Indians For Guns

For people who think of buying airguns for self defence:

http://airgun-academy.pyramydair.com/bl ... f-defense/

Don’t use airguns for self-defense
February 26, 2013 | Author B.B. Pelletier
by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier

I periodically get inquiries about which airguns are best for self-defense. These generally come from countries other than the U.S., though I’ve had some come in from this country, as well.

The inquiries come from two directions that I would like to address today. The first group thinks that certain airguns look so realistic that they should have the ability to stop or to deter violence just because they’re present. Let me be very specific. I’m talking about the very realistic-looking handguns like the Walther CP99, the M1911A1 pistol and the Beretta 92FS.



The Beretta 92FS air pistol looks very realistic.

These are very realistic guns, make no mistake. But the premise the people are using is flawed. They think that if they’re able to display a realistic-looking gun, any danger will be averted. They’re counting on the dangerous people having the same common sense they have. After all, if they saw a gun they would feel threatened. They respect guns, and they imagine that others do the same.

Well, they don’t! Most criminals and bad people have either a low sense of respect for things like guns, or they figure that you will not have the nerve to follow through on the threat you seem to be making. In other words, these kinds of people are not threatened by real firearms, either. The realism of your pellet pistol is lost on them.

The other thing about criminals is they aren’t always sane or in their right minds. Either they’re deranged and will ignore what rational people see as a threat, or they may be so high on drugs or alcohol that they can’t reason. Either way, they’ll behave in irrational ways and the idea they can be threatened is either foolish because they don’t care or dangerous because it provokes them.

Defensive gun training
They teach you in a concealed handgun course to never threaten with your gun. If you pull the gun, be ready to use it immediately. In fact, in most places it’s illegal to show a concealed handgun in public. Either shoot or don’t shoot, but never threaten with a gun!

The only defense use a realistic airgun has is to train the shooter to use the firearm it mimics. You can learn how to draw the gun, how to control the trigger and how to breathe when you shoot with a realistic airgun. But that’s it. Take it no farther because a pellet gun is not a self-defense weapon.

What about powerful airguns like big bores?
The other group that considers using airguns for self defense has looked at the power an airgun can deliver. They see the big bore airguns and read about people taking deer and wild hogs with them, so they wonder why they can’t use them for protection.

Here’s the reason — a deer will never stalk you and wait till your guard is down to kill you. Not that deer can’t kill humans — they certainly can. But they normally don’t try to. Shoot a deer and it runs away almost every time.

Now, substitute a grizzly bear for the deer and ask the same question. Would you use a powerful air rifle to hunt a grizzly bear? If you do, you’re foolish because a grizzly bear will try to kill you if you don’t kill him first. Even a wild hog has been known to charge a hunter after being shot, which is why most hog hunters carry a large-caliber sidearm to back themselves up.

And a big bore airgun only has a few shots before the air pressure drops so low that the gun isn’t useful. So, if you don’t have a perfect first shot you’re quickly headed into some very risky territory.

Nothing is ever guaranteed
And even firearms aren’t always enough. Think you have enough gun? Maybe, but don’t bet on it. Every big-caliber gun has failed to kill in some circumstances. There was an intruder who took a 240-grain jacketed bullet from a .44 Magnum revolver in his left eye and he fell down a flight of stairs, then got up and walked out of the house. Police found him dead by his car around the block, but that’s not the point. The point is, even Dirty Harry’s gun wasn’t enough to drop him in his tracks.

No doubt there’s someone somewhere in the world who needed a second .50-caliber BMG round to put him down for keeps.

Play for keeps
If you have to use deadly force, make certain that it’s really deadly. Be prepared to go all the way or don’t go in that direction to start with. You are far better off using a tactical flashlight and some kind of club than to pull a pellet or BB pistol and have your bluff called.

Good post,Prabhat. Thanks for sharing.

i remember an incident shared by a friend who's brother in law owned a mine theka in Dhanbad . His brother in law was threatened for the hafta they charge you to let you do your work. He acted smart and while meeting them carried a pistol in the suitcase which was to be carrying cash. When they sat down ..he opened the bad in style to show off...the goon sitting opposite to him picked up his gun and fired at him in the leg..he was a sharp shooter...he told him that he had purposely shot at in his leg and now he will only be set free after the money is delivered..he was attended by those goons doc in captivity and set free after money reached the goons .

