What is your preferred first line of home defense?

Live in a low-crime area and keep a low profile.

I live way out in the sticks. My doors are unlocked. I know someone is coming long before they get here. My dogs have free range of the house and fenced yard.

We're in the country with a pretty good rep of SSS.

You don't have an "all of the above plus more" button.

My first line of defense is to live out in the country with good neighbors, and to live well off the highway. If someone comes down my driveway then they meant to come to my house.

Defense is a layered approach. Being unobtrusive and in the middle of the block is part of that. Making sure that the kids don't brag on the family treasures, and not parading signs of wealth in front of the world (OPSEC) is part of that. Minimizing entrances with no sightline to the street is part of that. Having active neighbors who watch out for other neighbors is part of that. Having watchdogs and/or an alarm system is part of that. Making doors and windows hard to force open is part of that. Having the means to defend the family with deadly force is the LAST part of that.

So the question and provided answers are backwards - my first line of defense starts way outside the boundaries of my house walls, and the LAST line of defense goes BOOM!

Oh, and if it matters - my last line of defense is a Benelli M2 and a Glock 23. My wife favors a Ruger SR9. God knows what the boys will pick up - could be anything. And if you make it past all of that, and the dogs don't et ya, my daughter (age group national champion last year in first degree black belt Tae Kwon Do sparring) and her middle brother will turn you into a human Wavemaster.

I selected revolver. I keep several loaded and available but my true first line of defense is common sense. I also keep a Mossberg 500 stoked up in the hall closet. My second is my dog and believe it or not, my cat. She lets me know someone is coming just like a dog.

I live in a small town. We don’t have much crime, which is why I live in a small town.
I have lived in cities. In cities I have much the same in regards to defense except 1 or 2 more shotguns are involved.

First line of defense is the dog. Second line of defense is me and my SIG P229R with a SIG STL-900L laser light combo on it and a spare magazine. We also have an alarm system and newer door locks.

Then

Live in a low crime area and have good LOCKS.

Why is a security system not on the list?


Im also out in the country, my first line would probably be motion lighting.

I agree with the layered defense proposition, keeping BG out in the first place is a lot better than the alternative. If you keep a low profile you are unlikely to be specifically targeted, and making your house notably more difficult to get into than others nearby discourages opportunistic types.
1. Live in a low-crime area.
2. Keep a low profile.
3. Security doors over all the exterior doors. (I am a big fan of these, they cannot be kicked in and you can open the wood door to talk to whomever is outside without them being able to get in. They are made of steel and come with their own steel frame with one-way bolts. The body of the door is perforated steel with overlaid steel bars in various decorative designs. Search "security doors" on Home Depot or Lowes website if you are not familiar with them. NOTE: Make sure they are properly installed.)
4. 3M security film on all the windows.
5. Mechanical bolts on inside of garage door to prevent defeating the automatic opener.
6. 686 Plus.
7. Other.

If 3 through 5 look like overkill in view of 1, bear in mind I only recently escaped Los Angeles.

I also have a Ring Doorbell I have requested contractor to install and am planning to also put motion detector lights, which I had on my L.A. house. There is also a security system in the house which I need to get up to speed on.

Wireless alarm system with many LOUD noise makers and flashing lights.

Dogs. At 50 lbs each, I don't consider them 'big'.

Their role in defense would be monitoring / notification.

I live in a small town in a low population and low crime area. It's a lifestyle choice for me.

I lock my doors pretty much all the time, I have a motion sensor lite outside the two entrances to my home, I use timers to turn lights on and off when I'm away from home to give the impression someone is there, and rely on this as well as a few other guns stashed around the house.

Loaded with 124 gr +p HSTs.

My first line is IR motion sensors at the front gate and around the house, that radio me inside or in the shop when someone comes in or Coyotes are out and about.

What I grab is dependent on where I am at and what I am intending to shoot. More often than not it’s an old pump action .22 with ceebee’s because armadillos seem to procreate faster than rabbits and are much more destructive on my yard.

First defense would be our two dogs (brittany and lab/shep)
*exterior motion lights.
*deadbolted doors
*pistol in nightstand drawer

My CCW

The problem with the question is if your only tool is a hammer then all your problems look like a nail. I'd put a gun as the next to last resort only followed by hand to hand.

My holstered Glock 17L is always on me. Nearby is a Rem 870 and an AR, and a 6” 357.

A firearm should be the last line of defense, not the first.

I agree with the above posters that say that the gun (any gun) should be the last line of defense, not the first line. Keeping in mind the legal consequences, a gun should be considered a "nuclear option."

bullseye308 said:

My holstered Glock 17L is always on me. Nearby is a Rem 870 and an AR, and a 6” 357.

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Realistically, what sort of confrontation are you planning for? (If I felt that threatened, I would start reexamining my lifestyle.)

Location Location Location
I think that would probably be everyone's first choice.

Twelve gauge SxS SLE 28" barrels 1/4-1/2 chokes with Surefire X300 Ultra taped with electric tape to bottom of barrels. My load is 6 pellets SG shot loaded to CIP avg gas pressure standards. People who do not like guns say game scene engraving on lock plates is work of art.