Guns are not 100% effective; even if you regularly practice with your gun it can still jam or misfire.

The probability of a gun misfiring when well maintained and lubricated is very, very small. Occasionally, you'll get a dud round, but if you're buying quality, factory made ammo (Hornady, Federal, Remington, PMC, etc) the probability again is extremely low. Revolvers can misfire if it's a dud round, but revolvers can not jam. Double barreled shotguns can not jam. Pump action shotguns and Semi-Auto hand guns can jam (again, very, very, very rare if using quality ammo and the gun is clean, because if it's going to jam it'll jam after you've pulled the trigger and the next round gets caught...), but part of the practice is clearing jams quickly (hint: re-rack the slide -- hard, you won't break it. Beat it like it owes you money. The next round in the magazine will load.) You have to know your tool to use it effectively.

So what's quality ammo? Hornday, Remington, Federal, Winchester, PMC -- just stay away from the cheap, steel cased (always go for a brass casing) and in the case of a handgun, use a self defense round -- Hornady Critical Duty, Remington Golden Sabers, even Federal Hydra-shoks are an effective round. For self defense, I do not recommend full metal jacket round. FMJ's are for target practice and training at the range.

Either way I do see my height as being advantageous if I should need to attempt to defend myself or my family with a bat at home.

You are rolling the dice with your life unnecessarily with that plan. If an armed assailant breaks in, that bat -- even if it's a bad ass double walled DeMarini -- is no match for any kind of firearm, and you'd be taking the proverbial knife to a gunfight. You've got to watch out for yourself and your family.

Also, the latest trend in criminal activity is to bring a buddy or two -- I don't care how tall you are, even with a bat you're not going to be capable to defend yourself against two (or more) unarmed assailants, let alone armed ones.

For home defense, in my opinion the best defense is a pump-action shotgun -- specifically a 12 gauge. A 20 gauge may get the job done as well if you're worried about the recoil, but if you're holding it correctly the recoil should not bother you much. As an added benefit, the sound of that 12 gauge getting cocked may be enough to deter a criminal, but if it isn't, you're going to need the stopping power of a shotgun.

A 00 Buckshot shell has 8 pellets, and each pellet is roughly the size of a 9mm bullet. If you hit center mass, it'll be like the assailant taking 8 shots from a 9mm almost all at once (the pellets are loaded into the shell in 4 groups of 2, and exit the barrel thusly). Needless to say, it's devastating to a human body.

Take ownership of your own self-defense -- 911 doesn't respond fast enough.

Hopefully, you'll never need to use a gun to do more than put holes in paper (or water jugs, or watermelon, or even a tasty deer or warthog), but -- it will always be better to have a gun and never need it than need a gun once and not have it.

Unfortunately, I've been in a position where I needed my gun, and I thank God I didn't have to fire it, that the sight of it was enough to deter any future stupidity from the assailant.

If you want to talk self-defense any further, just ask. This is something I'm very passionate about and something I advocate every person do -- be prepared to defend themselves.

The only person I've seen have trouble with a 12 gauge shotgun is a 110 pound woman not holding the weapon correctly, and sadly youtube has no shortage of women with poor posture firing a 12 gauge (probably with a magnum load) and dealing with the recoil.

I doubt you, as a man, would have any trouble with it. As for the .45 -- the recoil is not unmanageable in my conceal carry weapon, but might be a little much for someone inexperienced. My full sized Glock 21, on the other hand, my wife fires with no problem and no trouble with the recoil.

And please tell us how you made that logical leap, calling me a racist for stating the objective truth that there is no such race as a "Palestinian", that they are Arabs. This is scientifically correct, so please tell me how I disparaged anyone on the basis of race.

* crickets *

Right. Just as I thought. Find a new crutch when you're losing an argument, asswipe.

Of course. The objective answer is the mythical "Palestinians" who are just Arabs with a different name.

I'm saying your concern about collateral damage is honorable, but your blame for it is entirely misplaced.

Hamas fired the first shot, does not respect cease fire agreements, does not control it's people...

So... fuck them. I hope Israel rounds up every terrorist over there and executes them.

Peace will only come when one side is victorious. I pray that the victor is Israel.

"Hey this risk to the lives of tens of thousands of people when Israel responds is okay, because these rockets we're about to fire are holy jihad. dirka dirka dirka!"

It might also make it much harder for Hamas to fire rockets in the dark.

Exodus 22:2

“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.

You don't know why a person is in your house when they shouldn't be. You life is not worth risking to find out if it's a drug addict looking to swipe DVD's to pawn or the newest border jumping MS-13 member or terrorist there to cause you harm.

Don't risk it.

Maybe my perspective is different since I have a wife and kids, but if someone is in my house illegally, I can only assume that there is a grave threat against my family, and I will drop the bastard. Center mass.

And maybe it's time to think about getting my first firearm.

First off -- abandon any idea of using rock salt -- pissing off an intruder is only going to get you killed.

Since you'd be new to firearm ownership, let me give you my armchair opinion.

