Massad Ayoob on Two Aspects of Home Defense

[Old Hobo]

And too, I am fond of old firearms and new firearms that are replicas of old firearms. I like them nearby.

Less than three hundred yards from my home there was a home invasion within the past 4 years. Somebody tried to get into my home three and a half decades ago. I like the security of knowing that I can return them to their Creator faster than they can do the same for me.

Wasn't able to get to the range today. Will try again tomorrow. Being "retired" doesn't mean that there's always a bunch of work to do. I am acquiescing to the reality of having young people do work for me ... even as I did work for old folk when I was young over 55 years ago. Now, I have to get the skin cancers burned off that were caused by MASSIVE sun exposure back then. Hey boy, "Wear a hat!"

At least I got all my range ammo, targets and tools ready for tomorrow. The weather report is sunshine. Thank you Lord!

 

[ClicheBro]

I tried listening to ayoob and that voice is just too annoying.

 

[Old Dog]

I tried listening to ayoob and that voice is just too annoying.

And what's annoying to some others is folks that say stuff such as that without ever having taken a class from the man nor delved into his history, read his works, or even tried to realize all he's done for the RKBA community.

Words that come to mind: Captious. Judgmental. Insecure.

 

[ClicheBro]

Words that come to mind: verbose, superfluous, unnecessary.

 

[entropy]

Words that come to mind; (for ClicheBro, obviously not for Mas or Old Dog)
Impetuous, closed minded, unwilling to learn.

There's a reason why I enjoy and am active on THR. I learn a lot in the process. There are some people here whom I do not agree with on some subjects, but I'm willing to listen and think about what they've put forth.
Massad doesn't post much, but he's been a member here a long time, and many here have taken his courses. He definitely knows what he's talking about, from real world experience, and even if you don't like his speaking style, good information is there for the listening. He speaks on subjects that aren't well covered in three word sound bites.

 

[Kleanbore]

I tried listening to ayoob and that voice is just too annoying.

That opinion is is certainly not shared. You are depriving yourself of knowledge that could help you protect your life, maintain you clean record, and safeguard your personal freedom.

If you find the videos too difficult to watch, you would probably not gain from Mas' classes, which we highly recommend, but you would be well served by reading his books and articles.

 

[Old Hobo]

I tried listening to ayoob and that voice is just too annoying.

I don't mind his voice.

I've always a gun in my pocket while at home; 5-shot deringer, 6-shot small revolver, 5-shot .38, whatever. We live in an era wherein people with terrible psychological issues are allowed out onto the streets (gee thanks ACLU!). I've worked with psych patients. Had somebody try to wheedle his way into my my house one night (I had a pump shotgun, he left, got into his "disabled" car and left in it). A home invasion happened within a quarter mile of my place. On and on ... .

Massad Ayoob, I not only respect, when he speaks, I listen. He knows a WHOLE LOT MORE than do I. He speaks, I listen.

Do I wish we lived in better days? No joke, I do !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wishing doesn't make true. Me, I got no fairy godmother. I've got firearms. They'll have to do in this sorry world, this "valley of the shadow of death". So it goes. Maybe in Heaven we'll not have to suffer the aggressors. I don't know. Lord knows I'm not there yet. Me, I'd love to only have firearms with which to target-shoot and to put food on the supper table. Such is not the case. Sure doesn't make me happy. Does NOT make me happy. I'm lazy; I don't want to deal with this crap, but here it is.
.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

When I'm in my home I'm there to relax. If I feel so vulnerable as to feel the need to carry a pistol while sitting around in my pjs eating ice cream and watching my show then I haven't done a very good job with my exterior security system.

That is not at all true.

My recent Uncle who lived out in the sticks came home from walking the dog only to open the front door and finding a man holding his wife at gunpoint with one of HIS double barreled SG's.

It can happen anywhere anytime, regardless of security measures or any other plans.

But every man has his limits, I get it. I wear my gun everywhere I can every day. But when I get home from work and am settling in for the night I put all my gear aside. Doesn't mean I don't have arms nearby, but they're not on me.

And part of me rolls my eyes at myself like, "Why are you not armed?".

 

[Kleanbore]

When I'm in my home I'm there to relax.

Same here.

If I feel so vulnerable as to feel the need to carry a pistol while sitting around in my pjs eating ice cream and watching my show then I haven't done a very good job with my exterior security system.

I do not feel vulnerable at all, but I do not like the ida of being defenseless..

People forget that most home invasions have a motive that never makes the news.

And?

 

[armoredman]

The part that confuses me is how difficult is it to relax while armed? I am armed when I am up. All there is to it. I have a comfortable enough carry system that it doesn't bother me at all, so I can feel completely relaxed while still having the means for the most effective self defense on me at all times. No minors or irresponsible adults live in the house, wife is retired LE, and if you can break down my front door by kicking on it, I have spent a great deal of money to no purpose.
As for answering the door - I have Ring. If I don't know you, the door doesn't open. If the camera is obscured, the door will not open. The thing is set so it cannot be attacked from out of sight, and someone trying to get to it will HAVE to be in full view before they can destroy/remove/obscure it. I will be armed and so will anyone else answering the door. We live in a very nice neighborhood in a small town not known for criminal activity - one house on our culdesac has been broken into in the last 40 years. Doesn't change my mindset.
Being armed is a guy thing? I know a LOT of armed women, including my wife, who would laugh at that idea. Heck, I have three armed women who work for me!
Full disclosure - I can't watch the video right now, but I respect Mr Ayoob greatly.

 

[Kleanbore]

The part that confuses me is how difficult is it to relax while armed? I am armed when I am up. All there is to it. I have a comfortable enough carry system that it doesn't bother me at all,

Yep.

I do not want to use an uncomfortable carry rig when I am outdoors, either.

