You Are the Target in a Home Invasion Scenario. Which Defensive Weapon Do You Reach For First?

[Old Dog]

I carry at home, so unless one of the dogs was inside to give me warning (alarm system is not activated until bedtime or everyone is out of the house, although the doors and windows chimed and announce which one is being opened), it'd probably be a carry pistol, unless I had time to access the master bedroom (back corner) where I keep a Condition 3 M4 or the front office (off hall closest to front door) where I keep a cruiser-ready Mossberg 590A1.

So I'm gonna say a handgun most likely...

 

[Jeff62]

What if’s and mental exercises are good preparation. But, please bear in mind that unless you have trap house doors and windows a motivated person can be in your house and in physical contact before you can process what is happening. Security lights, hard entry points, a good dog BEFORE going to guns is better preparation.

 

[Jeff White]

This happens every day in America. So we have to have a plan to counteract it.

Usually to people in the illegal drug trade or people involved in bad domestic disputes. Not being involved in those activities, including allowing people who are involved in those activities into your home, even if they are related to you reduces your odds of being the victim of a home invasion to next to nothing.

If you're worried about what weapon to go for first you're likely already dead or or unconscious. Weapons play a very small part part in defense against a home invasion.

This is what we used to call "Priority of work" when moving into a new position in the Infantry modified for defending your home:

1. Don't do illegal drugs or hang around with people who do, including relatives, never let them into your home. Do your best not to involve yourself romantically with someone mentally unstable or who has family, especially former lovers or partners who are mentally unstable.

2. Harden your home. There are all kinds of threads here and other places online on the best ways to do that.

3. Have a plan on how the family will react to a home invasion. Rehearse the plan until everyone in the family knows it by heart.

4. Never open the door to anyone you can't identify as someone with legitimate business.

5. Arm yourself with whatever firearm you are most proficient with. Lock yourself and family in the safe room (you've already rehearsed this in step 3) and wait for the Calvary to arrive. Engage if the safe room is breached.

All of these steps are specific to you and your particular situation.

 

[Rexster]

Well, it depends. Am I already carrying a handgun, or, have I already undressed, for the night? How close am I to my Benelli M2, a former duty shotgun? How close am I to my Remington 870P pump gun? (Another former duty shotgun.)

If I am not wearing my prescription eyeglasses, at the moment something happens, my Benelli M2, with its nicely-bold rifle sights, is the single best choice.

Ideally, I want to have both handgun and long gun, during any gunfight.

The least-likely would be a rifle, assuming the incident is an unexpected event. If the intruders kindly provide advance notice, well, a rifle may well be a first choice.

 

[THEWELSHM]

Model 500 Smith, no just kidding, if they get past my alarm and the dogs, they are serious, never go looking when you have knowledge of your property, if they find me it's done, I will walk out, Sig .40 with crimson trace and lower rail light.

Thewelshm

 

[BWS]

If the problem persists,lure them as close to our backhoe as possible.... just less work that way.

 

[jmorris]

Probably the one on me, until I get to something better.

 

[IJ1981]

I'll assume that's hyperbole instead of what you actually meant since there probably aren't 365 home invasions a year.

Your first defense shouldn't start with firearms. Keeping people out of your home should be the first defense. If they do get through the reinforced door after triggering the alarm system summoning LE, it should have given you time to get to whatever you planned for such a threat.

For me and/or my wife that would be one of the ARs or shotguns that we've been trained on and practice with.

This is not hype. Per Simply Insurance 1.65 million home Invasions are occurring every year in the USA.

Just do the math.

 

[The Night Rider]

This happens every day in America. So we have to have a plan to counteract it.

in this scenario it is one man or women against the invaders.

Please explain your choice.

Every time I read about a home invasion in the newspaper they report that the Invaders either walk right through an unlocked door or the homeowner opened the door without knowing for certain who was on the other side.

So this is the number one tool that I'm reaching for.