Get a pump action 12 gauge shotgun, and a bunch of 00 buckshot. Hornady makes a gimmicky "Zombie Max" 12 gauge shell, and while it's gimmicky, Hornady makes some damn good ammo (I carry the critical defense hollowpoints in my everyday carry gun, a Springfield XDS chambered in .45 ACP). Don't waste time with bird shot, rock salt, or any other "less lethal" method.

As far as brands -- Remington, Mossberg -- won't go wrong with either one of those.

Finally, buy a box of cheap #8 birdshot and head to a range. One common misconception of a shotgun is that you don't have to aim it, it's a "room broom" -- and that notion is complete horseshit. Yes, the shot will expand but that pattern, especially indoors, and with 8 pellets (00 buck) it's not going to expand that much as to preclude you from aiming it.

Now -- some armchair "experts" will tell you never to cock it as a warning. I disagree with this -- one of my best friends is an officer, and she told me that 95% of the time, cocking a shotgun is enough and you don't have to pull the trigger -- and the other 5% of the time, you're going to have to pull the trigger because the assailant is going to kill everyone in the house.

If you'd rather have a handgun -- get a Glock in .45 ACP, with the highest magazine capacity that your moonbat idiot leaders in Kaliforniastan will let you have. I have a Glock 21 in .45 ACP, and let me tell you -- it's a nail driver. Extremely accurate at the range, and I get a 3 inch grouping at 50 yards with it.

But whatever you get -- practice, practice, practice. And have fun. No such thing as a bad day at the range. Keep the gun clean and the ammo dry and it will last you for decades.

Nope. Just here to note that your idiocy is on another level these days -- which for you, is really saying something. It's past the point of you just naturally being a little slow on the upkeep, it's degenerated to the point where you really have to try to be as willfully ignorant as you are. I'm just here to applaud your effort, it takes a lot to remain so oblivious to overwhelming facts that shatter your world view. Your psyche must be hanging on by a thread, when it finally shatters it'll be amusing to watch.

... the idiocy over there has really ramped up.

Congratulations, AC, you're written what may possibly be the dumbest post in slashdot history -- and considering the general idiocy of the lefty trolls around here, that's really saying something.

A Christian who "takes the Gospel more seriously than anything else" would interpret those words as never responding to aggression with violence or legal defense. The latter implies you wouldn't even go after government who is violating the Constitution.

HOW ON EARTH DID YOU MAKE THAT LOGICAL LEAP?

Just because Christians are commanded to not respond to violence with violence does not mean that we cannot seek a peaceful, legal remedy. Christians are not commanded to be doormats, AC. Seeking legal (or criminal charges) against someone is vastly different from smacking some dude back.

In other words, a true Christian would not be bothered by the evils of the Progressives, the federal government, etc. Those are merely Kingdoms of Man.

Wrong again. Christians are called to be defenders of innocent life, and for true justice to be merited on earth. Take abortion -- you're making the statement that Christians shouldn't care about abortion because it's part of a Kingdom of Man. Well, if Christians are called to be the Light of the World, how can we stand idly by while innocents are getting slaughtered by the millions?

not being political and telling people how the president is a rodeo clown (that's judging, against what Jesus taught)

What Jesus was talking about was not discerning whether or not an action is sinful, we can judge that all day. Jesus would not object to any Christian saying homosexual contact is sinful. Jesus would strongly object to the Fred Phelps crowd saying all homosexuals are going to Hell. THAT'S WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID DO NOT JUDGE. He meant that He, and only He, through God the Father, is the Judge of Humanity that decides our ultimate fate - Heaven or Hell.

You know, AC, you should really have logged in. You should own your idiocy in this post.

Furthermore, your religion doesn't own the word marriage.

Anything that is not a Sacramental Marriage is not a marriage.

So really, merely asking them to leave

"Quit before we fire you, and we'll give you a severance package, otherwise, you get nothing" -- hardly a choice there...

The church has done much worse in the past.

So, because a human institution (though divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, it's still a human institution) did bad things in it's History -- everything should be thrown out.

You're advocating throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Which is fine, but considering the Catholic Church is what created the first Schools and Hospitals -- well, you better close those right now (or not use either) because someone may have burned a witch 500 years ago.

People are doing the opposite of calling vices virtues.

Well this is just complete BS. Homosexual contact (not the attraction, but the sexual contact) is sinful. It's a vice. The virtue would be abstinence -- in other words, celibacy. Which is the same virtue for all unmarried people.

But that's not what the current culture says -- it says, well, "be who you are" and promoted the idea that a deviant behavior is mainstream and one that should be celebrated. I'm not advocating judging gays, I would not support any law that restricts what two consenting adults do in their bedroom -- but stating that the relationship is a marriage is folly, and that it's a virtue to be aspired to (gay marriage) is completely backwards.

Society has fallen far, and very fast, from the way God intended it to be.

And just like Sodom and Gomorrah, the Roman Empire, and Babylon before it, God's judgment WILL be poured out.

The barbarians are at the gates, you just don't realize it.