Break In -- What do you do?

[Observer]

"Simply?" What elevates your ability to do so above that of the trained professionals who say THEY couldn't/wouldn't do it alone successfully?

It's my house!

 

[Patriot1/3]

1.Wife has her weapon in her hand.
2.Wakes me up.
3.I grab my weapon.
4.She's on the floor dialing 911.
5.I am making sure the kids are safe and if I see the perp.
6.He is stopped perminately.
7.Not A,B,C or D.
8.Great post OP.

 

[Sam1911]

It's my house!

Once again, "it's my house(turf)" doesn't matter. "I have awesome skills" doesn't matter. "I'm a 4th level gun-fu black belt with an encyclopedia knowledge of the layout of my house" DOESN'T MATTER.

I know this thread is long, but please read through it carefully. The reasons why have been discussed several times.

Go hunting for the bad guys and your advantages aren't worth much. Use a position of cover/concealment, let them come to you, and you keep the advantages on your side.

 

[1stmarine]

Train, train, train.... and then train again.
An old wise samurai said once, we fight at the Dojo, and then we play at the battlefield.
I think that there is always a huge value taking some time aside explaining the family and role playing a home invasion, a fire, an earthquake (if you are in California), who knows. Don't frick them out too much but make sure everyone knows what their role is and what to do.
I live in a good area but I am always alarmed by what the criminals are doing these days. No fear, no value for life, no nothing. So prep yourselves and we will pray god to keep us safe.
Always avoid danger and confrontation at any cost. I think that's what the message from others is here. That's also the lesson to my family but if danger catches up with you, take it out.
There is a perfect spot in my house upstairs that if anyone tries to come upstairs they will be done by a magnum buckshot. But even before that point comes I might be 2 blocks away from my house with all my family with me. There is a plan for that too. And that's plan A.

Cheers,
E.
sappnasty, Thanks for your service.

 

[sundevildog]

The dog buys time to get the 12 ga, and also locates & distracts the BG.
Kids in the house would require me to go on offense.

 

[yooper_sjd]

alot of posts here about about experts, training, ect, ect ect.....

But one thing alot of people need to understand. HOME COURT ADVANTAGE! YOU know the layout of your home....possible walk around in the middle of the night, lights out, in whiteytighties. You know where everything is at with the lights out....does the BG? Most likely not........

Many of us here are retired military, or have had military service....thus well trained in smallarms and building tactics...... Now who would you trust more in your home: yourself where you know where everything is, more apt to notice something different, out of place, ect.

Or the LEO that may take 15-20 min or longer to get to your house, make a alot of noise upon entry with weapon at ready and nervous ready to shoot anything that may appear threatening (as in home owner with a weapon).

My playing feild, someone in my home after lights out, means only one thing; They are not there to offer me girl scout cookies.

p.s. The best defense is a strong offense

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by yooper_sjd: But one thing alot of people need to understand. HOME COURT ADVANTAGE! YOU know the layout of your home....possible walk around in the middle of the night, lights out, in whiteytighties. You know where everything is at with the lights out....does the BG? Most likely not........

You know where everything is except the bad guys. And they can tell where you are as you move.

Apparently you did not read Post #95 or Post #103; I suggest that you do so.

Here is the relevant part of Post #95 for your convenience:

In response to this,

But, my house that I live in, and know where I know every stick of furniture, every nook and and every cranny? That I've walked and rehearsed the scenario countless times such that I can do it literally blind folded, and that I own? Well that one I'm going to clear.

...hso posted this on THR last year:

I helped teach a defensive handgun course that involved a shoot house and simunition. I knew every little angle and hiddey-hole in the place because I helped build it and I "lived" in it over and over again as the BG in the scenarios. The lead instructor and I would sometimes act as home invaders in scenarios instead of BGs already in the house waiting for the homeowner to come hunting through the place. Even though it was "our" house we would find ourselves taking hits because there just is no way to cover all the angles by yourself. Regardless of whether you know the position of ever stick of furniture and every shadow there just isn't any way to pick LEFT and RIGHT at the same time as your FIRST direction to look. The idea that you can safely clear your own home by yourself is self delusion. Try running a shoot house sometime and then try to make it through with someone unfamiliar with the place in it. It's sobering.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost....1&postcount=70

This is one of dozens of similar posts from trainers, people who have taken FoF training in the subject, and sworn officers whose duties have includes clearing structures.