 

[The Night Rider]

This is not hype. Per Simply Insurance 1.65 million home Invasions are occurring every year in the USA.

Did they list how many of them are Criminal on criminal?

 

[IJ1981]

Did they list how many of them are Criminal on criminal?

Ask them . I don't know,-!Boss!

 

[hso]

1.65 million home Invasions

Are you calling burglaries "home invasions"? You proposed "you are targeted...". That is rather specific and is something different from a random break-in. Targeting implies intentionally breaking in with "you" at home.

That nit aside, the ideal is to keep people you don't want inside...outside as long as possible. Hardening your perimeter, hardening your doors/windows, having an alarm system that summons LE all to give you time if they're breached to get to your planned defensive position and prepared preferred weapons that you've trained with while you're on the phone with LE describing the BGs and how they are equipped.

 

[Jeff White]

This is not hype. Per Simply Insurance 1.65 million home Invasions are occurring every year in the USA.

Just do the math.

That depends on how they identify home invasion. The press, bless their uninformed, lying hearts often reports burglaries and trespass as home invasions. Who knows how Simply Insurance defines them? I went to the statistics page on their website:

How Many Home Invasions Happen Per Year In America? (August 2023)

Discover how many home invasions happen per year in the U.S., the costs associated with home invasions, and much more...

www.simplyinsurance.com

How Many Home Invasions Happen Per Year?

There are over 1.65 Million home invasions per year which accounts for about 66% of all 2.5 Million burglaries that happen every year according to the FBI.

This is complete BS. The FBI doesn't collect data on home invasion. I used to do UCR input for an agency I worked for as an additional duty and I didn't think I reported home invasion. I just checked the FBI UCR page:
https://le.fbi.gov/cjis-division/cj...m-crime-report-data-for-first-quarter-of-2023 and they do not collect statistics on home invasion. You are basing your fear on information from a company that wants to sell you insurance.

Home Invasion has it's own definition in the criminal code. It's a very serious crime in every state and the Simply Insurance people are telling you 66% of all burglaries are home invasions. This my friend is an out and out lie intended to get you to buy insurance.

Let's look at how Home Invasion is defined in the law. I will use my state as that is where I'm most familiar with the law:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=072000050HArt%2E+19&ActID=1876&ChapterID=53&SeqStart=63000000&SeqEnd=63800000

(720 ILCS 5/19-6) (was 720 ILCS 5/12-11)
Sec. 19-6. Home Invasion.
(a) A person who is not a peace officer acting in the line of duty commits home invasion when without authority he or she knowingly enters the dwelling place of another when he or she knows or has reason to know that one or more persons is present or he or she knowingly enters the dwelling place of another and remains in the dwelling place until he or she knows or has reason to know that one or more persons is present or who falsely represents himself or herself, including but not limited to, falsely representing himself or herself to be a representative of any unit of government or a construction, telecommunications, or utility company, for the purpose of gaining entry to the dwelling place of another when he or she knows or has reason to know that one or more persons are present and
(1) While armed with a dangerous weapon, other than a firearm, uses force or threatens the imminent use of force upon any person or persons within the dwelling place whether or not injury occurs, or
(2) Intentionally causes any injury, except as provided in subsection (a)(5), to any person or persons within the dwelling place, or
(3) While armed with a firearm uses force or threatens the imminent use of force upon any person or persons within the dwelling place whether or not injury occurs, or
(4) Uses force or threatens the imminent use of force upon any person or persons within the dwelling place whether or not injury occurs and during the commission of the offense personally discharges a firearm, or
(5) Personally discharges a firearm that proximately causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, or death to another person within the dwelling place, or
(6) Commits, against any person or persons within that dwelling place, a violation of Section 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-1.50, or 11-1.60 of this Code.
(b) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of home invasion that the accused who knowingly enters the dwelling place of another and remains in the dwelling place until he or she knows or has reason to know that one or more persons is present either immediately leaves the premises or surrenders to the person or persons lawfully present therein without either attempting to cause or causing serious bodily injury to any person present therein.
(c) Sentence. Home invasion in violation of subsection (a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(6) is a Class X felony. A violation of subsection (a)(3) is a Class X felony for which 15 years shall be added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court. A violation of subsection (a)(4) is a Class X felony for which 20 years shall be added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court. A violation of subsection (a)(5) is a Class X felony for which 25 years or up to a term of natural life shall be added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
(d) For purposes of this Section, "dwelling place of another" includes a dwelling place where the defendant maintains a tenancy interest but from which the defendant has been barred by a divorce decree, judgment of dissolution of marriage, order of protection, or other court order.
(Source: P.A. 96-1113, eff. 1-1-11; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11; 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

