Just a couple of thoughts from this UK person (who has handled and shot a couple of hand guns and rifles but found it boring)...

I'm always puzzled by the firearms to protect your property - to the best of my knowledge, most robbers over here are not armed. It seems to me that if everyone had guns to protect thier property, more robbers would carry guns to protect themselves from being shot... Seems like a bit of a pointless viscious circle to me and one that is only likely to lead to needless deaths on both sides. Besides that, on a personal level, everything I own is insured and can be replaced - well nearly everything - some items have a sentimental value which is important but still rather less in my value scales than a human life.

Jon