Blanks for defense

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It is an ignorant question. Ignorant not being a slam though, simply meaning he doesn't know (look it up) and has some reservation to taking human life, which is good and makes it a good question.

To answer the question...No it's a bad idea.
 
It is basically a force continuum question. It is not really stupid.

One might easily pose the question as:

If I come across someone in my house and I have my gun at the ready - should I challenge them and order them not to move as I have a gun or just shoot them immediately?

The technical aspect of a gun that is not immediately available to use as a lethal weapon is a naive question but that of trying to deal with a situation without immediate use of deadly force is not.
 
That's very true, but the main point is that you shouldn't pull the trigger unless you're ready to immediately use deadly force. You are not required to pull the trigger when confronting an attacker.
 
Yep, and this guy just wants to figure out, naively, a good way to attempt an initial nonlethal interaction.

In many houses, we have panic alarm buttons that sound very loud and unpleasant sirens, etc. Upon hearing, break in - press the button.

I agree that I'm not deploying a weapon with blanks. In a Steve Moses class, we did a scenario where one did come across the break in. What to do! It is easy to say just shoot them. But should you challenge?

What if the dudes don't follow commands? Not attack you but just stroll to the door? The best one is when one of the burglars decided that he would take a leak on your living room couch while you were yelling tough guy crap at them.

Not to hjiack the thread but the tactical issue of a challenge to a burglar vs. immediate gun fire vs. hunkering down in the safe room, etc. is not an unknown conversation in self-defense circles.

I had two guy semi-comply and one guy slowly walk towards me, saying he didn't speak English and with a smile. So do you shoot him?

I did after a warning.
 
He now carries one magazine in the weapon, that is loaded with blanks
Click to expand...

....and how will his 9mm cycle??

Also, there is great merit in not only brandishing a weapon at a threat, there is merit in painting him with a laser, racking a weapon and in 'particular' situations a warning/missed shot.

Been there, done that.
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Isn't drawing down on the guy warning enough? Even if he no speaks de english he'll be warned. for a second or so at least.

Had you drawn your weapon already when he approached you?
 
Yep, in the exercise, you entered your living room and find three guys. I had drawn and challenged. Two complied and one walked towards me slowly smiling and saying he didn't speak English.

The instructors are seeing if you could think on your feet and respond when the opponent doesn't act in a cliched fashion to your manliness. :D

After a couple of challenges, I shot him. I might have backed out of the living room and fled but I chose not to. Backing up is bad.

It was kind of a slow-mo Tueller drill. Makes you think.
 
My unqualified opinion...

Rather than a blank serving as a warning (also serving as a complete disregard for the K.I.S.S. principle); if you really want to warn an intruder in hopes of avoiding a deadly encounter, why not simply call out and advise that you will defend your home and family with deadly force if they do not cease, desist and leave immediately? Probably not a bad idea to mention the cops are on their way (which they should be).

At least this way you've in no way compromised your ability to defend your home and family (i.e., by employing useless blanks), and at the same time you can rest easy knowing you've tried your hardest to scare the intruder away so that you don't have *possibly* to end his/her life.

Being discovered will most likely scare a majority of intruders away -- my opinion, not fact. It is also not something I'm willing to gamble on, so I find it best to have a firearm ready to defend if this does not work. Having a firearm only capable of making noise, does not fit the "defend" criteria.

Nothing wrong with trying to avoid killing people; it's a refreshing point of view, actually... but there is something wrong with accepting a disadvantage or otherwise compromising your ability to defend, in order to avoid killing someone. All is fair in love and war. If someone brings war to your doorstep, you must be prepared to battle. If someone brings you love, well, then load your blanks and celebrate.
 
I think I might opt for a short stick. I hope I never have to kill anyone, but if it comes down to kill or be killed, I'll be the one walking away.
 
yes, it might work

Other thing that might work are pointing a pen at them and screaming <KABOO-OM>, barking to immitate a rotweiler, and using a mime axe.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
 
If you haven't yet received enough opinions, I'll offer mine: extremely naive, ignorant, and potentially deadly idea/practice.
 
The best one is when one of the burglars decided that he would take a leak on your living room couch while you were yelling tough guy crap at them.
Click to expand...

Not to hijack the thread, but I have to wonder what the response is for that one... lol :confused:

Anyways, I think it's pretty much unanimous that blanks for self defense is not the best of ideas.
 
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