And kills your night vision...
Long ago and far away, I too had a shotgun for home defence. One night I was awaken by the sound of someone coming in the front door.
I had a double barrel with a 16" barrel and bird shot. I braced myself against the corner of the door frame, barrel pointed down the hall
waiting to see what was going to happen next.
A light popped on in the living room.....don't know this for cerrtain, but I don't think too many burglars turn on room lights when they enter.
A friend of mine starts walking down the hall, stops and see me, with my sawed off doublebarrel shotgun in hand, pointed at him.
He freaked.....
Several years later, we were to go hunting on a Saturday morning and he came to my place about 2 in the morning.....He opened the door, and yelled hey pirtle it's me.
He reminded me of our earlier excitement, saying he knows better than to just walk in 'cause he has shotguns!