Rampant Colt said:
"racking the slide" does two things:
1.) escalates the scenario
2.) gives away your position
What if there's more than one bad guy?
What if he/they're armed as well?
After racking the slide, you better be ready to put up or shut up
My situation was this....
About fifteen years ago
I awoke to the noise of my apartment door being roughly forced open. I first thought it was my roomate coming home (perhaps a little "hydrated") I sat up in bed and yelled "***?" (I could see the front door from my bedroom.)
It was not my roomate, but rather two rather shady customers entering the living room, undeterred that someone was home. My bedroom is dark, the light is on in the living room. I can see them, they most likely, don't see me very well. I shout "Who the F are you", roll over, grab my 870 and jump out of bed. The first guy is still moving slowly towards my room, trying to see into the darkness.
I shoulder the scattergun, and pump the first round into acton.....
The guy stops in his tracks(I can still see his saucer sized eyeballs bulging out as he hears the sound of impending doom), yells "F@#k man, run!" as the two beat feet out the door.
No fear, no reaction, untill they hear "That sound."
And yes I was ready to "put up"
I agree there are times when you don't want to announce your position, but if you're going to issue a challenge, there is aren't many better ways to make it clear than with the "sound of security"