Using a starter pistol, or blank firing gun for self-defense?

[Mr_Mike]

The scenario:

You are woken up at night hearing some unfamiliar noise downstairs. You listen a bit more and, hear footsteps ascending the stairs. Your first reaction is to get out two handguns: one real and, the other a starter pistol, which you shoot once or twice into the air. Afterwards, you yell in an authoritative voice: "GET OUT!"

I don't know if anyone has thought of using a starter pistol or alternately, a revolver firing blanks, but I would think that the intruder would be frightened and, run from your home. That would preferable to any engagement, or confrontation. You would have your real gun in case the plan went to heck, though.

What do you all think?

 

[Deanimator]

It makes as much sense as waving a picture of Bruce Lee at someone for defense...

 

[Walter W.]

Thats pretty dumb. Good luck getting shot by the criminal when they shoot real bullets at you.

 

[hockeybum]

It doesn't seem like a bad idea, have the gun with blanks on your weak hand and stay away from the door. Bad guy would probably $#!& himself if he heard a gun go off. Just be ready to drop the gun with blanks in the case that it turns south.

 

[Mr_Mike]

Clarification

But the guy is not within shooting range. He's still downstairs, or coming up the stairs. You can't see him, nor he you. If he hears a gun shot in that scenerio, chances are that he's running out of the house and, not up the stairs. All he hears is a gun shot and, someone yelling.
Seems good to me. No police, no going to court, etc.

 

[AndyC]

Fire something with a real bullet or fire nothing at all.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Thats pretty dumb. Good luck getting shot by the criminal when they shoot real bullets at you.

And in about half our liberal states the criminal will probably get away with killing you with the defense,
I wouldn't have shot him but he aimed a gun at me, so I was just defending myself.

 

[Mr_Mike]

"Fire something with a real bullet or fire nothing at all."

Holes in the ceiling, or wall?

 

[Gord]

This is from the "the sound of someone racking a shotgun will scare intruders away" school of thought, eh?

Pro tip: it doesn't have to be a gun, to be considered a gun. If you robbed a bank with that starter gun, you'd be charged with armed robbery regardless. I don't know the legalities as they pertain to self-defense, but being that deadly force is only warranted to prevent deadly force against yourself or others, I wouldn't feel too legally confident about firing "warning shots" whether from a blank gun or a real gun.

All he hears is a gun shot and, someone yelling.
Seems good to me. No police, no going to court, etc.

Um... you're not going to call the police regarding someone who just broke into your home with unknown (but assuredly bad) motives?
You don't think the neighbors are going to call the cops over shots fired inside your house at 2AM?

If you want to do the audible-warning thing, you yell "I'M ARMED, GET OUT!" or something to that effect, and you have the means ready to escalate if more than that is required. No offense, but I'm pegging you pretty squarely as a troll.

 

[M2 Carbine]

but I would think that the intruder would be frightened and, run from your home

Don't you bet your life on it.

A couple times I pointed a gun at a BG he offered to stick that gun up my ***, and I was a Police Officer.

 

[Zaraster]

you would haft to be out of your mind

 

[Mr_Mike]

Of course I'm going to call the cops, what I meant was that I wouldn't have to call them about me having to shoot someone. As far as being a troll, I don't think they're know for subtlety, or maybe they are. It was just an idea that I had and, wanted to see what people thought.
I guess the warning yell might be the best bet.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Mr_Mike
Holes in the ceiling, or wall?

Only if you are a bad shot, or if the bullets pass through the BG.

 

[bogie]

Sigh.

It may work in video games and comic books.

 

[Halo is for Kids]

Tried to find it myself but I couldn't... Maxsell or something like that.

The guy is a posterboy for the kind of person who would advocate using blank guns for self defense. He's even created a few videos of ladies "defending" themselves by shooting at attackers with blank firing machineguns.

I can't find it right now for some reason, would someone google-fu it?

 

[M2 Carbine]

I guess the warning yell might be the best bet.

Not necessarily, it just depends on the situation.

Personally the only warning that anyone that breaks into my house or out buildings is going to get is a bad pain in their chest.

(Out buildings?? Yes, in Texas deadly force can be used to protect property)

 

[Halo is for Kids]

nm, found it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=59hDwVQ1mqw

 

[Mr_Mike]

"Personally the only warning that anyone that breaks into my house or out buildings is going to get is a bad pain in their chest."


I would want to avoid that. I don't want to have to shoot anyone, or more importantly, have the chance of getting shot myself.

