Well done, Earl. You're still a hero and a humble giant after all these years.

Umm this gun grabbing liberal would grab the revolver in her nightstand and shoot the intruder. Don't be so quick to apply labels and pass judgement.

How would a liberal have responded in this situation you ask? Well since you're being retarded and bringing politics into this, let's say this liberal would've shot the burglar in the face. And this liberal applauds the vet for being such a good shot

Did I miss something in the article? As far as I know Earl is a Liberal gun toter like me. Check your facts COYO, over half the gun owners in the US are Liberals. This liberal Nam vet would cap anyone who broke into my house.

This and all potential burglars should know better than to offend on someone who was trained to kill people! A dead burglar will NEVER reoffend! I am a proud progressive!

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm "Don't Mess With Earl ....... He'll Blow Your Ass Away!"

Thank you there are still some of those of the great generation left to keep order in the world this WW2 veteran is old school threaten me and i will take care of business and think of how much of the tax payers money we saved Thank you kind sir thank you very much indeed I salute you the likes of a generation like you will NEVER be in the united states again never.........................................

Good for you Earl.

Everyone seems to think that 90% of the automatic weapons were bought legally, if the truth be told there has been a black market for these weapons as far back as WW1, also to add to that that all who has acquired these weapons both legally and not so legally are not all mass murders.

"especially the current commander and chief who has done nothing but pass laws in favor of gun corporations and ownership" Tercel, How naive can you be? If he is for ownership, then why did he ban the M-1 Garands, and The M-1 30 Carbines from coming back to the US for the collectors. Also why is he , Pelosi, and Clinton trying so hard to get the UN Small Arms Treaty Act through which would effectively open the way to a complete ban of all civilian arms. Get A Clue you idiot and enough with your gun grabbing BS lies.

So, a .22 gun killed a man and you guys seem to think it is an automatic gun problem? When will you folks wake up and realize it's not the gun. It's the nut. You can load a boat load of .22's in most rifles.

Just Wrong

When all those weapons have been confiscated only the criminals and gang bangers will have them. Doesn't the word criminal mean anything to you???

"Our houses are protected by the good lord and a gun; and you might meet 'em both if you show up here not welcome, son." Josh Thompson

TO the guy who claims that all the gang banging thugs are using "assault rifles"... I think you need to check the FBI statistics. It's less than 5% of all gun crimes. AR's and other semi auto rifles are used in many forms of hunting and competitions. 3 gun comps are increasingly popular. Even if the lefty anti gun crowd had thier wet dream happen and those types of arms were outlawed... the Mexians would just start bringing them in like they do all the Meth, Coke, Heroin and Weed. It's really boild down to a simple statement; when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will own guns.

If the democrats don't want to ban guns, then how come they are the ones who write all the anti-gun bills? I challenge you to find a bill wrote by a republican that calls for banning guns! Not one who signed a bill, one who wrote a bill. I'm bettuing you can't count more than the one finger I'm holding up right now.

He wanted another one to come up. Ha! They thought they were dealing with a helpless old man. Think again!

MIKE680333

When asked how the NRA knows Obama is going to take their guns away their reply is...........

"because he hasn't tried to take away our guns yet"

Under Obama, open carry laws in parks have been expanded and not once has he proposed restricting gun rights. The NRA keeps you under control with FEAR of something that isn't going to happen.

Way to go old dude. A lot of old dudes don't bull@!$%#. Knowing the way things are today if they knew anything about Earl they were on the hunt for prescription medicine.

He used Kentucky Windage to hit the perp.

the 2 that were with the one shot should be charged with first degree murder because of the crime and they were there and good for the vet.

This liberal would have used at least 2 of the 18 in his Ruger SR9 that are kept next to my bed. When are conservatives going to learn there is no hard line with liberal on one side and conservative on the other. Or maybe I'm an enigma.

The guns we have problems with are automatic and semi-automatic weapons the thugs in the 'hood use.

I am a white male who lives on Palm Beach and owns his own business. I have over a dozen Semi Automatic Rifles and I can't even begin to tell you how many side arms. At least 20 or so. I also have plenty of friends -also white and surburban- who own Semi Automatic weapons. And there are thousands of other surburban white people who have them.

Your comment was total bull@!$%# as racist as all hell.....

Good for you Sir. I commend your bravery in protecting your home and your life.

Thank you for your service to our country.

Wow, 1 for gun ownership, 100,000 against! And to think, he didn't need an assault weapon to protect himself either!

@descrs

He would have if jack booted thugs from the federal govt. came a knocking!

The Dog

Look at all the lib’s trying to latch on to gun ownership. Why, just a few weeks ago you saying guns should be outlawed.

It’s the conservatives who will tell you, we have enough gun laws, they just need to be enforced.

"gun owning liberals" Hahaha...thats a good one.

You must live under a rock. (lol) You do realize there are millions of Democrats who own guns right? The only difference is they're smart enough to NOT LET any politician use "guns" as a way of getting their vote. I'm far more concerned about jobs, healthcare, education, social security, etc. You go right ahead and worry about your "guns". (LOL)

I can't remember, are liberals fore or against gun control. I can never keep track of these things, I just make up my own mind on each individual subject.

A 92-year-old shoots an intruder dead with one round from a .22...I'd call that a case of serious under-kill. Nice shootin', Tex!

Awesome story- I'm frankly shocked the liberal media wants you to see it!

J_P_PatchesPal_1 if this guy didnt have to come out of his pocket to buy meds that keep him alive then he might be able to afford a home security system like your house has so what if you have one. this story just proves one thing a single shot can take care of a lot of whats wrong in this country kudos MR JONES

bandit-3097615 sometimes the wrong choice is just that WRONG. if this guys parents would have taught him right from wrong then he wouldn't be in the news now would he ??? there are consequences to every one of your actions be prepared.

on a side note i don't care if your liberal ,conservative ,black white ,red, yellow, man ,woman if you come in my home uninvited remember these words now i lay me down to sleep beside my bed a Smith and Wesson i keep.

If i wake and find you inside ,the corners van will be your final ride .

have a great night

Kudos to you Earl!!! You should be given a medal. It's about time someone took a stand against these little home-grown terrorists who make innocent people's lives a living hell. These guys got exactly what they deserved, what gives them the right to take something from someone who has not only worked his whole life for what little he does have? Because they are too freaking lazy to go out and get a real job and be contributing members of society, it's too easy to get it the easy way....stealing.

