[chicharrones]

"HOUSTON (FOX 26) - A University of Houston graduate student is doing an unusual study. He's going to give away 20-gauge single-shot shotguns in high-crime neighborhoods to see if it reduces crime.
"We're not just tossing a bunch of shotguns into a community and walking away," says Kyle Coplen. "What we're doing is finding residents who are interested in protecting themselves. we're not forcing guns on anyone."
He's started a group called the Armed Citizens Project. Here's the criteria for residents to get guns straight from its website:"

I saw this story in the Sunday paper, but only found a link here. Group giving away guns as a social experiment - Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston
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[chicharrones]

Personally, I think a single shot shotgun for home defense is not nearly enough.

 

[MOONDAWG]

Personally, I think a single shot shotgun for home defense is not nearly enough.

...sure enough good point...but...
Which bad guy want's to the the "Point Man"? :icon_ lala:

 

[LonestarJake]

Personally, I think a single shot shotgun for home defense is not nearly enough.

Reminds me of the old Sheriff, standing outside the Jail, facing an angry mob wanting to string some dastardly bad guy up.

Who wants that first bullet or blast from a shotgun? I don't want to be first, and every movie I ever saw, no one in the mob did either. It might just work!

 

[Laker]

Personally, I think a single shot shotgun for home defense is not nearly enough.

Firearms and home defense expert Joe Biden would disagree!

 

[RobThatsMe]

Why Heck, If you take the VP Biden's advice, then a shotgun is all you need to scare the BG away.
Perhaps we should only have "Starter Rounds" to use for them. All the bang without the punch!

 

[youngandfree]

Never mind.

 

[granthol]

Firearms and home defense expert Joe Biden would disagree!

Joe wants you to step out and fire a couple of shots to scare off the BG. With a single shot they can have the tv and be gone before you get the gun, shoot, reload, shoot and reload again.

 

[TexasAviator]

I think its an interesting experiment. Like Mooddawg said, who wants to be the first. Thats also assuming a bad guy knows its a single shot. Also when looking down that hole at the front of the barrel, a 20 guage isn't small...

 

[Wolf1477]

While I personally would go with something a bit beefier than a single shot 20ga, I applaud the idea. Hell, as long as he's not out to slant the statistics in either direction to fit a personal bias I'll be interested to see how what the results are. We have seen some fairly decent corollary evidence, but, nothing definitive to back our perceptions that more guns = less crime, but it'd be nice to see if there is a direct cause/effect.

I'm frankly amazed this guy could be a product of the modern higher education system.

 

[flintspraybomb]

20 gauge or not I still wouldn't wanna get hit with that

 

[whichfinger]

20 gauge or not I still wouldn't wanna get hit with that

Yep. 20 gauge MV matches 12 gauge*, slugs are just slightly smaller (a 328-grain slug at 1100-1200 fps is not to be denied penetration) and buckshot only comes in triple-aught.


*Not including 3 1/2" shells because there are none for the 20 gauge.

 

[mark45acp]

The people will probably turn them in at a gun buy back program.Or trade them for drugs.

 

[ccviper]

Who is gonna keep them from the guys who are gonna commit the crimes?? I think its a good idea in theory but not sure how it will turn out

 

[tazelmo]

I guess it is better then nothing.. All else fails you can swing it over your head and scream.. Might not work but will scare the crap out of them

 

[Rossi]

Jeez...I don't know about this...

 

[chicharrones]

I hope I get to hear about the statistics about this when the study is done. I do understand using a 20 gauge due to lower recoil. I also understand the reason behind a single shot, they are very affordable. I even get the idea about having an exposed hammer you have to cock manually. It's about the same as having to push off a manually operated safety.

Still, the real story is about the experiment of arming people that qualify. I do hope it goes well.

 

[ETF]

Yep. 20 gauge MV matches 12 gauge*, slugs are just slightly smaller (a 328-grain slug at 1100-1200 fps is not to be denied penetration) and buckshot only comes in triple-aught.


*Not including 3 1/2" shells because there are none for the 20 gauge.

I have nothing against the gauge but single shot .... not enough. My 20 gauge pump has stood against the wall by the nightstand for 20 years. It's loaded with #3 buck by the way.

 

[Wingshot]

So it sounds to me as if the student is trying to reason whether an armed society is safer than one that is not? Should be an easy A+ on his paper if the professor just looks at the statistical data. I'll bet this kid built a crappy volcano for a science project.




(Edit) Anyone that wants to test a blast from my 20 guage, the line forms here.

 

[ETF]

(Edit) Anyone that wants to test a blast from my 20 guage, the line forms here.

Not me. As I said, I've had one beside my bed for 20 years. At inside the house shooting distances it's a fearsome weapon, much better than a 12 gauge. (That'll start some discussion). Besides, I just like the 20 gauge and always have, partly because my wife can shoot it. She has trouble with a 12 gauge and finds it really unpleasant to shoot.