Fire blanks or not during home invasions to deter the criminal?

[polizei36]

Fire blanks or not during home invasions to deter the criminal?

Okay here we go...hang on for the ride!

I don’t want this to turn into a tactical discussion about “what works best and what doesn’t”. I just wanted to present a question I had been thinking of for quite some time.

Presumptions:
Considering that the following statements are occasionally made, they are generally perceived to work in deterring the bad guy from further wanting to try and hurt and rob your home:
“The racking on the shotgun slide will scare a bad guy away”
“A red laser coming in the BG’s direction will scare them off”
Yelling out “I have a gun and I will use it if you don’t leave”
May be these are sensible, recommended and in the third statements case most likely good for you to do in helping justify your actions in a self defense case..

Question:
BUT, Did anyone ever consider firing a blank as a warning shot in such situations first? Then if that didn’t scare the bad guy off resort to deadly force using your firearm?

I think that may be more effective and could even greatly reduce the chances of an armed encounter with the bad guy.

Dave

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Sounds worse than the other three suggestions providing THOSE guns have REAL bullets.....................

What's wrong with just shooting the intruder ?

I'd rather have bullets than try to deceive a robber who also may have bullets of his own.

Also, unless its a revolver many blanks won't cycle the action on a semi-auto pistola.
.

 

[1858rem]

really funny bp story on this where the gut had the first two blanks and the rest loaded to kill chambers ill try an find it. ya it might work, but do you want to risk it?

 

[eflatminor]

Blanks for defense? A really bad idea. Personally, if I'm drawing a weapon on someone, it's not to scare them, it's to stop them in their tracks. I would only do it if I felt my life was in danger and in such a case, the LAST thing I want is a pretend bullet.

 

[Deus Machina]

No. It's useless.

First: most blanks will not cycle anything semi-auto unless you have a blank adapter on it, which makes it useless for actual follow-up shots.

Second: blanks still give the bang and flash, which will leave you deafened, momentarily blinded and mildly disoriented in an indoor attack.

Third: Showing the gun should frighten the BG off. If you're pointing a gun at someone, tell them to stop, and your body language suggests you're willing to shoot, they should stop. If they don't, they're not scared or not right in the head, and you will have to shoot them. A blank would only delay that, putting you at risk in the time it takes to fire and manually cycle the weapon.

It's been discussed before, often. If it was acceptably effective to offer a blank as a warning shot, you would have heard about it by now.

 

[1858rem]

ok here it is.. i copied this off the bp form from preacherman

Quote:
Only person I know who's a lunatic enough to do it is my friend Terry.

Terry went out, just after they passed the law, here in Texas, and applied. Despite everything, he was issued a permit in the first 1000 (I'll have to check on the number). His reason?

"I've always wanted to carry an 1860 Cap-n-Ball."

And he does. He carries a reproduction 1860 Army (an Uberti) in a custom-made leather shoulder holster (did I mention that Terry is very TALL?!?). He carries (or carried, haven't asked him in a while) it with one empty chamber, two chambers loaded with nothing but powder and wadding, and three chambers loaded up with lead.

One night, we were down in Austin, walking down Guadalupe after hitting 6th, and this little punk comes around the corner of the Celtic store (there's bit of open space, there, so we'd seen him coming...but we were drunk, and didn't really think anything about it. Terry was REAL drunk. Red-in-the-face drunk.). He sticks his hand in the pocket of his jacket and thrusts it forward at me. Even drunk, I did what any little black duck would do. I slipped behind Terry. Unabashed, the kid pointed at Terry and demanded our wallets. Terry, drunk and belligerent, told him to go **** himself (actually, he described it more graphically, but let's not belabour the point). The exchange from there went something like this:

BG: Man, I'll blow your head off!
Terry: With what? *laughs*
BG: [Thrusts hand in pocket forward] I've got a gun, man! I'll put a cap in yo' fat a**!
Terry: S**t. That finger wouldn't even get THROUGH the fat on my a**! Why don't'cha get a REAL gun?!? [reaches into jacket]
BG: Man, I'm warning you! I'll blow you away!
Terry: Then do it! It's you or me... [pulls out "The Cannon"]
BG: HOLY S**T!!!! WHUT THE **** IS THAT?!?
Terry: Punk-a** insurance! [points it in the air as the kid turns to run]
BG: MOTHUH******!!!

At this point, Terry squeezed off the first "BANG-BANG" chamber, with the resultant cloud of smoke and that low roar that BP makes. When the smoke cleared, Terry was on the ground laughing hysterically. The kid was nowhere to be seen. And me? I was sober. Totally, completely, and unquestioningly sober. Total time? About twelve seconds. If I could market stark terror, I'd be rich. It cures hangovers, lethargy, curiousity, and a HOST of other ailments, in my experience.

When he sobered up, Terry was aghast. He was like, "OH, S**T!!! What if the cops had busted me drunk?!?" At no point had he even considered that the kid just MIGHT have had a real gun. It had never even entered his head--that he might have gotten shot and killed.

Haven't partied much with Terry in a few years...but I hear he's still a bit of a Heller. Kinda strange. He seems to get worse as he ages, instead of mellowing...

Kal
btw the first shots were only blanks but i think the gun itselfe is what scared the kid off!

 

[benEzra]

The problems, as I see them:

Legal: You can't legally fire a gun unless you are in imminent danger of death, serious bodily harm, or a forcible felony, unless you live in a Castle Doctrine state. If the situation is dire enough to legally justify shooting, you won't want to be shooting blanks.

