home defense lessons at 3am
Last night I though I had an intruder. First time in probably 30 years. I live in the country and feel I am pretty careful and don't trust anybody. I thought I was ready for this situation but found I was not. Woke up at 3am to hear the garage door getting smashed in. I keep a handgun in the dresser drawer, which is in a walk in closet across the bedroom.
Of course I had adrenaline pumping and was nervous as hell.
Here are the problems I ran into.
1. I wanted the gun RIGHT NOW. It took too long to get to it. What if someone had been coming through a window or already in the house- I would not have got to the gun!
2. I had to turn on a light to get to the gun. I don't want lights going on in this situation unless I want them on. I don't want to be forced to turn on one to get to my gun.
3. My hyper dogs layed curled up sleeping which should have been my first clue there was nothing happening. One of the reasons I have them is watch dogs- I need to consider what they are doing!
4. I went outside and checked everything and was hesitating on which way to go and what to check first. This is something that should be practiced so it is second nature. Know the blind spots. Practice it in the dark.
5. I need a light on my gun asap.
6. I have two shops that are 50 yards from the house. Full of valuables. Maybe I don't want to engage at 50 yards with a handgun and am thinking about a second gun stored in the garage, a shotgun with buckshot I can grab as I go through the garage. Still keep my handgun inside or just switch to a shotgun altogether. Still pondering this.
All ended up being fine. I think I must have dreamed the noise as the dogs and wife did not hear a thing. Typically I will sleep through an bomb going off and they wake up if a deer farts in the yard.
Of course I had adrenaline pumping and was nervous as hell.
Here are the problems I ran into.
1. I wanted the gun RIGHT NOW. It took too long to get to it. What if someone had been coming through a window or already in the house- I would not have got to the gun!
2. I had to turn on a light to get to the gun. I don't want lights going on in this situation unless I want them on. I don't want to be forced to turn on one to get to my gun.
3. My hyper dogs layed curled up sleeping which should have been my first clue there was nothing happening. One of the reasons I have them is watch dogs- I need to consider what they are doing!
4. I went outside and checked everything and was hesitating on which way to go and what to check first. This is something that should be practiced so it is second nature. Know the blind spots. Practice it in the dark.
5. I need a light on my gun asap.
6. I have two shops that are 50 yards from the house. Full of valuables. Maybe I don't want to engage at 50 yards with a handgun and am thinking about a second gun stored in the garage, a shotgun with buckshot I can grab as I go through the garage. Still keep my handgun inside or just switch to a shotgun altogether. Still pondering this.
All ended up being fine. I think I must have dreamed the noise as the dogs and wife did not hear a thing. Typically I will sleep through an bomb going off and they wake up if a deer farts in the yard.
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our two rescue buddies are good watchers.....when awake 0 -
An interesting experience and very thought provoking. 0 -
Good for you.
turn on lights,,,,,destroy night vision.
Means of self defense not accessible.
sounds like you have your sh-- together.
Good luck, should this not be a drill!!!!!0 -
cheap harbor freight driveway dingers are good back door and garage wired for sound[^] 0 -
Not sure about a light on a gun. Wouldn't turn one on until there wasn't a chance of the LIGHT (me) becoming an easily acquirable target.
Lights on a gun are handy for "ratting" at the ????0 -
The reason we have drills is to find out what we?re doing wrong and ways to do things better. Sounds like you had a very successful drill.
For the same reasons you didn?t want to turn on a light, I don?t want to put a lighted target on my weapon. A lot of people who seem to know what they?re doing do. Just something to think about.0 -
I have no problem with a light on a gun. It doesn't have to be left on but is there if you do need it. Easier than carrying a maglight and a pistol. I've been considering something like the new Leupold thermal unit. Not very expensive and you can't hide from thermal plus your position is left unknown. 0 -
I've been drilling for that scenario for 25 years.
NO LIGHT ON YOUR GUn. Night sights don't aid shooting but do aid in finding your weapon if you lay it down or drop it. Might help you in the bedroom so as to not turn on a light.
If you go outside, take a shotgun. If you stay in the house, use a pistol. There's very sound reasons for this, trust me.
Don't stare at the burning muzzle blast, let your enemy lose his night vision
STEALTH. Know your yard under all phases of the moon. Do not turn on your flashlight except to light up a confirmed bad guy just before you fire.
There's many more tweaks, but if you master these, you have a good chance of getting the bad guys boots, horse, and saddle.[:p]0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
I've been drilling for that scenario for 25 years.
NO LIGHT ON YOUR GUn. Night sights don't aid shooting but do aid in finding your weapon if you lay it down or drop it. Might help you in the bedroom so as to not turn on a light.
If you go outside, take a shotgun. If you stay in the house, use a pistol. There's very sound reasons for this, trust me.
Don't stare at the burning muzzle blast, let your enemy lose his night vision
STEALTH. Know your yard under all phases of the moon. Do not turn on your flashlight except to light up a confirmed bad guy just before you fire.
There's many more tweaks, but if you master these, you have a good chance of getting the bad guys boots, horse, and saddle.[:p]
Please elaborate. I live in a neighborhood with houses about 30 or so feet apart. If I shoot a pistol I run the chance of putting a round thru my neighbors wall. However, if I use my 20 gauge 870 with an ounce of 6's that should pretty well take care of anyone who enters my home w/o much chance of any collateral damage.0 -
glad it was nothing but but a test run and all was OK
when I was younger the least nose would wake me up I could not count the times I would make search of the house or barn / yard.
skip ahead 40 + years now a moving company could come in load up every thing and watch tv while cooking a snack ,
I would not know until I woke up next day .
I think what happened over the years with kids coming and going working different hours sleeping patterns hearing the dogs bark at the kids or cats or each other all the false alarms ..just created a immune block while I am sleeping [:(]
years ago I worked with a retired police officer he was in charge of the bank vault where we were renovating , any way some one broke in took his gun his retirement badge and other items off his night stand while he was sleeping .. back then I thought how can some one do that well now I know [:(][:(]0 -
quote:Originally posted by toad67
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
I've been drilling for that scenario for 25 years.
NO LIGHT ON YOUR GUn. Night sights don't aid shooting but do aid in finding your weapon if you lay it down or drop it. Might help you in the bedroom so as to not turn on a light.
If you go outside, take a shotgun. If you stay in the house, use a pistol. There's very sound reasons for this, trust me.
Don't stare at the burning muzzle blast, let your enemy lose his night vision
STEALTH. Know your yard under all phases of the moon. Do not turn on your flashlight except to light up a confirmed bad guy just before you fire.
There's many more tweaks, but if you master these, you have a good chance of getting the bad guys boots, horse, and saddle.[:p]
Please elaborate. I live in a neighborhood with houses about 30 or so feet apart. If I shoot a pistol I run the chance of putting a round thru my neighbors wall. However, if I use my 20 gauge 870 with an ounce of 6's that should pretty well take care of anyone who enters my home w/o much chance of any collateral damage.
Inside a furnished house you stand a fair chance of catching drapes or sofa on fire with a shotgun. Shoot your shotgun at night and watch the fireball of unburnt powder.
Another reason is a shotgun is unwieldy in a house and does too much damage. A little can of spackle can fix a pistol bullet hole.
If you want to use a shotgun, buy a cheap barrel and cut it down for home use.0 -
Learn from it and get ready. 0 -
Have an 870 I can grab. Light is attached at the end of the barrel. Switch is a mounted on the slide right where my hand would go. Light touch will not turn it on so as not to turn it on just finding the switch. 0
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