Earl is the epitome of manliness. He is what this country is founded on. The right to bear arms and protect our property. He not only protected us and our country, he put his life on the line every minute of the day for us in WW2. He deserves a medal and financial compensation from these @!$%# punks.

Worm meat "gun owning liberals" Hahaha...thats a good one.

Don't be so stupid to think everybody fits into your mold. I'm as liberal as they come, also a Viet Nam vet that saw lots of action, former Marine and I have 15 different pistols, shotguns and rifles that I shoot regularly. Gun ownership is part of the definition of being liberal. We can do what we want.

Bravo Mr. Jones, Bravo! Makes me proud my family tree goes back to the early 1800s and settled the Kentucky area. If you weren't a good shot, then you didn't live. Survival of the fittest.

I, for one, am extremely proud of this Veteran and Kentucky man who took down several guys with one shot!

Liberal or Conservative who gives a s***. I am glad Kentucky PD ain't pressing charges at this time.

Bandit-3097615 do think they were just rob him and say hey thanks for your stuff have a nice day.

Some people have no clue what a gun is other than it goes bang lol to a comment above "Gun grabbing liberals, as you refer to them, have no problem with handguns, rifles or shotguns. The guns we have problems with are automatic and semi-automatic weapons the thugs in the 'hood use" Handguns, rifles, and shotguns are all semi-automatic fool! Unless you are using a muzzle loader or bolt action. Police, military, target, and home defense pistols in general are all semi-automatic. Though with a double action revolver you can somewhat shoot semi-auto i would not call a revolver such. So please before you bad mouth any gun learn a little bit first! By saying you have an issue with semi-automatic weapons you are saying you have an issue with practically every gun made today. FACT is not a "four letter word" (even though it has four letters) =P

I salute you sir for once again doing your country justice. If some of these pill heads realize that people are tired of becoming victims the crime rate may start to decline. There's a big difference between losing your life instead of some judge smacking you on the hand and saying " bad boy"

MillerMan15;

By "Automatic" weapons, I assume you mean fully automatic, i.e. machine guns? If so, it might interest you to know that before 1934 they were perfectly legal to buy and own in the U.S.. So any "black market started after 1934. Secondly since the National Firearms Act of 1934 they are highly regulated. Possession outside the laws regulating them will get that person time in club fed. Possession of an unregistered and therefore illegal machine gun carries a ten year prison term.

After May 1986, no full auto can be transferred, constructed, assembled or registered for civilian use. In affect, civilians can't purchase any full auto made after May,86, only those registered and transferable before May 86.

Black market guns are risky at best, a set up at worst. The ATF routinely offers illegal guns for sale, its called a string and if you buy one, you will go to prison. The alternative is dealing with criminals or terrorists. Dealing in the shady world of black market arms is not generally thought of as honest and law abiding. So the courts have no problem putting people away for it.

• It's simple, F'k with the best, die like the rest. (WWII Vet)

Interesting to hear the conservatives talking about liberals writing anti-gun laws. But they won't answer for Mitt Romney having signed into law an anti-gun bill while governor. So who wants to take away your guns? As for the un Small Arms bill. That has been debunked so many times, it's not worth talking about.

The article says a .22 but there are a lot of .22 cal weapons besides the rim fire long.. You have the .22 magnum and the .22 bee along with all the other center fire variants of the .223 which are far more lethal than the humble .22long rifle.. It takes extreme skill and or luck to kill a man with the weak round.. We had several children killed at the high school so it is lethal enough I guess..

Mr. Obama is anti gun and his record as a politician in Illinois shows that.. But as a politician he knows that it is political suicide to push that agenda.. Sure the NRA has a lobby along with thousands of other groups but a lobby alone is no magic bullet.. Our government will never sign the total ban UN weapons treaty because the politicians involved would be impeached and our sponsorship would be withdrawn by the American people.. We have seen what length Mr. Obama was willing to go to further that cause with the Mexican gun scandal and attorney general Holder.. They were caught red handed and both still refuse to answer to the Senate committee investigating it.. Mitt Romney is also anti gun but he will also face the same political limitations.. With distraction due to cell phone accident fatalities being higher now than firearm fatalities the argument is getting weaker by the day..

Censorship in these threads may be happening.. I have had several posts just disappear along with other people I know saying the same thing.................

JustWrong, it's pretty obvious that you know absolutely nothing about guns since you are completely unaware of the fact that handguns and rifles can be either automatic and semi-automatic. You've obviously chosen your username well.

All the BS political remarks aside, I just want to say good job Earl. Showed this scumbag that you weren't going to take it lying down and made him pay for his bad decision. Yeah its never great when a life is lost but that POS decided he was going to rob someone and he his number got called instead. Hopefully the others will get their lives back on track now and learn from this. Again, great job Earl! Still standing up and protecting our country after all these years. The label "Greatest Generation " still seems to fit if you ask me. You've had a long life so far but to sort of quote Spock, may you live even longer and prosper more.

It is time

GEPTx If the crook was Black Jessy and Al would be swooping in asking for riots and the death penalty..

With that many break ins at his home it seems obvious that we are required to defend ourselves in the U.S. and the lie of police protection should be well known by now.. Not to say that 99% of our men in blue aren't doing their job.. They just can/t be everywhere all the time..

To all the leftist anti gunners here who are doing their best to politicize this. You are pathetic! I am neither a Democrat or a Republican. I have no political axe to grind. I am a pragmatist. This is not a political issue, so get that through your thick skulls! This is about the rights of a man defending his property and his life. It is a right granted to him by the Constitution of The United States, whether you like it or not. I sincerely applaud the man for doing so. I ama disabled retired vet with 20 years of service to my country that includes Vietnam and the 1st Gulf War who lives about 6 blocks from the border fence in SE Arizona. I have illegals running through here constantly, mostly at night and we have a high rate of home invasions by illegals. Having been the victim of one myself while I was at home I chose to arm myself with a 9mm pistol and a .22 cal semi-automatic rifle to protect my home and my grandchildren, one of whom lives with me. I have absolutely no compunction about shooting anyone who tries to force their way into my house uninvited with the intention of robbing, injuring, or killing me or one of my family. I am fairly certain Mr Jones probably felt the ame way. Sadly, most hard corps anti-gunners try to justify their view without ever having had to walk in somebody else's shoes.

