HOME DEFENSE


It's 4 in the morning and you are jolted awake by the sound of breaking glass in your kitchen! You freeze, straining to hear more, hoping it was just a dream. The next thing you hear is footsteps coming up your stairs .... Why didn't the alarm go off?

Are you prepared? Do you try to quietly make a 911 call hoping the intruder doesn't come into your room before the Police arrive? What about the children? You hope the intruder isn't armed. Is that realistic? He or (they) probably are.

Unfortunately this scenario is played out way too many times across America. Your choices are simple. Either you are prepared to confront a criminal ... or you are prepared to do their will, hoping not to get hurt or killed in the process. The anti-gun folks think the Police will always get there in time, but the truth is that 95% of the time they don't. It's not their fault either. Too much crime and too little Police manpower is a common theme in our country.

There are few things as alarming as an unwelcome intruder in your house. While I've never been victimized at home, I have been while staying at a motel in Reno. It was the night of my first marriage and there were 6 of us staying in one suite. During the night someone broke in through a sliding glass patio door and stole all our money, wallets, purses, credit cards, etc. Luckily we had enough cash stashed in our pockets that the thief missed for gas home. I'll never forget that feeling, just knowing a total stranger was walking among us as we slept.

So just ask yourself one question. If it's ok for the Police to shoot an intruder/potential rapist/murderer, then why isn't it ok if you do it during Police absence? What's the difference? Except that maybe you'll still be alive when the Police do show up. I choose not to be a victim.


So if the reality of the situation is setting in and you have decided to take steps to defend your home and family, what's next? Since safe gun handling and marksmanship are impossible to learn over the internet ... you need someone to personally help you. That could be a good friend or other family member. It could also be a local defensive firearm course or NRA safety course. You can contact the NRA directly to find a local course or contact your local gun shop. Either way, don't try to fumble through it yourself. That's asking for trouble.

Shooters around the world all pretty much agree on one thing. Shot placement is the single most important factor in stopping an attack. You'll die old and still confused if you try and sort out the "this caliber v/s that caliber" or "my gun is better than your gun" things. Seriously. It's far better that you have firearms you can handle well than a .50 caliber machine gun you would probably wipe out your own home with along with any close neighbors. So in a nutshell, my "recommendation" for a home defense firearm is a .45 caliber pistol with a tactical light.

My first choice for pistols and the one I keep close at night is an XD .45 ACP Service Model with a Streamlight TLR-2s tac light on the rail. Tac lights are really handy in the event a break-in occurs during a power outage (like in New Orleans for instance; or during a storm; or if the crook just decides to cut your power before breaking in). The TLR-2s lights up an entire room with enough side light to easily determine friend or foe status of your visitor(s) without having to point the gun directly at someone. The 45 ACP has been really popular for this purpose for a long time. Mostly in the form of a 1911 style pistol, which many still swear by today. The XD 45 capacity is 13+1.

You also have to consider all aspects of home security. Do you keep a cell phone on your night stand? This would be useful if the thief cut your phone lines. Do you have a home security system? I think just having the sign in your front yard and stickers on your windows would dissuade most break-ins. Except of course for the crooks that know how to disable your particular system or are too doped up to care. My system also has a key fob type "panic button" I can use to silently call the police to the house. Ensure you have good locking hardware for all doors and windows and make sure you change all the exterior locks if a house member loses their keys. Change the code to your garage door monthly if you have the type with an external keypad. Ensure all users of the keypad know how to block the pads view when using it so that someone sitting in a car close by can't capture the code with a zoom camera.

Most importantly, sit down with your family and discuss actions to take if a break-in occurs. I won't go into details here because we all need to keep our "secrets", but I think you get the idea. Having a "safe room" for your family to go into in case of an overt break-in if you're not home is a big plus. Keep a cell phone in there along with other basics. Just do an internet search for safe rooms and you'll see what I mean.

Remember, if you do have to shoot to stop an attack, keep shooting until the threat is eliminated. This is taught by self defense experts. Shooting someone once or twice with a .38 special won't guarantee they won't be able to shoot you back before they die. I know a lot of folks shudder at the thought of taking a life. These days it's "us v/s them" and they don't have an issue with killing you or someone you love.