Weapon/protection advice?

I know from seeing comments that many of you have guns and ammunition.

I'd never really considered that before, but am thinking of it more every day.

- I'm on the first floor
- My unit faces the street
- anyone walking by can see into my carport/patio and into my apartment, though I have shade fabric hanging around the patio so it's a filtered view.
- I'm definitely not strong enough to fight someone off
- I could be easily overpowered if I had a handgun, and, I don't want one.
- there is no way to block access to our property (it's a 4 plex).   
- Pepper spray wouldn't reach far enough out to be effective.

So, I'm thinking a rifle or a shotgun. Just making it visible would probably be enough to remove me and the other tenants from the 'easy pickins' list.

However,
- I have serious arm and neck issues, so can't hold much weight up for long, can't look in a sight, etc.
- I do have a glass storm door with a screen that rolls down, so I could rest it on the 'ledge' in the door. But that increases my vulnerability.
- ideally fairly low in cost


And, I know nothing about them. Last time I used one I was maybe 10, with my granddad teaching me to shoot cans in Oklahoma.

I'd prefer to deter people instead of having to shoot. And I'd much prefer injuring to killing.

That said, I've got cats to protect. :-)

Advice? Recommendations? Styles? Ammunition?

(I have ordered more motion sensor lights so the property will light up at night if anyone steps in. But if that doesn't deter them... I'd like a plan B)

I'm not in a major city, so major unrest is extremely unlikely. But just this week someone rifled through my car (accidentally left unlocked on the street), and there are lots of crimes of opportunity like that in town.

I'm definitely open to suggestions other than a gun - I've really not given much thought to security over the years.

Thanks!!!

Shotgun would meet your needs.  12 gauge if you think you can handle the recoil, 20 gauge if you have strength problems.  

IF I got one I would immediately go get lessons.

CRS, DrPH wrote: Shotgun would meet your needs.  12 gauge if you think you can handle the recoil, 20 gauge if you have strength problems.   Just the sight of a shotgun will scare most people away.  I suggest a good pump shotgun, Remington (I have an 870 Wingmaster, 12 gauge), Winchester, Ithaca all make great ones for not much money.  I always suggest folks to have a serviceable weapon available regardless of circumstances.

Thank you for this. Yes, I absolutely believe the sight of one would scare someone away here. In a different environment that might not be the case but the visual deterrent factor here would be very high.

Hell, even an unloaded one would be about 99% likely to meet my needs. I have a really loud fairly deep voice and can cuss like a sailor, so noone would assume I was harmless if I had a visible shotgun. Even unloaded. (a male friend once told me I have extremely strong "don't eff with me energy" when I need it. We were walking down dark back streets in Montreal at the time and I scared people away more than he did. Lol )

And I would not be able to handle the recoil so you helped me narrow it down really quickly.

And as I replied right before this, I would immediately go get training. (my dad knows his way around guns, he could even teach me, and has the land to do it on. But I'd rather a professional do it. I actually even know a trainer, I'd forgotten about him)

I will look into the bear spray too, but I would have to leave my apartment to be at the right angle to use it and I think that would make me too vulnerable. It would definitely work though if I were already outside so I might do that anyway. It would be stronger than the pepper spray I already have.

Thanks!

Stun guns make loud noises too and are not too expensive. It could be a decent deterrent and provide some sense of close quarters safety, perhaps. You would have to see if they are legal where you live though. I always carried one with me on my hikes.

Oh, I wanted to address the part about the gun being taken from me. I can only see myself using it from inside my apartment where that wasn't a risk.

But for that to be true I would need an additional bolt for the storm door. Hmmm.

Well, this gives me a lot of different options. How much the s*** hits the fan will determine what I go with I guess.

And I just realized tasers are legal here also.

Okay, I'm going to sleep on it then walk the property tomorrow and see what might be some good options. Thanks again!

My grand mom had one of those dog barking alarms! I always thought it was a great idea.

I'll look into what's available now, and see if it would work here.

I wouldn't need something to change my voice to a man's, but, being able to project to a speaker outside and play some sounds through that speaker might be really helpful. My own version of home alone. Lol

How about a decoy gun and a real weapon?

Visible shotgun, NO AMMO!! It takes ammo as well to cause a problem. And whilst your intruder grabs the shotgun to threaten you - you grab the far less obvious bear spray.

Technophobe wrote: How about a decoy gun and a real weapon? Visible shotgun, NO AMMO!! It takes ammo as well to cause a problem. And whilst your intruder grabs the shotgun to threaten you - you grab the far less obvious bear spray.

I like this idea!

If I combine that with a loud personal alarm (I think I have a couple left over from previous times) that could work.

CRS: I have had to defend myself without a weapon. It's not something I want to repeat. The positive take away from it is I know that I do not freeze in that situation, I definitely go into fight mode.

And, having given it much thought over the years I know using a weapon in self-defense would come with a whole lot of emotional baggage, at least for me. Unless it was a weapon that would not potentially cause a fatality.

So I really appreciate all the contributions here, it's been incredibly helpful to think about options I would never have considered.

Fwiw, when I lived in California you had to be licensed to carry mace, so I went through that training to get the license. But that was a good 27 years ago!

