To Buy or Not To Buy

Megan,

Congratulations on beginning to grapple with the challenge of providing for your own safety. It's every adult's responsibility, but DC has preferred to treat its residents as children for over 30 years.

Unfortunately, even if the Heller case is a victory, it's unlikely to turn DC's laws into a pro-gun utopia. The city is likely to immediately follow a Supreme Court decision with the most restrictive laws short of a total ban that they think will pass muster -- repeat until the courts become sufficiently bored.

Expect the city to try requiring licensing, registration, safe storage, training, possibly even magazine capacity silliness... all with as many roadblocks put into the process as they can come up with. What you get is likely to be determined at least partly by what they will allow you to have. The courts may strike down some or all of whatever requirements they pass, but it may well take years for that to happen.

Bear in mind that if you're willing to put up with that, it's already legal to own a shotgun, if you jump through all the hoops. Some would argue that a shotgun is better suited for your intent anyway.  I wouldn't, but some would. To get an idea, read The So-Called Capital of the Free World.

Even if they don't try to mandate a training requirement, plan to get some if you're a first-time gun owner or first time handgun owner. If you go to the appropriate NRA training course you won't have to try to sort out which of your commenters knows what they are talking about and which are just trying to convince you it's a bad idea for political reasons.

I don't mean to be discouraging but this is not likely to be a settled issue that can be treated casually in the District for some time.

All that said? The answer is YES, get a gun. Because it's your life, not theirs, and the government often needs to be reminded of this.