When some thing goes bump in the night.

GambJoe · Feb 16, 2011

I can't count the times I woke up in the middle of the night to a suspicious sound (usually my wife waking me up saying did you hear that?) . I think it's the ice machine again but I'm awake so I get the pistol, take off the safety. Grab the 5 cell flashlight and begin my patrol.

Flashlight mounted on my shoulder, (to use as a club) hand holding my pistol down at an angle, against my hip I survey my house. Praise be to Allah no ones there. Tell my wife not to worry, it's the ice machine, go back to sleep.

Just saying, after umpteen times how do remain alert and ready to go after so many false alarms?

351 WINCHESTER · Feb 16, 2011

Get yourself a dog. Any dog that barks will do. After a while you can tell by his/her barks if it's a cat, dog, wind or human.

MtnCreek · Feb 16, 2011

It's good practice! Depending on the type of sidearm, I would consider keeping that safety on.

kingpin008 · Feb 16, 2011

Depending on the type of sidearm, I would consider keeping that safety on.

Why? As long as your finger is off the trigger, it's not an issue. Also, consider that if there IS a badguy in the house, you'll likely be encountering them at spitting distances - not having to flick off a safety before getting a shot off may save your life.

MtnCreek · Feb 16, 2011

Why? As long as your finger is off the trigger, it's not an issue. Also, consider that if there IS a badguy in the house, you'll likely be encountering them at spitting distances - not having to flick off a safety before getting a shot off may save your life.

That's just me. I have small children so it's not out of the question that some toys didn't get picked up prior to bed; don't want to trip and shoot myself because the ice machine droped its fresh batch! Besides, I can release the safety on a 1911 faster than I can aim it.

Sam1911 · Feb 16, 2011

If there IS a dangerous intruder, you don't want to stumble upon him in the dark, or expose yourself to an ambush.

If you are really plagued by false-alarms which have you routinely on high alert, tempted to go stalking around poking in corners, maybe take stock of your home and work on eliminating the causes of those mistaken alerts.

Is it the cat knocking stuff over again? Change its routine so that it is OUT when you need to rest. Is it the wind blowing over items or rattling the blinds? Make a habit of closing the windows. Books falling? Change how you store them. Branches banging against the window or siding? Cut them back.

If you are regularly on high alert (especially with the very large amount of fear you should be feeling if you do "house clearing") you'll be a nervous wreck, and will end up like the boy who cried wolf -- desensitized and not responsive in the one-in-a-million chance you need to be.

MtnCreek · Feb 16, 2011

Sam1911,

You provided a lot of links and I will check them out. Do you still stay put if your children are in different rooms all over the house? I feel obligated to check the house and not just lay in wait.
Thanks.

Sam1911 · Feb 16, 2011

That's another important topic of discussion. If you are asking me, personally, yes, as their door is adjacent to mine and I command the approach to both very well.

If you have to move through the house to secure the children because of home layout, that's an unfortunate reality for many people. The debate will rage about relocating to their rooms as a safe location, or leaving your wife behind and trying to shepherd the kids and yourself back through the danger zone to her location. It is terribly risky, by all estimates.

It still would make good sense to use your senses (and/or canine identifier/protector) to try and discern what situation is really happening before heading out into possible danger. If you MUST move through the house to secure loved ones, having a dog would be vastly more beneficial, yet, as they will tell you whether the noise you heard is familiar or not (they generally aren't going to "alert" if your kid gets up to go potty), and will more than likely head off in the direction of the disturbance, giving you another valuable piece of information. And, of course, almost any dog is a hindrance to an actual intruder. He doesn't want to be observed, identified as out-of-place, his location indicated by growling, barking, or sounds of struggle, and certainly doesn't want to be bitten.

GambJoe · Feb 16, 2011

Get yourself a dog. Any dog that barks will do. After a while you can tell by his/her barks if it's a cat, dog, wind or human.

I've been campaigning but the better half keeps changing her mind.

It's good practice! Depending on the type of sidearm, I would consider keeping that safety on.

