Packin' Poll: More Dangerous-Chainsaw or Handgun

  • Thread starter Thread starter downeast
  • Start date Start date
  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
I've used half a dozen different saws, and more guns than that, I'd vote saw every time. The gun is much more likely to be instantly lethal IF that is your intent, but the saw is much more likely to maim without such intent.
 
I'll bet the injuries from chain saws are pretty high...stats I found show 30,000 serious injuries per year. I don't think there are that many accidental handgun injuries.

OPPs.....gun injuries and deaths are pretty high- - 2004 stats:
* Total Number of Firearm Injuries: 64,389
* Total Number of Firearm Fatalities: 29,569

So, all in all, guns (both hand guns and rifles) are more dangerous.....in terms of the number of deaths and injuries they cause per year. Yes, there are a lot of ways to skin the cat, but those are basic stats.
 
Gooserider said:
Either way, I can guarantee that getting hit by either a firearm or a chainsaw will probably ruin your day...

Gooserider

I dunno, is the chainsaw on and running? Getting hit by a firearm can't be too bad, I mean how fast can one throw a firearm, unless you're nolan ryan... j/k <LOL> :)

At least my chainsaw is about 15lbs, a .45 can't weigh too much.

Jay
 
Webmaster said:
I'll bet the injuries from chain saws are pretty high...stats I found show 30,000 serious injuries per year. I don't think there are that many accidental handgun injuries.

OPPs.....gun injuries and deaths are pretty high- - 2004 stats:
* Total Number of Firearm Injuries: 64,389
* Total Number of Firearm Fatalities: 29,569

So, all in all, guns (both hand guns and rifles) are more dangerous.....in terms of the number of deaths and injuries they cause per year. Yes, there are a lot of ways to skin the cat, but those are basic stats.


Not many gangs use chain saws as weapons. Not many city or even suburban folks have chainsaws so the numbers for guns are way more, hence more problems.
 
Thats it, start arming the cops with chainsaws, I can hear it already, Stop or I will shread your sorry a$$! Or how about...I pack a stihl and I am not afraid to use it! The car shoot outs would get more interesting!!!
 
No question in my mind that a chainsaw is more dangerous than a handgun. That is for me anyway. Put either in the hands of someone who has the training and experience and I think given the environmental factors the saw leaves more opportunity for an accident.
 
burntime said:
Thats it, start arming the cops with chainsaws, I can hear it already, Stop or I will shread your sorry a$$! Or how about...I pack a stihl and I am not afraid to use it! The car shoot outs would get more interesting!!!

I know what your thinking. "Did he remember to gas it up this morning?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a Stihl MS880, the most powerful production chainsaw in the world, and would cut your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?
 
Yep, forget about the smitty 029, arm him with a farm boss 029!!! Come out with your chains off and your bars down!!!
 
Well, this is sort of an apples to volkswagens comparison, but I'll do my best....

Chainsaws

Intended purpose: cutting wood. When used properly, and with correct safety gear, they are dangerous, but most accidents can be avoided.

Handguns

Intended purpose: shooting people. When used properly, and with correct safety measures, they are deadly to thier intended target, in the function of protecting the user.


My verdict is, in general terms, because thier intended purpose is killing, handguns are more dangerous. If your question was which is more dangerous to thier user, then I'd say chainsaws... :-)
 
FLASHMAN said:
Well, this is sort of an apples to volkswagens comparison, but I'll do my best....

Chainsaws

Intended purpose: cutting wood. When used properly, and with correct safety gear, they are dangerous, but most accidents can be avoided.

Handguns

Intended purpose: shooting people. When used properly, and with correct safety measures, they are deadly to thier intended target, in the function of protecting the user.


My verdict is, in general terms, because thier intended purpose is killing, handguns are more dangerous. If your question was which is more dangerous to thier user, then I'd say chainsaws... :-)

Something that operates as intended is not dangerous. It may be deadly, but that is not a "danger," per se.

Hundguns, when used properly, are not dangerous. I can't recall ever hearing of a handgun injuring someone who was not asking to be injured, either by attacking someone who they probably shouldn't have attacked, or by treating the handgun in a grossly-unsafe manner.

Chainsaws, on the other hand, even when used properly, can cause injuries or death due to the nature of cutting wood.

Joe
 
BrownianHeatingTech said:
[ I can't recall ever hearing of a handgun injuring someone who was not asking to be injured.

John Lennon
RFK
George Wallace
Students at VA Tech
Countless innocent drive-by shooting victims annually
Convenience store clerks
etc.

Asking to be injured?
 
Eric Johnson said:
BrownianHeatingTech said:
[ I can't recall ever hearing of a handgun injuring someone who was not asking to be injured.

John Lennon
RFK
George Wallace
Students at VA Tech
Countless innocent drive-by shooting victims annually
Convenience store clerks
etc.

Asking to be injured?

No, but they were injured by other individuals, not handguns. The gun didn't just up and attack them.

I assume we shouldn't consider murders committed by chainsaw in the danger posed by chainsaws, either. Nor should we consider a car dangerous because of the number who might have been intentionally run over.

Joe
 
BrownianHeatingTech said:
FLASHMAN said:
Well, this is sort of an apples to volkswagens comparison, but I'll do my best....

Chainsaws

Intended purpose: cutting wood. When used properly, and with correct safety gear, they are dangerous, but most accidents can be avoided.

