Home defense

[pghplr]

I can't disagree with your arguments. All valid points. Aubie, my personal space has 3 other people in two other rooms who may or may not have awoken to the same threat i did. The loudest alarm I have that would guarantee our plan sets in motion is the firing of my gun into a wall of my plaster/brick home,shot into a wall,opposite the kids. Is that dangerous? Obviously it is. Anytime you discharge a gun is. Especially in an enclosed building. But I'm of the opinion that if I wait til I have to shoot, by that time, where's everybody at? When I lived alone there was no need for a warning shot. I just needed to know where I was. The warning shot serves 2 purposes, to warn the BG that I'm not rolling over and maybe he/they might go away. And also to let my family know we're about to get jacked up.
As far as sending bullets throughout the neighborhood, I don't want that! It could happen and its dangerous. I would hope my brick home contains the round/rounds I'm going to shoot. Having made my decision to protect my family with a firearm, its an inherent risk that any rounds fired can make it outside at some point during a firefight with a home invader. I think my warning shot has less of a chance to make it outside because I'm placing that shot in a direction I choose. The reality is that if I'm needing to shoot more than a warning shot, those shots will be level shooting with windows and doors in the background. That leaves the question of not protecting my family with an instrument that could hurt the neighbors or not. So should I use my sons baseball bat instead? I'd be more than happy to if I knew they were breaking in with one. Maybe not. Its a real time situation where everyone needs to know what to do and where to be. I love my neighbors, and hopefully we all get together for a cook-out the next day. They can even come over and help patch the wall.
Once you decide to use firearms to protect your home, you have to accept the fact that you're creating a danger to others around you. It comes down to what you believe is the lesser of two evils. I personally feel better knowing I have "at least" the same power as my aggressor. Again, our plan my not be perfect, but in my house, if all goes well, we all know whats about to happen.

[aubie515]

The problem is there are too many unknown variables in your scenario...I don't know the layout of your home, but what if someone was walking outside and you fired the warning shot and you kill that person? What if you shoot and one of your kids are on the other side of the wall. There are so many "what if's" to justify the warning shot. It is your home and your family, so do as you please. All I know is if it were my family I wouldn't risk the chance. Once you fire a shot...it is game on, so be prepared to live with the consequences.

[Tomcat088]

Originally Posted by plr16

The loudest alarm I have that would guarantee our plan sets in motion is the firing of my gun into a wall of my plaster/brick home,shot into a wall,opposite the kids. Is that dangerous? Obviously it is. Anytime you discharge a gun is. Especially in an enclosed building.

I understand what you're saying PLR, and I think it does make a valid point. You are probably right in the fact that your brick home will most likely contain the bullet, and I hope that in your situation it does. You also make a valid point about a firefight and the level of gunfire. I personally like the element of surprise, of me knowing where the BG is, and him not knowing where I am. If he was lucky, the only warning he'd receive in my house was maybe hearing a shotgun or slide racked. This is why I'm soon to have the sights on my pistol changed to tritium night sights, so in that sort of situation I can have a bead on him and hopefully only take one shot at him, that doesn't exit, or does so with very little velocity. I do like the idea that you're prepared, and looking out for everybody's safety. Best of luck to you

[pghplr]

Unknown variables in my scenario? Thats a given! Absolutely no disagreement with you on that point. A possible senario would be no one wakes up and they slit my throat, rape the wife and kill the kids. Anything could happen. It would be chaos controlled by the intruder. The question is..do you wait to "see" the bg? Do you tell him you have a gun and wait for his response as to whether you shoot or not? And if you do decide to get up close and personal and shoot at center mass and in the confusion you miss, wheres that bullet going? I'd be shooting in a direction that would minimize any accidental shootings. Shooting at a level plane and missing creates more of a danger to people inside and out of the house. If you kill the poor guy on the street, does it matter that you first seen the whites of the BGs eyes? My personal feeling is its game on as soon as I wake up. If some one breaks in at 3 in the morning and they're in my livingroom...I'm going to try to stop their advance into our bedrooms as fast as possible. My warning shot automaticaly changes the chaos factor more into my favor. It may or may not change the bg's plan to advance, but even a crackhead would slow down a bit. I'm as concerned with the guy on the street as you are. But "if" I get up and have time to reach for a gun because someone broke into my house at 3am I would have to prioritize the guy who may or may not be in the street as my fifth concern. The kids, the wife, me and then a possible bystander. Hope I don't sound like some tough guy cause theres a possible senerio that I could be under the bed screaming with the kids! We've never been in a situation where I had to react out of a dead sleep. In my quest not to have to shoot some one, I'm willing to take the chance at a warning shot. But again, I understand your concerns.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by plr16

