I purchased my first firearm yesterday. Years ago, I had a .22 rifle as a
gift from my Dad back in the early 60s when I was a boy scout for target
practice. Having only one eye made me a terrible shot. But now some 40
years
later I have decided to give the weapon another try.
There have been some home invasions lately in Pasadena, TX, (some miles
from
my place, I live just east of Houston) and in my quiet cul-de-sac
neighborhood there have been some break ins and burglaries. The recent
court
ruling brought the idea to mind though Texas would never pass such a law
as
DC did. A friend who is enthusiastic thinks I need something for home
protection so I toddled down to Carter's Country, the local gun em****ium
(after an abortive attempt to buy at Academy S****ts and Outdoors). The
guys
at Academy were more ignorant of guns than I am, plus the display model I
wanted they didn't have in stock. They tried to get me to get the display
and offered first a $20 then a $40 gift card if I would do so but I passed
on that idea.
Anyway I bought an 18" barrel Remington 870, 12 gauge pump which a police
officer aquaintance said was ideal for home protection, the gun clerk
concurred. I looked at several and liked the looks of this one. It is the
so-called "tactical" model with the Knoxx Industries SpecOps stock that
supposedly reduces recoil. It is a hot looking weapon. I also bought a
light
for it but they had to get it from the warehouse. They will install it
next
week.
I shall take it to the range next week and learn how to use it. My buddy
was
surprised I don't have it loaded already. He claims it's useless for
protection unless I keep it at bedside and fully loaded. The Remington
manual says it should stay unloaded, trigger locked and put away with
ammunition locked away separately. I guess I shall have to compromise on
this though I would feel better having it around the house if I knew how
to
use it (and had practiced some) first. The gun store sold me some high
dollar ammo for it, 2 boxes at $8 for 5 shots, Hornady TAP double aught
"For
Personal Defense", which he claimed was perfect for the gun. I also got
some
cheaper Estate 7 1/2 shot Heavy Game Load for practice. 25 cartridges for
$7.47. Big diff in price. He said the recoil of the two are similar.
Anyway I look forward to learning my new tool. I just hope it never needs
to
be used for the avowed purpose of home protection. But the old saying that
"it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need one and not have
it," swayed my aversion to guns. I read a mystery book where a sheriffs
deputy responded to that old adage with the quip, as he jacked the
fore-end
grinning, "I found that when you have a shotgun you very seldom need one."
<G> Take care
--
Stanley L. Moore
"The belief in a supernatural
source of evil is not necessary;
men alone are quite capable
of every wickedness."
Joseph Conrad
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