We ( wife and I ) live in a small quiet neighborhood. Very seldom is there anyone besides us there at night. House is bi-level, with our room upstairs. We have 3 firearms hidden throughout house, and a nightstand gun. Now the question: Do you close and lock your bedroom door at night?

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God, country, family.

Yes, I do.
It will give you time to grab your gun, while the invaders try to open the door and you can hear that.


Via Galaxy S4

Nope, all interior doors open. It aids hearing what's going on, eliminates me having to open a door to see what's going on, and keeps me from being a target in the general area of the door. (I can move through it without warning).

Besides, if they are already in the house, game on. (I'm not the cower in the bedroom type)

YMMV

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I see no advantage in doing it, and I live in a ground-floor apartment. My door is steel. My windows would be very difficult to get through. My little dog is very good about loudly letting me know if anyone is outside the door. I have a gun in the head of my bed and my EDC within easy reach as well.

I live alone and have no one else to defend. I'm not willing to live on constant level orange alert.

I haven't even closed my bedroom door in over two years.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Yes, I lock my door. I also have a fairly comprehensive alarm system etc. It has nothing to do with being on constant alert, in fact it's the opposite. The alarm etc enables me to relax.

This is the 21st century, take advantage of the technology, alarms, door cameras etc are a good thing.

Well my house is just a one floor residence and I sleep with all the interior doors open. I can hear what is going on much better.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

No, I do not lock inside doors. Fire/rescue is more likely to have to get in.

An early warning system (like a dog) or electronics as mentioned above will probably be more effective than a locked bedroom door. Lots of good, inexpensive stuff about there to help you.

That said, the door should still be lockable just in case a place of refuge is needed.

Interesting conversation. I've always kept my door shut but I think that is to keep light and sound out of the bedroom. I've given a lot of thought to locking the door and even bolstering the lock. The thought being that I would have more time and I would be more certain that a bad guy is on the other side of the door. Let's face it, friend and family are not going to kick down an internal door without announcing themselves in some manner. I pretty much thought once the door opens, action gets taken to stop the threat. Bad logic?

Also, for me, the kids are gone. I would not have the same thought if the kids were in the house and certainly would not be locking my door at night with kids in the house.

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18-4, 15-4

I've never thought about that before. I never close my bedroom door. In fact, it doesn't even have a knob on it.

After some thought, I'd say no. I think it's better to have interior doors open. There should be enough warning when the bad guy breaks in through a window or exterior door.

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Freedom isn't free.

That is the logic I was thinking. Our CC instructor even told us in class, that if you know it is a threat, just shoot through the door. My thoughts were it would be better to call 911 and stay behind cover in the bedroom. I feel a lot more comfortable with the 45 trained on the door from behind the waterbed frame, with the wife behind me with her 357 than leaving her there while I wander through the house hoping I come out ahead when TSHTF. I will admit I do not have the training or knowledge to clear a house. Everything in the house except my wife can be replaced.

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God, country, family.

There is no way I would shoot through a door without being able to see what I was shooting at.

This is horribly bad advice. Some have survived prosecution after shooting through a door, but you've put yourself behind the 8 ball on your defense.

If they are on the other side of the door, how is your life in danger? If you can't see them, how do you know it's a bad guy?

No, never shoot until they get through the door.

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Freedom isn't free.

Nope, doors are wide open....Not only can i hear better, but i get a nice cross breeze at night.

In Kansas, if in my house in the middle of the night, trying to bust down my locked door, they are a threat and I am legal to protect myself without waiting until they come through the door.

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God, country, family.

Bedroom door open and gun loaded on the night stand. 2 dogs in and out, as mentioned a nice breeze with the door open and most importantly when I gotta go... can't have a locked door slowing me down! and no way am I shooting through the door.

Interesting. I never have thought about locking my bedroom door or even closing it at night.
Not sure what that would accomplish. I want to know if someone is in my house that's not supposed to be there and I'm afraid a closed door would stop me from knowing that.

How would you know what is on the other side of that closed door? That is Scary to me. Not knowing.

A tubercular five year old could kick in my bedroom door. I don't make enough money to rebuild my landlord's facilities.

My defense is an active defense.

Aside from people robbing drug dealers and gambling operations, home invaders don't seem to expect serious resistance. Shooting them repeatedly appears to put them seriously off their game.

Door open here. I do it in the case of someone kicking in the door or breaking a window there is a better chance I would hear them.

Door always open. In case of an emergency or a breakin, I would want to be able to see, hear, and smell throughout the house. I would not feel comfortable behind a closed door.

Closed. The dog will wake me up if someone is in or trying to get into the home, but I don't want her running out of the room to lick an intruder to death.

I have a very long oak dresser that will provide excellent cover where I can maintain a 12ga pointed at the door. No reason to give up a position of such advantage to go run around the house playing intruder hunt. I'll call 911 and be patient.

Door open. My dog provides early warning and my handgun is within easy reach.


