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Old July 20, 2012, 10:52 AM   #51
Glenn E. Meyer
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Your side - once again, if you answer the door with a gun in your hand - you are just not thinking. ID the person. Call the law if doubtful.

It's really simple.

As far as the police, different issue.
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Old July 20, 2012, 02:45 PM   #52
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As most have said in this thread, the police shooting would not have happened. Most have said they will talk through the door first to identify. I go to my window on my porch. The door is in the living room but adjacent to the room I can look from.

I did this one night a couple months back. Someone knocked at like 11:30. My kids were up late watching movies with me. I told them to stay away from the door while I ran to the window to look. Then up to my room to get my 92. Cocked and back to the door. To ask who it was. The person was heading back to their car. They got in and drove away. Never opened the door till everyone was gone. Then did a quick walk around house for stragglers with gun in hand. Heart was racing for a good 15 minutes.
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Old July 20, 2012, 03:50 PM   #53
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I don't have a good angle to peek out and see who's knocking on my door. If it's day time, I'll ask who it is and open it if I recognize them. If night time, I don't answer period. All of my friends know to text me before they come over. I never feel bad about not answering. If an instance came up to where they didn't seem satisfied with me not answering, or maybe I hear voices and they aren't getting softer as if they were walking away from the house or maybe I hear them coming around to a window, I'm heading to my spare bedroom that contains my gun safe. I'll grab my AR and have a pistol on me as backup. I'll then wait in that room. If they bust down the door, I can remain ready in the spare room and surprise them when they come into the hallway that's visible from the room. I live in a small two bedroom house so there's not going to be much room for a fight if somebody came in. I keep a scope on my AR for sport reasons but don't see that as much of a disadvantage in a close quarters combat situation within my house. It'd just be point and shoot anyway so wouldn't matter if I had a scope or irons on it. I remember one of my first USPSA matches when I realized after several targets that I wasn't even looking at the sights. I was just looking at the targets and pulling the trigger so I kept doing that to finish the stage as all the targets were probably within 15 or so feet. I was surprised when the stage was scored and I had almost all alphas with no misses. That made me realize how useless night sights and such would be on a gun used for close quarters combat.

My house was burglarized last year. I know who did it and he was never arrested for it but did six months in jail for burglarizing a jewelry store a few months later. He was released a couple weeks ago and is back living with his mother next door. Needless to say, I'm pretty alert and on edge when I'm home knowing that just a couple feet separate our driveways. I keep a snubbie in my pocket when I go outside for whatever reason (he's often outside) and when inside my house I have a larger semi-auto within reach. I keep spare magazines in strategic locations that I might retreat to for a good defense position should I need to reload.

I do not have any formal home defense training so if you guys have suggestions or other things I should think about, speak up.
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Old July 20, 2012, 04:23 PM   #54
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Glenn is the voice of reason here. I can't believe how hard people make this... it's simple:

DON'T OPEN THE DOOR TO SOMEBODY YOU DON'T KNOW... NOT FOR ANY REASON, EVER! JUST DON'T DO IT! It doesn't matter whether it's day or night, if you have a dog, if the kids are home, if you have a gun, if you have a security system, if a cop lives next door, if you're a cop, if you're a black-belt, if there's a trap-door under the welcome mat, NOT FOR ANY REASON EVER!!! F&%K!!!

About 99.9% of your door-knocking problems can be solved by the simple application of a "NO SOLICITING" sign on the doorbell. It doesn't have to be fancy... in fact, the more plain it is, the more impact is conveys.

A doorbell camera/intercom system is the icing on the cake. You don't even have to get up from the couch to see who is knocking... and you can retreat to the bedroom or wherever your primary defensive position is and call police.

Of course everybody should have at least a basic CCTV system covering the entire exterior of the house, and a simple home-alarm system (even if not monitored), that can be activated in the event somebody at the front door doesn't get the hint.

Our family practices a standard "trouble" scenario, which everybody to runs to the master bedroom, the wife to immediately dial police and stand-by on the alarm panel while arming herself, the kids inside the closet, and dad at the bedroom door in a concealed position to cover the main hall and exterior bedroom window. There are variations on the scenario, but they never start with dad being a moron and opening the front door to somebody he doesn't know. And my kids know they are NEVER allowed to open the door unless I tell them too, even if it's somebody they think they know.

