How would you handle this encounter?

[briandg]

any of you dudes that doesn't have a remington master blaster 8 bore kiln gun loaded with the 3 ounce slugs mounted on the gables of your home is gonna look like a complete freakin idiot when the zombies come to bust down your door with the armored car that they stole.

http://www.remington.com/products/am...er-system.aspx

I got one mounted in the hay loft of my barn in case of rustlers, bobcats, and the occasional sasquatch that comes wandering through eatin my cows.

It didn't cost much, I paid for it with the proceeds of 3 sasquatch skull sales.

(reproductions. It ain't legal to sell real sasquatch skulls. the real ones are nailed to my barn door to scare off the rest of them.)

[C0untZer0]

I can see opening the door unarmed for J-witnesses, but if I see either the Amish or the Quakers coming - I get out my bullet proof vest (and groin protector).

If it's the Amish I also put my hair in a hair net and tuck it up under my Kevlar helmet. I don't know how to protect my beard from those clip-happy bastards, but if I see they're carrying an Oster, a Wahl or a Braun trimmer - I've got my hand on my J-Frame.

Also - just like faux UPS and Fed-Ex drivers - just because some guy looks like the guy on the box of oatmeal doesn't mean he's not out to kill you.


(in before the lock)

[Sparks1957]

I actually like land mines in my driveway and on the paths leading to the doors of my house. My wife and I know where they're planted, but the FedEx and UPS guys don't. That's if they can get through the perimeter fence, that is a bit of a hurdle.

(in before the lock, too )

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by manta49

I tought it was bad living in N Ireland where thousands have being killed in a 30 year terrorist campaign. But i have never felt the need to go to the front door carrying a gun.
Is it that bad in America. ?

Manta49,

No, not really. There are certain neighborhoods and times of day in those areas where being armed may be advisable. If you live there, maybe carrying 24/7 at home might be a good idea, along with other precautions, like high-quality locks, keeping your yard highly visible, alarms on your doors and windows, etc.

Then there are the people. Consider that a fireams-related forum will have a higher percentage of gun-carrying people than the general population. Also consider that many who have responded here appear to live in rural areas where a call for assistance to the local law enforcement might involve a very long wait for them to arrive. I live in a state where some areas are served by the State Troopers and response to a life-threatening situation could take hours or days. (This is extreme, but you get the idea.) But, then you are more likely to be attacked on the main street of the town by a moose than a mugger. I live in Anchorage, which is much like any medium-sized city, but our criminals are probably better armed than elsewhere.

Unless I miss my guess, in Ireland, the violence is more ideological and institutional than personal or criminal. The nature of the threat dictates the nature of the preparation and the response.

I hope my viewpoint makes us seem less sanguine on this side of the pond.

Regards,

Lost Sheep

p.s. There seems to be a bit more slagging going on in this thread than most, so read carefully. I see from your latest post that you get it.

[Sparks1957]

All in good fun, for my part

[DELL6380]

I often work late and the lady and I have take out delivered at least twice a week. On top of that we're always ordering stuff online so there is a steady flow of people coming to our door.

I'll admit that if I'm expecting a package i'm not too cautious. If it's my normal UPS or FedEx guy I'm not cautious. I will tell you that when these random guys from various pizza places come to my door I am armed. My 226 is almost always on my hip. I can't legally carry here in IL but I put it on as soon as I walk in the door and when I answer the door my LCP is typically in my pocket.

[briandg]

I'll tell you someting, if I hear someone ring, and then hammer on the door, there will be a gun in my hand within 3 seconds.

First, the ring/knock/smash is a common thing here. burglars will knock like thunder to make sure that nobody is home.

Second, I generally heap fire on their heads when I get out to the door and am offered gutter cleaning services, and seriously, part of that is to see if they will come into the home after me. It really bothers me to let someone that I suspect is a burglar keep going until he finds an empty home, or even a child at home all alone.

Yahh, I know, I'm begging for a fight. Of course I am. Better me, I figure, than any one of the people whom I know and love in this neighborhood.

[youngunz4life]

I hear that Brian, because I always see other 'possible' motives whether wrong or imagined. Someone like my wife is too trusting, so we balance each other off in the middle. I am not a big fan of those drivebys hey, "I saw your gutters..." you get my point. that one dude sitting in the truck tipping back a coca cola beeping his horn was a trip. I thought he was provoking me but I never said anything but did eyeball his license plate(bought tresspass signs after). turns out what the heck do I know, I was told he did that to be respectful and to seem unimposing later by people who understand such etiquette. Guy just trying to make a living I guess, so that's why I was never rude(I give people the benefit of the doubt).

You know they never seem to take the cigs with them. cigarettess are always good clues because someone put it there...it wasn't magic, seriously as a guest just use your ashtray but I guess my mom was right, "paybacks a bitch"

[PH/CIB]

If I answer the door with my clothes on that means I am carrying concealed and will go to the door with my gun, if I answer the door naked, that will be deadly force enough!

