I live in a low crime area, and homejackings and assault are not a big risk here.
So is my home. If I felt is was a high risk, I wouldn't live there. A lot of us like to think of it like Insurance. My home has a comparatively low risk of burning to the ground. But I still have Fire Insurance.
It's true that accidents can still happen with traditional weapons, but they are much less dangerous to kids than guns.
If that's the concern then you should know that Swimming Pools are
VASTLY more likely to kill or seriously injure a child than firearms. No, I'm not joking. I can look up the stats for you if you'd like.
Knives and staff weapons do not discharge accidentally,
Neither do firearms. The chamber of the firearm has to be charged with a round and the trigger has to be squeezed. None of this happens due to an accident.
Some feel that it is a comparatively easy task for even a child to squeeze the trigger on a loaded firearm and this represents a danger. To be fair, I agree. In fact, most firearms owners (at least in the U.S.) agree. To address this issue, we take any number of a variety of precautions to prevent this. Some use an autoloader and set the safety or do not have a round in the chamber, believing that it takes more strength than a child has to "rack the slide" and charge the chamber with a live round (this is typically true). Some go as far as to eject the magazine from the pistol in order to make it more difficult for a child. There are any number of after market devices which make it difficult for a child to use the firearm ranging from "trigger locks" (which I think are stupid) to a sort of giant, extra strong, "rubber band" which clamps the hammer in place. Probably the most popular method is to deny access to unauthorized persons (such as children) by placing the home defense firearms in a bed side Safe. Most of these Safes have a "finger grove" or "quick button" set that will let the user open it by "typing" a proper combination on a series of four or five buttons on the face or side of the Safe. The combination is shared with authorized individuals but not children, etc.
and if I would feel the need to use that weapon, then there is at least no risk of killing my kids who are sleeping in the next room.
Over penetration through walls is a well known danger. I agree. It is one that every person who considers a firearm for home defense should give serious thought to.
Also, with my house being a 'typical' Belgian house, there are a lot of corners, doors, staircases and no large open spaces. A knife, or a short spear (say a hanbo with a short spear tip) or even a plain hanbo would be at least as dangerous / effective as a handgun.
I agree that at grappling range, a big ol' knife is at least as apt to cause serious, incapacitating, and potentially mortal wounds. Which is fine when the bad guy is within easy reach and didn't bring a gun himself.
It's a cardinal rule (and a hackneyed old saw), "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight."
In my case, having a gun readily accessible near my bed would be more dangerous than NOT having that gun ready.
If you do not take the proper steps in preparation, think ahead, and use common sense, then I agree that there are issues that could jump up and bite you in the butt. A firearm is still the most effective and efficient tool for personal self defense every created by man, even sans training. However, to optimize its use and minimize potential shortfalls and corollary dangers I
WHOLLY recommend training and forethought before acquiring one, to say nothing of actually having to use it for self defense.
Would you just hand a Katana or a Bisento to someone and tell them, "here, this is for self defense."???
Firearms are both easier to learn and operate and more effective over a wider range but the principle is the same. Get training.
Make no mistake, we have our own share of dangers, but in-home assault is not often one of them if you are not a rich and juicy target.
The U.S. has several subcultures (both discrete and mixing together with each other) which see anyone who has something of value as "rich" or at least rich enough to steal from. Drug addicts seem to be responsible for a disproportionate number of Home Invasions, but they are hardly the sole perpetrators by any stretch. Maybe Belgium has a less violent culture or maybe you just haven't caught up yet. Whatever the case firearms are "Insurance."
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