Who cares what political stance he takes, good for him! A criminal who won't break into YOUR *insert your own political choice here* home and maybe kill you in your *insert your own political choice here* sleep. I don't understand why everything on this newsvine always boils down to politics or people calling others left wing, right wing, liberals, etc. Get your heads out of politics for a moment.

Some years ago I woke to find a strange man standing over my bed. I grabbed my weapon (a 44) and aimed it at his chest. He screamed and ran with me right behind him yelling like a lunatic. Once he was out of the house and headed down the street at a dead run I called police. They said they had been looking for a guy who was breaking into houses to steal and rape. To tell you the truth, I was unhappy I didn't have any bullets for the pistol, I do now.

I'm not out for vigilanty justice, but I do believe that this was the proper thing to do... Protect yourself, family and stuff from the thiefs. I wish more people could do this and make the thiefs think twice about home burglaries.

And for that one person that says alarm service and break proof windows, dont hold your breath on this, average response time for brinks is 5 min's from alarm to cops, and if you are home, you are hurt or dead... If you have never tested your service, most call you first and if there is no answer then the police. saves them a false alarm fee by the cops. And one last thing if someone wants in they will get in....

Having, owning a gun is nether liberal or conservative... Americans from both parties own guns...

It's just that the republicans and the NRA always make gun ownership an issue during each election...

Congratulation to this WWII vet. I'm glad he's healthy and sound... All the best to him...

Killing someone with a single .22 LR shot is not common at all. either a very good shot placement or luck. Well done, oldtimer!

@ Just Wrong, post 1.4

What is wrong with owning a Simi-automatic weapon whether it is a hand gun, shot gun or a rifle? Do you know the difference between an automatic and Simi-auto? I truly hope you don't own a gun, this is basic knowledge.

Thanks Confussed, I was going to post a similar response.

And the question is, was "his loaded .22-caliber rifle" {which would be illegal, (being loaded and in an unsafe configuration)in D.C. and several other municipalities} a semi-auto rifle? With a high capacity magazine?

And WOW, MSNBC actually ran a story about a gun being used in self defense. Did Hell freeze over? It must have, which would explain the temperature drop here. It has been over a hundred the last couple days and is expected to be in the 70's by Saturday.

Nice shot, Mr. Jones, and thanks again for your service !!!

Way to go Mr Jones. I'm glad you were able to defend yourself and your property.

For you liberal gun owners, the line between liberal and conservative has been dragged

way to your left. Welcome to conservatism.

If you own a gun you ain't a liberal anymore!

to Charles Bubba Carver, If I woke up to find YOU in MY house, I'd figure you were just there to pick up your Mama...

JP Patches.... Why are you spreading misinformation and/or lies? You knowledge of WW2 is a joke and a disgrace. It is also an attack on the ones who gave their lives or were inured as well as the families who suffered.

There were roughly 400,000 American casualties moron.

If it were not for the strong action of a Democratic President in dropping the atom bombs on Japan the number would have been three times that.

You are an idiot, the definition of a troll, and a spineless coward. Do you have any more examples of ignorance you would like to share with the "community"

pffffffft

92 years old and still dead eye aim! Killing someone, hell anything, with a single shot from a .22 is impressive. Well done sir!

Mr. Earl, you have my respect for having served our country. My father was in World War II also. I have to say, my dad would have done the same thing you did. Probably would have taken care of the problem the first time they robbed his place.

Patches the clown: Huh, wonder how well you are gonna do if the thief cuts off the power from the house to your precious security system. I would lay bets that we will be reading your obituary, sir.

If I had my choice of whose house I would rather be in when a robbery took place, it would definitely be Mr. Earl's. Although I may bring along MY weapon of choice...9mm. And if they are unlucky enough to be robbing my place when my husband the cop is home, he has a whole array of playthings...Tazer, Mace, Glock.....and trust me there probably won't be any survivors.

i have 140 lbs of chocolate lab, he can hear a mouse fart at 500 yards, and smell it too.....HE is my early warning system. if you are skulking around my house he will know and most importantly I will know and if you hear that loud bark and are stupid enough to still try and get in, then you deserve every bullet that comes your way.........and oh yeah, nice shot earl! with a .22 no less.......be sure of your target, hit what you aim at with the first shot, that is the one that really counts , you may not get a second shot.

to J_P_PatchesPal_1-

The average time that a US Soldier was deployed on active duty out of the US during WWII was 16 MONTHS not 30 days. How you could even think that was correct much less post it is beyond belief.

To Mr. Jones-

I thank you for your service and sacrifice. It may have been 70 years ago but we still benefit from the actions and dedication of people like yourself so long ago.

This just proves that you can take a soldier out of the fight but you can't take the fight out of the soldier. Nicely done Sir.

kilroy. I have 130 pounds of lab too. He won't bark first though. He will sneak up on you and get your ass... LOL. Don't you just love our dogs!!!!???

The "humble" .22 Long Rifle has killed more people than any other round on the planet. The Mossad has useda silenced .22 Long pistol as an assassin weapon from 1948 til- now. A head shot is mostly lethal, body shots often are absolutely devastating, often in areas that a heavier caliber just causes a flesh wound. A semi- or full-automatic .22 can chop a hole thru a cinder-block wall you can walk thru. Like a long-distance chain-saw.

Maybe I should just shut up around most of this crowd...

Well done Mr Jones.

Max, as Roadrunner pointed out, the article only says .22 caliber rifle, & there are many .22 cals that are more powerful than a .22 LR.

Cmach,

love my lab! he is my buddy!!......awesome dogs, he can spell! if i say to my wife i think i will take the dog for a w-a-l-k he goes nuts, you cannot say leash or spell it out.. no dice he knows.! you know he gave my land lady one of those growls that scare the sh@t out of you but meant as a warning when she was in my house acting like a fool yelling and throwing a fit, she calmed down real quick he cornered a neighbor kid in the back yard who had climbed over the fence to get his model rocket , just barked till i came out and stood him down . really mild temperament, but i have no doubt that if you tried to harm me or mine you are a chew toy in the worse way. yep love my lab.!