This is Illinois law but most states define home invasion the same or similarly. Simply Insurance is saying that 66% percent of all burglaries are conducted by armed criminals breaking into occupied dwellings. That is a lie.

 

[Chief TC]

40 cal by my bed for immediate response. Other firearms spread throughout for differing scenarios.

 

[The Night Rider]

40 cal by my bed for immediate response. Other firearms spread throughout for differing scenarios.

Unsecured?

 

[wayneinFL]

This is not hype. Per Simply Insurance 1.65 million home Invasions are occurring every year in the USA.

Just do the math.

124 million households had 1.65 million home invasions. More than 1 in 100? And 1 in 50 burglarized? I know they're selling insurance, but I have to wonder where they're getting those numbers and how much they're misrepresenting them. According to them, 72% of home invasions happen when no one is home? That's not what I think of as a home invasion.

 

[Show Me]

I don't prepare ahead for this scenario, so my carry pistol at night table would have to do. But if I did prepare it would be my mossberg 12 gauge pump with buckshot.

That said, evaluating all risk, I think eating right and not too much, with moderate exercise wins the game.

I live in tornado ally but I dont ever sleep in the basement

 

[herrwalther]

I layer my security. So by the time the door swings open they already have an alarm blaring and a very pissed off dog attacking them. I keep an AR pistol for just such scenario.

 

[shafter]

This happens every day in America. So we have to have a plan to counteract it.

in this scenario it is one man or women against the invaders.

Please explain your choice.

Yes it happens every day but the majority are drug, domestic, or gang related. It does happen randomly but statistics alone don't tell the whole story

 

[JDeere]

Same thing I carry all day...It's not rocket science...

 

[CDW4ME]

The Glock I've got AIWB is what I'm reaching for; unless I'm in bed or the shower, then its not AIWB.
Do I think I "need" to carry at home? No. Nor do I expect to "need" the Glock when I go places outside my house either.

 

[dweis]

I have a semi with 15+1 on my night table. Next to it is a very bright flashlight that has a stobe setting. I can see where the light strikes and the tsar get if effectively blind.

 

[lightman]

If the home invasion is a surprise I'll be reaching for a Glock, because theres never one far away. If I have notice, like a BLM parade down my street (not very likely) or an invasion by the Chinese Army (also not very likely) I'll have an AR with several loaded mags backed up by an M1-A, also with several loaded mags.

 

[jmorris]

This is not hype. Per Simply Insurance 1.65 million home Invasions are occurring every year in the USA.

Just do the math.

Have a link to a geographic map of occurrences, to ease the calculation for some of us?

 

[Anchorite]

I’m a creature of habit…good ones and bad ones, sure. We’re human.

If I have pants on, my 38 is in my pocket if I’ve yet to leave the house. When I leave, it’s OWB. At home, unless I’m in the shower or the pool, my 38 is on my person. Dogs are always alert, so that’s a layer of security. Also have cameras and can check those on the phone or iPad at any time.
At night, bedside is the same 38 and a Winny 1300HD shotgun for big bumps in the night.

Fortunately I live in a cul de sac so we all know each other, look out for each other and no unknown vehicles go unnoticed or unobserved. It’s all a mindset coupled with situational awareness.