BB or air will just make someone laugh or BB mad so no that is not a good choice. Like I said guns are for people who know how to use them I have taken courses on how to clear a house how to shoot and how to clean my guns and I practice at a range. Bear spray and even wasp spray which goes about 6 feet are good alternatives for people who do not own guns.

If you really need a gun... a shot gun is the best filled with buck shot. Strong woman 12 gauge if not strong a 20 gauge. 12 has more kick than a 20.

If I couldn't get in to get you. I would burn your building down. Find someone to protect you.

Hello!

I have been shooting since I was 9. However, whatever advice I give here is prefaced with this: PLEASE do NOT get a firearm if you will not be able to get the proper training on when, how, and where to load, use, and clean it. (Cleaning a firearm is one of the most under appreciated aspects of owning one.)

I completely agree that for what you are talking about, a handgun would not be appropriate, nor would a rifle. A shotgun would be more what you are looking for.

Most women are more comfortable shooting a 20-gauge shotgun, although a 12-gauge has more power to it. However, depending on how much you weigh, a 12-gauge might knock you off balance, which, if you missed the intruder, he could take advantage of.

A semi-auto 20-gauge would be the route I would go. PLEASE take a firearm safety course before bringing that gun into your home. Practice shooting with a trusted instructor or friend; you will want to practice with targets both close range and farther away. Shooting skeet is both fun and great for practicing shooting a moving target (it teaches you how to lead). Above all, have it firmly in your mind that shooting a living human being will be far different than shooting an outline on a piece of paper, or a clay disc. Be prepared for that.

Knowing how to clean your weapon is essential to its function and your safety. There are many people who purchase firearms only to let them rust or clog, because they don’t know how to maintain or clean them. Be sure that you take good care of your shotgun so that it is ready and safe to use, should you need it.

Finally — if you ever have children of any age in your home, PLEASE purchase a locked safe in which to store your firearm. It is definitely every gun owner’s responsibility to keep children safe around guns.

Good luck with your decision, dear.

It sounds like you’ve got your list set. You have put more thought into this than many people do before they purchase a weapon! I think you’re doing a great job going about this difficult element of being prepared.

ok, So you want a gun. Here are some ideas. A good 22 caliber pistol is a good idea, hardly any recoil and it will get the job done. Berreta Tomcat 22lR is my choice. I also have a 9mm Ruger SR9c and a Ruger 9mm EC9 pistol. For a rifle, a Ruger 10/22 is a solid option. it is a ten shot 22 caliber semi auto rifle that is a proven weapon. For a shotgun, you can get the Maverick 88 shot gun in 20 or 12 gauge, I would get one with a 20 inch barrel. my gf has the tomcat, she is trained to shoot it. We have taken many courses to shoot the guns. I shoot mmy mauser 98K and it is a great gun . So, in closing if I can shoot a gun, anyone can. With proper training and practice, guns are a great tool for self defense. let nobody tell you that you can do, if you want to own a gun and your laws allow it, gun ownership is a great insurance policy in these law less times. Who knows, you just might enjoy shooting a gun. I do and so does my gf.

Because we are rebuilding bits of our house, I have a hammer and nails by the door - well, by the door with a cat flap.

He would still be there when the police came. He wouldn't have much option.

Knowing our police, I would probably be done for grevious bodily harm. But it would be worth it.

I highly recommend the Striking Distance stun baton from Damsels in Defense.
https://damselcatalog.com/collections/stun-devices/products/striking-distance


It's nice and long, so you don't have to get too close. I have a few of their products/stun guns and by far the Striking Distance stun baton is my favorite. It is loud and very intimidating. If I recall correctly I believe the salesperson told me it was 6 million volts. Zap someone with that and they're going down. I have more than one, placed strategically through my house. They have a stun gun that looks like a camera too, but I personally like the striking distance baton. I like the size and the very intimidating noise it makes. The thing is practically a cattle prod.

They also have a lot of other personal defense items, geared towards ladies. They have concealed carry bags for those that have CCW permits. They have pepper spray that has UV ink in it so the perpetrator will glow under a black light when the police catch him. They also have a great warranty, if you use their product they'll replace it (if you provide a police report).

here is the issue with batons, etc. distance.... most criminals I know are armed with a cheap 22 caliber or a cheap 9mmm pistol. I know plenty of criminals from my days in phoenix. They tell me that a stun gun is worthless against a desperate armed criminal. You need a good quality hi capacity 9mm pistol. The thing I like about my Ruger SR9c is the round indicator, let's everyone knows that you are armed to the teeth. it hold s 17 rounds and if you get the right ammo, it can more than do the job. Ammo is just as important as the gun itself. get hollow point ammo or 147 grain gold dot. Have shot 125, 115 and critical defense ammo also.   i prefer the more powerful rounds. I put 50 rounds at two targets per month. That's more than some police do. I hope that you don't have to use a gun but if you do then the best bet is a high quality 9mm pistol. All of this baton crap is wishful thinking. You need a gun because the bad guy has one and he / she will use it. as my firearms instructor told me many years ago don't bring a wet noodle to a gunfight. Bring the most intimdating bad assed gun you can.