gun at the ready while home

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I very seriously doubt that the Herbert Clutter family in Kansas "comprehended", in any way, the "threat level" that anyone here seems to be "experiencing". They chose the friends they had. They made it a point to keep from creating enemies, or from giving someone an excuse to come after them for whatever reason. They lived in a wonderful place.

They were murdered in cold blood by people who drove to their home from miles away,
 
We have small children at home, so usually the guns are locked up, or if not they are on me in a holster or smaller one in my pocket with pocket holster. If it were just my wife and I, I would likely leave a shotgun out near me in the bedroom at night. The gun safe is in our bedroom though and the key is readily accessible to me, so it would not take very long to open it and get a gun out for self defense if needed. We also live out in the country and there is virtually no crime here, but that's not to say one day that could change either.
 
'm just gonna throw out a name of someone that, to the best of the knowledge of anyone, did not "create enemies", lived in a "good neighborhood", and still faced dire circumstances that came "out of the blue."

Dr. William Petit.

He, his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and their two daughters, 17-year-old Hayley Petit and 11-year-old Michaela Petit, paid dearly, the latter three with their lives.
It's possible to live in too good a neighborhood. A perception of wealth could attract home invaders. Therefore, it's important to keep a low profile as well as live in a "safe" area.
 
One problem is trying to determine the actions of irrational people often under the influence of drugs who may also have some type of mental illness.
What you think is a good plan for security (lights, cameras, animals) or where you live, etc... Just isn't the same way they see it.

A perfect example, one night at the range a man stalking his ex hid in the bushes next to the front door of the range. She was inside taking a class for a carry permit. Not only were there twenty people taking a class that included live fire. There was half a dozen instructors there and among them were active and retired LEOs. In his mind he was going to catch her as she left the range after class.
 
One problem is trying to determine the actions of irrational people often under the influence of drugs who may also have some type of mental illness.
Yes, there are those who would do irrational things, but by the same token their very irrationality makes them far less effective as a threat. Drunks, druggies, and the mentally ill can usually be safely ignored, and for those that can't be, a baseball bat kept by the front door might be an adequate deterrent. In fact, showing them a gun might register with them less than an object such as a baseball bat. (For types like these, death is less of a deterrent than pain? They may be suicidal, but they can't deal with pain -- not being able to deal with pain is what makes them suicidal or drug-addicted in the first place? Pardon the digression.)
 
AlexanderA writes:

..a baseball bat kept by the front door might be an adequate deterrent. In fact, showing them a gun might register with them less than an object such as a baseball bat.

No way am I placing a weapon by the front door, where an intruder can reach it before advancing further. If a dope fiend gains access to my home unarmed, then arms himself with a baseball bat I left out for him, I may end up having to shoot him after all.

In the Petit family case I mentioned earlier, a baseball bat left outside the house served well in the favor of the approaching evildoers.

I'm not concerned with "deterrence" once access has been gained. I'm concerned with stopping any advance. If deterrence at the sight of a deployed firearm doesn't occur and achieve that, so be it.
 
No way am I placing a weapon by the front door, where an intruder can reach it before advancing further.
No.

I have seen long arms by the door in rural homes. Bad idea.

If a dope fiend gains access to my home unarmed, then arms himself with a baseball bat I left out for him, I may end up having to shoot him after all.
Great point!
 
Ive lived in cites, suburbs, and rural, and it never mattered where we were, bad things still always happened to good, and bad people. People are people, and many are pretty stupid too.

Currently, we live in a very rural area, and people are still people, and doing stupid crap to each other, including killing each other.

Personally, I think the best thing to have if you are worried about home invasions is, a couple of big dogs that love you. They are a roaming alarm system, constantly on guard, and if someone were to somehow get in, youll know just where they are, by the screams.

Knowing anyone is outside, before they are inside, is a big plus, and with the plethora of security things available today, its an easy thing to solve. We have a number of perimeter alarms that let you know if something or someone might be around the house, and even with those, the dogs often alert before they even go off.

And I still cant stress the point hard enough, if you arent wearing a gun, you dont have a gun. No matter how many you might have around and think you will get to in time.
 
What criminal is going to break down a door knowing that the occupants are inside (given that a high percentage of people are armed)?

Ha, couple years back a pair of methheads did just that, multiple times in a spree in my rural and very, very, low crime area.

Heck, my sleepy mostly retired neighborhood had a guy move in last year who has brought some pretty sketchy friends around, including a girlfriend who got busted for dealing meth.

If the nice guy down the streets girlfriend is dealing and some druggies come looking for drugs and decide extra cash for drugs would be nice, why not hit the neighbors that night?

Even in a good area.
 
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