And AFAIK, the law makes no distinction between blanks and live rounds; firing a gun in someone's direction without justification, blanks or not, is assault with a deadly weapon.

Practical. Unless you shoot a revolver, firing a blank renders your firearm out of action unless you cycle it (which requires both hands, and you may not have both hands if you are fending off an intruder, opening/closing a door, or have a phone in your other hand).

And, say you load your gun with the first two rounds being blanks. What happens if your hypothetical intruders don't diddle around waiting for you to shoot blanks to scare them off, and instead attack you? They have knives or real guns, and you're holding a glorified cap gun. Bad idea, IMO.

FWIW, I am not of the "leave the shotgun unloaded until they are close enough to hear you pump it" school. If someone you think may be dangerous enough to shoot has broken in and is inside your home, purposely leaving the gun unloaded is probably not the wisest course of action.

 

[Deanimator]

Other than telling an intruder that you have a gun and will shoot, it's all errant nonsense.

If somebody forcibly breaks into your home, be prepared to shoot them when you have an identified target and a responsible shot. If they run when they see your gun, don't shoot them. If they don't, don't screw around trying to read the mind of somebody who's stupid, intoxicated, or crazy (or all three) to the point where he doesn't run from the sight of a firearm without prompting. If you shoot a blank at somebody and he returns fire with live ammunition, what exactly have you gained? Are you willing to bet your life that he's a lousy enough shot that you'll be alive to survive his response using live ammunition?

When he kicks in your door, he's made a choice. Choices have consequences, sometimes life changing or ENDING ones.

I'm not willing to risk my own life to protect the life of somebody threatening me by committing a violent criminal act. Your mileage may vary.

 

[PTK]

I prefer saying no loudly, followed by a few more "shouts" at ~160dB. I figure, the real cartridges are plenty loud, and the fact this is my home is all the warning anyone deserves.

Criminals can get a second chance somewhere else.

 

[shdwfx]

Where's the orange-tipped cap pistol option?
Makes evil quake in its boots every time.

 

[hankdatank1362]

Tuhrrrible idea.

 

[polizei36]

Where's the orange-tipped cap pistol option?
Makes evil quake in its boots every time.

LOL...... Good one!

Just to clarify things: I load only live ammo in all my SD weapons, and blanks in my duty carry gun ....JK....

 

[john917v]

While he may or may not be armed, (s)he will know that you are not a good shot, or that you are apprehensive about shooting him/her, actually giving him/her more courage.

 

[ArmedBear]

Blanks?

I always figure that, if I or my wife is actually under attack, I will shoot to stop the attack, whatever that takes.

If there is an intruder who looks like he is not intending to attack immediately, e.g. a burglar who expected to get in and out without being detected, I figure that I'll point the gun and tell him to get out (or, depending on where it is in the house, maybe lie face-down on the floor until the police arrive). If he doesn't comply, that means he is intending to attack, which brings me back to scenario 1.

I don't see any use for blanks in these scenarios.

 

[Schofield3]

No Blanks! No Warning Shots!

 

[revjen45]

When your life is at stake (which is the only justification for even pointing a gun at someone) doing anything other than aiming and commencing fire with real bullets can get you killed. No "I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it!" No racking the slide and hoping the noise will scare them off - why give away your position, lose the advantage of surprise, and go in one round down? If the situation really is desperate to pull a gun the first shot is all the warning necessary, followed by as many more as is necessary to resolve the situation in your favor.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Seriously, are you a Policia ? Your comments and username as well as your sig line might indicate a Yes. If so, surely you are not suggesting anyone try to use blanks are you ?

I've heard it here and many places before........

"We don't shoot to kill, we shoot to stop the threat"

CC

 

[The Bushmaster]

Dumb, dumb, dumb...Shoot only real bullets to stop the bad guy and if you do kill the bad guy. A bonus...Why mess around and get killed yourself...Not to mention the safety and health of your loved ones...

 

[2nd 41]

I only shoot blanks during sex. Otherwise, Live rounds in the pistols.

 

[Mad Magyar]

Damn, I used to get "nailed", called gutless-vile names, "thrown under the bus" for suggesting Condition 3 at home or carry. At least the bullet was close for launch, but this suggestion must really hits "rock-bottom".

 

[bdickens]

One of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard.

 

[possum]

NO
period, if you are in a situiation, and enough danger where a gun is needed then you need to use live rounds to stop the threat.

 

[Pistol Toter]

I just wish I could get my D--- gun to fire! It ain;t worked to well for some time now. I ask my wife the other day if I was healthy enough and she said "NO." D--- gun BLanks or Otherwise. Why in the h*^l if your home was being invaded would you fire blanks??:banghead:


Can somone tell me if a .45 acp is good enogh for home defense.

 

[Armueller2001]

Using blanks?

RETARDED

What if you only have a chance to shoot ONE bullet when a bad guy is rushing you? Or what if the second shot (one real bullet) doesn't take him down and you could have REALLY used that first one to hit him as well?

How about you fire your blank, he tackles you and then kills you with your own gun, and proceeds to kill your family with it too?

Great idea.

If you're going to discharge your firearm, EVEN BLANKS, it's deadly force. Stop the threat. Don't (potentially) scare it away.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

QUOTE: "Can somone tell me if a .45 acp is good enogh for home defense."


No, it aint good enough...........................