You said that you only have four doors to check.
Really?
You can't remember to check four doors before going to bed???
If you can't remember to check four doors in your own home you probably will not remember to load your pistol, or chamber a round, or change the batteries in your flashlight, or remember where you even placed your flashlight, etc...
I check them every night. But I can't guarantee that I will do it 100% of the time forever. Just like I can't guarantee that I won't have a flat tire, that my security system always works, that my power won't be out for a week at a time, etc.
That is why there are layers of defense. Dogs/Security system/3 point locking doors/and finally a firearm. I am looking into motion activated lights, but haven't "pulled the trigger" yet.
I have 2 flashlights, Surefire 6P LED next to my gun, if one is dead, I grab the other. My wife also keeps a Surefire 6P LED light on her side of the bed. There is also a Surefire X300 on my rifle that can be removed and attached to my G19 if I had to. (Well technically I have 3, but one is a windup LED that I use when we are without power for a while to get around the house so as not to waste batteries, not really a combat light)
You actually sometimes forget to announce yourself when you sometimes enter your brother's home???
And your brother is armed???
Yep. Somtimes I am thinking about other things, don't realize he is home, or maybe even talking to my wife as I am opening the door and I just walk in. Most of the time I call and tell him I am coming, same with my Mother to make sure they are there. But I don't always formally announce that I am there like I am asking permission to board a ship. Of course, my family has a tradition of following the 4 rules of firearm safety and not blasting shapes they haven't identified 1st....
Have you did any low light training in your life???
I am having my doubts.
Same about you. What low light training method advocates shooting in the dark without flashlights and without 100% identification of a target?
But yes. I have had training. I periodically do "continuing education" by doing night shoots with both sidearms and long arms. I also run through "drills" in my house with myself and my wife of what we would do in different situations. There is a specific plan. There have even been a couple of instances over the years in which the noise investigation plan has been in effect.
Exactly how do you investigate noises in your home?