[Doc Hoy]

...and I know there are smarter folks out there.

But I would not rely upon a BP revolver for personal protection unless, for some reason, a cartridge pistol were unavailable.

Too much can go wrong and frequently does on a Remington or Colt. Plus, you are limited to six shots.

Trying to fiddle around putting caps on a revolver if an intruder wakes you from a dead sleep is only the start of the potential difficulties.

If the intruder has the drop on you and you are trying to get your revolver into battery, he can potentially shoot you and claim self defense. Okay so he gets jail time for the invasion but he escapes having to answer for killing you.

Cap fragment gets into the works after the first shot...The intruder is not likely to wait while you field strip the revolver to free it up. No he is going to kill you and because you are holding, what any logical person (not to mention any smart lawyer) would assume is a very lethal weapon, he is going to beat the wrap on a claim of self defense.

I understand the almost universal requirement to flee if an exit exists. But here is an intruder in an unfamiliar place. A smart lawyer would have the culprit testify that he did not have time to familiarize himself with the lay of the house. He had no alternative but to shoot you to preserve his own life. As detestibly wrong as it sounds, I think it happens. It happened in Hampton Roads that a drug dealer beat the wrap for killing a police officer on a very similar defense.

Lets say you cock the pistol and pull the trigger but the first shot fails to discharge. Now, not only are you holding a lethal weapon from which the intruder has a right to protect himself, you have already indicated by your behavior an intent to kill him. Smart lawyer field day.

Second amendment, fifth amendment and sixth amendment be darned....The lawyer will win. Our self defense rights, our right to keep and bear arms, our right to be secure in our person and property are being eroded. The reason they are being eroded because, through our best intentions we are providing the smart lawyers with the fodder they need to tear up the constitution.

Sorry fellas....I am proabably wrong about virtually everything in this post but there are certain things in life that just make me mad. So logic and correctness and accuracy go out the window and emotion kicks in.