My primary defensive weapon is a 12ga pump backed up with a G17, both equipped with a light and laser.

If you don't have one of these, ask yourself why not? My setup is different, but the wireless funtion of this one gives you another tactical advantage of being able to talk to the person at the door while on the move inside the house:
http://www.amazon.com/Entry-Guardian...pd_sim_sbs_e_4

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Old July 20, 2012, 05:32 PM   #55
Botswana
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Quote:
Glenn is the voice of reason here. I can't believe how hard people make this... it's simple:
So firing shots through the door from my semiauto as I dive through the living room to get to my AR is not necessary?

I suppose the "No Soliciting" sign is cheaper than ammo. Doesn't carry quite the same gravitas.

In all seriousness, I know where home invasions happen. I just refuse to live my life in fear. My family would get very nervous if I opened the door with a gun on me all the time. Not the message I want to send. I've only answered the door armed once in my life. 3am banging on the door. The person had no idea I was armed (kept it behind my back) and they turned out to be harmless. Brandishing a weapon, even legally, sends a message I am trying hard not to convey.
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Old July 20, 2012, 09:11 PM   #56
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Before I was 18 I never answered the door if I was home alone, if mom was home, she had a .25 in her hand or in her pocket when she answered. After I turned 18 I answered with the 12ga close by and a Ka-Bar in hand, always checking out the window or peep to ID the visitor. Now that I'm 21, I open carry a G22, PX4, or my M10-6 and an LCP in my pocket at home and on the grandparents farm. I'll ID the visitor from the window, and answer with my gun out of sight but always with my hand on my gun, and the SERPA lock or thumb break disengaged. once they leave I'll do a walk around to check for stragglers. If it was at night I checked to see who it was and sent them on their way without opening the door. I still try not to open the door at all, but a face to face conversation is a courteous gesture to those who come around. They never see my weapon so all is kosher.

Few days ago at about 8:30pm we had a frozen food salesman come a knocking. We were having an off night so we were only sitting down to eat dinner at the time. Mom answered and I was ready to quell a threat (from my cozy vantage point that would avoid friendly fire) if need be. We didn't notice him come up the driveway, which is odd since headlights shine straight in the front window. He must have come in dark.

2 years ago we had an unmarked rollback roll up the driveway, on a mid-summer afternoon, I was home alone and there was no reason that he should have been here, fearing theft of one or both of the vehicles in the driveway, I called our local constable who happens to live 5 min away from our house and greeted the driver with a loaded 12ga. Said he was here to repo a red F150. We don't own an F150. We have a black expedition and an old white F250 plow rig for winter use. Insisted that the truck he wanted was here. The constable came right down as did PSP. As soon as I saw the constable turn into our driveway I laid my gun on the ground and waved him over, 2 troopers arrived shortly after, no weapons were drawn by LE. The guy was legit and the troopers walked the property with me and the driver to see that there was no red truck. He left and the troopers informed me that I had done the right thing by calling it in and keeping him at bay, and for informing them of my description and that I was armed, however I should not have confronted the driver, but it was understood why I did as it sometimes takes troopers 30-45 min to respond to my area. Troopers also said there were a bunch of auto thefts carried out like this with false repo papers and such. That was a scary ordeal. Had me all sorts of besides myself for a month or 2.

There have been a lot of home invasions lately, and I'm not willing to open up to the crackheads that have been breaking in. We don't entertain much, and all our friends know to let us know that they're coming over. We live in a rural area that should be safe. Our neighbors watch out for us and we return the favor. Because of where we live, we don't get the door to door salesmen very often.

I don't feel the need to be armed 24/7 but I am. I'd rather be prepared for that 0.0000001% chance that I'll need to be armed to defend myself. Some people see me as a nutjob for always having a pistol on me, others think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I do it because I value my life, and I support the second amendment. Up until a few years ago, my mom never kept her .25 on her, but now it never leaves her pocket or purse. This is a crazy world we live in and I'd rather be over prepared than unprepared.