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Door open

Gun down low by my headboard in a small locked gun vault, easily opened by one swipe of thumbprint.

I just lost my best warning system (also my best friend) -- my black labbie. Cancer. Her litter-mate sister is unfortunately not anywhere in the same league as far as sound goes. This is prompting me to start thinking serious about an ADT system or something.

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M&P-9FS,Shield40,642,32ColtPPS

This is not in question. Of course it's a bad guy. The universal requirement to use of deadly force is that your life must be in immediate danger. While the guy is on the other side of the door, you are not in immediate danger. You could tell him that you have a gun and he could leave without finishing busting the door. If he persists, you still have a clear advantage and can still shoot him.

I have a co-worker who was awakened in the middle of the night by someone breaking into his apartment. He got up, grabbed his gun and went to investigate. Sure enough, a guy was breaking in his kitchen door. He waited until the guy got in and pointed is gun at him. At that moment the guy ran away.

The police were called and while they were talking to my co-worker, the "bad guy" comes back. It turns out that he just had the wrong apartment. He lost his keys and thought he was breaking in to his own apartment.

If he had shot through the door, he would have killed a father of two for no reason.

Are you sure about that? Can you cite a law that states that? Are you willing to test it in front of a jury?

The only thing I'm trying to say here is, be sure of your target. You can't be sure of your target if they are on the other side of a door.

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Freedom isn't free.

Who ever said shoot through the door apparently never heard of "being sure of and identify your target" before shooting.

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Back to back World War Champs.

"The universal requirement to use of deadly force is that your life must be in immediate danger. While the guy is on the other side of the door, you are not in immediate danger. "

That is not true, in some states the fact he's on the other side of the door meets the legal requirements for self defense.

NC has the castle doctrine, if a perp has broken in your house, car or work place, he's subject to be legally shot, regardless of what he's doing. He is presumed by law to be a threat to you by virtue of his having broke in.

Quote from lawyer's interpretation of the law:

The law presumes that "a person who unlawfully and by force enters or attempts to enter a person's home, motor vehicle, or workplace is presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence.

The apartment example is fine, but not all of us live in apartments or in the city. I live in the boonies, my child is at college. If someone's banging on my door, it's not the Easter Bunny.

I shut my bedroom door, others don't, whatever, I do not care. Odds are, I'm not going to be the one defending you if you need it and vice versa, think it through and do what works best for you.

I agree with the theory that you need to be sure of what you are shooting at, but, as with any theory, there are always exceptions. If you want to wait till you see the whites of their eyes, suit yourself, I'll shoot when I think it's appropriate.

If an intruder is in my house without my permission then he is in big trouble.
I shoot and ask questions later law or no law.
djh

I keep the door locked. Mostly because I've got a new roommate at the house who I have only known for a few months.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

We can go round and round with this. There are always exceptions to every rule. There will always be "what if" scenarios that satisfy any thought process. As an instructor, I'm not going to teach to shoot through the door. If I do, I'll open myself to professional liability.

I'm not a lawyer and I don't know all the laws in every state. Even so, I'll stick with the simple gun safety rule of know your target. Everyone has to draw that line that they won't go past. For me, I'm not shooting through a door and I'm not counseling anyone in that direction either.

Also, just because something is legal, that doesn't make it the right thing to do. In Texas you can shoot someone who is stealing your car. I don't think I'd do that, but it is legal in Texas.

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Freedom isn't free.

Interesting that a fire fighter would say that.

I have always been taught that the doors to bedroom should be shut to stop the spread of smoke in a house fire.

And since there's a higher likelyhood of fire than burglary I sleep with the door shut

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Freedom isn't free.

Why not? If you feel the need to do it, do it. If not don't. Never hurts to have another level of security.


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Aim small miss small

I think an important point i think is that the bad guys may be on you before you can shoot or get to your gun. Some kind of combative training or at least combative pistol training is pretty important. I caught some home invasion videos off of warriorspathredux where the people were still sleeping while the bad guys walked around. What if you wake up while the guy is walking around your room or that really bad home invasion in new jersey where the guy kicked in the door and he was all over her. Pretty freaken awful. I think Kelly McCann's high risk combatives is pretty good and thorough.

I have a half dozen smoke alarms throughout the house -- most of which I would never hear with the door closed. Also, my dogs (only one now) have the run of the house. Dogs are known to have a nack for warning their masters when there is a fire.

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M&P-9FS,Shield40,642,32ColtPPS

You sound like a young guy that needs a few more years under your belt.

There is more to hardening a home/apartment than just considering to close and lock your bedroom door (I vote no.). The idea is to force the intruder to delay entry and to make enough noise to give you time to wake up, arm, and call 911. Off the top of my head:
1. Have a dog or two.
2. Put hotel bars on all exterior doors (adjustable bar that diagonals/jams between the door knob and the floor, making breaking down the door harder and more noisy).
3. Have a security system and use it. Have signs outside that say you have a security system.
4. Trim bushes under windows and illuminate the exterior. LED lights use very little electricity and/or use motion detectors.
5. Fence your yard and have a locking gate across the driveway.
6. If your neighborhood is bad enough, put bars on the windows and security doors on the entries. Or move.
7. Have your cell phone in the charger on your night stand right next to your defense weapon.
8. If you have kids, have a plan for what you will do to ensure their safety. Discuss and practice it with them.
I'm sure there's more.

