Recent home invasions got me thinking
- Thread starter 2damnold4this
- Start date
I gotta tell ya guys...if the neighborhood is getting so bad that you have to be concerned every moment that someone or something is going to come busting thru the door/window, it is definitely time to move. A man's home is his castle and thus should not become his prison. My house is my retreat where I can feel safe...don't confuse this with complacent. I have a state of the art Alarm System, a 4 legged early warning system, and live in a very small gated community where someone or something out of place is immediately noticed. Almost everyone has a dog and when they all start barking at 3 AM, everyone is out of their beds and investigating.
I, too, keep a loaded gun on my person at all times and there are indeed guns hidden about the house but I don't worry about going to the mail box trying to decide if I should take my AR or Shotgun.
I, too, keep a loaded gun on my person at all times and there are indeed guns hidden about the house but I don't worry about going to the mail box trying to decide if I should take my AR or Shotgun.
watkins1988
Inactive
you can get a 2 shot extension for your 870 and thats all you need. if someones in your yard or at your front door go with the shotgun. buckshot doesnt spread as much as some people think at close distances. if your in a neighborhood then the mini 14 can travel pretty far. even through the perp. so you gotta think about your neighbors too.
45Gunner...
... if you drive ten or fifteen miles south, to the Deerfield/Pompano city line, you'll meet all sorts of folks whose neighborhoods have gotten a lot worse over the last ten or twenty years. Many if not most of them can't afford to move.
It's nice to think everybody should just up and leave, and head for someplace nicer. It's often not an option. In the current economy and real estate market, it's even less of an option for many.
... if you drive ten or fifteen miles south, to the Deerfield/Pompano city line, you'll meet all sorts of folks whose neighborhoods have gotten a lot worse over the last ten or twenty years. Many if not most of them can't afford to move.
It's nice to think everybody should just up and leave, and head for someplace nicer. It's often not an option. In the current economy and real estate market, it's even less of an option for many.
riverwalker76
New member
Whatever you decide to protect your family and home with do not become overzealous in the use of your firearms on your property.
Last week a mid-20's male knocked on my door at 2330 hours. I always go to the door armed at this hour, unless I am expecting someone.
I saw him through the front door, but opted to go around through my garage, and I told my wife to lock me out. I then instructed her that if she heard anything to call the sheriff.
I then hit the garage door opener, and the guy walked around and entered my garage within 20 feet of me. He then reached for his back pocket, and I drew on him. He almost wet and soiled his pants!
He brought out an iPhone, and I asked him why he was here. I withdrew my pistol, and he said that he was wondering if he could park his broken-down truck on my property for the evening.
You can see how this could have turned into a really bad situation! I instructed him to never enter anyone's garage, whom he didn't know, and walk toward them without being asked to enter at ANY time of the day or night. Then I told him never, under any circumstance to reach for his back pocket before being greeted!
I guess the moral of this story is to not draw your weapon until you are absolutely positive that the person is hostile. However, in my situation, how was I to know?
Someone with less training and a hot head might have fired before seeing what he was bringing from around his back.
Last week a mid-20's male knocked on my door at 2330 hours. I always go to the door armed at this hour, unless I am expecting someone.
I saw him through the front door, but opted to go around through my garage, and I told my wife to lock me out. I then instructed her that if she heard anything to call the sheriff.
I then hit the garage door opener, and the guy walked around and entered my garage within 20 feet of me. He then reached for his back pocket, and I drew on him. He almost wet and soiled his pants!
He brought out an iPhone, and I asked him why he was here. I withdrew my pistol, and he said that he was wondering if he could park his broken-down truck on my property for the evening.
You can see how this could have turned into a really bad situation! I instructed him to never enter anyone's garage, whom he didn't know, and walk toward them without being asked to enter at ANY time of the day or night. Then I told him never, under any circumstance to reach for his back pocket before being greeted!
I guess the moral of this story is to not draw your weapon until you are absolutely positive that the person is hostile. However, in my situation, how was I to know?
Someone with less training and a hot head might have fired before seeing what he was bringing from around his back.If a single group of armed perps begins to hit an area, should I move? Deal with the threat until it is no longer a threat then resume normalcy. In your case normalcy involves always carrying a sidearm. Should you move because you think it is bad enough to warrant a sidearm all the time? I know folks who feel so safe at home that they don't carry anything while at home.
2damnold4this
New member
Moving isn't in the cards right now. I also can't afford to buy another firearm at this time.
I did go shooting today and patterned the shotgun with four buckshot loads. Two were Remington #1 buck, one was S&B 00 buck and the last was S&B's #4 buck. I was surprised at how quickly they spread with all being at least 15" to 20" at 10 yards. I think I'm gonna stick with the Mini since I'd rather not spray buckshot into a neighbor's house. Most of the homes here are brick and the one directly across the street is unoccupied. There are kids living in the only nearby house that isn't brick, so I'd better be careful. Hornady's 55 grain TAP did fine in the Mini. I can hit multiple targets much quicker with the Mini than I can with the 870 probably because of my lack of practice with the shotgun.
I did learn a bit more about the home invasions. The last two took place late in the evening or early morning hours. People who were outside their residences were forced inside at gun point. The first home invasion seems to have been an attack on a drug dealing acquaintance of one of the robbers.
It's not practical to tote a rifle on my back while mowing or gardening here in the subdivision but knowing more about the robberies makes me think that the criminals aren't likely to strike during the day. If I'm wrong, I'll have to rely on the G26 if caught outside.
