What is your "under the mattress" firearm?

Status
Not open for further replies.
i was assigned to canada during early 2000s, and worked closely with colleagues from the atf and other law enforcement agencies. according to joint atf-rcmp studies from that time, the majority of firearms used in canadian criminal acts were stolen from lawful canadian gun owners, not smuggled north in exchange for southbound drugs, which was a distant #2 source.

there have been some terrible stories of peaceable and lawabiding canadian homeowners being prosecuted for using a firearm to protect themselves during a violent home invasion.

it is vital to know the law and prevailing political climate when lawfully possessing a firearm, even for self defense at home.

This article seems to contradict that claim:

Valuable quote:
Statistics Canada does not have data on “crime guns,” but it does collect information about the guns used in homicides involving firearms. They have statistics on how many legal guns are used in homicide and how many accused own firearms legally. But, they do not publish it.

To find out, I submitted a series of Special Requests to Statistics Canada.

How many firearms used in homicide were registered?

How many were registered to the accused?

How many were diverted from legal owners (either by theft or straw purchase)?

For a firearm used in homicide to have been diverted from a legal owner it must have been purchased legally [which implies being registered] and then used by another person who does not have a firearm licence. There are relatively few instances of this.

Between 2007-2016, StatsCan reports that only 5% of the firearms involved in homicides were registered and used by someone other than the legal owner to commit murder — this percentage includes thefts as well as straw purchases.

Note, all firearms were required to be registered from 2003 to 2012, so that these statistics include long guns as well as handguns.

The bulk of registered murder weapons are handguns. Long guns account for less than 1% of the registered firearms in firearms homicide during this time period.

Another 5% of firearms used in homicide were registered to the accused, leaving 90% of firearms used in homicide never having been in the system.

Where did they come from?
 
1611164357419.png
I use this under the mattress ,but it is a little annoying.
 
If you can’t see the person on the other side of the door, how do you know that they’re intending to rob you?

Further, in many states, you can’t use lethal force to defend property, so, even if they were there to rob you, shooting them isn’t justified.

Finally, and this is really important, people have shot and killed what they thought was a threat through a door. In at least some of the cases, the shooter went to jail for a very long time, because the drunk teenager who walked up to the wrong house was NOT a threat and the court called the shooting murder.

You must be certain of your target, and you must be certain that lethal force is justified, before sending a round down range.
In many states, robbery (2nd degree or worse) is defined as a violent felony. I wonder what states don't think armed robbery can't be met with lethal force, especially in your own home? Here, the laws says lethal force is justified, but most likely not if you blasted someone through an outside door, unless they were blasting bullets towards you through the front or back door. But if it was a door deep inside your house (ie, robber is chasing you through the house to harm you), then it would be justified. Even if someone broke in to your house, many states have the castle doctrine which allows you to protect yourself within your own house with deadly force if deemed necessary. Someone can kill you by simply grabbing a big knife out of the kitchen or some other object in the house.

Of course, I agree that nobody should be shooting through a door when they don't know exactly who is behind it, or what their intentions are. If someone kicked the front or back door in, and you saw them heading in holding a weapon, then unload on them if you feel you or your family's life is in danger.
 
Last edited:
In my state, Nevada, anyone who breaks into your house is assumed to be there to harm you. No further proof is required. Whatever action you take at that point is between you and your conscience.
In other states, better to be judged by 12 than be carried by 6. If I was in a country that prosecuted homeowners for defending their family with a firearm I think I'd keep a shovel and a bag of lime on hand. Just sayin'.
One guy here killed two assailants, one in his home (who subsequently ran out the door, then collapsed dead in the driveway), one who he chased into the street and shot a block away. They had beaten him in his home, then tied him up. He got loose, then retrieved a firearm.
The DA wasn't going to charge him until he belatedly revealed he knew the perps. Didn't recognize them until he heard their names. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and got probation.
 
The flip side is that some of us do not care about the law, if it prevents us from defending ourselves. This is not to say we do not do our due diligence to comply with lawful laws, but rather that going to trial beats doing to the cemetery every time. If you're worried about the law when you shoot someone...maybe the shooting could have been avoided? It doesn't seem as necessary when worded like so?
It's always good for anyone owning a gun to read up on the gun laws in their state, especially the areas defining the use of a firearm for self defense. Of course the first thing to always consider is to avoid pulling the trigger if that's logically possible. But if the situation becomes where there is no other alternative than to protect yourself with deadly force, the law will most likely protect you from prosecution unless the state has some ridiculous gun laws.

