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From: hga@mit-eddie.UUCP (Harold Ancell)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.misc
Subject: re: home defense
Message-ID: <4345@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-May-85 11:31:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.4345
Posted: Sat May 25 11:31:41 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 26-May-85 23:43:21 EDT
References: <1178@hound.UUCP>
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
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Xref: watmath net.flame:10131 net.misc:8010

The points Rich Ganns makes about a shotgun being generally superior
to a 45 ACP pistol for home defense by the unpractised are generally
correct BUT remember this:

Shotguns are unwieldly, especially in the close confines of a house.
Be \very/ careful checking out the "bump in the night."  And it is
very easy for an assailant to take a shotgun away from you.  Someone
grasping the outside of your grip has better leverage, so you are
best treating a shotgun as a stick if things get that close.  If you
are holding him at gunpoint and are the only one in the house, you'll
have to call the police with one hand and hold the shotgun with the
other.  You will do well to keep him as far away from you as
reasonable.

Your best bet is to 1) buy a Colt 45 auto (most variants and
"improvments" over John Browning's design are inferior, including the
latest Colt Officers ACP) and a shotgun (Remmington 870 is probably
the best available) for the person backing you up, GET SOME TRAINING
(send mail to me if you want pointers to places), and pratice every
month or so.  Get an air pistol if getting to a range is difficult.
And get the book "The Truth about Self Protection" by Massad Ayoob.
Its the best and most experienced source I've found.

And for the unexperienced with guns, for God's and your loved one's
sake, remember 1) a gun is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS loaded, even if you
just checked it, 2) Don't point a gun or fire at anything you haven't
positively identified as something you want to destroy, and 3) Think
about what is behind your target; a bedroom, perhaps?

I hope none of us ever is in one of the situations, and I hope you
find this useful.

					- Harold