Handguns

Intended purpose: shooting people. When used properly, and with correct safety measures, they are deadly to thier intended target, in the function of protecting the user.


My verdict is, in general terms, because thier intended purpose is killing, handguns are more dangerous. If your question was which is more dangerous to thier user, then I'd say chainsaws... :-)

Something that operates as intended is not dangerous. It may be deadly, but that is not a "danger," per se.

Hundguns, when used properly, are not dangerous. I can't recall ever hearing of a handgun injuring someone who was not asking to be injured, either by attacking someone who they probably shouldn't have attacked, or by treating the handgun in a grossly-unsafe manner.

Chainsaws, on the other hand, even when used properly, can cause injuries or death due to the nature of cutting wood.

Joe

Well said, that was exactly my point...
 
I use my handgun to punch holes in paper most of the year...but alas, the devil made me do it...it has been known to put venison on the table! With that said, it is difficult to be accurate at any distance...a chainsaw is easy to aim. For most I think a chainsaw is much more dangerous... Most will pick up a chainsaw with little or no respect...with experience comes the respect! As for a handgun some will just plain shy away.
 
Speaking of people using the guns and not the guns killing/ hurting people; how are those lawsuits going againts the gun manufacturers? I can see it now, some dork gets hurt felling a tree on himself then sues Stihl for making the chainsaw, if theydidn't make the saw the dork wouldn't be out there cutting and wouldn't have smashed himself with a tree..............
 
Pook said:
silly me to think that in a violent confrontation, i'd rather be holding the handgun.
 

Attachments

  • [Hearth.com] Packin' Poll: More Dangerous-Chainsaw or Handgun
    chainsaw warning.webp
    9.9 KB · Views: 303
Hmm- guess I wouldn't wanna take a chainsaw to a gunfight................
 
WoodMann said:
Speaking of people using the guns and not the guns killing/ hurting people; how are those lawsuits going againts the gun manufacturers? I can see it now, some dork gets hurt felling a tree on himself then sues Stihl for making the chainsaw, if theydidn't make the saw the dork wouldn't be out there cutting and wouldn't have smashed himself with a tree..............


Ya WoodMann that's basically the same logic used by the anti-gun lobby. Makes no sense and only helps the lawyers. Most of the lawsuits have been thrown out of court as nuisance suits but the anti's have some big$$$$ backers so they will keep trying. Freedom is only as they define it I guess.
Ed
 
I started this, so a word in defense of contrary opinions. Eric does have a strong point about the handgun as a TOOL in the wrong hands.

The most dangerous tool we all use every day--, fatalities per hour of usage, statistics, user error-- is what ? Something we don't even think about: texting, shaving, reading the paper in the high speed lane, illustrating your IQ to fellows ( flying fickle finger of fate), combing your beard in the rearview mirror, making those oh-so-important calls, sharpening the saw on the passenger seat ( oh yeah ) while operating, applying makeup ( yes, you).

Your Motor vehicle.
:red:
 
Hmm... I have two chainsaws, many trees felled, zero injuries.
Five handguns, thousands of rounds fired, zero injuries.
Cars... let's see. Been rear-ended three times, two of those knocked me clear off the road into oncoming traffic. Broadsided once, car totaled. Slammed into head-on by a driver who lost control on a bridge. Two close calls with drivers running red lights, and close calls with four legged white-tailed Lyme diseased vermin? Too many of those to count.

I trust myself with chainsaws and guns and other power tools. As for driving among other homo sapiens it seems divine intervention is required. Seatbelts and airbags help too.
 
sylvestermcmonkey said:
Hmm... I have two chainsaws, many trees felled, zero injuries.
Five handguns, thousands of rounds fired, zero injuries.
Cars... let's see. Been rear-ended three times, two of those knocked me clear off the road into oncoming traffic. Broadsided once, car totaled. Slammed into head-on by a driver who lost control on a bridge. Two close calls with drivers running red lights, and close calls with four legged white-tailed Lyme diseased vermin? Too many of those to count.

I trust myself with chainsaws and guns and other power tools. As for driving among other homo sapiens it seems divine intervention is required. Seatbelts and airbags help too.

To be fair, what if you were surrounded by similar numbers of the same people equipped with handguns and chainsaws instead of cars? Doesn't bear thinking about....
 
nofossil said:
To be fair, what if you were surrounded by similar numbers of the same people equipped with handguns and chainsaws instead of cars? Doesn't bear thinking about....

Lots of handguns around here. Not so much chainsaws. I mean, there are chainsaws, but folks don't tend to carry them.

Joe
 
Not to mention you'd need to be one heck of a big guy to conceal it!!!
 
Because my mind idles too much, I often wonder . . .

Since I harvest BTUs in bear/rattlesnake country, and wouldn't have time to reach, could I use the chainsaw to fen off either? I am guessing that the bear would have run from the noise long before I would ever see him, not so sure bout the snake. Prolly slice my leg off trying to behead the groan. :-S
 
They actually sell a shot product...I think it is CCI that basically is like a shotgun in a pistol cartridge for up close and personal protection against snakes. For bear you better have a 44 mag with hard cast bullets and a stout load to protect yourself. Anything less is just an agrevation to the bear...better keep on bullet for yourself if your out with a small handgun ;~) I bet a chainsaw would be a pretty good deterent but if the bear hit it right you could be wearing it! Hope you, I, or anyone else never has that experience!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.