about one thing: One of the more telling signs of the potential for social chaos and the threat to freedom is the fact that gun sales are at an all-time high. Especially the number of first-time firearm buyers.  What they fail to tell you is, that while the gun purchases are increasing, the violent crime rate since 1974 to date is decreasing look up the FBI and the DOJ statistics and stop believing everything the government highly politicized media tells you.

If you're shopping for your very first firearm, these days you have lots of company. Let me help prepare you and help you avoid expensive rookie mistakes.

The first question you should ask yourself is can I shoot someone in self-defense or in the defense of my family or some other innocent person.  Until you can get by that question psychologically, physically, morally, and in every other way you can think of, then you should not consider buying a weapon. 

Remember Jesus Said: “And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one”.  Luke 22:36b.  Here are many more verses about self-defense and defense of home and family.

And then…once you have reconciled those issues, and are still interested in self-defense, then the next question is what type of firearm best fits your needs? Should you buy a handgun, a rifle, or a shotgun? Should you choose a revolver, a semi-automatic pistol, or semi-automatic rifle?  After listing your priorities you might what to eventually consider all three.  And don’t forget, get training with all three.  There is more to using a gun than just pulling the trigger

Your choices don't stop there. Once you decide which firearm type is best for you, the next thing to do is to determine what type of gun and caliber is right for your defense needs.

Understanding the Basics:

Shotshell vs. Cartridge Ammunition

Ammunition comes in two basic types – the shotshell and the cartridge. Shotguns use a shotshell, which typically contain a number of small projectiles. Less commonly, a shotshell may contain a single projectile, called a slug. Handguns and rifles on the other hand, use cartridges and just as the shotgun less commonly a hand gun can use a shotshell. Cartridges come in many different sizes – called calibers.

Both the shotshell and cartridge ammo are fairly similar; in that they both have the same basic components including the case, primer, gunpowder and projectile. When fired, the firearm's firing pin strikes the bullet's primer, this causes a spark inside the shell, which ignites the gunpowder. Gas from the burning gunpowder forces the projectile out of the case and down the firearm's barrel.

What Should You Consider When Selecting the Best Self-defense Round?

Understanding Stopping Power

Whenever firearms experts or enthusiasts get together, inevitably the conversation shifts to stopping power (the ability of the projectile to cause enough ballistic damage to incapacitate the target on impact). Like anything else, everyone has their own preference. Some shooters prefer big, heavy bullets. Others prefer lighter, smaller, faster bullets.  Ballistics show that the heaver slower bullet has the most stopping power, but are less accurate at long distances.

Prioritize your needs

When you're considering what type of firearm to purchase, consider first all of the potential use and users of the gun, and ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the laws in your area? Are there restrictions on the type of firearm you can legally own?
• What is the purpose of the firearm? Is this firearm for personal defense, for home defense or long range defense?
• Is this firearm a size, weight, and style that can be easily handled by everyone who has access to, and relies on, the firearm for defense purposes?
• Is the user left-handed or right-handed?
• How many bullets or shotshells do you need or want to have access to?

Generally a hand gun is best for personal defense, a shotgun is best for home defense, and a rifle is best for long range defense.  But all three can be used to defend oneself and one’s family.

Once you've begun to answer these basic questions, you'll have a good idea of what to look for during your visit to your local firearms dealer or gun show.

The Pistol: A popular personal all-purpose defense weapon

Pistols are convenient, small, easy to carry on your person, and can be concealed in public. Semi-automatic pistols tend to be easier to shoot than revolvers, but they can be more complicated for some users. Revolvers have fewer moving parts less to go wrong, but they generally hold fewer rounds.

Another factor to consider is how fast and easy rounds can be fired out of the gun. For example, a .38 caliber revolver has one of the slowest rates of fire for any repeating gun, due to long double-action trigger pulls. Revolvers are available in a variety of calibers from 22 to 50 caliber, with double-action only (DAO), single-action only (SAO), and double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger pull configurations. With a DAO revolver, the hammer is cocked and released with each pull of the trigger. With an SAO revolver, the hammer is cocked manually, and pulling the trigger releases it – this setup generally makes the gun easier to fire by greatly reducing the number of pounds of pressure needed to depress the trigger compared to DAO counterparts.

Most semi-automatic pistols are DA/SA. That means that the first trigger pull is double-action, cocking and releasing the hammer, and each subsequent trigger pull is single action, because the slide action of the previous shot leaves the hammer cocked. Semi-auto’s are also available in many calibers.

Remember the smaller lightweight calibers whether they are revolvers or semi-auto are less likely to stop the threat.  Generally a 9mm or a 40 caliber is a good choice.

The Shotgun: A Popular Home Defense Weapon

The shotgun is considered by many to be the ultimate home defense weapon, and they can be a very affordable option. Shotguns can have a large spread pattern depending upon barrel length what size shot is used. When selecting a shotgun, the first thing to consider is what gauge of shot is most appropriate for the desired use of the firearm. Popular gauges include 10, 12, 16, 18 and 20-gauge. Remember: the smaller the number, the bigger the gun and the bigger the kick. Before you buy one, shoot one.  Unless you think you might have to stop a herd of elephants you probably should pass on the 10 gauge.  A short barrel 12 gauge is a military combat weapon and will stop most any threat except an elephant.  The 16 to 20 gages would be easier to fire but they have decreasing stopping power.

Shot sizes run from No. 12 birdshot to 000 buckshot. Keep in mind that the preferred combat round is the 00 Buck. Double-ought pellets are approximately equal to a .33 caliber bullet in size, and twelve of them fit in a 2 ¾" short magnum shell. You can also get these in standard and low recoil loads that are equipped with eight or nine pellets instead of 12.

The rifle for long range

As previously discussed the heavy slow bullet and shotshell is good for short range, 40 to 60 feet, beyond that the accuracy rapidly diminishes.  For 75 feet and beyond up to 2 to 300 yards one should consider a rifle.  Rifles also come in low velocity (slower) heavy bullet calibers or high velocity smaller calibers as well as single shot, semi auto, and full auto.  But as I previously stated, all three can be used to defend oneself and one’s family.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Selecting the right type of defense weapon and ammunition is an important decision on your path to self-reliance and defense. Taking the time and care to really consider what you want in a firearm is the best way to ensure that the firearm you purchase is both a useful and manageable choice.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a firearm is your comfort. Ask your local firearms dealer about the differences between trigger pull configurations and caliber size, and don't be afraid to ask any other questions you might have. Consider renting several different firearms at your local range to try out before you make your final decision. And once you purchase a firearm, practice with it regularly. In a crisis, you will automatically fall back on that training.

If you want to read more on this subject CLICK ON THIS...

If you agree, please share these posts with your friends, family and co-workers.  The only way to defeat the lies and propaganda of an evil government and its controlled media, is to spread the truth. 

Thanks for listening, I hope this was helpful – de Andréa

Copyright © 2013 by Bottom Line Publishing -  Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given.