I may buy a gun for when I volunteer at our local Democratic office. Seeking advice.

[marshmallow_man]

40. my $0.02

Dear hay_rick, I have carried a firearm for personal protection for years. The people who are cautioning you to think this over are correct. This is a very big decision and it goes far beyond selecting a gun.

You definitely want to seek training from a qualified instructor. Shooting a gun a few times at the range is not the same as living with one on your person every day. Beyond that, you really need to harden the entrance at your office so you can decide who comes in, have a plan for people to evacuate or shelter in place, etc. When you really start planning for security you are going to find that your firearm is only a small piece of the puzzle. Your primary goal should be helping others get to safety, de-escalating a situation if possible and shooting only as a last resort.

If you do decide to get a gun, I would not keep it in a desk drawer, that is an accident waiting to happen. Get a holster and carry it on your person at all times. Keep it concealed and you won't scare away new volunteers.

As for the specific model to carry, the only way to find that out is to visit a range that rents guns (preferably with an instructor) and try them out. You need to find one that is small enough to keep concealed at all times but still easy to shoot at plausible self defense ranges -- and decide if this is really what you want to do.

Also, if you are going to be taking on the role of security, move your office up to the front. It does you no good to be 40 ft away when a bad guy comes through the door.