[Scorch]

Some seriously paranoid people out there, I see. I receive several FedEx and UPS deliveries each week, and have never felt threatened. I also have pizza delivered, have proselyters knock on my door, and the occasional yard care guy trying to sell me landscape maintenance. Maybe I need to use a gun on the last one, but the pizza guy is my friend.

I can see that either I am unafraid and choose to live my life in a manner that does not make me a victim in my own mind,
OR
I am naive in assuming I live in a safe area,
OR
I am in denial as to the threat level presented by the average FedEx worker.

If the FedEx guy looked like a threat to me, I would just let him drop the package off and go back to his truck before I open the door and scurry out to grab it. Then I would go take another Prozac and call my doctor again.

[Stressfire]

Pretty much just answer the door, I do not always carry a pistol in my home, but I am never unarmed - not even in the shower. Plus, no one comes that I have not invited.

Even then, my bathroom window is right over the downstairs entrance (2nd floor apartment with a lower & upper door), so I know who it is before they even know someone is there.

I am looking forward to my first J witness visit though. I want to see the look of horror when I counter the good news with a rundown of the practices of Wicca

[9ballbilly]

I don't carry at home. Here the only firearm outside the safe is the Ruger .38 that lives on my nightstand. Under most circumstances I wouldn't be armed to answer the door. However, being a single parent as well as a former LEO, the few times that someone knocked on my door unexpectadly at odd hours I did retrieve it before answering. Always turned out to be some neighbor asking for help with their car or some other chore. since it was always held in the pocket of my bathrobe or behind my back I managed not to scare the bejesus out of any of them either.

[wyatt3d]

Probably not for a legit looking fed ex, ups truck but it depends on the circumstance.

One weekend I heard a truck coming down the street (it was one of those furniture trucks, you know the ones, "we brought the wrong merchandise from South Carolina and our boss told us to try to sell it before we came back") I saw one of the guys knock and then try to open the door across the street (which was locked). When they rang my bell I didn't want them to think I wasn't home and try to break into my house so I cracked the door open with my .45 in hand concealed behind my leg and behind the door and told him we weren't interested and asked him to leave. I then called the cops and let them know what I saw.

[stephen426]

While some of you guys are treating this thread like a joke, there have been some incidences in my area. I live in a upper-middle class neighborhood that is in a gated community, but there have been two home invasions in the past year. Those living in better areas tend to forget that they are better targets. With that said...

When someone knocks on the door and I am not expecting anyone, I almost always grab a gun. I am not that concerned about FedEx/UPS trucks since I do not feel I am that much of a target. One of my best friends is in the diamond business. They work in a large jewelry exchange in Downtown Miami and they were actually robbed by someone in a fake FedEx uniform. They are obviously much more of a target than the average person. Basically, if they don't know the driver by face, they don't open the door.

[C0untZer0]

Do you have a bullet-proof jacket that you can throw on?

I find it interesting that someone will analyze these situations and decide that they should answer the door armed, but the same factors that led them to that decision don't weigh into a decision to use body armor?

[L_Killkenny]

I've answered the door armed exactly once in my life. It was 2am, snowing hard, there was no extra vehicle anywhere near my place but a bundled up man at my door. It was the neighbor that had gone in the ditch.

And ya know what, I'll continue to answer the door unarmed.

LK

[youngunz4life]

count, I was on the vest thread and there would good points either way. this thread being started on the fedex thing was my fault, but corrected pretty early...I wouldn't expect everyone to see that&it 'is what it is' and the thread has been doing its thing which is fine.

that being said, I always like to know who is knocking at my door 1st. let me be clear I am not worried about the fedex guy but a recent post brought up a good point about the diamond dealers. in this day in age, door knocking is much less popular and it is much more rare. my brother and his wife moved out of their first home about 8-9yrs ago due to the fact that they were situated near a major roadway. It turned out that 1-2 people(not exaggerated) knocked on their door a week. 100% of the time these people needed directions.

I have a family and we bought our first home a few yrs back. I also am in a different part of the country then where I grew up. I take it seriously and can be honest about that. I will not open the door if I don't know who it is. Maybe in college I'd just swing the door open, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

I know this kind of thing can be real big with business owners; many robberies happen due to routines of opening doors same hrs some days, and also by just people answering the door without using caution(I have watched it on "The First 48" numerous occaisons). Obviously some people are bigger targets. I know a drug dealer isn't just gonna open up. The diamond dealer example was good too. I have a responsibility to protect my family, so I do what I feel is best. I don't carry in my home, but on my weekends or what not I'll have a gun or two "around". I will see who is knocking though: fedex gets a pass, same as UPS. Guys beeping there horn, tatooed dudes wanting to see if they can start working on my house who cannot even quote a price, and so-on are out of luck. This is my home and our sanctuary and I don't have time for it. I would help a neighbor in a heartbeat, but many people have been killed and had other atrocities happen by just trying to be a good guy - an example was maine(a girl would not and then the guy would jump into the woodwork). I think TFL had a thread on it: the owner shot+killed the dude. all the best

[bikerbill]

I know the FedEx guy ... and the UPS guy ... by name, the UPS guy brings a treat for my dog every time he brings a delivery ... that said, I am always armed at home, the same pocket carry I use when I go out, and I am prepared if Mr. FedEx has decided to begin a life of crime ... If the bell rings and I don't see a delivery van, I might slip my hand into that pocket as I ask what the person at the door wants ... I try not to live my life as if each encounter with another human being is going to be my last, but I don't carry a gun (just) because I like having my shorts dragged down on one side, either ...

