I would appreciate some advice

[lawrnk]

This afternoon, my 21 yoa daughter came by the house to visit. While she was here she mentioned that her downstairs neighbor called her and asked her if she had tried to come in around 5am this morning. (My daughter lives in a duplex in the second floor unit with an entry door on the first floor.) No, she hadn't. Well, the neighbor tells her that she heard someone trying to open the downstair door and this is the second time in the past couple of weeks. To make things worse, my daughter tells me that her outside lights do not work. Needless to say this caused me great concern for her safety.

I went my gun safe and offered her a 5 shot 38 caliber Charter Arms revolver and told her to take it for her protection. Now for the record, she has never shown an interest in guns and has never shot one. With that in mind, I felt that a revolver was probably the best option for her. I showed her how to load and unload it, had her dry fire it, and discussed gun safety as well as when she should use it. She accepted all of this and said "Dad, if you want me to take this I will, its up to you". At that point, I began having some second thoughts - she had never even held a gun until tonight (yes, I know - my fault), she had no training, if she got scared would she accidentally shoot her roommate in the darkness? What if some of her college friends found it and started having horse play with it? I finally decided that there were too many "what if's" and took the gun back.

Did I make a mistake?

We WILL be going to the range together as soon as our schedules allow.

That is a tough one, but I'd probably not give a firearm to someone who has not shot one previously. I would be concerned it could be wrestled from her, or that the DA of a revolver and a strong pull might make her shot go wild and hit the person in the duplex, etc.. I'm guessing she is a student? Drive up and take her to the range maybe?

[sar]

If her apartment allows dogs, a nice large barking dog offers protection, companionship and is a great deterent. There are always dogs available for adoption in various rescue programs.

Our dog is a german sheperd mix. Not very big-only 50 lbs. Was a rescue adoption. When she barks, she sounds like a 150lb attack dog, but is friendly to all guests and children. I know for a fact she would unhesitatingly attack anyone who tried to hurt my daughter and would likely have to be killed to be stopped. When I'm not home overnight, my wife finds a lot of comfort in having her around.

I realize college scheduling an apartment life may be prohibitive factors, but if possible, it's an excellent option with many more benefits than just protection.

[Commander]

My daughter's landlord came and fixed the exterior lights. I've gotten her a 2 oz can of pepper spray and will be buying a motion detector alarm to install in the stairwell leading up to her apartment. Her downstairs neighbor now knows not to assume its my daughter coming in late and to call the local PD next time she hears someone rattling the door. (My daughter is a student at Texas A&M University- Commerce.)

This weekend, I hope to get the both of us to the range. But I don't think that one trip will be enough to give me enough confidence to give her a gun yet. We'll have to see how she does.

I appreciate everyone's comments and the thoughts that went into them.

[NcongruNt]

My sister really didn't seem to comprehend the danger involved, the best way I could get her interested was by explaining the grim realities.

It was the same with my girlfriend. It seems like the importance of self-defense and arming one's self sank in for her after I told her the story of my mother's murder. I have a brief explanation of what happened here:

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... 9198#69198