I don't know about the .22 being a bit light in the man-stopping department. It stopped THIS man...

It was a well placed shot that caused this man to expire 8) I'm glad the old timer didn't wound the suspect cause he would have been beaten to death.

Vet 1

criminal 0

Why did the authorities take this man's gun? He was told to put his hands up, his weapon confiscated, all for protecting his life? What a screwed up world.

Big mistake a lot of people make is getting a gun that is too big. If the recoil throws your aim off, it doesn't mean anything. For a 92-year old man, a .22 is a good choice. Seems to have been effective.

Whatever works. Just dont be suprised if you shoot someone 10 times with a 22. and it takes him a good long time to go down. I have seen a guy get hit 8+ times in the torso with the larger 9mm round ...after which he sprinted 3 blocks, dialed police and was talking as they loaded him in the Abulance. He survived. Its not like on TV where every gun shot causes the bad guy to instantly drop to the ground. He could have lived 5 more min with a 22. in the heart.

not if you can shoot well....and the old guy proved that 1 shot to the chest...DEAD ....awesome job

just because you have a big gun doesn't matter you need to know how to use them and be able to handle the gun whatever it is you choose....I have several different ones....myself I like my 2 shot gun's for in the house.

Anger...Its all about bullet placement...theres been more people killed with a .22 than any other caliber...

camperben, I'm sort of in your camp. Somebody comes in my house, they're looking at a sawed off 12 gauge with 00 buck. I'm an expert marksman with a rifle and want nothing to do with that when confronted by a bad guy - I want him down, permanently, now! In that situation I can never be sure I have the time for a well placed shot and a shotgun removes all those issues immediately!

To those who are belittling the venerable .22LR need to understand that it, single handedly, is the most deadly round in non-combat settings (not on war grounds). This means that is has killed more non-combatants (I know, I know, this is an oxymoron) than any other round. It's cheap, It's easy to shoot, and believe me it will hurt an assailant very badly. Well placed, or peppered, typically folks that are shot with the .22LR are goners.

Now having said that I too would prefer something along the lines of a .38 special compact model for self defense.....but a .22 Ruger handgun with a 10 round mag would probably be just a effective, maybe more in less experienced hands.

The Dog

Sheila, there was nothing in the article about taking his gun or raising his hands. If it was done, it was to verify that his gun shot the perp. That would be standard procedure. As for putting his hands up, that is also SOP. Many people who have just shot someone are agitated and distracted. The cops don't want to get accidentally shot by someone who is gesturing about how it all happened. He will get his gun back.

I second that elk_767, After we booted out my psychotic stepfather I was still worried about my mom after I moved out for college. She especially had a scary episode after she came home from shopping and found some of her stuff in the closet gone through and one of his signature flashlights on the floor. I now make sure she has an express pump near her bed with a half dozen buckshot.

I fully agree with how earl jones handled his intruder, kicking in the door could've very well been malicious intent.

The 22 and 25 caliber revolvers were often the weapon of choice for hired and professional assassins for two very simple reasons. One they were relatively quiet and easily silenced. Two they were highly effective in close range hits where a shot could be placed perfectly such as at the base of the skull in the nape of the neck. Also the bullet seldom had enough velocity to escape the brain case and it left a very small wound that was difficult to detect at first glance. This gave the assailant time to escape in many cases because nearby witnesses simply didn't know what had happened.

Another feature is the fact that they are inexpensive weapons so you don't mind simply discarding it after making a hit which limits the traceability to the perpetrator. Usually a 22 is quite small and easily concealed as well. Folks who want a big bang like the 357 mag. or 44 mag. are generally just being macho and not very practical. Big bang equal big bucks in most cases and shooting accuracy is just as attainable with a 22 LR as with a Barrett 50 cal. except for the range issue. Besides you generally aren't going to have to worry about range when confronting an intruder in your home. In most cases you are going to be within 20 feet or less from your intended target.

My guess is a 22 is the only fire arm he owns. If you only have one gun a 22 is about as good a gun for target shooting, hunting, and in this case home defense. Me personally a shot gun with buck shot is the best as it wont go through your neighbors house and if you hit some one a 12 gauge will knock them down, which is what you want. Most likely it will also kill who ever you hit. That's the reason the military had the 45 colt for close in fighting. Get hit with one, any where you will be on your butt wondering what happened if it didn't kill.

A .22 doesn't have the knock down power you want in a case like this. You want a hollow point to inflict maximum damage and .22 don't come in hollow point. I shot a deer in the heart with a 30-06 150 grain soft point and it still ran 80 yards.

@RC

I beg to differ; while the .22 lacks "knock down" power it is easy to control and they do come in nasty little hollow points. Any thing that's shot is going to run unless you blow it's head off, and even then you'd be suprised. The .22 may not knock an assailant on their ass, but it will put them down, and in most cases, permanently.

While I would never condone this, I've seen deer sized game shot dead in thier tracks with a .17 WMR with a well placed shot. So, all of you who are belittling the .22 as a defensive weapon are short sighted.......

The Dog.

The .22 is the Israeli assassination weapon of choice. It enters the body and doesn't have enough force to leave, but travels a mile along the bones ripping apart every organ in its way. The US SEALS carry .22 caliber pistols with silencers because they are quiet and deadly. Any questions?

I want to add to my last comment. Imagine a .22 bullet in the brain pan or trapped in the rib cage area bounching back and forth because it no longer has enough force to exit the body for a mile tearing apart everything in its path until it finally comes to a halt.

The .22 rimfire is quite lethal.

Ballistically, it may appear rather wimpy, and 'knockdown power' generally isn't synonymous with the .22, but it has pretty fair penetration capability in the human body and will cause significant tissue damage in the form of bleeding and laceration of internal organs.

Instantly killing or incapacitating someone with a single .22 bullet is less than likely, but between exsanguination or possible resulting infection from an untreated or poorly treated .22 bullet wound, it most certainly can result in death.

