More thoughts about firearms home defense

**Poofist** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 1:12am

A bayonet is not an ideal addition to a home defense weapon. In addition to being awkward and ungainly, it is not going to be flattering to the law of you wind up impaling someone with it. Planning on stabbing someone on the one in a thousand chance you'll have a weapon malfunction in the one in a thousand chance you'll need to defend yourself in your home isn't very pragmatic. If you're that worried about it, prepare a backup firearm.

Also, just so I have this straight - your HD plan is elevated engagement at a range of 10 feet in a flak vest and Garand with fixed bayo? That's one a hell of a mental image. You may deter would-be invaders just with the sheer lunacy factor.

**tgace** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 1:27am

Originally Posted by ceeb

America is fucked. I have a combat knife I keep on my night stand. We don't really have home invasion all that much here.

And neither does America...unless you are mixed up in criminality.

Sure some burglaries/home invasions do happen to "normal people", but by and large most of them are perpetrated by shitheads looking for dope, money, guns etc. because they know the person living there is involved in the drug trade (or is a burglar with good stolen ****) and has dope/cash inside.

As to the pictures of "people hiding behind their beds"..its like 1000X safer to hole up in a locked bedroom covering the door with your gun while you call the cops than it is going out searching the house for the bad guy.

**Robstafarian** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 2:05am

Originally Posted by tgace

As to the pictures of "people hiding behind their beds"..its like 1000X safer to hole up in a locked bedroom covering the door with your gun while you call the cops than it is going out searching the house for the bad guy.

Welcome to my strategy. A Canadian friend once figured I was talking about clearing my own house, and this is what I told him:

Originally Posted by Me, about a year ago

The gun is for locking myself in my room, pointing the gun at the door, and shooting anyone who comes through that door whose first name isn't "Officer."

**tgace** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 3:01am

+1 on that!

**Gopu** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 10:55am

Originally Posted by Robstafarian

Welcome to my strategy. A Canadian friend once figured I was talking about clearing my own house, and this is what I told him:

Same. They even posted it in the editorial section of a newspaper. I'm not going out to look for trouble.

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 11:08am

It's not the odds, it's the stakes. You are unlikely to face a home invader, but if you do, it's too late start over very well.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 1:32pm

+1 I was taught that at this point the phone should already be off the hook with 911 on the line.
I shout out a warning that,
"I am armed! You are trespassing and i will shoot! I believe you intend harm and the police are on the way!"
I was also taught that i should try to barricade myself (and any loved ones) deep in the house and not go out to meet a threat, let them come to you while the police arrive.
This way if i do shoot the intruder, i have a good chance of not going to prison as Hawai'i has a "castle law" and 911 will record the whole thing.

Any thoughts from the pros?

**gothamator** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 2:05pm

If I can get my kids into my room, I'll call 911, barricade the door, warn and wait in the bedroom. (Wife and I will have different angles with the door as a kill zone.) However, I'll be waiting behind cover at the top of the stairs with my 870 until the the rest of my family is in their designated spot.

I have not heard of many burglars wearing body armor, so I trust in buckshot.

I'm also curious about advice from LEOs.

Regards

**mad_malk** · Posted On: 2/28/2010 1:32am

My suggestion is take two courses from here http://www.eagtactical.com/
The three day carbine if you plan on using a rifle(bring that rifle to the course). Follow it up with the CQB tactical shoot house course when it becomes available.

I have no vested interest in Pat Rogers or the course of instruction he offers. He just knows his **** and can teach it if your willing to learn.

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 2/28/2010 7:34pm

Originally Posted by Poofist

Also, just so I have this straight - your HD plan is elevated engagement at a range of 10 feet in a flak vest and Garand with fixed bayo? That's one a hell of a mental image. You may deter would-be invaders just with the sheer lunacy factor.

Well when you put it that way, you make it sound like I should get a steel helmet from World War II from a gun show and wear it with the straps hanging just to complete the silhouette.