Occasionally, this topic comes up on IFG. In many of these instances, someone will convince themselves that they have a bright idea and propose waving an air gun or blank gun around to "scare off" dangerous situations. The reasonableness of this tactic would be equivalent to buying a tricycle and threatening to travel from Delhi to Chennai.

I hope all IFG members will read this and consider it carefully. It may prevent foolish actions with sad results.

well i would think 1000times before i use my firearm,leave alone airgun.
regards
dr.jk

Mr.Prabhat... its aweome post..

By no mean, I am advocating air guns for self defence! We (Me and my father )share 3 air rifles, 1 .32 Revolver, one 12 bore shotgun and one .22lr Rifle between us..I will never even dream of using air rifle for self defence..even in close quarters..Nevertheless they should never be treated as toys..Forget about large cal/ magnum PCPs..even Indian made springers having less than 12 fpe muzzle energy are quite capable of inflicting grievous injuries, even death. Many cases of accidental, suicidal, homicidal deaths have been reported and keep on cropping up year after year because of careless use of air guns..

A few interesting links...

http://medind.nic.in/jal/t10/i1/jalt10i1p78.pdf

http://jcp.bmj.com/content/51/7/525.full.pdf

I know there are reports of poachers killing elephants using .22lr rifle, hunters killing african lions using crossbow, homicidal case involving slingshot ...the list is endless..they are all one off cases..each weapon has its intended use, purpose and limitations..and air guns are certainly not meant for self defence..but still they are instruments meant for pushing projectile at extreme speed which can cause fatal injuries at times..
For this reason, we need to follow basic gun safety rules at all times while handling them!

-Nishith

Every encounter one would face is different. To use or not to use your gun (airgun or others) is totally dependent on the situation one is in. Having presence of mind and predicting the consequences might help how to react to any situation. And this need practice.

My parents live in the corner suburbs. A month ago I deposited my rifle, coz of elections in my area. So all that I am left out was with my air rifle, which I keep loaded, safe and handy (no kids at home). I have better chance of using the air rifle for self defense, as there is community watch being held, police station being 10 mins away, burglar alarm being installed soon to alert vicinity.

However at present, air rifle limits my self defense to handle a maximum of 2 people , due to single shot, reloading time etc.

Me and my wife, both will stand our ground. Hope that day never comes but if I shot, it will be to drop the intruder in his tracks.

dr.jayakumar » Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:39 pm
I would think 1000times before I use any firearm,leave alone airgun!

Well said as a responsible citizen.
Briha

StampMaster wrote: So all that I am left out was with my air rifle, which I keep loaded,

Do you keep it cocked for days or weeks at a time? if you do that the spring will lose its power soon.

Definitely use airguns for self defense. Handled properly, if you can land a blow on the head with the barrel, and you manage to hit with the foresight, it might prove to be lethal! Of course, having a proper stick or club and knowing how to use it is better. But then, something's better than nothing.....

Oh wait, we are discussing shooting in self-defense with airguns? Definitely don't do that, unless the perpetrator is a mouse or something!!!

Seriously, I shot myself accidentally in the finger due to my old SDB going off while cocking. There was a lot of blood spraying like a leaky hose, but I managed to get out the bandages and tie it up one handed. I didn't even feel the need to scream. Painful but not "stopping". And at the muzzle, the 0.22 pellet would have been travelling at the max velocity, hence had the max potential for causing injury. Granted, it hit the finger at an angle and not on the bone, but then, even a broken finger wouldn't stop a perp now, would it? It just might make him really mad and you surely don't want that! Moreover, I wasn't dripping adrenaline like an attacker would most probably be. And adrenaline does dull the pain reflex, a lot. If it had been someone else who shot me, I would have probably just shaken the hurt hand and clobbered him with the other!

If you are really really really lucky and manage to put out an eye or hit the base of the throat or the "family jewels", well, you just won a billion dollar lottery! In the conditions of a fight, you will certainly not have the time to aim and shoot so precisely.

Wasn't there a story about a drug-fuelled guy who was shot by the Dirty Harry gun (0.44 Magnum) 2-3 times and still kept coming?

A tricycle isn't really a good way to go from Delhi to Chennai! (thanks, Timmy, just couldn't resist!)