I did go shooting today and patterned the shotgun with four buckshot loads. Two were Remington #1 buck, one was S&B 00 buck and the last was S&B's #4 buck. I was surprised at how quickly they spread with all being at least 15" to 20" at 10 yards. I think I'm gonna stick with the Mini since I'd rather not spray buckshot into a neighbor's house. Most of the homes here are brick and the one directly across the street is unoccupied. There are kids living in the only nearby house that isn't brick, so I'd better be careful. Hornady's 55 grain TAP did fine in the Mini. I can hit multiple targets much quicker with the Mini than I can with the 870 probably because of my lack of practice with the shotgun.
I did learn a bit more about the home invasions. The last two took place late in the evening or early morning hours. People who were outside their residences were forced inside at gun point. The first home invasion seems to have been an attack on a drug dealing acquaintance of one of the robbers.
It's not practical to tote a rifle on my back while mowing or gardening here in the subdivision but knowing more about the robberies makes me think that the criminals aren't likely to strike during the day. If I'm wrong, I'll have to rely on the G26 if caught outside.
Carry your CCW all the time. Have the wife lock the doors while you're outside. If someone tries to force you inside at gunpoint put up a fight and don't go inside. You are the perimeter defense and letting armed adversaries into the house is the last thing you want. The wife can barricade in the house to protect the daughter.
Time is on your side. The last thing these guys want is a long confrontation outside the house where anyone can see and respond.
That was, and still may be, a favorite tactic of crimminals in RSA (S. Afr.) Often dressed in a nice suit, a carjacker robs people as they arrived home in their driveways.
Don't know whether most culminate in a car jacking or home invasion (which also means rape)--or maybe both, but in our country, a home invasion would be the likely result with bank accounts being the target as well as home valuables.
Crimminals in Latin America now grab people off the street and drive around to various ATM's cleaning out bank accounts. They cruise looking for people.
And some more sophisticated gangs select their victims more carefully and Xfer money from the victims' accounts to theirs via lap top. The victims don't usually survive.
Not to get side tracked with crime in foreign countries, but we're seeing more of that kind of stuff here, also, and we'll see more in the future..
Onward Allusion
New member
You already have a Glock 26. If you haven't already, get a few Glock 17 or 19 mags and wear the 26 on your person along with a full mag pouch.
I don't get it. Rather than addressing this from inside the home where you were safe, you go out to meet the stranger late at night and expose yourself to danger. He also gets to see everything in your garage when you opened the door. Did you know for sure he was alone? What if he hadn't been, and there had been someone else waiting?
Did you at least report the incident to the police, since you actually drew your gun on him?
2damnold4this
New member
I do have a few G17 and one G19 magazines. Perhaps I could carry one or two in a pouch in my left side pocket.
I'm going back to the mountains; there all ya have to worry about are the dang game wardens.oneounceload
Moderator
You have SIX dogs and you're worried?......sounds like a good excuse to get different dogs...............you have to worry more about drunk UGA fans in Athens than anything else
really, you carry a G26 in your pocket? Tell me how - at 6'3" I haven't found ANY garment that doesn't print
around windows - pea gravel and thorny bushes do the trick, otherwise motion lights etc, good dogs -vall work
really, you carry a G26 in your pocket? Tell me how - at 6'3" I haven't found ANY garment that doesn't print
around windows - pea gravel and thorny bushes do the trick, otherwise motion lights etc, good dogs -vall work
2damnold4this
New member
I don't think drunk UGA fans are responsible for the troubles we've been having lately.
It's not hard to carry a G26 in a pocket so long as you aren't dressing too tight. While it is obvious that something is in my pocket, the holster I use makes a square outline.
I expect the two Chihuahua mixes, the hound and the big mutt will give me warning if someone tries to break in the house. The other two dogs aren't going to be useful for warning or protection. The thing I was worried about most was a group approaching while I was outside but they only seem to be doing that late at night.
It's not hard to carry a G26 in a pocket so long as you aren't dressing too tight. While it is obvious that something is in my pocket, the holster I use makes a square outline.
I expect the two Chihuahua mixes, the hound and the big mutt will give me warning if someone tries to break in the house. The other two dogs aren't going to be useful for warning or protection. The thing I was worried about most was a group approaching while I was outside but they only seem to be doing that late at night.
Cruncher Block
New member
First do everything possible to make your home an unattractive target: Lighting, dogs, good deadbolts with plate screws that go deep.
After that, I'd personally grab the Mini 14 over the 870 if all else failed. However, I would probably choose something other than ball ammo and I would make sure the rifle is reliable with it.
This will probably re-launch another carbine vs. shotgun debate. I've thought through it carefully, done some research, and decided the carbine is a better choice for me. Others will probably disagree. They aren't going to change my mind and I doubt I'll change theirs.
After that, I'd personally grab the Mini 14 over the 870 if all else failed. However, I would probably choose something other than ball ammo and I would make sure the rifle is reliable with it.
This will probably re-launch another carbine vs. shotgun debate. I've thought through it carefully, done some research, and decided the carbine is a better choice for me. Others will probably disagree. They aren't going to change my mind and I doubt I'll change theirs.
Dr. Strangelove
New member
2damnoldforthis said:
Nope, that's more parking in your yard, peeing on your bushes, puking on everything, then leaving a bunch of trash everywhere.
I'm innocent of three of the four above offenses, but I will pee on anything that will stand still long enough... Go Dawgs!
2damnoldforthis, Shoot me a PM if you need a free, uncrowded, safe range to shoot on.