TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia spends a lot of helping us examine the issue of ballistic self-defense. We tend to focus on issues surrounding opportunistic crime: robberies, home invasions, mugging, your federal income tax bill, etc. But there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in our philosophy. In other words, what about people setting out to kill you? What are the odds that you’ve pissed off someone to the point where they want your guts for garters? Any psycho-babes lingering in the mists of your personal history? How do you protect against that kind of threat? Do you? Enquiring minds want to know.

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44 COMMENTS

  1. I am fairly certain that the odds of me being stalked and/or attacked by a former lover are somewhere near the odds of finding intelligent life inside the DC Beltway.

    • you might be surprised about the abundance of intelligence inside the beltway we just don’t work for the Federal Gov.

      but on the topic of enemies, other than a psycho ex in NYC which doesn’t know where I live, I have no enemies.

      • My comment was of course directed at our public “servants”, dan. Private sector guys in DC have never been anything but courteous to me. But then, I stay out of the bad parts.

    • Please remember that “Inside the Beltway” includes a chunk of northern Virginia, including the City of Alexandria. Now I will admit most of Alexandria’s politicians would fit right in in DC (that is an awkward formulation, anyone know to fix that “in in” part?) But 40% of our citizens didn’t vote for Kerry or Obama!

  3. Lee: Insults swallowed – none. Enemies – none.
    Chris: No enemies?
    Lee: Alive.

    I have no enemies, only ex-wives.

  4. I believe this is an important question to pose, as in the event an upstanding citizen is forced to lay out a felon the pond scum’s relatives or criminal associates will at minimum threaten the upstanding citizen with lethal retaliation, and in two cases I have read they actually carried it out. As I remember this was the reason Lance Thomas went online-only with his watch business in Los Angeles , as he had thwarted so many criminal attempts on his store that the LA underworld green lit him and any customers who visited his store.

  5. “Any psycho-babes lingering in the mists of your personal history?” Just because a reader here does not believe any ex-girl friends are that volatile mix of psycho, lonely, older, and single, and now blaming the reader for their ruined life does not mean in reality those ex psycho-babe gf are not out there planning and waiting and growing crazier by the day. Aw heck, I’m sure there is nothing to worry about. You all have a great weekend. Just keep your backs to the wall and your powder dry.

  6. When your ex-GF screams “I will not be ignored” and serves up a big pot of rabbit stew, it’s time to buy a shotgun.

    There’s an old saying: keep your friends close and shoot your enemies.

    Or words to that effect.

  10. Just…an ex gf, all her future bfs, half her entire family, and anyone I’ve pissed off and forgotten. Like any other guy.

    Home carry, conceal carry, lots of range time, watching my back. With any luck I keep the list short enough to dispatch of with a couple mags if they all show up at once.

  12. Hmm. An ex-wife who’s probably mad enough, but is still trying to milk me for money, so I think I’m OK there. An ex-girlfriend who is psycho enough, but lives in Europe now and doesn’t know where I am. No one else really cares. . .which is fine with me.

  14. When one works in the prison system or with the juvenile offenders, the potential is always there.
    -Our strategy is:
    1) All the family lives in the same area – back in the sticks where it’s hard for city boys to find. (The stories we can tell about those inmates/jv’s who tried to escape through the woods…)
    2) Every house has a field of fire that covers the others.
    3) Our neighbors also are covered, and cover us.
    4) Everyone has dogs. Annoying, barking, large dogs.

    Also the unspoken rule around prisons is: if it’s dressed like an inmate, and isn’t where an inmate is supposed to be, holding it at gunpoint until the sheriff arrives is the order of the day. You live around here long enough & you know someone, or know of someone, who has been injured or killed by an inmate. You loose any compunctions about shooting first and asking questions later…

  15. Ok slightly off topic, but I had an idea for a QotD:

    We all know about the most firearm unfriendly places in America- Commiefornia, Massachusetts, Chicago and DC. But what are the most firearm friendly places in America?

    • One that’s probably not on a lot of people’s radar: Washington State. There’s a preemption law, so the state strictly limits what kind of gun laws a town can make, which means you don’t have the hellish patchwork of regulations you have in some areas. The Concealed Pistol License is shall issue, so if you’re not disqualified in some way, the issuing authority must issue it to you within 30 days. Some places will take the full 30 days, but I’ve heard of it taking as little as three. It costs around $55 and there’s no training requirement.

