Home defense-don't fight if you don't have to

[petepeterson]

My plan starts with the pistol under my pillow. It branches out from there, depending on which son(s) are home. If the upstairs bedrooms are occupied, I hold the top of the steps. That's about as far as I want to go. Anything below those steps is replaceable. I won't shoot anyone over stuff.

 

[snowman]

To EGAD & Stakeout: Thanks so much for your professional, frank advice -nothing like the voices of experience. And thank you for supporting the right of ordinary folks to defend their lives and families.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

Um not concerned. Bad guys, tigers, lions, leopards oh my.....My Caucasian Mountain dog will do them all

Puppy

.......

A 250# dog that has no sense of pain and will take on a locomotive. ...that's a friend. If you think pitt bulls are kean and nasty you haven't seen a Caucasian Mountain dog.

Are you sure those things are dogs?

 

[Arik]

Lol...yep!

 

[epj]

Humm. Well, I have a pair of yorkies that weigh 7-8 lb. for the pair. One will probably sleep right through the gunfight. The other will likely bark and wake me up if she hears anything go bump in the night. Those fuzzy wolves in the previous post are pretty impressive. I'll bet you don't buy the 4 lb. bags of dog food to keep it from getting stale before they eat it, like I have to.

 

[old bear]

Common theme in most of the answers, stay calm, call 911, assess threat, and only fire weapon as a last resort. The one thing that surprises me is the number of posters who have a weapon on their person, when at home. Something I've never done or considered. I do though have a ready gun on each level of the house, so there is not a great deal of difference.

I live alone and have three levels to protect. One person just can't do that. Assuming that any problem accrues at night, old bears "last stand" will be from the top the stairs shooting down. If it could be helped I would never block the B.G.'s escape route, yet if someone attempts to come to up the stairs I'm going to believe that my life is in danger and do whatever is necessary to protect myself.

 

[Protected One]

The one thing that surprises me is the number of posters who have a weapon on their person, when at home. Something I've never done or considered. I do though have a ready gun on each level of the house, so there is not a great deal of difference.

I'm guessing that most (like me) who do so are people who move around the house a lot. Even with guns on each level the possibility exist that the threat come in through a door-wall or door that puts me in a bad position to retrieve the gun. The simplest solution to me was just to put it on my hip. Problem solved!

 

[petepeterson]

I'm guessing that most (like me) who do so are people who move around the house a lot. Even with guns on each level the possibility exist that the threat come in through a door-wall or door that puts me in a bad position to retrieve the gun. The simplest solution to me was just to put it on my hip. Problem solved!

That's how I see it. If the door comes crashing in, there won't be a lot of time to go to the hiding spot. Even if it's a mouse-gun on my hip, it's better than throwing Doritos.

 

[wbraswell]

My home has solid core doors, and steel casement windows, with storm windows over them. Breaking in is going to make some noise. I will be at the end of the hall. I will be easy to find, I'll be where all the noise and flash and buckshot is coming from. A person who comes into your house, knowing that someone is there, is not a burglar. I will kill someone over stuff. To me, if you will steal from me, you will hurt me. If you would hurt me, I would kill you. That simple, no problem, no moral issue to me. A fist can kill as sure as a bullet. I would much rather be judged by a jury of my peers for killing an intruder, or someone who threatens me, than have them kill me and be on trial.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Common theme in most of the answers, stay calm, call 911, assess threat, and only fire weapon as a last resort. The one thing that surprises me is the number of posters who have a weapon on their person, when at home. Something I've never done or considered. I do though have a ready gun on each level of the house, so there is not a great deal of difference.

I think there's quite a bit of difference between having a gun on your person for immediate use versus a gun somewhere in the house. But perhaps the most important reason, at least for me, is having the gun with me going in and out of the house. Disarming myself every time I enter the home means that I must arm myself again when walking out. I'm in and out quite a lot. I know how it works... end up walking out the house without the gun.... then rationalizing it's just to the mailbox, just a walk a few houses down the street, just a quick trip to the convenience store,... on and on.

My LCP carries unnoticed as does my wallet. There's simply no reason to disarm myself whether I'm snoozing on the couch, making a sandwich in the kitchen, reloading ammo downstairs in the shop or walking behind the lawnmower.

 

[686-380]

Each situation is different

I may or may not pop out with "Hey, y'all need to head on out now . . ." Again, depends on the scenario . . .

The advice from the Thunder Ranch video is pretty good. I have actually performed walk-throughs of my home, considering the unlikely event of an invasion.

I know the likeliest entry points and will try to respond in an appropriate fashion. I'm thinking the warning of a break-in will determine how I react. Door being pounded/kicked will definitely raise my ire but the dog door flapping and giggles not so much. My likeliest scenario is some kids being where they shouldn't be.