[greeniron]

The Fedex driver in my area is a hottt 30 yo blonde woman. If she rings my bell at night while I am online I am going to assume I am living out a dream. Well at least if she shows up with a blueberry cheescake to top off the night.

But honestly I carry all the time so it is completely normal for me to answer the door will a sidearm. And I have two bow windows on both sides of the front door, so I can very easily see who is ringing my bell. Not to mention a dog who is one half Lucifer and one half psychotic so I feel very safe.

With that being said, I hope the Fedex girl shows up tonight.

[Datguy781]

Typically if you are getting a package from a carrier you can monitor it with a tracking number; so you should know when you are getting a package. Im not saying a criminal disguised as a Fedex worker with a Fedex vehicle can't happen but its not likely enough to think "grab gun before going to the door".Im all for situational awarness etc. but I think your a being a little to concerned. With that thought pattern do you question every one you see in a uniform on a day to day basis? Police,fireman,garbage men...?

[roberto mervicini]

gentlemans. some time when I read all this comments I think you are too tense and always ready for war, like if every one is out to get you...... I leave in Canada, we have guns, extimate between 9 and 11 millions for 36 millions population, but only allowed to take them from home to gun club and back, hand-guns, restricted or proibited weapons. Hunting rifles and shotguns are not restricted. Beside policeman or security officer virtually no one else allowed to carry ...sorry I forgot one other category carry concealed guns: mobster dealers and street gang.
Almost weekly or byweekly some one get shoot, generally happen ammong mobster, settlyng scores.
Yes almost every month we hear of home invasion in our town, (over 2.500.000 peoples) and we are not immune of burglary either, but I do no sleep with a loaded gun on the night table nor open the door with it, and believe me guns are not in short supply in our house.
I have been in good and bad places in the world, day and nite, without guns, and never felt seriously threatened.
We use alarm system when required and our Bouvier des Flaudres alert us at the first unusual noise.
But I am not stupid either, in case some one breaking the entry by the time it bypass the dog I will have the way to reach for a loaded one!

[Peterlago]

The First step in avoiding a Trap is Knowing of its existence.


Just addressing your original question.

Situational-awareness really comes into play here.
Is this an untimely visit? Broad Daylight or long after this guy should be standing at my door?
Was I expecting a package? is this my regular Delivery guy? no?
does he look anxious? or just out of place?
Were their recent issues in my community regarding to home invasion of this type?
These are all subconscious processes that go through my head in a second.

Also, I have a security screen door with bars which gives me a moment to talk with the person on the other side to gauge their state of mind.

That said, opening your door to a stranger can be a crap shoot
(no pun intended)

However, Having a Clearly visible "NRA LIFE MEMBER" Sticker Right on the front door that hes knocking on, Can make him aware that he could be walking into a moment of "Natural Selection" and that this could be a crap shoot for a would-be-attacker as well...
(this time, pun intended)

That Said, I moved from a Crime ridden area of Las Vegas to Hawaii because I grew weary of playing such games with wannabe gangsters.

So, in short, If a Living situation requires such precaution to stand in one's own doorway.

Perhaps the real consideration here is one of geographic relocation for the well-being of ones family. Right now, Bloods and Crips are bleeding in the streets I once called my home.

And I couldn't care less..

[TexasJustice7]

I live in an apartment complex where there are paroled criminals living in the complex too. I don't care who is at my door, until I know that it is a relative, or a close friend, I answer the door with a gun in my hand. Makes no difference whehter it is JW, Baptist, Fed Ex, UPS. I will not be a victim. If they have a problem with me doing that, it is best they not come to my door.
I also never go nor come from the complex unarmed. If headed for federal property I have arrangements made with someone to keep my weapons away from my residence. I look at it this way. I cannot do anything about criminals living around me, unless I move, which I do not want to do. So the best thing for me to do is always be prepared. I even sleep with three handguns beside me. That is equivalent to someone else who carries a SA holding higher capacity magazines than my five shot revolvers.

[FireForged]

a ring at the doorbell and a $80,000 Fed Ex truck parked in my driveway is just not something I am going to get all suspicious about.

If it were a Fed ex guy and no truck, I might find that odd enough not to answer.

[old bear]

It is a sad commentary on our society when this question is even asked. I for one see no reason to have a weapon in hand to receive a package from an employee of a recognized courier service.