We've never been in a situation where I had to react out of a dead sleep. In my quest not to have to shoot some one, I'm willing to take the chance at a warning shot. But again, I understand your concerns.

Most caliber have Blanks available, there are also shot shell available for 38 and .357 in pistols they usually dont return the slide enough to reload but in a revolver that could be usefull. I would hate to shoot my .357 or a slug out of the shotgun and knock down a brick wall or go through a door and hit the neighbours brick wall... A Crack head, you can shoot all you want, if you can't knock him down, he will advance. The average BG you can hurt enough with rubber bullets to not damage your house and stop them or turn them around.
Remember some thing, you know your house more then any one else, so use your sences more then your eyes, and also remember that the average joe cant hit the side of a barn at 20 feet. The advantages are all yours.

P.S. about the Blanks, at 12 feet a blank 12g will most definately blind some one long enough for a good kick in the groin even if their eyes are closed.

Here post this sign to your door

[Archiver]

I do know a guy who did keep a blank first round....he swore by his reasoning...and I'd definitely prefer that to a live warning shot!

BTW, if U used that PLR just the noise would deafen him into submission...I've got one too

[LorDiego01]

What would be the legal ramifications of a "warning shot" (be it blank or not) in the situation that you kill the BG breaking into your house? (you kill him with a follow up shot)

Could the BG's lawyer try to spin it to make you look like a gun-crazy nut who couldn't wait to fire his gun??
Could the warning shot be used as an arguemnt like handloads, or a light trigger mod? Where you are trying to up the deadliness of your gun??

Could the evil lawyer, defending the piece of trash who breaks into your house, use your warning shot as an escalation of force? Or somehow spin it that after being shot at, he tried to defend himself and you killed/wounded him in cold blood??

I have to personally disagree with carrying a blank as your first shot. Thats like faking a punch at the begining of a fist fight. I say you go in at 100%, or you dont go in at all.

[pghplr]

Loading blanks in a gun that sleeps with me for protection won't have blanks. I live in a little ranch style house. In a neighborhood with alot of potential to quickly go south. If some one "breaks in" during the wee hours of the morning, chances are they're less than 40 feet from me in one room or another. It's actually less than that. My toy poodles make great watch dogs, but...well....I don't think peeing on a Bg's foot will do the trick. Although I know it slows me down a little. No, it's go time from the start.
PS... the PLR stays in the safe. Way too much, although i have to say, its set up for just this situation.

[RUDY850]

My wife don't shoot much just not that interested in it. So shes not that good with a hand gun. so I keep a mossberg 500 with 2 3/4 buck shot in the bed room. the recoil don't bother her and and she can actually hit a pop can with it. imagine that

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by RUDY850

My wife don't shoot much just not that interested in it. so I keep a mossberg 500 with 2 3/4 buck shot in the bed room. the recoil don't bother her and and she can actually hit a pop can with it. imagine that

I shot a few boxes of slug through my mossberg "deer slayer" and Ill tell you, the recoil is to say the least interesting!


Re: "Bricks will contain the shots." Many of the so called buildings with "Brick" are actually only Perma-Stone a thin layer of brick to decorate the exterior over a wood structure. Never the less, I know for a fact a slug from a 12G will push a brick out of joint on older buildings, a .357 or 45 will do considerable damage as well.