Home Defence Discussion

[Matt]

Me and my friend had a long discussion about this recently... he's in a division of Special Ops and also swears by the shot gun for basically all of the reasons mentioned in this thread (even the "sound" of the shotgun).

However, for how my house is set up and with kids, my choice is a handgun. It's a bit hard to explain but because of how my house is setup, if someone's breaking in (and im not home) my wife (who happens to be a great shot btw) knows the drill is to get the kids in my sons room at the end of the hallway, close and lock the door and dial 911. If someone comes up to the door, announce that she had a weapon and that police are on the way (FYI we're 2 miles from the police station and 1/4 mile from a fire station). If they're dumb enough to try coming though that door..... they're done. She can hit an index card with a .45 with ease from 15' away, she's not going to miss someone coming through a door from 8' away. Reason for the pistol is I want something that my wife can handle with one hand if needed (say to keep the kids at bay and cover their eyes/ears). It's also easier for us to conceal in a small locked case.

[Matt]

To add to that, i think one of the most important aspects of choosing a home defense weapon is simply choosing a weapon that you're comfortable and skilled with using. In other words, don't buy a gun of any kind for home defense and never use it.... go to the range once in a while and make sure you're familiar with it. If it sits for 6 years collecting dust and "that night" comes, you don't need the added stress of not remembering how to load it, where the safety is, the feel of the trigger, etc. In that case, you're better off throwing frying pans down the hallway (hey... they can hurt!)

[Tymac]

I sleep so darn hard I could be robbed and the robber could be eating Dorito's next to me in bed watching sportscenter while drinking my beer. They only reason I'd wake up is because I had to take a leak. Weird how pee dreams wake you up just in time.

So that's why I use Claymores, but there again it'll be the police shaking me awake to ask WTF happened.

All joking aside for average joe get a good old fashioned scattergun as my grand pappy would say. I prefer pistol. I train with it, know where it will hit just by pointing it and I don't want to find flesh a month later in my hallway light or somewhere else I forgot to look. Yuck!

Putting up motion lights and an alarm company's sign in your yard will work 89% of the time. Leave no entry point in the dark.

[Tymac]

To add to that, i think one of the most important aspects of choosing a home defense weapon is simply choosing a weapon that you're comfortable and skilled with using. In other words, don't buy a gun of any kind for home defense and never use it.... go to the range once in a while and make sure you're familiar with it. If it sits for 6 years collecting dust and "that night" comes, you don't need the added stress of not remembering how to load it, where the safety is, the feel of the trigger, etc. In that case, you're better off throwing frying pans down the hallway (hey... they can hurt!)

X2

[LWM]

Putting up motion lights and an alarm company's sign in your yard will work 89% of the time. Leave no entry point in the dark.

Another VERY good suggestion, Years ago we installed an alarm in the house but nobody ever used it and the monthly fee was too much. We stopped using the system years ago but still have the sign in the front yard and stickers on key windows (burglars will hit a house without the sign before they hit yours). You can purchase the signs in the internet.

[Matt]

I've been procrastinating..... I need to order some signs/stickers and put up a few motion lights.

[LWM]

I've been procrastinating..... I need to order some signs/stickers and put up a few motion lights.

No better time then the present!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-HOME-SECURITY-...item5ae1dae7f5

[pjmjr508]

I need to as well, where I live the back of the house butts up against natural preserve and so no lights back there and need to put some motion lights up. (I rent so I don't want to put to much on the house) Safty trumps everything else so I will need to do someting.