RC-1244080

You are incorrect about non-hollow point .22 caliber rounds. 22LR rounds can be found in ball and hollow point at any sporting goods stores. Even Walmart sells them. I worked for a medical examiner's office several years ago and can tell you that a 22LR hollow point inflicts a very nasty wound tract. As TheKhanKubla stated above, a 22 round lacks the velocity to create a through and through wound. the 22 round ricochets around inside the body causing catastrophic internal wounds.

Yea you guys are right they do come in hollow points. I only use a .22 against soda cans and never even inquired about hollow points. The wise guys even use a .22 short in the back of the head and inflict major damage bouncing around inside with no exit wound. I imagine a .22 hollow point would be good for squirrels.

IT IS! Not even a grand mal seizure, one and done. The .177 cal. air rifle, even with a well placed shot using super point will almost every time take a few seconds.

This old man was, and still is, a WARRIOR. .22 is all he needs to neutralize a target.

You have to be pretty good shot or pretty lucky to kill someone with with a single shot from a .22LR but then I guess he was a vet.

Not said in story, but my guess is this might be the only gun he owns. If you only have one gun a 22 is about the best all around to have. Good for hunting (other then birds) target shooting, home defense. To me the best home defense gun is a 12 gauge loaded with buck shot. This load is very deadly but wont go through your neighbors house. Just looking down the barrels of a 12 gauge makes handguns and rifles seem puny. To the guy with the sawed off shot gun, good luck after you use it and it becomes public knowledge. The feds will be all over you, very against the law to modify the length of a shot gun, thank you Al Capone and his thugs.

My father brought back a German Mauser sniper rifle he when he returned from WW11. It was a beautifully made weapon with extreme accuracy. As a child I would hunt with it and could shoot out to 400 yards and hit my quarry every shot. There was never any doubt in my mind about whether or not it was lethal as it could shoot right through a 4" fence post. I'm sure I could kill some one with my .177 pellet gun given the proper shot placement!

Why did the authorities take this man's gun? He was told to put his hands up, his weapon confiscated, all for protecting his life?

This is more or less standard law enforcement procedure. The gun was taken into evidence, in the event that something is discovered that would indicate that there's more to this than it first appears. My guess is that he'd be getting it back fairly soon, but it may very well be test fired and an example bullet kept by the authorities, who will investigate this using forensic science to ensure that the physical evidence is consistent with the veteran's story. I'm pretty sure it will be. When the officers showed up, they have no way of knowing exactly what they're walking into. They don't know the man, only the very basics of the situation, and an armed stranger in the same room is a safety hazard to them. Giving him the benefit of the doubt could - and has in the past - proven to be a fatal mistake. Better safe than sorry, even if it comes across as being rude. Unfortunately, this is part of law enforcement at this late date.

Not said in story, but my guess is this might be the only gun he owns.

Maybe. Or, it could be the gun he kept handy for dealing with various 'pests' in a range of sizes.

very against the law to modify the length of a shot gun,

Not at all. You don't want to end up with a short barreled shotgun, which in BATFE terminology is a smooth-bore gun with a barrel of less than 18" of length. It would then need to be registered and the tax paid, assuming you've followed the process and no local laws where you live prohibit it. Also, the shotgun must be at least 26" long overall. If you want to have the barrel cut down to 20" or 18 1/2" on a standard pump repeater, no problem. Cutting down a single or a double to 18" then 'converting' it to a pistol grip type of stock using a saw will probably get you less than 26" overall length, though. If you've got a Mossberg 500 12 gauge shotgun, you can buy a factory 18" cylinder bore barrel with a bead sight that can be swapped in and out with a bird or deer barrel in seconds whenever you want to. I'm not sure if a 'security' barrel for a Remington 870 is currently available or not.

I recommend #1 buckshot. Not the easiest to find, but it's just the 'right' size to adequately penetrate an assailant but not your walls.

for all of you "dirty harry's", if you buy something you can't handle, and encounter this kind of a stituation, most likely you will get it taken away from you, and used on you. all of your "fire power" rants are invalid; the guy died from one shot. moral... buy the .22, take a gun safety class, and practice so you don't get killed trying to figure out how it works because you've never had it out of the box 'till now.

for all of you "dirty harry's", if you buy something you can't handle, and encounter this kind of a stituation, most likely you will get it taken away from you, and used on you.

Possible, but I don't feel that 'most likely' is the appropriate description of the situation.

Here's why:

1. What precisely does 'can't handle' mean? It could go two ways. One is not being familiar enough with your weapon to understand what is known as the 'manual of arms', which is 'gun speak' for 'how it operates'. It could also mean that the gun is of such size that it is physically very difficult or nearly impossible for the user to effectively use it, in the case of a very small person using a large gun, or vice versa, where a person with very large hands or stature is having problems with a gun that is too small and has either too short a length of pull (rifle, shotgun) or the trigger guard, hammer, or slide are not accommodating the user's large hands (very small handguns). The other possibility is that a gun has such a harsh recoil and/or muzzle report that the user flinches badly in anticipation of firing the shot and/or cannot make timely, useful follow-up shots (usually shotguns and very powerful handguns).

If you're unfamiliar with a gun to the point that you're pulling the trigger and it's not firing, I think the only way it's likely to be used against you if taken is as an impact weapon when you get bludgeoned with it. Odds that your assailant will know exactly what's wrong with it or would be willing to investigate the issue and resolve it while the two of you stand around waiting for a solution aren't too good. Generally, either he'll run, you'll run, or both! That's assuming, of course, that he sees you with a gun and isn't one to take the chance at first glance that you're having problems with it. To most people who are where they're not supposed to be, the sight of a GUN equals RUN!

If you're dealing with a somewhat unusual 'hard' case and an actual gunfight breaks out or else you're still assaulted with some type of weapon, or just assaulted, period, then you'll be in sorry shape if your gun isn't in working order. Some bad guys are very brazen, and some are just plain idiots, but one who doesn't take off when he encounters an armed homeowner is as dangerous as he is rare. Having a simple gun is best if you're not an accomplished enough shooter that handling guns successfully is second nature to you. A double action revolver is tough to beat, as it's ready to go 100% once you've loaded it and swung the cylinder closed. You can do that years prior, too. This might also work with a break barrel shotgun, provided it's a hammerless model. If you've got to chamber a round, cock a hammer, flip off a safety, or grip the thing a certain way before it'll fire, odds are very good you will forget to do one or more of those things unless you get that gun out and use it frequently. If you can't do that, or don't wish to, don't keep a gun for home defense that requires any of those actions! Like I said, a double action revolver, a hammerless break barrel shotgun, or else you could maybe get a pump shotgun and just plan to always rack it as you pick it up, at the possible cost of ejecting a live shell from the chamber that you might really want later on if things get very bad (multiple assailants).

