The old chestnut of firearms for self defence - a question..

[breacher]

On my travels over the years, I have passed through a few countries where, based on day to day life and threat level, I would only live there if I could carry a defensive weapon of some sort. And the same applies to the house etc

Now, I know the subject of firearms ( and non lethal items like CS or stun guns ) for self-defence comes up here regularly but as far as I can see, one part of the debate has not been addressed.

The ACTUAL threat level we in the UK experience, day to day.

I would be interested in hearing how many of you have been in a situation where an individual walked up to you and committed armed robbery / assaulted you and you had to just stand there and take it BUT would have been able to stop it with a defensive weapon ( lethal or non-lethal )

I do not mean attempts that failed because you fought them off bare handed or they made off when a commotion was made etc And I do not mean a non-violent crime because lets face it you would never consider trying to stop a vandal spray painting your wall by drawing a weapon ! You would only use a weapon on fear of imminent danger to life etc

And how many of you have disturbed home intruders where they used force on you rather than flee when disturbed ?

I was asked this sort of question recently and when I thought about it, I really have never been in that situation ! Not even once ! And I have lived in London in working class and middle class areas. I have worked in welfare and lower class areas of London. Never got robbed by force. Never got assaulted.
I did wake one night about 0200 to hear two travellers walking about downstairs ( talking to our dogs FFS ) but as soon as I started down the stairs they made off.
I have never witnessed anything terrorist related.
I have never been anywhere near an "active shooter" incident.

Thats based on living in UK from 1983 to present all over London, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and Cambridgeshire. So, although carrying a defensive weapon might give me a reassuring feeling, I cannot say I live in an environment where I am getting tired of the daily attacks I could have repelled had I been armed !

At this point, I hope I have not jinxed myself

[Chuck]

People carry "just in case" - just because it hasn't happened to them before doesn't mean it never will. That's denial. of course if we look at rape stats then there sure would seem to be people at risk...

Yes, you MAY be at lesser risk than some so then the individual has to decide (if they have the opportunity to do so). The victim doesn't choose the place and time of an attack do they? Can you gurantee no one will burgle your home while you're asleep - or even whien you are not? That's why plod make you lock your guns up - just in case...Kind of preverse really

It's like fire insurance, you have it but hope you never need it.

Some just live in denial and believe it won' happen to them / they're a nice person / nothing to steal - maybe they'll be lucky - maybe not.

[froggy]

I suspect some lefties journalists, jewish shoppers & a big bunch heavy metal amateurs in Paris that despite being probably horrified/opposed to any firearms probably wish they had carried one but did not.
I am sure they all thought it would never happen to them.
Sadly, over 140 of them don't have the luxury to ask themselves the question anymore ...

[daman]

Same story as Breacher, lived all over London, never felt the need to be armed for self defence.

That said, if someone broke into my home I'd like to be able to see them off using whatever means I felt necessary without having to worry about being prosecuted.

A neighbour was mugged at knifepoint a few years back - not sure she'd have fought back even if armed though.

[25Pdr]

Well the band that was performing that night at the Bataclan massacre seems all in favour of an armed public.

Eagles of Death Metal frontman slams French gun control

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/20 ... n-control/
Asked if the trauma he and others experienced has changed his views on gun control, Hughes, co-founder of the band, said he believes everyone should be armed.

"I think the only way that my mind has been changed is that maybe until nobody has guns everybody has to have them. Because I don't ever want to see anything like this ever happen again and I want everyone to have the best chance to live and I saw people die that maybe could have lived," he said.

[Gazoo]

Yes I agree with Chuck and Froggy but Breacher is talking actual threat level and I have to say that in the UK it is very low. Some parts are worse than others but still very low. I still think it is ridiculous that you have to lock your guns up so much that you wont be tempted to use them in a home invasion, and that if you did you would be crucified by plod and the man.
I was shot at in the mid 90's, same fella had shot 2 other people during the course of the morning in a drug dealer finds ex girlfriend is shagging drug dealing partner scenario (an everyday event in east enders). Would I have been helped by carrying my gold cup , in that situation no, cos I legged it and would have done the same if I was carrying, also it is probably ethically wrong for a paramedic to carry a gun at work. If backed into a corner with no way out then fine but what is the point of hypothetical situations that will never happen (happily).
Me and a copper waited round the corner keeping an eye on the place and I said to the copper , what you gonna do if he comes out of the house, the copper said " I'm gonna F*ck off fast, what you gonna do?" , as he looked like he could easily out run fat little me, I went and sat in my car with engine running a little further away.
I will probably get shot for this but I would not like to see the uk being a place where people carry concealed weapons for defence, there, said it. I would prefer the police to be better at everything they do and leave legal people alone.
It was 3 hours before armed cops turned up, no ARV on sundays them days . They shot him 2 days later (poorly - wrong gun - wrong ammo) so consequently he is still walking around today and probably living on state handouts.
Be kind to me.

[froggy]

lived all over London, never felt the need to be armed for self defence

That is a fake argument because if you actually lived in a place where you felt the need to be armed, unless you are very stupid, you would actually move out.
London's violence, thankfully, is limited to some spots/places you know, precisely because you are a wise Londoner, to avoid so, again, you are never actually in that sort of situation.

Until recently the most you would ever encounter would be drunks & little thugs that can be dealt with either avoidance, retreat, diplomacy or extremely hard hitting on soft tissues areas but firearms, I agree, certainly not.

Now ... thanks to the "generosity" of our well protected elites & their beloved devotion to the benefits of multiculturalism, this is changing fast

[Airbrush]

lived all over London, never felt the need to be armed for self defence

That is a fake argument because if you actually lived in a place where you felt the need to be armed, unless you are very stupid, you would actually move out.
London's violence, thankfully, is limited to some spots/places you know, precisely because you are a wise Londoner, to avoid so, again, you are never actually in that sort of situation.

Until recently the most you would ever encounter would be drunks & little thugs that can be dealt with either avoidance, retreat, diplomacy or extremely hard hitting on soft tissues areas but firearms, I agree, certainly not.

Now ... thanks to the "generosity" of our well protected elites & their beloved devotion to the benefits of multiculturalism, this is changing fast

Story in the Evening Standard yesterday about wealthy mums with babies/toddlers being targeted & mugged in Hampstead.

[saddler]

Mate was living/working in London.

On his way home one night from voluntary work, he was mugged/robbed.
Put up no resistance...but they stabbed him anyway.
If he'd been armed maybe he'd still be alive...no way of knowing.

[25Pdr]

lived all over London, never felt the need to be armed for self defence

That is a fake argument because if you actually lived in a place where you felt the need to be armed, unless you are very stupid, you would actually move out.
London's violence, thankfully, is limited to some spots/places you know, precisely because you are a wise Londoner, to avoid so, again, you are never actually in that sort of situation.

Until recently the most you would ever encounter would be drunks & little thugs that can be dealt with either avoidance, retreat, diplomacy or extremely hard hitting on soft tissues areas but firearms, I agree, certainly not.

Now ... thanks to the "generosity" of our well protected elites & their beloved devotion to the benefits of multiculturalism, this is changing fast

Hope you have good work security Yves..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... bbery.html