I overhear a bunch of people here and there talking about home defense. Some people that know guns and are contemplating ideal house defense, or people that might be thinking of getting a gun for protection. A first and only gun. I try to listen and not interject, "Hey! I'm a crazed gun-nut! I can help you select your perfect boomstick! Just ask me! Yeah!" Because that can freak people out and I don't need to be summoned up to Human Resources for a talk. Again.
A lot of them settle on a shotgun as the ideal home defense firearm.
Good. It is very effective in that role.
If you are gonna have only one gun to guard your castle, that's a good one to have.
It's not magic. It doesn't mow down a foyer full of trespasser with evil intent that are busting in at 3 AM. You still have to practice with it, and get used to it and how it functions. Carteach has a whole post about them, and how to deploy a shotgun for defense. And there is lots of other bits of info out there, including shotgun specific defensive training to Harry Homeowner types.
The thing that bugs me is the assume, FURTHER, talisman effect. They want to get a pump shotgun so that when they rack it, and get that distinctive 'shik-SHIK!' sound, it will scare that bad man away.
A HUGE, seven foot tall goblin, hopped up on goofballs, that is there in your house to rape you death, eat your flesh, and sew your skin into his clothing is gonna hear that shik-SHIK! sound, pee his pants, and run home crying for his momma. And so are all his bigger, meaner friends.
It's like a lot of people are relying on the shik-SHIK! to make it so they won't have to hurt anyone, and cause a happy ending to, uh... happen. Their mindset is on that path. And I don't think they've thought through the possibility of what happens after shik-SHIK!, when the sound doesn't work. Or the home invader is deaf. Or they call your bluff and rush you anyway. Or they are zombies and just can't be intimidated away.
Sure shik-SHIK! may work sometimes. But preparing yourself for Plan B is probably a good idea.
For colleagues that do ask for my gun advice, I mention the problem of counting on shik-SHIK! I don't know how many preconceived notions I can penetrate with that warning, though.
I personally don't have to worry about shik-SHIK! because I have a Remington Model 11 for my 12 gauge duties. It's design is the same as the Auto-5. You know who designed THAT semi-auto shotgun, right? Anyway... Semi-auto... so no shik-SHIK! Just:
"Boomboomboomboomboom! Stay offa ma porch! And, no! I don't want a copy of the Watchtower, daggummint!"
or something.
~~~~~~~~
Anyway.
Shik-SHIK! is not the ultimate weapon. Maybe people, including a lot of cops, shouldn't rely on it as such.
[pre-publish-update: Hey, I wrote this on Monday and I just noticed that Gunnuts Radio podcast has self-defense myths for Tuesday night. I wonder if they will mention the shik SHIK? I bet they go over the 'talisman' effect.]
[post-publish-post-podcast-update: Well, they dint.]
Dern Tbolt, I just picked up my "cruiser queen" rem 870 PM today.
ReplyDeleteIf the zombie isn't scared or offended by the "shik-SHIK!", I can always attempt to roll across the floor with my pistols akimbo and gangsta then, right?
Maybe not.
I'll keep one in the chamber and the safety on for Pete's sake. No shik-SHIK for me.
T-Bolt, they shoulda.
ReplyDelete;-)
Ha! The last time the Witnesses came to my door they opened with this line: "Wouldn't it be nice if all the world's people lived by God's word and in peace. No violence or war." I responded, "Yes, but I don't think the world works that way. That's why I have this." I opened the door a bit so they could see the 1911 on my hip. Then they left.
ReplyDeleteThe Witnesses last came to my house twelve years ago. I think I scared 'em. I was recovering from a night of extreme carousing (tequila, Black Velvet, Kokanee and a limber and willing young brunette). The witnesses interupted my recovery. They were greeted by a very hungover,very pissed, very naked man with a Winchester 97 12 guage yelling "WHAT DO YOU WANT!!!!!" Never saw 'em again.
ReplyDeleteThe sound of an AR-15 being charged doesn't go "shik-SHIK", either, but that's what they'll hear in Roseholme.
ReplyDeleteI'm not worried about "giving away my position" either, because me yelling at the 911 operator is going to do that, and if my house is being burgled by people who open fire through walls at noises, I have obviously done something very, very wrong, like move to Beirut.
I thought you sold the house gun, Tam. For a bee-yoo-tiful classic Browning design.
ReplyDeleteEnhance the shik-shik
ReplyDeletehttp://www.defensereview.com/airtonic-usa-china-lake-pump-action-40mm-grenade-launcher-system-for-special-operations/