For home defense, you don't need to be an expert shot. If you are, great, but at the point you can rightfully shoot an invader, they'll be close enough to you that the sights aren't going to be too important - just look down the barrel at them. Unless you live in a mansion, we're generally talking a distance of a dozen feet or less. Just be sure that when you pick your gun up, you know how to make it do what it's supposed to do!

'Dirty Harry' Callahan, as played by Clint Eastwood, stated in the second movie, Magnum Force, that he used a .44 Magnum with light loads because of the gun's balance and because he could hit what he was aiming at with it, not because of the power of the .44 Magnum round. Clint Eastwood, and by extension, his character, is a pretty big guy, so this would work for him. Having a gun pointed in your direction is very scary, but what is truly terrifying is when someone you are criminally assaulting presents a weapon and acts completely confident and professional in doing so. In other words, you (imagining yourself in the role of a housebreaker) have every reason to believe that you've just crossed paths with a professional - long time cop, former combat infantryman, etc. <gulp!> Kinda' takes the wind out of your sails, eh? Time to put your hands up and joke, "Oops! Sorry, must have gotten the wrong address..." while backing away. When a criminal, experienced or amateur, meets someone who is fumbling around and visibly intimidated, then that evens the odds up for them quite a lot.

buy the .22

Nothing wrong with this, if a .22 of some sort is what you know and what you're comfortable with.

However...

1. Remember that the .22 is not meant for personal protection! That doesn't mean that a ton of people out there aren't using it for such, because they are, but it means that the firearms and ammunition manufacturers generally do not give .22 rimfire products 'the treatment' that the centerfire products of larger caliber get. .22 rimfire firearm malfunctions are generally annoying, but considered not to be life threatening. That's because they didn't mean for you to be using it to defend your life with! Jams and malfunctions are fairly common in .22 guns meant for sporting use. The .22 rimfire is also very prone to 'dud' misfires of the priming compound in the rim and failure to feed malfunctions in autoloading rifles and pistols.

2. If you're going to use a .22, get out there and shoot it a bunch with a variety of ammunition. Learn just how reliable your gun is and find out what it 'doesn't like'. Try to stick with good ammunition, and keep away from the cheap stuff for serious use. If you encounter problems, switch ammo. If they persist, switch guns. You need to be able to have a lot of faith in your hardware! This advice is also somewhat applicable to shotguns; I notice far more failures with .410 guns than with 12 gauges, specifically with pump action models. The 12's are just built heavier and take more abuse, the .410's seem to develop a lot of problems, especially bent and broken parts in the action. A lot of people keep a 12 for personal protection and a lot of professional users rely on it as well, not so much with the .410, though there's nothing wrong with it. The best effort seems to go to the 12 gauge guns and the .410's aren't regarded so seriously by the manufacturers, hence the increased problems with them.

3. With .22, or any other small caliber cartridge (.380 or below), skip the hollow point bullets. The problem is that bullets weighing less than about 100 grains just don't have enough inertia at typical velocities to expand and penetrate sufficiently. You don't want your assailant to bleed to death, you don't even necessarily want them dead, you just want them to stop attacking you now, not to collapse after they've killed you! You need them either discouraged from attacking you or else incapacitated (wounded or dead) so they can't continue attacking you. This may very well require a hit to the Central Nervous System, which means that either you've got to punch through their skull or reach through and hit their spinal column. An expanded bullet that can't get that far probably won't stop your assailant before they hurt you. A solid bullet fired 'center of mass' may very well hit their spine and put them out of action. Center of mass hits also stand a very good chance of hitting the solar plexus immediately below the sternum, which is a nerve bundle that really hurts when impacted. Just the pain from any kind of strike there will put most sober people on their knees 'right now'.

4. If you want to keep a gun for home defense, it is your duty to learn absolutely all you can about what you're getting yourself into. If you're not willing to learn, and keep learning about this for probably the rest of your life, then you should probably rethink keeping a gun on standby.

The article states the gun was a .22 caliber; it could've been something more powerful than a .22 LR.

tigor make your point and quit with the mindless boring rants. after reading(without falling asleep) your dissection of my comment, i still don't know your opinion, please clarify(in 100000 words or less). also, why , in your "expert" opinion, are most bodyguard weapons .380 or less!? (to be perfectly clear;in the term use of bodyguard, to mean personal protection).

And you would have lost everything to defend yourself for maiming. Survivors lie. Intruders kill.

He was a burglar, not a rapist. Killing him was enough.

Survivors tend to sue and often win.

Kathleen - Always go for center of mass - simply remove any ability that they have to hurt you or your family.

Good shot Earl!

Wrong, Kathleen. Wound him and then you would have been arrested for assault and the perp would have sued you and taken your home, car, and everything else you own. The old Vet had no choice and I hope he gets a medal for ridding the world of one more piece of scum. I thought if there was a death during the commission of a felony that everyone involved in the crime was guilty of murder. Guess in Kentucky accomplices are not guilty of anything. Too bad. They will probably come back and take care of Mr. Jones.

grant / Richard- sorry, you're wrong. Being shot in the crotch means you bleed out and are dead fairly quckly from the bloos loss. Think about it, eh?

Kathleen-2305544 tells us:

I wouldn't have shot him dead. I would have shot him in the crotch..point blank. That would hurt him more than death.

Why? So the scumbag can get a slick lawyer and sue you for everything you own or ever hope to own??

If you wound him then it's his word against yours. If you kill him then its your word against his, vet made a great choice.

as far as I am concerned if someone has broken into my house they are there to kill and steal... if your going to shoot someone you shoot to kill.

Sorry, Kathleen, When one is faced in a situation that decisions have to be made in less than onw second, shooting at small targets are seldom effective. The proper method is center mass (the middle of the chest). One can be surprised on how many shots can miss a large target, even at close range.

