In my younger days I made many mistakes. For this reason, I cannot legally have guns. My question is, can a felon carry a knife? I’m wanting some way to defend myself.

-From Robbie P.

Answer: When it comes to carrying knives, these laws are regulated by the states.

In some states, felons can have knives in their home, but cannot carry them in public. Also, the type of knife can play a role in whether it is legal for a felon to have or not. For instance, there is a big difference between a steak knife and a hunting knife.

However, if a convicted felon is caught with a knife, it may be considered a deadly weapon depending on the state, the crime they were convicted of, and the circumstances surrounding their individual case.

I would definitely check out your own state laws and get with an attorney in your state.

 

What is your opinion on night vision scopes? I live on a farm in a relatively remote area. I want to be able to protect my home at night.

-From Adam S.

Answer: Night vision scopes would be useful in a situation such as yours, but the thing is, this is the type of gear you don’t want to go cheap on.

What I mean is, for a quality night vision scope you will be spending at least $2,000 and that’s probably on the low end.

I would look into the Armasight brand of scopes. They offer different options depending on how much you want to spend.

Like any add on to a gun you need to train with the scope and know how to properly use it if you ever had to defend yourself.

 

What do you think of 10mm pistols? Are they worth having?

-From Samuel R.

Answer: A 10mm would not be my first choice for a home defense pistol. It’s a larger and more powerful cartridge that has a lot of recoil.

With that being said, since a 10mm round is so powerful it could be used to take down big game animals. It would be more effective than a 9mm.

If you are thinking about getting a 10mm, I would check out the Glock 20. It would be a good gun for camping or hiking.

The biggest downside to a 10mm pistol is that ammo is harder to find compared to .45 or 9mm.

But the bottom line is, I don’t think it’s necessary to have a 10mm gun.

 

I live in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. The past few weeks my car has been broken into twice while I was at work. There is nothing to steal in my car. Any suggestions on how to prevent vehicle break-ins?

-From Kelly C.

Answer: Can you park anyplace different? A better lit area?

Definitely leave your car empty of things, which is what I did when I lived in Baltimore City, Maryland.

Some folks recommend leaving your car unlocked, so they don’t have to smash windows and can see there’s nothing in there – but that’s obviously up to you.

Have a loud and annoying car alarm that you can tell is yours and doesn’t sound like everyone else’s car alarm – these alarms can send an alert to your phone.

You can also buy a car cam, like a Ring camera for your car.

 

I recently took my phone in for repair. The repair guy said that someone had installed a virus on my phone. How can I prevent this from happening again?

-From Mandy H.

Answer: First, you need to get rid of your phone and get a new one.

Some people recommend just doing a reset of your phone, which will erase everything, but I personally wouldn’t risk it not working.

No matter where you get your next phone you need to make sure its password protected and that no one can ever access your phone.

Far too many people leave their phone unprotected and it only takes a second for a person to install something on your phone. (It might be the plumber or electrician who’s come to fix something at your house.)

 

My wife and I are new to “being prepared.” We want to be ready for the next disaster. Yet, getting started has been overwhelming. What would you start with when it comes to being prepared for an emergency?

-From Nate M.

Answer: The first three things I would work on when it comes to preparedness are water, food, and security.

Humans can only survive about three days without water, which is why it’s high on my list. Get some water storage for your home and also buy some water filters.

Next, I would build up your food storage. This is something you can do slowly over time.

Finally, I would make sure you have security measures in place. This could be purchasing a gun or installing a home security system in your home.