Well...I think I'm ahead in this debate because each post calls me a name..jackass..idiot...whatever. My brother guns range from a 22 Winchester that was his great grandfathers to some hunting rifles he uses. Nary a semiautomatic in the collection...and he only has ONE gun that is not under lock and key. But he's never had to use it.
My brother has no problem with my view because I don't propose taking any of the guns he owns, and he doesn't have any guns that hold more than 7 shots. In fact, his pistol is a regular old 6 shooter. So no....he has not problem at all with my view on guns. He hunted deer and if you didn't get the deer on the first shot, you ususally didn't need even 7 shots...so no, his guns don't hold over 7.
I'm sorry you didn't talk to your grandparents. I enjoyed the stories that my grandad told me. And none of those stories involved shooting intruders.
As for me...I depend on my dogs. I don't deal drugs, so people aren't after me for that...and a dog barking seems to work well for me. I don't depend on anybody else, but I also have common sense....if I hear a gunshot in my suburban neighborhood, I'm calling the cops....wouldn't you? Most of my neighbors would. It's not an everyday occurance here. Now if that's "depending on someone else", well...I guess I am dependent on others. And I guess I'm damn glad I live somewhere where gunshots in the night would warrant a call to the police and not be chalked up as "just another night".