driley

The headline grabbing tragedies represent a tiny fraction of gun deaths and are not representative of what I was talking about when I said "most".

It is my opinion that most people killed with guns are taken off guard or are not in defensible positions. I don't think that most killings happen the way that Hollywood portrays them.

I have owned guns and I am not anti-hunting or anti-guns. I just think that it would be a rare circumstance where a non law enforcement person would defend themselves or someone else with a gun, unless they were putting themselves into risky situations in the first place.

Robar

I am not talking about Hollywood. I know for a fact that most killings don't happen like Hollywood portrays. I am talking about public churches, malls, restaurants, and subways.

bsack

who here has ever needed to use a gun for self-defense, excluding the military guys and cops? Being fit and able to defend yourself physically is much more practical I believe. Having a gun is great but learning self defense is more practical and takes about as much time and effort as learning to be proficient with a gun, maybe less. Hell my dad was a cop for a long time and never got in a gun fight, but he did take out a guy with a metal tape dispenser who came into the station with a lever action one night. Its just not human nature to react properly as a civilian.

bertjnkns

Thank you for the input, there are many good points made here. One being the factor of carrying it and able to access it anytime. Hiding it in my vehicle is not an option being that if I did it would be pointless, because it would not be immediately accessible.

Where I work it is wide open, not easy to sneak up on someone unless it's dark. Two of the instances I've known watched the perps approach them, in that case unless they were armed the martial arts might could help. But you are correct in that unless your weapon is a part of your daily life like your keys, billfold and pocket knife, and you can use it as if it were an extension of yourself, it's useless.

So I guess for now, I'll just keep looking over my shoulder, being alert and paranoid until they change their policy on self protection, oh yeah and I'm going to look into the self defense too.

bertjnkns

Oh and Robar, you and I think alike. I'm very pro-carry, I know of several situations where there could have been a big difference in outcome had someone been armed and willing to intervene. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who don't see it as a positive thing.

Robar

There is nothing positive about the senseless death of an innocent person only the termination of the individual that unlawfully instigated the killing of others.

drbeddow

I have used a handgun to defend myself once. It was a roadrage situation where a guy quite literally ran me off the road, he got out of his car and started toward my car with one of his hands behind him. This guy was huge! I have a carry permit and usually have a gun with me. The way his car was blocking me made it difficult for me to easily drive off so I grabbed my gun and pointed it at him and told him to stop, go back to your car and leave! I though it would stop there. Thats when it got really scary. He continued toward me and I seriously believed I was going to have to shoot him. He must not have seen the gun initially because he suddenly stopped and said something, I can't remember what, but I yelled again for him to get back in his car and leave, which he did. I can tell you that had he taken even a couple more steps I would have shot him. After he drove off and the threat was over I called the police and reported it. The realization that I came so close to having to shoot someone was the scariest thing thats ever happened to me. In hindsight I do believe had I not had the gun he would have hurt or even killed me with whatever he was carrying in his hand. But the other side of that coin is will you be able to use it when you need it. I can tell you for certian that the reality of a situation like that is much different than you expect it will be.

Robar

Well said.

mfbarnes@barnes

Bert I take from my guess that you work in the patch, I myself am a Company Man and have been in the patch my entire life. One thing to consider also, is the fact that it is against the law in several states including Texas to carry a firearm on an exploration location of any type. These laws were written in the early 1900's during the original boom, when there was some really ruthless folks out there, and times were wild. The laws just have never been taken off of the books. Just like roughnecks don't know in the State of Texas there is still a law on the books, that if you steal ANYTHING from an exploration location, you get 20 years in Huntsville. No matter if it's a roll of duck tape or an entire rig. It's just an old law that's never been changed. I have also consulted for all of the majors and all their company polices forbid firearms also. It's just something you have to work around. One exception is if you are on a rig for Exxon on the King Ranch and you can forget it. You are search in and out of the King Ranch property and if they find as much as a empty shell you are history. Just a rule you have to deal with down there, no exceptions.

Talk to your Company Man and Toolpusher and express your concerns, if they are good hands they will work with you on that issue, if they are worms that go by the book, well then you have to weigh out your pros and cons. If you were on my rig I'd say not an issue just keep it secured while you are on my location. I know lots of roughnecks carry them, as do myself, being a licensed concealed handgun person. I just use common sense about it and be very upfront and frank about it. There are times when I cannot and I have to make that exception then. Good luck either way you go.

Mark Doiron

I think the real question is are you safer if you have a weapon, or are you safer if your fellow workers don't have a weapon? In this crazy, whacked-out world, I think the latter for most of us.