I have several handguns because my father is a firearms dealer. I enjoy target practice with them. I dont have my permit to carry as I have recently moved to another state and havent gotten it yet. I would rather know about guns than be afraid of them. They can be great stress relievers lol.

If I had a gun I would be in jail right now because of stupid drivers, lol!

I don't think I'd feel safe with a gun in the house, I'd feel just the opposite. My stepfather has guns and it always made me nervous when I lived there. I figure they can always be turned against you. Plus I think if you have a gun, it is a definite possibility that you could take someone's life and that isn't something I would want.

We have lots of guns, mainly hunting rifles and shotguns, all safely locked in the gun safe. I also have a handgun, a .38 special. I LOVE to shoot it! I only use it for target practice, but while at home, it is in its very own locked case. I don't carry it.

Guns can be great for entertainment and if they are treated with respect, are very safe.

I remember seeing on TV or something once that a lot of people have accidentally shot family members when they have a gun. They think it's a prowler coming in and lo and behold it's their husband coming in late or something.

I'm not opposed to guns- but I think carrying one around you is a bit much unless it's for your job or something. Like if you are a police officer or FBI agent or in some other high risk position.

I'd be too worried if I had children that they'd find the gun and kill themselves acccidentally or something. There so so many pros and cons to owning a gun- but I think if you feel you really need it and you can be responsible with it, such as locking it up, keeping bullets seperate from gun and in seperate areas, and so on, then I'd get one, but if you have some issues from fear then I suggest getting help from a therapist before considering a gun. I remember on some TV show this woman was paranoid of burglars so she bought a gun and one night almost killed her roommate because instead of addressing her fear she bought a gun- and then became a paranoid person with a gun! lol.

I agree that guns can be safe if they are treated with respect.

I would take someones life before I would let them take mine or my familys

I was raised with guns in the house, and was carefully trained from an early age to respect them. They were always kept locked away. Now, my older brother and my dad both have guns in their homes and have permits to carry. I think they only do that when they travel long distances. My dad asked me if I wanted one (a gun) for my home and if I wanted to go through the process to get a permit to carry. I decided against it. At this point in my life, there are too many drunk college students in and out of my house, and I'd worry any time someone came over, even if they were locked away. I mean, they found my diary once and it was locked up.

I'm certainly not afraid of them, and I'm glad my dad has one, makes me feel safer with him all alone in the country. Me personally, I have a big barky dog instead.

I also believe its a higher likelihood that someone would shoot first if they saw a gun rather than brandishing a gun (or other weapon) as a threat. Although, even if I felt my life was in danger, I wouldn't want to risk killing someone. (ie, I don't believe in killing in the name of self defense)

Well, I was kind of looking for what kind of gun you carry, what caliber/style, etc. Where do you carry it? purse/holster, etc.
I always thought a .38 had a kick. I took a handgun safety class in college and I didn't want to shoot the .38 because of the recoil. We shot lots of .22's though. I was a pretty good shot and I have heard that before that women are better at hitting targets than men. I don't know if I'll get one or not. Thanks everyone for the input.

Are you looking primarily for a personal defense weapon?

.22's are good for target shooting, and you're right, they don't have a lot of kick. They also, though, don't have a whole lot of "stopping power", meaning that in a personal defense situation, you're not necessarily going to stop an attacker with a shot frm a .22. And with arm muscles like that, you can probably handle the kick of a .38, particularly with practice.

My husband was a Navy Seal Sniper and has several guns, all locked and secured in our home. My daughter is a MA k-9 in the Navy and my son is going in the Army for Special Forces. They both have several guns, as does my daughter in law. We also have a k-9 German Shephard in the home. Much protection. I personally don't have a gun, but do want to get a handgun soon. Crime is climbing quickly in this economy. I used to work for OPD - Orlando Police Department and was shocked to know how much crime is NOT reported in towns and cities. You only hear about 6% of what is actually going on around you. It never hurts to be safe.

I have a LTC (License to Carry), but if I open carry in PA I don't really need it. I have a .38 and the kick is not too bad. I like the .38 because I carry a small purse or like to put it in the front pocket of my jeans. I've only carried concealed a few times (hiking in the mountains alone, traveling to a rural cabin for a girls weekend with my friends, etc...) and I've never open carried.

My son has a .22 handgun and a rifle and a 'cowboy' pearl handle .22. He likes shooting those and the .38, but not my husband's handgun.

My husband is a Second Amendment activist and a founding member of paopencarry.org. He practices open carry on a daily basis and concealed carry often. He carries a .45 and normally my .38. He is licensed to carry in UT and PA. UT has reciprocity with most other states for concealed carry so he is covered.

If you have any questions about law, let me know, hubby can tell you.

We have a gun in the house but I do not have a hand gun. We keep talking about it and we've looked at one for me but I haven't gone through with it. Mostly nervous about one of us accidentally hurting ourselves while practicing.

I have a friend that always carries, I'm trying to remember what it is she uses. i know her husband bought her holster the slips down the back of the pant, she informed him that with the lower rise jeans she wears and dress pants/ skirts, that that wasn't very practical...lol so probably in her purse.