From our friends as Survival Cave Food:

Weapons to Protect Your Family

It’s always best to be safe rather than sorry. Unfortunately, there are some criminals may attack you or your family and you must know what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Many people say that the best way to keep safe from an intruder is to have a weapon.I believe the Best weapon is a gun. Why, well because number one, most people who see it, no longer want to bother you. Number two, you don't have to get close to your attacker to use it. Lastly, it can do lots of damage up to and including causing death.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to weaponry, but it is important to know how to care for and handle your weapon of choice, no matter which weapon you happen to choose.

There is a lot of debate about whether guns should be allowed in homes but we all know that a well protected home is always better. Keep in mind that you should not handle a gun if you have not been trained to do so. Take a class, complete with a safety course, and at least have a few practice trials You must always have a secure place where only you or very few people can access, such a safe with only one key. If you want to allow someone else to have access to that safe, they also must be trained to handle the fire arm. You should never let a child have access – never tell them where the key to the safe is. Better yet, don’t even let them know where the safe is. But you must remember that when you are home, that gun has to be available. If you can't get to your gun, you can't protect yourself. You should always consider what gun to get before purchasing one. Hand guns are small, compact, easy to store, and easy to hide. However, many have a very powerful recoil, so be aware of that. Also, be aware of where your hands are when handling the gun – too close to the top, and the top part of the gun will slide back (this is why it’s called the slide) and could catch and severely cut your hand – of course, you will learn this in a safety class. Each type of gun has its own advantages. Shotguns have a great scare factor.  The sound of a shell being chambered along with the size of it is quite intimidating. Hand guns are easy to get to and conceal and the best thing to do is to have one of each of these. Be absolutely positive when brandishing a firearm – if you are forced to use it, know that it completely necessary. Understand that when you shoot- you shoot to kill. If you are not prepared to do that then do not point your gun at anyone. Do not shoot at dark figures, because it may just be your teenager sneaking in after curfew or another family member.

If you do have a teenager you may want teach him or her to use your gun. Just make sure you get them trained properly. A stun gun or pepper spray are also good alternatives. Pepper spray can be kept on a key chain and can be the easiest to access. Bear spray can be used instead of pepper spray – the range is much farther. Stun guns are also useful, but it usually requires close contact. If you don’t want to use a weapon, walk with your keys between your knuckles when walking in unfamiliar or dark areas. A scrape across the face with some house keys cause a lot more damage than you would think. Knives are not recommended – close contact is required and when not handled properly, the situation can become very dangerous.

Of course, nothing beats a safety system at your home. A weapon should be a last resort. If you have a security system set up in your home, the police department will automatically be alerted and they are supposed to respond but what if they don't? Many cities are overwhelmed and you call may not get dispatched first. In the event there is a delay, you don't want to have to protect yourself with your bare hands. Another benefit to a home security system is, the loud alarm may scare off any unwanted intruders. Violence should not be your first choice but you need to be prepared to do what you need to protect your family.