The Dangers Of Gun Ownership

By Richard Armen

Millions of Americans own guns for hunting or self defense reasons. Many of them are outspoken advocates of gun ownership, and appreciate the feeling of safety their guns provide. While a gun gives a sense of safety, particularly in the event of a home invasion or street attack, gun ownership also poses many dangers in itself.

Studies have shown that a gun kept in the home is more likely to be used on a friend or on a member of the family than on a dangerous criminal. Commonly cited is the ‘shooting the milkman’ scenario, in which a gun owner inadvertently shoots a perceived threat that turns out to be a friend, family member, or acquaintance. In these cases, a scared gun owner may shoot before properly identifying who is in the home. Unfortunately, this may mean the accidental injury or death of a loved one.

The dangers of gun ownership are compounded when there are children in the home. It can be surprising what kids can get into, even if their parents think that the guns are secured. Children may not understand the dangers of a gun, and can end up killing siblings or friends with what they perceive is a toy.

If you choose to keep a gun in the home, there are a number of safety provisions you must follow in order to keep friends, family members, and yourself safe from any type of accident involving use of the firearm. These include storage of the guns in a secure location that cannot be accessed by anyone except the adults in the home. Never point a gun at anyone, even if the safety is on, and never touch the trigger unless you are prepared to shoot the gun at that moment.

Every adult in the home should take lessons on gun ownership and use. The key to safety with guns is knowing about your gun. Never purchase a firearm if you cannot own it responsibly and use it effectively. You should be aware of the way it shoots, including what kickback feels like, as well as the safety features included on your gun model.

In a self defense situation, never pull out your gun unless you are prepared to shoot the attacker. If the gun is unloaded or you don’t know how to use it, showing it to the the assailant will do you no good. Simply pulling out the weapon is likely to cause escalation in violence, especially if your attacker is armed. If you are waving around the gun in an attempt to scare off an intruder, he may simply try to grab the gun away from you.

Although the second amendment of the United States Constitution gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms, keeping a gun in your home can be dangerous. If you aren’t prepared to deal with the safety issue of owning a gun, or aren’t sure you will be comfortable pointing a gun at an attacker, there are other alternatives. Stun guns or TASER devices, for example, are non-lethal self defense devices that pack a powerful punch but won’t kill or injure innocent people.

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Source: isnare.com

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