From Rifles to Robbers: Montana’s Take on Home Defense

Today, we started our 30 Guns In 30 Days promotion for the fire department. There are some really nice firearms coming up over the next month. I was thinking this morning about gun owners here versus those in Colorado, for instance. Over the weekend, I saw video footage of members of a Venezuelan gang that is now terrorizing apartment complexes in Aurora. There are four or five of them, armed, who break into apartments and rob them clean.

Now, back to our gun drawing. Are you really prepared to use your gun if needed? If someone were to break into your home brandishing a firearm, would you—or could you—use yours for protection? If you can't pull the trigger, you probably shouldn't have one around the house. Guns only work as well as the person who owns them. Rifles are a different story because so many people in Montana hunt and wouldn't use them for personal protection. It would be really tough to pull the trigger, but are you willing to take the chance that they won't pull theirs?

Some people are just frightened by the thought of a firearm in the house, but you should at least have something like a Taser or pepper spray. These criminals aren't stupid; they carefully pick a vulnerable target—unless they're high on drugs, in which case they are capable of anything. I think if these gang members started their escapades in Montana, they would be greeted differently than in Colorado. Maybe our reputation here is a good thing.

See you tomorrow at 5.