Da/Sa Beretta, safety off, finger resting under the slide (not on he trigger). But you know it worries me what if I trip or something? How do cops or military train with it?

macadore · Feb 16, 2011

Get yourself a dog. Any dog that barks will do. After a while you can tell by his/her barks if it's a cat, dog, wind or human.

Yep. A fuzzy bugler alarm that give you some idea where the intruder is and possible distract it while you decide what to do.

sm · Feb 16, 2011

Just saying, after umpteen times how do remain alert and ready to go after so many false alarms?

First off, read the excellent postings and links provided by Sam1911.

Second, one cannot be "up" or condition yellow 24/7/52. The human body simply will not allow it. The human body is designed to protect itself. So...

Think like a thief:

- How would you break into your place?

- What would you be looking for, in regard to "signals", that would make you interested in your place?
And, what would you be looking for, hoping to obtain?
(examples: what is being "adverstised"? Power tools in a garage [viewed from a garage door left open], seeing guns toted to and fro a vehicle, or sex, such as seeing females (wife, daughter, sister, niece).

Don't look like prey.

-Take prudent steps to not look inviting to criminals.

-Give the appearance of having your property and home "secure". Examples include, but not limited to having solid, fortified doors, professional locks, and so forth. This includes solid door, and professional locks for any room used as a "safe room" in the event one needs to hole up, and wait for law enforcement.

-Lighting, with solar/battery backup, exterior and interior.

-Contact and speak with LE in your area in regard to what is going on. Ask them for suggestions, and any information to educate you as to what you are faced with. In addition, see if extra patrols can be had, especially after the first alarm.

Just me, but based on experiences, these false alarms "might" be diversions for criminal activity going on elsewhere.

Meaning, an old trick is get diversions in one area, while crimes are committed elsewhere as the Law is attending to false alarms.

One example is thugs tossing bricks into storefronts/ homes, and having LE respond, while crimes where committed at businesses/homes on the other side of town.

The earlier one reads a signal, the more time they have to deal with a situation.

MtnCreek · Feb 16, 2011

Sam1911, That gives me a lot to think about. Thank you Sir for the thoughtful input. I have a GSD that's currently stationed outside; maybe I can figure out a way to get the wife to let him in the house.
Thanks!

Sam1911 · Feb 16, 2011

I have a GSD that's currently stationed outside

Depending on yard layout, outside may work as well. It sure can't hurt. A burglar is not likely to tunnel in, so if he can be forced to approach through the dog's territory, you should get an enthusiastic warning. If fencing the front yard (assuming that give the dog total range) isn't an option, at least you can assume he's covering "6." In fact, many dogs locked outside would alert to someone inside who REALLY doesn't seem to belong there. You've got to know your dog, though.

easyg · Feb 16, 2011

Sounds to me like you're doing just fine.

Keep up the good work.

kingpin008 · Feb 16, 2011

That's just me. I have small children so it's not out of the question that some toys didn't get picked up prior to bed; don't want to trip and shoot myself because the ice machine droped its fresh batch!

With all due respect, how could you possibly shoot yourself accidentally with your finger off the trigger? Unless your gun is a pot-metal POS, it's not going to go off unless you pull the trigger.

Besides, I can release the safety on a 1911 faster than I can aim it.

So can I, but I've never had to do it in the dark at 2 a.m. straight from a deep sleep, hyped up on adrenaline and fear. Unless you've trained to deploy your weapon under stressful conditions, I think you might be suprised how much harder releasing that safety becomes when seconds count.

T Bran · Feb 16, 2011

If your campaign for a dog is successful and your in range on south FL ill have free American Bulldog pups in about 6 weeks !

DoubleTapDrew · Feb 16, 2011

Da/Sa Beretta, safety off, finger resting under the slide (not on he trigger). But you know it worries me what if I trip or something? How do cops or military train with it?

Practice sweeping off the safety as your bring your weapon up on target when at the range (or dryfiring practice at home). I started doing that with 1911s and it becomes automatic (no pun indended) pretty quickly. It doesn't waste any time because you've gotta bring the sights on target anyways, you are just doing this during that motion.

kingpin008 · Feb 16, 2011

Da/Sa Beretta, safety off, finger resting under the slide (not on he trigger). But you know it worries me what if I trip or something?