I close but don't lock our bedroom door.

I live in a second floor apartment. If someone is in my house they either came in through the front door (thick, heavy wood and always dead-bolted) or they had a ladder and better balance than most as I have trouble opening my windows from the inside with both feet firmly planted on the floor. If they got in the front door, they can get in my interior door.

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Just the opinion of a kid

But Joe Biden said it was OK.....

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

Alarm on and bedroom door open.

Nope. My bedroom is on the second floor, I just have one of those cheapo radio shack motion detectors with a screaming alarm at the bottom of the stairs.

Someone breaks in, they can have my wallet, my TV and the useless junk downstairs. No reason for me to go after them, Let them take it, then get arrested for it later. However, my Fiancee, I and our valuables are upstairs.

They go up the stairs, I'll know it :-D then they are endangering the lives of us, and they will lose theirs in turn for it. We are both armed and dont miss :-D

But no need to lock the bedroom door

Mainly in case of a fire, even a cheap hollow door can buy you enough time to get out alive hopefully. An open door that allows all that toxic smoke in, the fire alarm wakes you, what's the first thing you do? Take a deep breath. That could be all she wrote. I filled all my hollow doors with blow in foam insulation, yes it sound proofs which can be good/bad at times, but will buy even more time in a fire. Statistically I believe you are more likely to die from a fire than a burglary.

I never even thought of that and I'm on the volunteer department. Maybe I'll close it tonight :/ haha

We NEVER close our bedroom door unless we have quests staying here. First off, the b/r gets too hot with the door closed as the thermostat is located in the hallway outside my b/r.

Secondly, with the door opened we can better hear anybody trying to break in to our home.

The 3rd reason is Cody (our Golden Retriever) is better able to hear and alert us if anything out of the ordinary is going on. He's an excellent watch dog!

Last but not least, there are times I wake up and go downstairs or into my office or Shop and I don't want to disturb my wife with opening and closing a door.

Same in Texas. I do not intent do have a gunfight inside my small apartment with 3 or 4 intruders with AK-47's . I have a stout dead bolted exterior door, and I sleep in front of the door, one way in. If they want in they should knock, and I will answer only if I know them. I will shoot thru the door if the
intruder is taking the door down. If I lived somewhere else I would check the law and if I did not agree I would move

But I would never shoot anyone just for knocking and going on down the road, nor would I go outside to see what they were doing. I could always move to so called safer areas but looks to me like crime travels everywhere.

My bedroom is a loft that encompasses the entire second floor. There is no door or hallway. My great dane prefers it that way.

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paws for friendship

The odds of any home invasion if you are not a drug dealer or other serious criminal are really low. Putting that aside, one needs a multi-layered defense; even approaching the outside door should be ... awkward and discouraging.

I would not close the bedroom door for a lot of reasons that apply to my life, one of which being I want the landshark to be able to hear and respond. Most inside doors are so flimsy that the incremental improvement in security is virtually none.

Shooting through a door: The odds of it being a good idea with regard to an outside door are slight. If someone is in your home and does not belong there, and then they are trying to get through the bedroom or other inside door, that is a very different legal and tactical scenario, which may have a different logical outcome.

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NHI, 10-8.

We've discussed this before but you can install a wireless alarm system for around $ 300. Includes motion sensor, door and glass alarms, and activates a light(s). We have one with the console in the bedroom. When activated it sounds an alarm. It is also connected to the phone and within seconds dials a number and sends whatever message you recorded. We have it set to our cell phone for when we're away and it sends a message "home alarm system has been activated". Never have needed it but it's cheap insurance. Other options include fire and a low temperature alert. There is also a fob you can carry that will activate the system. I can't understand why people won't spend a few hundred dollars on something so easy to install.

Ok, time for some clarification. No where in here, or per my CCH instructor, did I mean that I would ever shoot through an exterior door. Actually, I find the idea so absurd, I didn't think anyone would think that was what I meant. This whole thread revolves around the BEDROOM door. And where I live, if he is illegally in my house, they are considered a threat, and if trying to break down my bedroom door, I would shoot through it in a heartbeat. With the door open, without a dog, or alarm, there is nothing to keep the intruder from being beside your bed without you knowing it until to late, thus the locked door is at least a small barrier. I never thought about a home security system installed myself. I didn't want someone like ADT, but that sounds like a viable option. Being an electrician, I could get real inventive. Just a motion switch and a loud horn would scare most people off. Thanks for all the replies and ideas.

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God, country, family.

Open, always. Murphy's Laws of War #9. "Make it too tough for the enemy to get in, and you can't get out."