Dead criminals can't sue, or testify in court.

For a 92 year old I'd think a shotgun would be a better choice. You don't miss with a shotgun. But then again he didn't miss either.

My guess is that Mr. Jones spent some time practicing recently. The article said that intruders broke into his home three separate times in August. That Vet had enough and did what he had to do.

Kathleen-2305544

then the tax payers could feed and clothe and room him for the rest of his life i say give Mr Jones the amount that would have been spent on those things if he ever needs to be placed in a home

Um, Kathleen, Freud called. He said you have some issues you need to deal with.

kathleen, good choice, 2nd shot to the mass, you made my day..

Aiming for the heart is pretty indicative of what he wanted to accomplish.

At his age, anything larger might very well be as bad for him as it would be for the other guy!!

very good statement...i totally agree

Any time any homicide occurs, the police must consider whether to press charges. In a case like this, they made the decision that there was no plausible scenario in which this was NOT justifiable, and therefore there was no reason to press charges. The word MUST be brought up, if only to state that the decision was made that there was no reason to pursue them.

That's how the law, and how justice, works.

This also points out that a person competently wielding a .22 rifle is a far more significant force than an untrained person with a higher caliber, or higher rate-of-fire weapon. The brain and skill behind the weapon is more important than the weapon itself.

I live in a bad neighborhood, too many break in's. I have my door set up for the unwanted visitor and if he or they make it by the door, have a suprise for them, I taught weapons in the Corps, and with my 9mm can hit nothing but head shots from 50'-75' in doors or out doors and can cover the holes with a 1/2 dollar. Have the targets to prove it. Once called the cops on some drug dealers, they arrested two of them and when I invited the cops in I had my targets posted on the wall, the leader a swat team captain asked what I shot? Told him a 9mm out doors at 75', and he said please never shoot at us, LOL. Told me they promised to get me and to be careful. The next night I was lifting weights and near my sliding doors, and spoted a sniper scope going up my leg. Rolled off the bench and got my gun and went looking for the idiot but, lucky for him, he got out of there. It's been years and still waiting for the cowards. Any weapon can get the job done if the person knows how to use it. God Bless the Old Vet and good shooting Friend:

Retals- Who, except you considers a smaller cal gun ment he didnt mean to kill. A gun is a gun and small bullet or large bullet, you only pull the trigger point blank at someones chest to kill them. No one need defend him, clean shoot. Check out the states laws on it. I just wish he would of tracked down the others and gave them the same. Now the interesting thing is will his partners be brought up on charges cause his death happened durning an attempted robbery that they were part of....

XD, your comment says it all. Right on.

Bullies are only brave when they feel the odds are stacked up in their favor. Once that is lost, they show what cowards they truly are. 3 20somethings against one old man shows great bravery...Yeah right. They just didn't count on the gun.

He probably wants to get back into the action now. I wish all the burglars would go to his house to give him something to shoot at in his spare time;)

Being a WWII vet I doubt he wants "back in the action". He just did what needed to be done. He admits there was no malice in it, he was just protecting himself. He doesn't seem the full of piss gung-ho type.

I knew it wouldn't be long before some bozo mentioned "libtards screaming for the banishment of guns". Ya gotta get over that stereotype, JC--I'M a lib, not a tard.....and I'm FOR responsible gun ownership, NOT banishment. Grow up and stop with your idiotic generalizations!

Oooops, almost forgot--nice shot Mr. Earl Jones and great job defending your home against invading @!$%#s. And thank you very much for your service in WW2!

What surprises me is that no one has yet suggested that he did the wrong thing because he could have left by the front door and called the police. I don't think that, but many would. I think the old man did the right thing. He had been robbed three times in the recent past so these guys were obviously going to keep coming back until someone got hurt. (To anyone who is going to argue we don't know it was the same guys, I'm familiar with the area where the crime happened. The odds of the same home being hit in that part of the country by 4 'different' groups of punks is just not that good.) I'm just glad it was one of them and not him. Besides, to anyone who would argue that, he had no idea who might still be outside the home. He might have walked out onto an accomplice.

well JC, I am an independent who is considered mostly liberal by my friends. You want "screaming libtards" banning guns? Come in my house aftter hours and get your azz blown back out the door. Your ideas suck as much as your politics do, sir.

sign me a generally liberal, but still damned independent VN vet.

Regardless of them being repeat burglars, it doesn't matter. They're in his house, fair game for him. I wish a liberal would make this a media issue so the attention is drawn to this shooting instead of the bull**it in North Carolina this week. I salute you sir and I hope you never have to shoot another intruder but I know you will be ready nonetheless.

This gun owning 'Libtard' prays she never has to do the same thing. I try to practice regularly so that I can get any perp down with one shot. I am so glad that he got the guy, wish he could have gotten the others. Oh well, maybe they'll be charged with murder, since a death occurred in the commision of a crime.

Sped17

If you are someone who believes that the government should be able to intrude into every part of your life, then you are a liberal. If you believe that the government should be able to expand and provide for everyone, then you are a liberal. If you believe that the government should be allowed to decide what is right for you, then you are a liberal. If you believe that the government should be able to dictate how you should run your business, then you are a liberal. If you believe that we should give up our freedoms in exchange for the illusion of our safety, then you are a liberal. If you believe that the government should be able to rewrite the constitution at will, then you are a liberal.

Now on the other hand, if you believe that the government should remain relatively small and allow us the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, and should stay out of our personal business, then you might just be a conservative. At the very least a libertarian. If you believe that you are gauranteed the right to possess that firearm and use it as necessary to protect you, your property, and your loved ones, then you might just be a conservative. Again, at the very least a libertarian.

Believing that we should be free to pursue our private desires (as long as no one is hurt) without being morally condemned does not make you a liberal.

The true conservative does not believe in stepping on our rights, while the true liberal believes that the government knows best and should have some form of control over every part of our lives. A great example of this would be that P.O.S. Mayor of NYC who thinks the government should be able to tell us how to feed ourselves. HUGE intrusion into the lives of the folks of NYC. By the way, he would have taken your gun and the one owned by Mr. Earl Jones, and he would gladly have just let him get killed, or badly assaulted at the least.

The fact that you believe in your right to carry a firearm suggests you may not be as liberal as you may think.

