Your young teenager is home alone...

[TheLastBoyScout]

And a strange man comes to the door, asks if you are there (you're not) and starts attempting to break through the door. That door (the front door) is locked. The back door is not. There is a cordless phone between the two. avg police response time is 4 minutes. there are NO firearms accessible to your teen in the house. WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THE KID DO??

This is a true story, happpened to an acquaintance of my brothers'. She ran and secured the rear door, then called the cops and prayed they would get there before the man got in.

Alternative: All doors are secured, there is a protective dog and an unsecured M1 garand in the house. then what?

[Powderman]

1. Turn loose dog inside the house.

2. Lock one 8-round clip; load. Secure and install hearing protection.

3. Call police.

4. If sorry SOB breaks down door, engage with aimed fire, center of mass until the attack is over.

[MrAcheson]

Have the kid call the cops and lock the doors. Proceed to barracade yourself in as much as possible (build layers the intruder has to spend time to get through) in order to buy time for the cops to get there.

No sure if I approve of minors having unsuporvised access to lethal weapons. But if they did now would be the time to make the best of it. Still barricade yourself in just do it in a more defensible manner from a firearms standpoint.

I would not advise calling the cops and running for it. If we're talking about a young teen the intruder can probably outrun them and now help does not know where to go. Might also be a good idea to have the teen call some neighbors that are dependable for help. Its always good to know your neighbors.

[Powderman]

I guess I need to somewhat quantify my post:

My son fired his first gun at age 10. By age 12, he was shooting my M14S. At 14, he was very good with both revolvers and automatics.

When he was home alone, in his teenage years, I trusted him implicitly. He knew that there were firearms in the house. He knew that there was plenty of ammunition. He also knew that they were locked in a safe.

He also knew where the key was, in case of emergency.

I trust him now, as I did then, implicitly, without hesitation, and without reservation.

Teach your kids about firearms at an early age. Remove the mystery. Show them respect and trust, they'll do the same for you.

[ronin308]

My "home alone" armament was as follows: When I was 12 I was armed with a Ruger Single Six in my room. When I was 14 I got my first Kalashniclone. Then when I turned 16 I had an AR. All of these guns were kept right in my room with loaded mags (besides the Ruger) nearby. We lived in the country so overpenetration wasn't an issue. But if my family was home I obviously wouldn't use the AR. My suggestion would be to familize young people with firearms as they are not dependent on strength at all.

If I were in situation one I would grab some sort of weapon and a cordless phone. Then I would go to a spot where I could hideout and dial 911. If the situation permits I would try to run away from the house and go to the neighbors. In situation 2 I would do like Powderman said. But I would try to ID the target...it might be a SWAT team making an *oops*.

[TheLastBoyScout]

In this situation, The cops arrived and secured the man before he got through the door.

In the alternate, I basically agree with powderman. The one change is that I would take up a defensive position about 1/2 way up the stairs near the front door, so if he got through I could engage and know my bullets would end up in my basement after they went through the intruder.

[Edward429451]

Similar situation happened to my young BIL that was staying with us awhile back. Guy knocked on door, he answered, guy said is your dad home? No he's not. I'll come in and wait on him, and started coming through the door. He yelled at him NO and pushed him back out sort've.He was drunk and went into the back yard and sat down, presumably to wait. My BIL got my Bulldog instead of the shotgun cause he was going outside. Went outside and told him he has to leave. He said f**k no I don't and started towards him...He brought the gun out from behind his leg and told him, dude, you better stop, I've got a gun. The drunk pos ran out the back way and was never seen again.

Sure, he made some mistakes. We talked about it. But the gun did kind of keep a potentially major incident a minor one. Most guns were in the safe, but we keep enough scattered around loaded that intruders probly wouldn't stand a chance unless very well organized etc.

Why no SG's in the scenario?

[sm]

Adult is home( even if not they are: taking a nap, in bathroom...make excuse)
secure door, unleash dog, call neighbor-have them call another neighbor, then 911. If taught firearms I have no problem with that.

As a kid before 911 and during the riots, I being the eldest, told them dad was ironing his uniform. had sibs get under bed, grabbed revolver as they started pounding the door with brickbats, called (rotary phone) neighbor, whom called 2 others. One called the police--"but they kinda busy right now". rioters left when neighbors hollered STOP--or maybe it was the sight of shotguns and lever action carbines. It worked. Police never showed.

[TheLastBoyScout]

Why no SG's in the scenario?

Because there were no SG's in the actual incident the scenario was based on. The M1 is in the alternate because that's the only gun my younger brother could use without parental assistance (my dad relies on 'ammo control'. Guns are in unlocked cases while ammo is in locked USGI ammo cans. The M1 is in the scenario because right now we have more .30-06 than we can secure in the cans)

[Ben Shepherd]

If I ever have children, it will be just like my father taught me.

By the time the kid is old enough to stay home alone, he/she will have shown enough maturity to be trusted with the means of self protection.

If they can't be trusted with a gun, then they can't be trusted in my home alone.

Myself and all of my siblings were given a single shot 22 for our 8th birthday, and a single shot shotgun for our 12th birthday. Started shooting handguns at 14. but if we wanted our own hangun we had to wait until we were old enough to buy our own.

Worked for dad, I plan on the same.

[LASur5r]

My daughter is 16 years old now. She has been training in handguns since she was 12 and was legally allowed on a firing range.
She has been training in self-defense scenarios since kindergarten. Hope she never has to used her practice for real.
If she is home alone, she already has her CZ-75 on her hip (her choice of weapons). The doors are already locked. She is to hit the perimeter alarm to alert the police and the neighbors. Move to the safe room and get behind cover, put on the body armor and wait for the cavalry, she picks up the Beretta 12 gauge in the safe room with the cell phone, should the BG's persist despite the alarm, and they get to the safe room before the cavalry arrives..
Hope she never has to use her training.

[Powderman]

LaSur5r:

Well met, sir. Very well met, indeed.

[LASur5r]

Thank you for the statement.
I just see it as the price of living in Los Angeles. Lived here some 43 years, through the Watts riots, L.A. riots, and all the gang stuff you folks don't get to hear about that we see or hear about on a daily basis.

That's why when my daughter goes on to college, we are looking to get out of this crazy state...Too darn difficult to get legal status to have a CCW in soCal.

I guess the powers to be want us citizens just to throw spit balls and use harsh language...although I hear that there is a move to outlaw spit balls as a dangerous weapon. :barf:

[MrAcheson]

LASur5r,

Haven't you heard? Harsh language is outlawed as hate speech these days too.

[LASur5r]

Oh no....shoot me now, just shoot me..Now!!!!