My state/town/neighborhood are primarily hard-working, religious folks (for the most part).

That said, I suppose Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has come into play here. I've got the food, shelter, etc., stuff down. Now I can turn my attention to the finer details of home defense.

I'm actually in the process of getting one of my firearms SBR'd, with the intent of suppressing it. I don't want our dog to be traumatized or our hearing compromised, if I have to discharge a firearm in our home. I also have the added advantage of knowing what's going to happen to become of said weapon, upon our eventual doom. The only down side has been the daunting process of obtaining the NFA trust and ATF form 1...

 

[Cal44]

That's how I see it. If the door comes crashing in, there won't be a lot of time to go to the hiding spot. Even if it's a mouse-gun on my hip, it's better than throwing Doritos.

But too many Doritos can kill.

 

[NYlakesider]

Possibly a bit off topic but that fits my view of life in general. Do not fight if you do not have to, but if you have to fight do whatever it takes to win. A few bullies and some other people got a real sobering experience by pushing me too far.

Same thing in a home defense situation. If I confront a person in my house if he backs away carefully not having hurt anyone or my cats I will let him go.

My state the laws favor the criminals. Naturally if he surrenders at the sight of a 12 Gauge I will hold him for the cops. If he leaves peacefully I will call for the Calvary to run him down assuming I have my LL still working, no cell service here! If forced to use lethal force I will win.

 

[CH4]

You might want to consider putting a laser on your gun. All you would have to do is laser a burglar and your cat would attack them.

That's a fact, Jack! My wiener dog would tear off a BG's shoe laces, hopefully causing him to trip or divert his attention.

 

[Watchdog]

Um not concerned. Bad guys, tigers, lions, leopards oh my.....My Caucasian Mountain dog will do them all. A 250# dog that has no sense of pain and will take on a locomotive. ...that's a friend. If you think pitt bulls are mean and nasty you haven't seen a Caucasian Mountain dog.

Do you have a Caucasian Ovcharka? Is one of those photos a photo of your dog? Which one?

 

[CH4]

Um not concerned. Bad guys, tigers, lions, leopards oh my.....My Caucasian Mountain dog will do them all

Puppy

.......

A 250# dog that has no sense of pain and will take on a locomotive. ...that's a friend. If you think pitt bulls are mean and nasty you haven't seen a Caucasian Mountain dog.

looks more like a Peterbilt than a dog!

 

[GatorFarmer]

I suppose in theory someone in Wyoming could have a valid reason for breaking in, such as having a bear or pack of wolves in pursuit. Otherwise, someone must know that forcing an occupied dwelling here is a dangerously bad idea.

 

[Cal44]

Um not concerned. Bad guys, tigers, lions, leopards oh my.....My Caucasian Mountain dog will do them all

Puppy

.......

A 250# dog that has no sense of pain and will take on a locomotive. ...that's a friend. If you think pitt bulls are mean and nasty you haven't seen a Caucasian Mountain dog.

Do you own a dog food factory?

 

[pittpa]

Anything below those steps is replaceable. I won't shoot anyone over stuff.

Amen. I have a cellular-connected alarm that bypasses the landline entirely. More pricey but worth it to me. They offered me the option to have the landline primary with the cell backup. I caution anyone on that-it delays notification to the alarm company by minutes if the landline is out, not what you want. The base unit is in a more secure location so it cant't be disabled quickly. My bathroom is connected to the bedroom. That's where I go. It has a solid wood door and a spare cell phone in there as well as a house phone and a locker in the closet with long guns in it. The house phone is bluetooth so it works on the cell phone line in the event the landline is disconnected. My GF says I have too many flashlights.

 

[cmort666]

I suppose in theory someone in Wyoming could have a valid reason for breaking in, such as having a bear or pack of wolves in pursuit. Otherwise, someone must know that forcing an occupied dwelling here is a dangerously bad idea.

It isn't all that smart in NE Ohio, and we've been showing why recently.

No bears or wolves here, but a few coyotes; probably smarter to deal with them than the person whose dwelling you're trying to break into.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I think there's quite a bit of difference between having a gun on your person for immediate use versus a gun somewhere in the house. But perhaps the most important reason, at least for me, is having the gun with me going in and out of the house. Disarming myself every time I enter the home means that I must arm myself again when walking out. I'm in and out quite a lot. I know how it works... end up walking out the house without the gun.... then rationalizing it's just to the mailbox, just a walk a few houses down the street, just a quick trip to the convenience store,... on and on.

My LCP carries unnoticed as does my wallet. There's simply no reason to disarm myself whether I'm snoozing on the couch, making a sandwich in the kitchen, reloading ammo downstairs in the shop or walking behind the lawnmower.

