I want to thank everyone that has shared their opinions and experiences. It has been educational, even the "mine's better than yours" posts. I will be getting a BB/pellet 'training' rifle so I can get comfortable using a weapon. Perhaps I might even get accurate enough to shoot the dogs in the butt to drive them off, but that isn't my goal. Once I have enough confidence and money I will probably by the 410, I hope to find a shooting instructor that can help me find a weapon that fits me and will actually be a pleasure to use. That way I know I will practice and maintain my skills.
We have talked w/ the sheriff, animal control and even some dog owning neighbors. and it is up to us to solve the problem. In TX I can shoot the dog/dogs on my property if they are after the chickens, my neighbors have no recourse. I have only one close neighbor who shares a property line. They haven't been a problem, but I don't look forward to dealing w/ who ever buys their house. I am not concerned about these marauding dogs being some kids precious puppies. they are big dogs, labs, golden retrievers and other mixed breeds that start running loose shortly after sunrise when their owners let them out to run off their energy. The problem is during the day, generally in the morning, so the working dogs are on their property working, and the purse pooches aren't running loose in the hay pastures or oil fields that surround me. I didn't move out of town to put up w/ other folks neglected animals. If they are pets, they are cared for and kept under control (I guess kinda like kids should be) if not - oh well. Wild predators have not been an issue, I lose maybe 2 chickens a year to them because I have solid, secure coops and my birds are locked up before dark and let out once the sun is up. No predawn adventures and they are kept in their yards until nearly noon now before they are allowed to forage.
Now the next step is buying the weapon, my first adventures at pricing them was confusing, it looked like I have to buy the parts and assemble them for my perfect custom weapon.
So next question is how to buy it, assembled, basically ready to go. Where to look, I know that the many pawn shops in town have lots of guns, but I don't feel wise enough to buy something used, even though after this last year, I suspect most of the guns will be serviceable and were sold because folks were simply out of money.
I have been thinking about the advice on security, a trigger lock on the weapon and storing it unloaded, up high in plain sight makes sense. If it is over the back door, the grandkids aren't snooping in the bedroom closet or messing w/ the gun hidden from me. Only have 2 GK locally and even they aren't running loose in the house.
So thanks again for the advice given.
