Friend encounters home intruder

richc said:
Interesting feedback... thanks all.

For the record he is a tough guy. Big motorcycle enthusiast. Not afraid to use his fists.

That is what puzzles me. Maybe Mike is right... he is a prohibited person or has a bad experience in his background.
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This is what I would put money on. Past legal shenanigans.
 
richc said:
This guy knows I shoot. I ask him about a firearm for home protection. He says he's afraid of firearms.

I push him... so you're more afraid of a firearm than you are of a home intruder? He won't give. He lives in the midwest and firearms ownership is not an issue in his state. But he avoids the subject.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. He's just dead set against the idea. I suppose it is possible he is a legally unable to own a firearm, as he has had a rather wild ride in life. Or his wife is an anti. But I think he'd tell me that.

So how the hell does one, under these circumstances, prove that a firearm is the proper choice for protection the life and safety of your family?
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It is the right choice for your family, but perhaps not for his. If he's that afraid of guns, then it wouldn't be any use to him. Or, as you suggest, he's using that excuse as cover for the fact that he's a prohibited person.

I do know people who are that afraid of guns.
 
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Bill Nance said:
Having a loaded gun 2 feet away from you in a bedside stand as you sleep is not something you're likely to be charged with unsafe storage over. It is, essentially, "under your control."
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1) he doesn't live in MA.
2) some time back, IIRC, Scrivener said that if you were asleep it was absolutely not under your direct control. Another MA firearms attorney told me that "it probably is under your direct control." So I think you are stepping out on a limb here by giving that advice.
 
After some things fell off the dining room table last night at 3am, I got the nudge "Honey, I think someone's in the house!" .... So here I am AGAIN with Mossberg in hand in my underwear by the doorway listening for footsteps of any movement, and my wife with a phone in her hand ready to dial 9-1-1 to come clean up the brain bits off my living room wall.... and after I heard nothing for a few minutes, and went to make sure there were no silent Ninja's downstairs...I crawl back into bed and Mrs "Don't you dare bring a gun in this house" (last year) let's out a sigh and smiles at me knowing what's coming next.... "Don't even think about bringing a gun into this house" I said in my best nagging voice, making fun of her...

Things that go bump in the night don't usually bug me, but there have been a couple break ins recently in the neighborhood, and LOTS of shady characters on my street late at night...so now I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
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LOL...naw, my wife tried to do a balancing act with a few photo albums, and a box of miscellaneous stuff.

Last time this happened, it was a tool box on top of a cardboard box in the basement. The basement had taken in some water...soaked the cardboard which then gave way and a bunch of tools came crashing down...sounding like someone kicked in the door or smashed a window. That was pretty scary.
 
richc said:
So how the hell does one, under these circumstances, prove that a firearm is the proper choice for protection the life and safety of your family?

I dunno... I'm just confused.

Thanks,

Rich
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For you and I it may be the correct choice but it may not be the right choice for your friend. Therefore you can not prove that to your friend.
 
M1911 said:
1) he doesn't live in MA.
2) some time back, IIRC, Scrivener said that if you were asleep it was absolutely not under your direct control. Another MA firearms attorney told me that "it probably is under your direct control." So I think you are stepping out on a limb here by giving that advice.
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I'm sorry, I should have said:

"There's a remotely small chance that IF you shoot someone in your house with the gun that's in your bedside table unlocked as you slept next to it, AND you're stupid enough to talk about it to the cops, you might be in trouble. Therefore, you should lock it up. After all, you're far better off bleeding out as you watch an armed intruder rape your wife than risk trouble over a potential violation (maybe) of safe storage laws that no one gets charged with." /sarcasm

I'm pretty paranoid about legal compliance, but what you're describing is, I think, an over-cautious approach. Lock it up when you get up, unlock it when you go to bed. Not hard to do.

Not trying to bust your balls, but you're over thinking this IMO.
 
Bill Nance said:
I'm sorry, I should have said:

"There's a remotely small chance that IF you shoot someone in your house with the gun that's in your bedside table unlocked as you slept next to it, AND you're stupid enough to talk about it to the cops, you might be in trouble. Therefore, you should lock it up. After all, you're far better off bleeding out as you watch an armed intruder rape your wife than risk trouble over a potential violation (maybe) of safe storage laws that no one gets charged with." /sarcasm

I'm pretty paranoid about legal compliance, but what you're describing is, I think, an over-cautious approach. Lock it up when you get up, unlock it when you go to bed. Not hard to do.

Not trying to bust your balls, but you're over thinking this IMO.
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I understand your point of view. On the other hand, a well respected MA firearms attorney suggests that I'm not over thinking it.
 
I was pretty scared of guns growing up because my dad had a rifle and was always drilling us not to touch it. Then when I was a teenager, I got shot by an idiot that didn't know how to handle a gun. It was only a .22 thank god, but it's in my ankle to this day. Once I joined the Army, I got comfortable with them. Maybe just take your friend shooting and show him the proper way to handle them. It could make all the difference in the world. I don't think there are many men in the world that are immune to the rush you get at the range.
 
M1911 said:
I understand your point of view. On the other hand, a well respected MA firearms attorney suggests that I'm not over thinking it.
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I give this thread drift 5 x [horse]. [laugh] Most here know what the law is. Most are still going to make their own decision about this, regardless of what any lawyer thinks might be the right answer.

-Mike
 
Boston_Shooter said:
LOL...naw, my wife tried to do a balancing act with a few photo albums, and a box of miscellaneous stuff.

Last time this happened, it was a tool box on top of a cardboard box in the basement. The basement had taken in some water...soaked the cardboard which then gave way and a bunch of tools came crashing down...sounding like someone kicked in the door or smashed a window. That was pretty scary.
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My cat knocked over a picture frame a few nights ago at like 1am. I gotta tell you, a big heavy picture frame falling over onto a wood nightstand sounds JUST LIKE a heavy impact into a door. Scared the bejeezus out of me, thats for sure.
 

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