One can find them by searching here on THR and on The Firing Line

...The best defense is a strong offense

Whatever that means. It usually takes a much larger force to capture an objective than it does to defend one.

The loser(s) will invariably be the one(s) who walk into the other person's (or persons') ambush, whoever that happens to be.

 

[Sam1911]

yooper,

Once again, the question isn't one of "home court advantage." I know that is difficult to accept. But it is proven, time and again. The violent criminal invader has too many advantages once you go out "hunting" for him that you cannot overcome by simply being familiar with the ground. Staying put, using the advantage of a position of cover/concealment, forcing the bad guy to come to you through a constricted, predictable "fatal funnel," and forcing HIS movement to give him away to you -- not YOUR movement to give you away to HIM -- will help you prevail.

Here's a homework assignment: Read these five posts -- 18, 67, 77, 80, 95.

Then if you're still questioning, follow up with 2, 3, 4, 6, 25, 43, 47, 64, 87, 88, 103...

Once done, counter the points raised therein if you feel they are in error.

 

[yooper_sjd]

Well Sam1911, alot better put than Kleanbore......as for mods....seems one was definetly flaming a post

I have helped run a shoot house. 20 yrs in the navy as a gunnersmate, 16 of those 20 as a small arms instructor and security force leader and member at every command I was at either shore duty or sea duty.....

I trust the training I have had, and feel secure in my knowledge....have two dogs gives me the upper hand when it comes to a intruder.

In the past several months there was a series of home invasions in my area, and I have been awoken in the night by my dogs. and have responded to a soft knocking at my door at 0230 with a shotgun and other bumps in the night with rifle or pistol..... sometimes my dogs are noisy some times they are at my bed whining about something......

My home is small, 1100 sq ft, one level and not a whole lot of places for one to hide. My floor boards squeak when the dogs walk around, and got the noises in my home down pat.

It maybe difficult or not difficult to accept the theory of home court advantage. I have been on defending and attacking forces doing training on defensive shipboard tactics. The BG has a much better chance when knowing the layout of his surroundings. But it is the defender that is "Familiar" with his surroundings that holds the upper hand.

and I firmly believe in "The best defense is a strong offense" to say.......

as I have said above. My home is small, and there is no where to hunker down.......except to take it to the BG that would only be less than 30ft away from anywhere in my home.....It is a old house built in the late 1910's or early 20's.......Just a big square with little partial walls and 3 sesperate rooms on side. I step out bedroom, I full view of the house straight thru....
mere seconds from bed with pistol to doorway of bedroom.

 

[yooper_sjd]

LOL this thread starting to make me feel like Clint Eastwood in "Grand Torino"

 

[Moose1995]

If someone broke into my house while I was sleeping, chances are the reason I am waking up is because my 170 lb mastiff and my pitbull are going after them and going nuts. So IF they are armed, I am guessing they will try to get some shots off IN THE DARK. At this point I know they are armed, 911 will have already been called, I will already be armed with my XD, and I will be out my bedroom in less then 15 seconds from waking up to defend my family (if I have to. Home intruders very often times are NOT armed, and Good luck getting past my dogs if you're not)

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by yooper_sjd: My home is small, and there is no where to hunker down.......except to take it to the BG that would only be less than 30ft away from anywhere in my home.....

As was discussed in the case of Deanimator's apartment (Post #74), things may well vary depending upon one's home layout.

We have been discussing a generalized strategy, in which one can get into a defensive position with the family and shoot from cover at anyone who chooses to 'attack' that position frontally, where the attacker would have to put himself in the line of fire as he approaches or enters the safe room. Better than stepping out to find the attackers, who would then be able to ambush from divergent angles.

That certainly may not work for all layouts. It would not have worked well in our first apartment, either. However, in my current house, I have found that as I venture forth down the stairs and into the downstairs hall, I am exposed to potential fire from any number of points during the entire excursion. That just wouldn't be a smart thing to try for anyone.

It is a old house built in the late 1910's or early 20's.......Just a big square with little partial walls and 3 sesperate rooms on side. I step out bedroom, I full view of the house straight thru....mere seconds from bed with pistol to doorway of bedroom.

I really cannot get a clear picture from that, and the question thus remains in my mind, why not aim at the doorway and shoot when the intruder presents himself, rather than going though the doorway where one could be shot from different points around the compass as he emerges?

 

[Fred Fuller]

I think we've about covered the waterfront on this topic, from the 'school solution' to some that are... just too odd to let stay visible. So with that, this one is done till next time.

Thanks for the helpful participation,

lpl