This is how I roll as well. Once I'm dressed, pistol in one pocket, knife in another, phone in a third, until it's time for bed. I'm out and about and back again all day long, sometimes on the spur of the moment, and I don't have time to keep arming and disarming. I don't ever base my choices on where I'm going or what I'm doing. I pick a pistol based on I don't even know. Whatever happens to hit me that morning when I look in the safe . . .

 

[Arik]

Do you have a Caucasian Ovcharka? Is one of those photos a photo of your dog? Which one?

No those are Internet pics. I did have one when I was a kid but I don't have the room needed for a dog that size. Not to mention the time needed for socialization. Not properly socialized it sees everything as a threat. And it needs a special instructor for training. Typical dog training won't work, at least not too well. Very independent, stubborn, thinks for itself, tends to want to be the Alpha in the group (family), hight tolerance for pain (smacking it on the nose or any other body part you may as well bang your head against the wall. It will have the same effect).

They are mastiffs and don't require a lot of exercise but they can't be an indoor dog. They are used for livestock protection against bears and wolves. Also as guard dogs/prison dogs/military dogs.

When protecting livestock they can hold their own against bears and more than a match for a wolf. And if it's a pack of wolves they'll loose a few members before that dog goes down.

 

[StakeOut]

Next suggestion if you allow me is to try hard not to make yourself a target.
I know you have worked very hard to achieve the success you have but your success doesn't go unobserved by all whom you come in contact with.
Someone driving by can see the Beamer and Silverado LTZ sitting in your driveway.
Everyone in the supermarket and beauty shop can see the expensive glitter your better half is wearing and they can hear the bragging of your big promotion or lottery win.
Others see your kids wearing designer clothes to school daily.

A fellow Stake Out Unit member shot and killed a would be robber while taking out the garbage.

I put 6 in an assailant that sliced through my jacket with a 007 knife in a midtown Manhatten elevator a seconds after he stepped on.

If you carry a gun it's a big responsibility but you must be mentally aware at all times that you,#1,always need to go home with no hole in yourself.

I'm near 73 in fairly good health and sincerely hope I never need to fire on another human being again but I will if a situation calls for it.

 

[pittpa]

It isn't all that smart in NE Ohio, and we've been showing why recently.
No bears or wolves here, but a few coyotes; probably smarter to deal with them than the person whose dwelling you're trying to break into.

On a related note, I have noticed that maybe not so many home invasions are forced entry by breaking in. Home invaders seem to prefer an open door. An alarming number of people open their door to strangers at all hours, especially the elderly. I live in a good neighborhood and I would not open the door at night, typically. Luckily, I can open an elevated window to talk to them, which I recommend even if you can't see them. Someone claims to need help urgently, I'll call 911 either for them or to report them. That "I need a phone" doesn't hold much water with all the obama phones out there. Anyone at any hour with stupid questions may be casing for burglary. They get reported. There is a large element of prevention here. If I'm not going out for several hours, the alarm is set. I don't leave exterior doors open or unlocked even while I am home, excepting the rear or front door while I am in the corresponding part of the yard. I open the windows for ventilation and they have stops with additional magnets so the alarm can be armed with them open 5-6 inches.
EDIT- Ladies and gentlemen, quality posts here! Gave me some new food for thought. Hope some who have a plan may add to it and those without a plan will gain something. Thanks for sharing.

 

[pittpa]

Maybe the bad guys will already be in my home and I'll walk in. Or my wife and I walk in. Or maybe me and a couple guys from the Club will walk in...

One of the two reasons I have an alarm. The other is to wake me before someone appears at my bedroom door. Locally a homeowner showed up at home knowing there had been a breakin. So did the cops. One of the 2-3 guys fired at the cop with the homeowner's gun, picked up in the house. Somehow nobody was shot.

 

[cmort666]

An alarming number of people open their door to strangers at all hours, especially the elderly.

I'm by nature both suspicious and unfriendly.

The last unexpected knock on my door was the cops, who got the wrong apartment. I didn't open the door.

 

[pittpa]

As the OP, allow me to lighten this up for a moment. This is next to my friend's door.

 

[GatorFarmer]

What is a 007 knife?

 

[S&WIowegan]

I have taken Thunder Ranch PD courses from Clint twice in the last 15 yrs. He is very clear about not shooting unless you must to save yourself and family. He also points out that an open 911 line while your encounter is in progress could be a big plus after it's over.

Stakeout has the experience to give damn good advice...pay attention to what he says. Don't stick your nose in other people's business! Don't say stuff on this forum or elsewhere you wouldn't want to hear quoted in a courtroom. Call your lawyer ASAP and wait for him/her! Never doubt that an ambitious chief, sheriff or DA might try to make political hay out of your defense situation.

Good luck to us all. Iowa is full of white meth-heads and they get desperate.

 

[StakeOut]

What is a 007 knife?

I thought no one would ask

https://axischemicals.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/nyc-history-the-007-knife/