I remember the story of the Washington Redskins player that went to address the sound of an intruder with his machete and, was shot as he went into the hallway.

I would have stayed behind my bed with my gun. I'm thinking that a typical intruder is a burgler, whose business is making money from what he steals, not someone looking for a gunfight. If the risk for loot is too great, he's likely to leave?

 

[Gord]

As far as being a troll, I don't think they're know for subtlety, or maybe they are.

You'd be surprised. Apologies, but to be honest, your question is exactly the kind of patently Bad Idea™ that a troll would propose to start a nice, entertaining commotion.

I remember the story of the Washington Redskins player that went to address the sound of an intruder with his machete and, was shot as he went into the hallway.

I would have stayed behind my bed with my gun. I'm thinking that a typical intruder is a burgler, whose business is making money from what he steals, not someone looking for a gunfight.

You'd be right. House-clearing is best left to the police, who have body armor and backup; you'll be safest, in most situations, if you just hunker down behind some cover with a gun and a cellphone to call 911 with. As M2 said, it depends on the situation (do you want to let the bad guy know you're awake and aware that he's in the house?) but "I'm armed, leave now!" and "the police are on the way!" might be effective at encouraging the offending party to beat feet post-haste without exposing yourself to danger or bringing the fight to the bad guy, so to speak.

 

[siglite]

Um... if you fire blanks in your bedroom, or some other room of the house and yell, the first thing you'll realize is that your voice sounds funny. Because you're deaf. And now you won't hear him coming.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the "secure the loved ones, dig in, call 911" school. If I pull a trigger defensively in my home, lead is going to fly somewhere. (I won't claim a COM hit, cuz, well... ya never know. Stress does funny things to trajectories )

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I remember the story of the Washington Redskins player that went to address the sound of an intruder with his machete and, was shot as he went into the hallway.

That's why you should never bring a knife to a gun fight ... not even a BIG knife.

 

[strambo]

The type of criminal who would be scared and run (burglar, likely sober or close to it) would leave at the sound of your voice anyway.

The other type (hardcore home invader, violent, drugged out) wouldn't likely be scared so you just caused a lot of extra problems for nothing. Yell at them that you called the police and for them to leave, tell them you are armed if you feel you must. Any more than that won't impress the violent nuts, be ready to defend yourself for real if they don't leave.

That's my take on it anyway, it's the same as a martial artist worrying about techniques for a sucker puncher, or someone telegraphing a slow, obvious knife stab.

It isn't realistic, even if that happens you shouldn't train for those type of easy situations. Train for the violent criminal who will ambush you and won't stop until you or he is incapacitated. If you can handle that, the lessor threats are easy.

 

[BruceRDucer]

Hey Mike

Mike,

I think the starter pistol is effective, only if you can get half an inch of the barrel, right up the intruder's nose.

SERIOUSLY. What happens if the intruder just starts shooting right back with live ammo?

The other problem is that if you SHOUT OUT anything, what if you drew immediate fire by giving your position away? Most intruders can see in the dark anyway, and with the blueprints to my house and valuables, their KEVLAR -COATED bodies will not be affected by anything.

It is a little-known, well-known fact that intruders carry hand-grenades much of the time.

Of course, I'm not half so worried. Any intruder at my house is gonna have 3 Pomeranians hanging onto his fanny with the Black Ninja grip of death!

 

[mp510]

In Germany, people carry blank pistols loaded with various tear gas or pepper gas (those who obey German law only carry pepper rounds with the intention of using them for defense against animals ) rounds for personal protection- they can't carry real guns. It's better than nothing. I remember Flashco and some other companies used to have 6mm Flobert and .22 blank Pepper caps and tear gas rounds. I actually believe it might be handy to have on hand as a less lethal option- not a cureall, and not something to use unnecesarily, but as an option.

 

[Sport45]

I'm in the "get your family to a safe room and cover the door with a 12-gauge school". The police can clear my house. The burgler can have anything he wants as long as he stays out of my safe area. He will know I'm armed and that my wife is calling the sheriff's office. His reaction th hearing me pump the 870 is entirely up to him. (In my case, nobody's coming upstairs, and I ain't going down there as long as I think the area is occupied by an unknown intruder.)

If you are woken from a sound sleep how are you going to keep things straight anyway. You'll likely blow a couple of .45 caliber holes through your ceiling (an possibly into the kids sleeping upstairs) while covereing the "bad guy" with the starter pistol. This idea is just wrong any way you look at it.