The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - The Combat Mindset: Lessons learned From a Recent Sort of Real Home Defense Situation

Brasscatcher84 · August 15, 2011, 10:50 AM

We hear a lot about the combat mindset, and about what will go through your head in a real self defense situation. I recently had an experience in my home at night that drove this point home to me in a BIG way.

Last night, I was lying awake after my wife had fallen asleep. It was almost 11 PM, and there was a lightening storm going on. It wasn't anything big, just a colorful light show in the sky. Anyway, I'm lying there, and I hear a noise in the main part of the house. It's not anything I really get concerned about, I hear them about 3-4 times a month. I always check them out, as I figure better safe than sorry. I reach in the nightstand and get my pistol and flashlight.

I walk out of the bedroom, and I don't have the flashlight on because there is enough ambient light in the house to see by, and if someone is there, I don't want to give them a heads up. I stop just outside the door of the bedroom and scan everything that I can see. All of a sudden, my blood runs cold. The front door is wide open. At that moment, A million thoughts flood my head. I am in condition red, big time. THEY ARE INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! I start thinking of all the training I've taken for pistol combat, and all the books I've read. Center of mass, front sight, breath control, trigger squeeze, double tap, controlled pair, failure to stop drills, clearing a malfunction, tactical reloading, you name it, it popped into my head in about 3 seconds. I also began to think about the legal can of worms that can be opened with even the justifiable use of force. I pushed THAT thought out of my head, because in my state, BG in the house=justifiable use of force.

Like I said, this took about 3-4 seconds and then I hear the floor creak, right on the other side of the door (the door opens toward my bedroom, so when it's open, I can't see the entryway). Whoever is in my house is on the other side of the door. At this point, I have a half inclination to start putting rounds through the door, but I immediately dismiss that as a bad idea. When the door is open, not only can I not see the entryway, but it opens toward a center load bearing wall that has a closet and the pantry in it. In order to get to the other side of the door, I'd have to walk all the way around this center section, through the kitchen, through the dining room, and the living room. I'm pretty sure the intruder doesn't know I'm there, and I'd like to keep it that way so I can surprise them. I don't want to try something like saying, "I have a gun, lie on the floor" because I'm afraid that if they're armed, THEY'LL start putting rounds through the door.

So, with my options dwindling, I decide upon what I think will be the best course of action. In the same instant, I rear back and kick the door closed on the BG (it's a heavy door). At the same time, I jump around the door, click on my flashlight, and yell "MOVE AND I'LL SHOOT!!!"

At that moment, I'm confronted by the sight of my eight year old son, whom I've just sent crashing through the screen door, lying on the porch in the rain crying. Apparently, he got up to watch the lightening. My wife comes running out of the bedroom, holding her Lady Smith like a damned Charlie's Angel, yelling "WHAT"S GOING ON?!?!?!"

I know it was probably just the sudden release of tension, but at that moment, I start laughing hysterically. I mean eyes tearing up, I have to take a knee because I can't breathe laughing. My wife is ready to kill SOMETHING, I'm probably doing irreparable harm to my son's self esteem my laughing at him on the porch hurt, and I just can't stop.

My son wasn't hurt seriously, just a knot on his head, and we stayed up and had a LONG talk about opening the door at night without permission. Right now, I'm seriously thinking about getting convex mirrors to mount around the house so I can see around corners.

What amazes me is the multitude of things I hadn't thought of before hand. What if there was more than one BG? How many blind corners are there in my house? Why don't I wake my wife up before I go check things out?

All in all, I think I lost a year off my life from the ordeal, but it goes to show that preparation, especially mental, is key to self defense.

Did I do anything wrong? Any ideas how I could have done better?

August 15, 2011, 10:50 AM	#1
Brasscatcher84 Junior member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 128	The Combat Mindset: Lessons learned From a Recent Sort of Real Home Defense Situation We hear a lot about the combat mindset, and about what will go through your head in a real self defense situation. I recently had an experience in my home at night that drove this point home to me in a BIG way. Last night, I was lying awake after my wife had fallen asleep. It was almost 11 PM, and there was a lightening storm going on. It wasn't anything big, just a colorful light show in the sky. Anyway, I'm lying there, and I hear a noise in the main part of the house. It's not anything I really get concerned about, I hear them about 3-4 times a month. I always check them out, as I figure better safe than sorry. I reach in the nightstand and get my pistol and flashlight. I walk out of the bedroom, and I don't have the flashlight on because there is enough ambient light in the house to see by, and if someone is there, I don't want to give them a heads up. I stop just outside the door of the bedroom and scan everything that I can see. All of a sudden, my blood runs cold. The front door is wide open. At that moment, A million thoughts flood my head. I am in condition red, big time. THEY ARE INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! I start thinking of all the training I've taken for pistol combat, and all the books I've read. Center of mass, front sight, breath control, trigger squeeze, double tap, controlled pair, failure to stop drills, clearing a malfunction, tactical reloading, you name it, it popped into my head in about 3 seconds. I also began to think about the legal can of worms that can be opened with even the justifiable use of force. I pushed THAT thought out of my head, because in my state, BG in the house=justifiable use of force. Like I said, this took about 3-4 seconds and then I hear the floor creak, right on the other side of the door (the door opens toward my bedroom, so when it's open, I can't see the entryway). Whoever is in my house is on the other side of the door. At this point, I have a half inclination to start putting rounds through the door, but I immediately dismiss that as a bad idea. When the door is open, not only can I not see the entryway, but it opens toward a center load bearing wall that has a closet and the pantry in it. In order to get to the other side of the door, I'd have to walk all the way around this center section, through the kitchen, through the dining room, and the living room. I'm pretty sure the intruder doesn't know I'm there, and I'd like to keep it that way so I can surprise them. I don't want to try something like saying, "I have a gun, lie on the floor" because I'm afraid that if they're armed, THEY'LL start putting rounds through the door. So, with my options dwindling, I decide upon what I think will be the best course of action. In the same instant, I rear back and kick the door closed on the BG (it's a heavy door). At the same time, I jump around the door, click on my flashlight, and yell "MOVE AND I'LL SHOOT!!!" At that moment, I'm confronted by the sight of my eight year old son, whom I've just sent crashing through the screen door, lying on the porch in the rain crying. Apparently, he got up to watch the lightening. My wife comes running out of the bedroom, holding her Lady Smith like a damned Charlie's Angel, yelling "WHAT"S GOING ON?!?!?!" I know it was probably just the sudden release of tension, but at that moment, I start laughing hysterically. I mean eyes tearing up, I have to take a knee because I can't breathe laughing. My wife is ready to kill SOMETHING, I'm probably doing irreparable harm to my son's self esteem my laughing at him on the porch hurt, and I just can't stop. My son wasn't hurt seriously, just a knot on his head, and we stayed up and had a LONG talk about opening the door at night without permission. Right now, I'm seriously thinking about getting convex mirrors to mount around the house so I can see around corners. What amazes me is the multitude of things I hadn't thought of before hand. What if there was more than one BG? How many blind corners are there in my house? Why don't I wake my wife up before I go check things out? All in all, I think I lost a year off my life from the ordeal, but it goes to show that preparation, especially mental, is key to self defense. Did I do anything wrong? Any ideas how I could have done better?