If you trip you trip - your finger is off the trigger. I guess I don't see the problem.

Diamondback6 · Feb 16, 2011

Another defensive trick I've seen is, for a multi-story home with one stairway, keep everybody's bedrooms up on 2 and use the first floor for entertainment/home-office and the like. The idea being "everything on 1 is expendable, but the stairs to 2 are the indicator they want not property but US--and also become the choke-point to funnel them into a spread of #4 to 00 buckshot..."

Frank Ettin · Feb 17, 2011

The thing is that if there is one or more BGs in the house and you go out looking, he has (or they have) the tactical advantage. That's why house clearing among those who have to do it regularly is considered a team activity. This is all covered in far greater length in the threads that Sam linked to in post 6.

Wedge · Feb 18, 2011

Harden the house, make it undesirable to a thief and offer yourself some positive methods to determine when it's go time and when it is the ice maker.

Locked up house (doors, window, garage), motion lights, a dog, alarm system and decals, eliminating stuff that makes noise are all great ideas. As Sam and Steve said, you can't go through life "on" without burning out, so put some systems in place to help you relax.

NMGonzo · Feb 18, 2011

I live in a fairly small adobe house.

Anyone making it to the bedroom door is toast.

1 story plan, exit to the backyard in the bedroom, and a bedroom door.

25 feet AND backlit.

The Don · Feb 18, 2011

GambJoe,

I had a similar issue living in the country in a 200 year old farm house. A dog is a great Idea, I have a German Rottweiler. If I were to have a breaking and entering my dog would alert me go looking and attack the subject giving me time to grab my weapon and if need be neutralize the threat. Also despite what many people think it really does not matter were you live you can still be broke into. Yes some places have a higher chance then others, but no place is 100% safe from crime. I have learned that taking classes for Law Enforcement and do to the fact that my utility structures have been broke into about a dozen times and the house has been broke into three times even living in the country. Once resulting in the imprisonment (many years ago) of my great grandmother because she shot someone in defense of my grandpa. She shot both of his knees out and went to prison after he pressed charges and obtained a lawyer, and said he was invited in. My great grandparents being poor farmers lost the case. But the aftermath of shooting an intruder is a whole other ball of wax.

Kleanbore · Feb 19, 2011

Posted by The Don: Once resulting in the imprisonment (many years ago) of my great grandmother because she shot someone in defense of my grandpa. She shot both of his knees out and went to prison after he pressed charges and obtained a lawyer, and said he was invited in. My great grandparents being poor farmers lost the case.

Obviously, no one here knows all of the details, but it is important for everyone to understand that if someone is imprisoned for shooting someone, it is because the state successfully prosecuted a criminal case and the defendant was convicted of a felony. The defendant has the duty of presenting evidence that such a shooting was justified (that the actor had reason to believe that the shooting was immediately necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm), and if he or she fails to do that, he or she cannot expect to prevail in a defense of justification, regardless of what the intruder may or may not claim.

In recent years, the relevant Michigan law has been amended, so that the fact of breaking and entering one's occupied domicile provides a presumption of justification.

That does not provide a carte blanche license to shoot, however; the aforementioned presumption is rebuttable. Forensic evidence, for example, could provide the state with a basis for such a rebuttal.

http://www.ammoland.com/2009/08/03/michigans-castle-doctrine-law-and-you/

The Don · Feb 19, 2011

Kleanbore,

I feel as if I need to clarify. I was not stating that there status as poor was the deciding factor in the case. But my grandparents lack of legal knowledge and understanding of the law. Another factor was that the subject was shot in the back of the knees. Considering the subject was standing over my sleeping grandfather with a 2x4 and my 5'5" 115lb grandmother was behind the subject. But that was a long time ago and is water under the bridge and out to sea. It was but a cautionary tale. Also thanks for the MCL.

When some thing goes bump in the night.

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