On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:56:46 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:



Don Foreman is a RCM example.

Don is responding to one case that didn't even happen in his area. And he
wasn't aware of the high crime rates in his town. So, what is he responding
to? I'm not criticizing what he's doing -- I'd probably do the same
myself -- but there's no evidence that he's driven by any actual change in
crime rates.

Don is (I am) responding to two or maybe three drivers. First, as I
get older I feel less invincible and more vulnerable. That feeling
isn't without basis. The second was Katrina and a week-long
blackout in Fridley shortly thereafter. Things were crazy in New
Orleans after Katrina. On this very newsgroup people argued about
whether or not it was moral to steal or forcefully take another's
food and water in such a situation, and most posters to that thread
asserted that it was. That worried me. During the subsequent
blackout in Fridley when my neighborhood was dark as the Earl of
Hell's waistcoat each night for a week, that was a bit scarey as I
realized that calling 911 would have been futile. The cops were very
busy. That's when I decided that I should have a handgun in my house.
I've had a shotgun in the closet all of my adult life but it's
unwieldy indoors.

Frankly, a strongly contributive factor was that I've always admired
some handguns for their precision, design and craftsmanship in metal.
I'm very lucky that my wife also appreciates the function, beauty and
craftsmanship that some blades and firearms exhibit.

I decided that if I was to have a handgun then I'd damned well better
get some training. The M1911 .45 pistol was my assigned sidearm in
the military decades ago but the rules of engagement for civilians
are very different than for military and getting that wrong could cost
me my freedom.

The training I took and qual test I passed made me eligible for a
CCW if I could also pass a background check so I figured what the
hell and got one. If nothing else it simplifies transporting
handguns to and from ranges.

I discovered that I enjoy shoooting a lot as an activity. My wife
enjoys it too, and she also now has a carry permit. She's never
carried and has no intent to do so, but she knows she could if she
should ever feel it prudent to do so.

Our next-door neighbors, very nice young folks, both have carry
permits. She's an ER nurse, he's a cable guy. They're very good
friends and neighbors, couldn't ask for better. I think he carries
routinely, she doesn't. His job takes him to some parts of metroland
I'd avoid, or carry if I had to go there.

I have never carried as a civilian except for isolated instances,
e.g. when going with a rangebag full of handguns and ammo from a
parking ramp to an indoor range less than a mile from North
Minneapolis which is gangland. A thug or gangsta would have to be
crazy nuts to try something there, but some thugs are nuts -- so I
carry then and I pay attention, condition yellow.

The third factor is that I'm retired so I have time and very low
expenses. Handguns, ammo and training are not cheap and developing
skill does ammo and time even after the gun or guns are paid for. For
me it goes into the entertainment budget: it's the money and time
another retiree might spend on golf. I don't play golf.

The matter of safety on trails has been broached by others as I
explore our wonderful trail system while doing my required 3 miles
per day outdoors. Our splendid summers are part of why we put up
with the winters. If I were really concerned about safety on a
trail I'd stay the hell away from that trail, duh! Still, I'm the
oldest guy I see out there by probably a decade and seniors are
regarded by predators as easy prey, low-hanging fruit so to speak, so
I'll feel a little safer with a popper in me pocket. If that's
mostly illusory comfort then so be it. Great! In fact, perfect! I'm
glad that I'm free to have and carry a pocket pistol if/when it makes
me feel better. I will be very glad to never use it other than in
practice, which I fully expect will be the case.

Author and authority on armed defense Massad Ayoob wrote, "hope is not
a strategy". Some time before that Theordore Roosevelt said, "speak
softly and carry a big stick." I think they make sense.

Someone suggested pepper spray. My problem with that is that I
suspect its range is too short to deal with an assailant armed with
knife or club. Anthing less than 21 feet is too close. It would
certainly be better than nothing, but I'm fairly good with a pistol so
between pepper and popper this pops prefers the popper.

My pocket popper, Ruger LCP .380ACP, arrived today at the rural
gunshop by the lake. I picked it up today. Leon says they're
amazingly accurate and surprisingly pleasant to shoot for such
diminutive size and 12 oz weight. We'll see. I don't expect it to
be fun to shoot but it's very, very easy to carry. It could be a
shirt pocket carry.

It won't win the affection I feel for my Walther PPK or Mary's Sig
P232 .380's but it's considerably smaller and half the weight.