Parents and Guns

[Ruski611]

Hello everyone, first post or many here!

About a month ago there was a shooting on the street I'm going to be living on in college. I figured that I don't want to risk getting shot, or having my house broken into considering the area and am thinking of buying a gun and getting proper training, etc. I brought the gun up with my parents because I'd have to bring it home 4 months out of the year for my internship/summer.

So this is my issue now, my dad has mixed feelings, but is generally fine with the idea of a gun, my mom other hand is getting to me with her anti-gun views. She thinks I should just get an alarm system, which I think is dumb because I'm still helpless, and cops probably won't show up/show up in time. My mom's logic is straight up dumb, she thinks that if someone breaks into your home with a gun, that they are just trying to intimidate you, and I should just give up my stuff easily, or she thinks that if I shoot an intruder, I'm going to go to jail for murder, which isn't how it works because PA has Castle Doctrine.

Yet when I try to prove my point to my mom using facts, all she resorts to is saying "I've lost my mind", or I'm "paranoid".

Now yeah, I'm 20, I could just go buy a gun, but as I said I'd still have to bring it home 4 months out of the year, and my mom has told me she won't cosign my college loans if I do.

What do I do? I do not want to move into my college house without any arms

[JStem1283]

I'd buy a shotgun then when you have to go home either A hide it B store it with a friend or C find a local PD either by college or home that would be willing to store it.

[eyecanshoot]

I'm pretty sure you have to be 21 to buy a pistol. Are firearms allowed on campus? Do you have a grandparent that would store it?

[Metz]

Well even Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground can be a slippery slope (remember Zimmerman?), so don't think, that the law will protect you no matter what, even if you are right.

Second - get the frigging alarm. It will give you heads up in case of break in. Remember, guns are not your only resort, but the very last one. Not to mention, audible alarm can scare 90% of intruders as is.

Third, learn if you can legally posess gun on campus. Most schools are very anti gun.

Fourth, as it was mentioned before, you can not buy yourself a handgun before you turn 21. YOur father can buy it, though and give it to you as a gift. However even in this case you are not eligible for carry license before 21. That law is stupid, we can hate it, we must sooner or later push for 18 as eligibility age, but we have to OBEY THE LAW.

Fifth - do your homework. This site is an excellent source of firearms related information, so take advantage of it. Learn about the laws first.

Good luck. I have the same problem with my mother, but she leaves on the other side of Atlantic and has to comply with my rules, when she comes to viisit.

[Grey Bearded One]

Yet when I try to prove my point to my mom using facts, all she resorts to is saying "I've lost my mind", or I'm "paranoid".

I've carried a pocket knife since I was in grade school but somehow my father never realized it until I was in college. He started telling me about how illegal it way and how I'd go to jail, etc., etc. So I handed him a copy of Pennsylvania's laws regarding knives that I had copied from the books at the law library and his reaction was to say, "Yeah, as if this means anything."

When I bought a gun, I didn't even mention it for years. When I finally moved out, he found some ammo and didn't want to give it to me because I could get arrested for interstate transportation of ammunition.

When you have parents like ours, sometimes their ignorance is our bliss.

[Ruski611]

I'm pretty sure you have to be 21 to buy a pistol. Are firearms allowed on campus? Do you have a grandparent that would store it?

I'm looking into getting a shotgun, not a pistol, a Remington 870 Express, and I'll be living in an off campus house, so my university's gun restrictions do not apply there. My grandparents won't store it because they don't want to burn a bridge going against my mom.

In all honesty, I don't want to hide it from her, I want her to accept the idea of having a gun for home defense. My parents live in a good area, Bucks County, so I can see why she thinks nothing will happen, but I'm moving into a shady area, I'd much rather have a gun and not need it than not have a gun and need it.

Well even Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground can be a slippery slope (remember Zimmerman?), so don't think, that the law will protect you no matter what, even if you are right.

Second - get the frigging alarm. It will give you heads up in case of break in. Remember, guns are not your only resort, but the very last one. Not to mention, audible alarm can scare 90% of intruders as is.

Third, learn if you can legally posess gun on campus. Most schools are very anti gun.

Fourth, as it was mentioned before, you can not buy yourself a handgun before you turn 21. YOur father can buy it, though and give it to you as a gift. However even in this case you are not eligible for carry license before 21. That law is stupid, we can hate it, we must sooner or later push for 18 as eligibility age, but we have to OBEY THE LAW.

Fifth - do your homework. This site is an excellent source of firearms related information, so take advantage of it. Learn about the laws first.

Good luck. I have the same problem with my mother, but she leaves on the other side of Atlantic and has to comply with my rules, when she comes to viisit.

I've learned a lot in the past few months about gun laws thanks to this site and others. I'm also well aware of the responsibility that comes along with gun ownership.

Yes, Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground can be a slippery slope, but at the end of the day, I think many would take their chances with a jury in a life-threatening home invasion situation rather than being killed because of legal possibilities.

Regarding the alarm, I plan to get something audible to alert me to grab my gun, but I'm not going to rely on the alarm as my only defense means from an intruder. Sure some may run away, but what about the 10% that don't?

[NuclearSociety]

I'm looking into getting a shotgun, not a pistol, a Remington 870 Express, and I'll be living in an off campus house, so my university's gun restrictions do not apply there. My grandparents won't store it because they don't want to burn a bridge going against my mom.

In all honesty, I don't want to hide it from her, I want her to accept the idea of having a gun for home defense. My parents live in a good area, Bucks County, so I can see why she thinks nothing will happen, but I'm moving into a shady area, I'd much rather have a gun and not need it than not have a gun and need it.



I've learned a lot in the past few months about gun laws thanks to this site and others. I'm also well aware of the responsibility that comes along with gun ownership.

Yes, Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground can be a slippery slope, but at the end of the day, I think many would take their chances with a jury in a life-threatening home invasion situation rather than being killed because of legal possibilities.

Regarding the alarm, I plan to get something audible to alert me to grab my gun, but I'm not going to rely on the alarm as my only defense means from an intruder. Sure some may run away, but what about the 10% that don't?

Well I live in bucks county, levittown to be exact. We have out local ghettos down the road and bristol right down the road also. Not that there are not good parts but bad things happen everywhere.

As for your mom accepting it, she either will or wont, you cannot force the issue and it may just make her recede back into her shell more.

One thing that worked for me is a few stories printed from the internet about people who complied with the person assaulting them, robbing them, or holding them hostage who ended up dying because they chose not to resist, but to just comply and hope for the best.

If you can afford a storage unit, that may be the best and cheapest option.

Or check out a local range and see if maybe they can store it in their store safe for you. They will probably charge but thats even if they will, but it does not hurt to ask.

The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to limit your exposure to bad situations. It will not work all the time and I've racked up quite a few stories because I was the friend who felt a need to "protect" my friends who would play dumb games and end up in dumb situations. The only advice I can offer is if you cannot get the firearm, look to any non-lethal alternatives you can, anything is better then nothing.

[RaggedEdge]

It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission as they say. I'm sure you can find a place to stash it for four months.

[daschnoz]

Most pump shotguns can be broken down into 3 major pieces: the barrel, magazine tube, receiver/stock. A 20" long duffel bag would just blend in with the rest of your stuff as you return for the summer. It would also look like nothing more than a duffel bag when you return to school in the fall.

You'll see this stated regularly here on the PAFOA boards - concealed is concealed. Sometimes you need to do what you need to do. Good luck.

BTW, welcome to the forum!

[DrillNFill]

I feel for ya. My folks still live in the communist Republic of New York. I think if my mom knew just how many guns were stored in the room she sleeps in when she visits,she'd freak .