 

[armoredman]

Yep.

I do not want to use an uncomfortable carry rig when I am outdoors, either.

It's the same one.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

All you people who think you can get to one of the guns you keep stashed around the house in time really ought to try it some time.

There's a jewelry store owner that killed more guys than smallpox; his approach was to stash guns all over his store. I forget his name but his gunfights have been very well covered by the various talking heads.

 

[hdwhit]

My grandmother was home alone one evening when someone tried to break into my grandparent's house. She ran to their bedroom and got my grandfather's M1911 and ran off the intruder.

After that, she insisted my grandfather get her a gun more suited to her size than the .45. She got an S&W J-frame .38.

At the time, the local police department would let residents use their indoor range for a fee. The officers were very suspicious of this 60+ woman and her new pistol, but my grandfather insisted she knew what she was doing.

After she got used to the fixed sights, she sent a target down the range and did the Mel Gibson, Lethal Weapon smiley-face shot long before the movie. It silenced the officers at the range.

Yeah. I only wish I could handle a firearm as well as my grandmother.

 

[The Night Rider]

Massad discussed carrying a firearm on one's person in the home.

But that does leave the discussion open to rebuttal.

I don't carry a firearm on my person at home because most of the time when I'm at home I'm either wearing gym shorts or flannel pajama bottoms.

As I've mentioned previously it's usually sitting on the coffee table right in front of me.

What I carry when I leave home is also situation dependent and that drives my decision for what I'm carrying at home.

I'm on my way to the gym this morning so the gun that I usually carry to the gym is the gun that I've got out.

Later today I have an appointment at the VA. No gun at all.

When I'm home for the day the Glock 43 will go into the safe and the Glock 26 will come out.

The last time this discussion came up I actually tried putting on a pair of shorts and belt gun and sitting around my house like that. I lasted an hour. It drove me nuts. I'm retired, I like being retired I'm not wearing street clothes unless I'm actually leaving home.

Final thought, I believe that hardening my home so that you're not just going to kick in my door or jimmy open my windows and not opening my door until I've identified the person on the other side (All of which are things that Massad Ayoob advises as part of a total Home Defense package) Will serve me better than focusing on the one aspect of carrying a gun on my person at home.

ETA: I live in an apartment. I don't know or care who did it but somebody from maintenance went through and hardened the doors on all the units on my floor. True story, EMS showed up at our neighbor's apartment a couple of months ago. I don't remember the exact medical emergency but they couldn't get in and they decided to kick the door down. They couldn't. The only reason that they got into that apartment was because we have a key to it and we let them in. They literally used a battering ram and they couldn't get the door open. I'm fairly confident that I'm safe.

 

[The Night Rider]

My recent Uncle who lived out in the sticks came home from walking the dog only to open the front door and finding a man holding his wife at gunpoint with one of HIS double barreled SG's

You left that one very important piece of information, how did the Intruder get into the house?

and part of me rolls my eyes at myself like, "Why are you not armed?".

I don't remember why but I ran out to get my mail one day without a gun on me. As I was opening the mailbox I remember thinking to myself "This is how Billy the Kid got it."

 

[The Night Rider]

There's a jewelry store owner that killed more guys than smallpox; his approach was to stash guns all over his store. I forget his name but his gunfights have been very well covered by the various talking heads.

He also was essentially locked in a cage in his store. From where he normally was at in his workspace he could access every single gun without taking more than a couple steps.

That's not the same as having to run upstairs and get it out of the safe

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

My fist-hand experience with home invasion validates what Ayoob says in the video.

A handgun kept in the bedroom might as well be in another state when the bad guy shows up in your kitchen while you’re on the phone.

Having a gun readily available, with the least amount of fuss, puts you miles ahead in the race for your life.

 

[The Night Rider]

This occurred to me the other day. My wife ordered something from Walmart without telling me. So I'm sitting in the living room and some one knocks on the door. I checked the Ring and there's a Walmart box on the door mat.

What occurred to me is if I wanted to get somebody open their front door I'd get a Walmart box, tape it up and put it on their front step and knock.

 

[Tilos]

So, on the back of the table next to my chair, a Kahr CW9/DIY magnet mount.

Recently changed out at the wife's request, to a RI resolver.

There are no little curious eyes or fingers in our house so this works.
If I am ever caught somewhere without this gun my plan is to fake some kind of stress and ask the dirtbag if I can sit down in that chair, where I'll have access to that gun, and just wait my turn.
jmo,
.

 

[The Night Rider]

If I am ever caught somewhere without this gun my plan is to fake some kind of stress and ask the dirtbag if I can sit down in that chair, where I'll have access to that gun, and just wait my turn.

Doesn't sound like a good plan to me

 

[Kleanbore]

If I am ever caught somewhere without this gun my plan is to fake some kind of stress and ask the dirtbag if I can sit down in that chair, where I'll have access to that gun, and just wait my turn.jmo,

Gee.

 

[Blue Jays]

"…my plan is to fake some kind of stress and ask the dirtbag if I can sit down in that chair…"

@Tilos , at least clutch your chest, look skyward, and gasp, "This is the big one! I'm coming, Elizabeth!"

 

[kopcicle]

It's kind of like a parachute. If you need it and don't have it, I can guarantee you will never need it again.

It's a well-known quote in many variations. For those that need to be led to knowledge the quote can be modified to read
"If you need it immediately and it's in the bedroom, in the safe, with a trigger lock on it, with the ammunition in a separate place ..."

You are dead

 

[Tilos]

@Tilos , at least clutch your chest, look skyward, and gasp, "This is the big one! I'm coming, Elizabeth!"

It may not actually BE fake...
I could use that line you suggested as any dirtbag would be too young to remember that show...
Thanks for keeping it light, not like the other responses.

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