      With a CPL, there’s no waiting period, other than any you might get from the NICS. We’re also a “no duty to retreat” state, so you have the right to defend yourself or another against the threat of death or serious harm in any place you’re legally allowed to be.

      About the only things that need fixing are the fact that you can’t carry in a bar or bar area of a restaurant, even if you’re not drinking, and short barreled rifles and shotguns are still illegal.

    • I’d say Pennsylvania. Shall issue LTCF $24 for paper permit, laminated may be extra. PA resident permit honored by 30 states. Castle doctrine, no duty to retreat, no prohibition outside of the federally defined areas. No state level restrictions on gun types. No capacity limits, suppressors ok, SBR ok SBS ok (with federal tax stamp). Can carry in bars and restaurants, Pretty sure you can have a drink too. Can carry open or concealed with LTCF in Philadelphia. Open carry with no permit everywhere else. Tons of shooting ranges. Issues out of state permits. Out of state PA permit honored by 24 states.

      Also there is no length limit on a folding OR belt knives in PA.

      -D

      • Pennsylvania does have very sensible gun laws with the exceptions you mentioned. I’ve found I can learn something useful from almost anyone if I listen: It wasn’t until President Obama said during a smug San Francisco fundraiser that in Pennsylvania “they cling to their bible and their gun” for comfort in the hard times. I hadn’t thought of it. Turns out it works. Very comforting. Who knew?

    • Texas, of course. If you have no issues with some mandatory training in safety & use, and making a minimum score on the firing line. (And what sensible person would?)

      Wish the on-campus carry had passed, but Texas has always had a good attitude toward carrying.

    • Arizona is probably #1.

      Open carry is normal and no license required for conceal carry.

      Walk into a gun store in AZ with the cash, walk out 15 minutes later with your purchase, whether short or long arm.

  16. I’ve had plenty of people threaten to kill/hurt/do the unspeakable to me. Some apologize after they sober up and some stay defiant right up until they get dropped off at the state prison. I try to stay alert, I have a big ass dog and am unlisted. Luckily my favorite scumbags are permanently listed, so I always know where they are.

  17. I have the same enemy out to harm me as every other US citizen – the US government. The problem is, how do you resist an enemy that so many millions are convinced via Stockholm Syndrome to be their friend?

    • They’re probably not out to get you specifically, it’s just that you might not be able to tell the difference when they do.

      And the answer is ‘get the heck out of the US to a more free country’. However, there’s usually downsides to those other countries.

      • There aren’t really any “more free” countries – at least not in the developed world. If there was, I think you’d see a mass exodus from the US.

        • Yup. Any place where the government will just leave you be tends not to be classified as a ‘developed’ country. If the trappings of developed countries are of little interest to you, go for it. Unfortunately for most, they’re enough to put up with the BS they must bear from their government.

  19. UAW, USWA, GMP goon squads. A few drug dealers who also happened to be USWA goon squad members. A few criminals that I called the cops on and they went on extended vacations.
    A few disgruntled employees here and there.
    Counter measures.
    Live in the country. Big Dog. ADT Signs. neighbors, friends, locks, outside lights, situational awareness, weapons.

    • Fair enough but what court of law will let you not rot in prison if your reason for putting a bullet into the injured party was them hurting your feelings?

  23. I have no enemies. But I’m a big believer in preparing for them, you know, the sniper’s nest in the attic, at least two weapons on my person at all times, hyper-awareness of my surroundings, never relaxing for a moment. Semper paratus, baby.

  24. Yep. As a Guardian ad Litem for children removed from their homes for a variety of reasons I’ve come in contact with various low-lifes who can’t accept responsibility for their own actions, or lack of appropriate, actions and see me as the reason they no longer have their children. In my neck of the woods there is a significant methamphetamine problem and many of these parents (using the term very loosely) are addicts and far from rational with violent tendencies. Protective measures include knowing more about them than they know about me, living in a rural location and having multiple & redundant layers of security such as fences, locked gates, security system, strategically placed prickly pear patches, and a couple of Great Pyrenees who in addition to watching the goats will patrol every inch of my property no matter the weather. I carry everywhere I can which is everywhere except in court, where I take less lethal options for the walk to and from my vehicle.

  25. none I know of . we hd a case here in town last week where a guy who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer decided he had notheing to lose so he shot and killed his ex when she showed up to pck up their daughter. things can change unexpectedly.

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