My husband gave me a stun gun for my birthday. I don’t feel comfortable with guns so this is a good option for me. My question is how do I know when I’m justified to use the stun gun on someone?

-From Paige P.

Answer: I’m not a lawyer, but I wouldn’t use the stun gun unless your life was in danger.

Laws about the use of stun guns is something that varies state-to-state, and even municipality-to-municipality in some places.

When it comes to less lethal options such as a stun gun or pepper spray you are typically justified in using these in life-threatening circumstances.

In other words, I would treat the stun gun just like a gun – meaning, only use it if you are in fear for your life or serious bodily injury.

So, if some guy is attacking you, obviously use it. But if someone just makes a rude comment to you, then clearly don’t use it.

 

Because of the war in Ukraine I think our financial system will be targeted by hackers. Russia will do everything to disrupt our lives. Banks will be a huge hacking target. How do I prepare for a banking system collapse?

-From Ron W.

Answer: You’re absolutely right. It’s important to have cash on hand because you never know if you will be unable to access your bank.

For this reason, I recommend having at least one month’s worth of living expenses in cash on hand. In addition, I would consider having gold or silver.

But, if things get really bad, all the cash in the world won’t matter, which is why you want to have plenty of food and water storage and supplies, so you don’t need money to buy things from others.

 

Last week I purchased my first gun. I was told to never use steel cased ammo. Is this accurate? What is wrong with steel cased ammo?

-From Tim R.

Answer: I would avoid using any type of steel cased ammo such as Wolf brand. The thing with steel is that it’s usually harder on the gun.

What I mean is, brass gives a little more than steel. Over time, steel can damage the extractor.

Also, even though steel is cheaper, it can have a poor seal. This can cause the gun parts to wear out prematurely. This shortens the lifetime of the gun, and increases the risk of malfunctions.

I would check out ammo brands such as Hornady or Speer Gold Dot. Both of these brands are quality.

 

I’m a long time gun owner. I added a laser sight to my gun last week. It’s the first laser sight I’ve ever owned. My problem was when I lined it up to my front sight it was perfect. But then I moved back about 15 feet and the laser was pointing really high. Is this normal?

-From Mitch L.

Answer: Laser sights can provide better accuracy when shooting but they do have their disadvantages. The problem is that your laser sight is usually mounted under the barrel or to the side of your barrel.

If you zeroed your sight at ten feet and then as you move back, the laser will continue to rise. As the distance increases, you will be farther off target.

If you are using this only for home defense, zero it for close distance such as 10 yards.

 

Can hackers get into satellite phones like they do with regular smartphones? I added a satellite phone to my survival gear. But I’m worried that my phone calls won’t be secure.

-From Rod C.

Answer: Satellite phones can be hacked. But, it is a lot less likely to happen compared to regular smartphones.

Sat phones have limited capabilities. This means there are less ways for hackers to hack their way in. Sat phones don’t have app stores.

Plus, hackers focus on things that make them the most money. There are a lot more smartphone users than satellite phone users. It’s not worth the time for hackers to target sat phones. But it could happen.

 

My family moved to a new house in the countryside. We have a well on the property that drops around 300 feet to a water source. It’s mostly used for watering the garden. Can I drink this water during an emergency? Would it be safe?

-From Kimberly K.

Answer: I would definitely filter the well water before drinking it because there could be contaminants in it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

As a private well owner you are responsible for the water quality. If you used municipal water the municipality would be responsible for treating the water.

When it comes to water filters, there are many different kinds such as whole home systems, pitcher filters, and survival type filters. Most whole home water filtration systems can treat well water to ensure its safe to drink.