IMO, anything a police officer can do to protect his life or the life of other people should also be allowed for any upstanding, law abiding citizen. They are all humans with the right to protect themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ws6
It's always good for anyone owning a gun to read up on the gun laws in their state, especially the areas defining the use of a firearm for self defense. Of course the first thing to always consider is to avoid pulling the trigger if that's logically possible. But if the situation becomes where there is no other alternative than to protect yourself with deadly force, the law will most likely protect you from prosecution unless the state has some ridiculous gun laws.

IMO, anything a police officer can do to protect his life or the life of other people should also be allowed for any upstanding, law abiding citizen. They are all humans with the right to protect themselves.

In Canada you are basically guilty until proven innocent, lol. If you use a firearm to defend your family you WILL be charged, but if it can be determined to be justified use of said firearm, IE, the perp was armed, you feared for your life and those of your family members the charges will be dropped. Unfortunately, you have to go through the whole expensive and extensive process, even though the law allows for it.
 
Last edited:
Well, my Winchester Pump just got a bit more lethal, after a trip to the country feed store today.......

I haven't seen this available for a long while, but purchased two boxes of......

DOUBLE AUGHT today.

No question it will do some serious damage if called upon.

.......
 
Oh, yeah. My wife has a little snub-nose 38 in the kitchen. Very well hidden and highly accessible. She is a cop's daughter, and she knows how to use it. Nothing to figure out. Open the cylinder, load it up, and shoot. Sort of reassuring that she has it in her hand when I come in late at night from a biz trip.
 
It's always good for anyone owning a gun to read up on the gun laws in their state, especially the areas defining the use of a firearm for self defense. Of course the first thing to always consider is to avoid pulling the trigger if that's logically possible. But if the situation becomes where there is no other alternative than to protect yourself with deadly force, the law will most likely protect you from prosecution unless the state has some ridiculous gun laws.

IMO, anything a police officer can do to protect his life or the life of other people should also be allowed for any upstanding, law abiding citizen. They are all humans with the right to protect themselves.
That's a good way to think about it. I've researched the NJ gun laws extensively. In NJ we don't have the castle doctrine but we have the right to self-defense.
 
If you are a sleep walker, don't put a firearm under or near the bed. My father worked with a guy who blew a hole in his mattress with his shot gun one night while sleep walking. He was not drunk and had no memory of doing it and woke up in the morning on that damaged mattress. Good thing he was single and slept alone.
 
lets not forget the after action issues even if you simply chase the criminals away. If at any time you see the cops arriving remember one thing, THEY DONT KNOW YOU ARE THE HOMEOWNER! They just see someone standing there and they are watching YOUR HANDS. If you have one set it down preferably before they stop and step back with your hands out to the sides open palms . That automatically backs things way down. Yea they will likely have their guns out but it’s just precautionary.
That incident a month or so back with the guy coming out of his garage is a glaring example. The cop parked way too close and left the cover of his cruiser which was a big mistake. The guy in the garage came straight out towards him reaching around and behind his waist area was the icing on the cake. Of Course the press as expected turned it into a propaganda centerpiece but believe me any guy on the color spectrum including my favorite Martian would likely get shot at .
 
HK P30 da/sa. Not under mattress though. Safely secured in a pistol vault under the bed. Safe for visits from the grandchildren, but readily available if ever needed. Hope it never is. I don't want to ever have to have to take that action.

For those of you that have selected shotguns for home defense, you may want to check out some of the recent offerings in shotgun personal defense ammo. Like PD pistol ammo, it is designed to minimize the risk of overpenetration.
 
Depends. If it were me, I'd send about 15 rounds through that door at said sound. If it were someone else, maybe they'd run off. It's a gamble. Many people have some odd mental block against shooting through walls/doors. Cover vs. concealment, though...American buildings are concealment, by and large.
Hi Ws6.
Your tactic was tried by Oscar Pistorius and found wanting.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top