[CoreyZ]

Im all for pistols when it comes to my home invasion deterrence. Shotguns work for some people, but I find that the damage they cause with misses ends up costing more to the average home owner than simply yelling "ive got a gun and you best gtfo as the cops are on the way". Pistols while you may miss the target more, they dont do a large area of damage and most intruders will be near high cost equipment and not in an area where there is just random home stuff. No one steals the picture of your grandma, but that 60" plasma is sure gonna catch their eye.
As for intruders looking to cause personal damage and not just rob... well... figure a shot from anything is going to put them on the defensive. Most likely they have a weapon on them for intimidation purposes if not real injury. Once you fire a shot, they will cover and either return fire or run like hell. Those are difficult encounters regardless... so make that first shot count. I tend to prep myself on occasion as much as possible. Multiple times a week I will wait till its dark as hell and with all the normal lights off, I will navigate my home and work on my night vision and navigation. Being as stealthy as possible as well as tactical in my "room clearing" and knowing every nook and cranny as well as creaky boards. I also do this with alarm clocks that will wake me in the night and I do this exercise. My wife hates it, but she understands and supports it. She also knows that if I ever jump out of bed, hit the combo on my bedside gun safe... that she immediately grabs her phone and dials 911 and waits to hit "call" till i give her the signal.

Most robbing intruders will have some sort of light with them, so their night vision will not be that great. Use it to your advantage. Recon your targets, strategize your approach, breathe, engage.

Little story...

My wife and I just bought our first home. We literally moved in on July 1st. As we were moving in, we had the security screen door closed but the front door open. Our neighborhood is one of those where no soliciting of any kind is allowed, which is great. But we heard some voices on the front porch. We walked down and a guy was standing there with a clipboard. He started up on his speech about being a "second chance" person and I told him whatever he was selling, I was not interested. He did not take No for an answer and tried showing he was telling the truth by displaying a ripped and broken ID that wasnt up long enough to even verify it was him. I explained once more that he needed to leave and he pressured more stating that he wasnt selling anything but needed me to sign a sheet and look at some magazine info. I told him he needed to leave immediately to which he replied that he "knew why" I was telling him no and implying it was the color of his skin and not what he was selling. I told him to hold on for a brief moment, walked over to a box I was unpacking that had my gun cleaning supplies in it... and withdrew my extra NRA sticker. I opened the door and told him to back off my porch, to which he did with puzzled eyes.... and I slapped the sticker on the front window right next to my front door. I then turned and looked at him and asked him politely "Do we have any problems now?". He turned with his friend and walked away. I surveiled and saw the car they drive into the area in, wrote down the identifiers and went on with my business. Have not had a problem since.
I saw a quote one time where a gentleman who was an avid gun owner and enthusiast had a conversation with his neighbor who was very anti-gun. The neighbor made it his business to complain constantly to anyone that would listen to him about how the gun owner was bad for the neighborhood and that by owning a gun, you give power to an intruder as they can take it and slaughter the owners family with them.

The gun owner told the neighbor it would never happen.... then proceeded to place a sign in his front yard that simple said:
"The owner of this house is well armed and trained... My neighbor on the other hand is against weapons of any kind and has a nice TV --->"



Also... I am for pistols simply because it is only myself and my wife in the house and using a 9mm, the penetrating force wont injure people in adjacent homes. I worried more about that in the apartments and my wife is always in the safest location in the house.

[brendon]

9mm (or just about any decent defensive handgun round) can and will overpenetrate a typical modern construction home. Check out http://www.theboxotruth.com/

To the original post - absolutely no way on the rifle. Those could shoot clear through into the neighbor's house even after hitting the inteded target.

That being said, I keep my 1911 ready to go. It's easier to keep secure yet ready to use. My wife got me an 870 tactical shotgun for my birthday which I would like to be my main house gun, but I am not confortable just putting it under the bed with kids in the house. My kids (7 and 4) both know the rules about guns but I can't necessarily trust any of their friends not to touch it if they found it.

As for preventive measures, I don't have an alarm, but I do have a noisy, black, 110lb lab/rotty/newfie mix. She barks before anyone even has a chance to ring the bell. My friends know this and therefore do not ring, they just weight for me to answer. When the doorbell does ring, I know it's a stranger. Also, the dog leaving her half eaten cattle thigh bone outside the backdoor is probably a good deterrent for anyone approaching from the rear.