Where are all the libtards screaming for the banishment of guns? Oh, they're probably watching the national circle jerk.

Most of us posting here probably are liberals. Just because we don't think you need a tank, 100 round clips or automatic weapons doesn't mean we want to outlaw guns. That's just right wing propaganda.

The true conservative does not believe in stepping on our rights, while the true liberal believes that the government knows best and should have some form of control over every part of our lives.

If that's the case neither Romney or especially Ryan are true conservatives. They clearly want to impose their will on women. Hard to claim a belief that using the morning after pill or a spermicide is murder because it kills a fertile egg and would outlaw both as staying out of peoples lives.

Contrarian001

If you believe everything you said you are a Fox viewer.

Oh I agree completely with the observation about the morning after pill. The government just needs to stay our of our business unless it is actually causing harm to others. Hell, I think a story like this is just great, we should be absolutely free to protect ourselves at all costs, and to make our own decisions regarding our personal choices, as long as it doesn't harm another.

I never once mentioned democrat or republican or either of their candidates.

RC-1244080

Actually I don't watch any of that crap, I do my own research and form my own opinions. Do you truly want to know what the constitution is all about? Then read "The Annuls of America". it is a complete set of full size encyclopedias that is about nothing but the history of the U.S. Read Volume 2 & 3. Then talk to me about where I form my opinions.

Try reading the writings of Tomas Payne and BEnjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson or any of the other founding forefathers.

Until then, kindly take your lame stream media B.S. and kiss my ass.

Mr. Jones? Again I will say good job to you. I applaud you for standing up for yourself and taking out the scumbag.

Contrarian001

Acording to your definition conservatives are in favor of legalization of abortion, drugs, and prostitution.

I think I'll pass on kissing if all the same to you.

Contrarian

Maybe my recollection is a bit hazy, but I could have sworn it was conservatives that came up with the PATRIOT act and were so gung-ho to give up freedom for security. And I have to agree with RC - your post sounds alot like an O'Reilly rant. Turn off the faux and start reading the news.

Contrarian, where did you come up with these definitions of liberals and conservatives? Believe me, I'm a lot more liberal than you think. But not by your definitions! I can't type any more because I wind up with 5 or 6 loooooong paragraphs explaining why--believe me. Yeah, I may be a little bit Libertarian.....but I'm definitely mostly liberal....just not by your definitions. Just because I believe in gun ownership--by responsible people--and using said weapon(s) to defend yourself, your home and your loved ones....certainly doesn't make me a conservative.....a bit libertarian, yeah.

Justin,

Maybe my recollection is a bit hazy, but I could have sworn it was conservatives that came up with the PATRIOT act and were so gung-ho to give up freedom for security.

The Patriot Act passed the House by a vote of 357-66, and the Senate by a vote of 98-1.

While the majority of dissenters in the House, and the only dissenter in the Senate were democrats, this would appear to be a very bi-partisan issue.

Did you miss that Mr Jones was a life-long democrat and that he survived?

Sheila, Sheila, Sheila...haven't you noticed that the radical right folks just ignore any fact that doesn't coincide with their beliefs? Pay attention girl! :)

I read both articles and did not see any reference to this man's political party affiliation. To me the real message of this incident is that there is still a core of American citizens that believe in the God given right of the 2nd amendment no matter what political party;however, most of them are older and haven't been polluted by the wacko educational system we have in the country currently. Now if we could only get a majority to actually demand that the document be enforced as it is written and not as some perverted judge,president or legislator thinks it should be, maybe we might stand a chance of making it to the Tricentennial.

How on God's green earth do you know what political alignment that P.O.S. was? I am a conservative for sure, but I certainly am not so ignorant as to make this into a partisan pissing match. Can you get any more ignorant and prejudiced?

Sheila, Nerf wasn't talking about Mr. Jones being an Obama voter......HINT: He was talking about the DEAD GUY. The one who was trying to break into someones home.......

You bet! Puts a smile on face!

robert-4625926 "Damn , the gentleman should get a metal"

Yes, and he should also get medal. LOL, just razzin' ya!

It was absolutely the right thing to do. Maybe in a few years he will find out that he saved the lives of a few elderly victims.

Yeah, next time someone breaks in on you, why don't you try to have a nice little sit down with them and ask them all the details before they beat the crap out of you and steal all your stuff.

Should have known there would be at least one bleeding heart weighing in with a comment about all the support for Mr. Jones being from gun people. Actually the support seems to be coming from people that are just tired of the criminals getting all the breaks. This is one piece of garbage that the tax payers will not have to support for years to come. Good shot Mr. Jones and as one vet (Viet Nam) to another-- Live long and prosper. Thank you for your service to our country.

Read the story if you want to know some details. I know the details. I read the story. The deceased home invaders' accomplices confessed details of the entire home invasion.

Hey nevereclipsed, if it had been you in his place, what would you do? welcome the perp in to do you harm or would you pull the trigger? As I recall, the only reason you can freely voice your misguided opinion, is because you live in a country where your and my freedoms are protected by men and women who carry and know how to use firearms. If you have anything against guns, why don't you try enjoying freedom where they are illegal? What do you carry, a squirt gun? Wise up and pull your head out...............of the sand!

but we don't know all the details, all we know is someone is dead.

Ummm, yeah we do. I guess you didn't read the whole article. The dead dudes two buddies admitted they were robbing the guy. The guy killed the piece of @!$%#. Whats the problem?

......There's always one.....

Shut up! You act like this man doesn't have the right to defend himself and his home.....Just shut the f' up. Yeah, God will shake his hand and say, "Well done."

HEy Never... You're absoultly right some one is dead, and by my score... BAD GUY DEAD.. GOOD GUY ALIVE.. OTHER BAD GUYS IN JAIL... Next time you get your home invaded remember this example of what self defense is.

An armed society is a polite society

Now, I don't know about that.

You cant fix stupid and we are the most armed Country in the world. Yet all you have to do to see how rude people arein this County is.....read any Political post here on the 'Vine.

Duhhh ... we should outlaw guns, they are just meant to kill ...

Singed,

A liberal idiot

Dear Screaming, of course there's a fix for stupidity; it's called 'death', & we've just seen a prime example here, courtesy of one Mr. Jones.