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Old July 21, 2012, 09:31 AM   #57
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I don't carry a gun to open the door unless I'm already carrying, which is rare in the house. I do have 2 large dogs and I keep a baseball bat in the umbrella stand by the door, but I'm not going to get a gun out of the safe every time someone knocks.

At 3am things are a bit different, but if I felt the need to have a gun to answer my door I'd move.
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Old July 21, 2012, 05:56 PM   #58
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Shoot through the door and then open to see who knocked? Jk but seriously, I peep through the window before I ever open the door.
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Old July 21, 2012, 06:07 PM   #59
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I really cannot see any wisdom at all in the idea of answering the door with a gun in my hand.
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Old July 22, 2012, 11:05 PM   #60
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Quote:
Why would the bad guys rob people in shaky neighborhoods, the bad guys rob people in the good neighborhoods and from people that have more than them. 95% of all breakins in my town/city are carried out by bad guys from other towns/cities.
Because people in bad neighborhoods generally abide by a no snitching code. Whereas people in good neighborhoods have no compunction about spilling their guts about anything and everything they noticed. In addition, the bad guys generally stick out like sore thumbs in good neighborhoods, while blending in perfectly in bad ones. There's also the fact that people in good neighborhoods don't generally keep cash around, whereas people in bad ones deal exclusively in cash.
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Old July 23, 2012, 12:36 AM   #61
shaunpain
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As far as the gentleman who got shot by the deputies, we will never be able to tell for sure if the deceased really ever pointed a pistol at them or not. We don't even know for sure if the pistol was planted. I'd like to say that we live in world of roses, but you all know we don't. Either way, it's very tragic.

As far as answering the door armed? Sure, I've done it. I've also done many other dumb things in my life. My first inkling these days would be to inquire, through a closed door, who it is. If I don't know them, I will ask them how I can help them. Where it goes from there is determined by the responses I get. Since I live in a garden apartment in Chicago, I have no lawn or belongings of importance to protect outside of my immediate dwelling. Therefore, I will not leave the confines of my abode during duress. Thankfully, and this has been this way for me for many years now, that I have no working bell to speak of and have real estate and locked doors to clear before you get to me. Nobody can even grab my attention unless they first place a call to my mobile to let me know they are there.

A couple staffers have already said it. It's very simple. Don't answer the door. I don't see the harm in asking who it is, but there is very little reason to open the door to a stranger. Maybe, just maybe, in an extreme emergency, like some guy bleeding to death at my front door (I wouldn't/couldn't refuse to help). I'll run and grab my shotgun if I've got someone trying to club my door down. However, I'd give them ample time to save their own asses by announcing that I'm shooting if they breach.
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Old July 23, 2012, 01:09 AM   #62
tepin
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When my bell rings or someone knocks, I get my gun and try to get a peek at who is outside. I would never answer the door.
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Old July 24, 2012, 04:31 PM   #63
Willie D
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Jeez, now I know why the census workers had such a hard time.


Seriously though, I answer the door most of the time. It's usually Jehovah's Witnesses, deliveries, and utility workers, but I've even had a stranger tell me I left my car trunk open with a laptop sitting inside!
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Old July 24, 2012, 04:36 PM   #64
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Gun in the holster. We have a peephole and a window with a view over our front step, plus our front door is completely in the open in front of a very busy street, so it's not much of an issue for me.
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Old July 27, 2012, 08:30 AM   #65
BloodyBucket03
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See who it is depending on what time of the day it is don't even answer it

I always have my pistol available when I answer the door anytime but depending on what time it is I will not even answer the door. I will take a quick glance to see who it is & if it is someone I do not know I will not answer it & watch them leave through my surveillance system.
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Old July 28, 2012, 10:05 AM   #66
whip1
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Letting your wife answer the door puts her between the shooter and the target. I agree, we need to think about this.
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Old July 28, 2012, 10:19 AM   #67
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I live on a major US highway in a rural area, near a midsized Midwestern city. I always CC on my property. If someone is at the door, I see who the are through the window and open the door while gun is concealed. We have had all manner of people stop, from people running out of gas to one guy that thought he was gonna camp in my front yard. Answering the door with a gun in hand is asking for trouble.
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Old August 2, 2012, 09:58 PM   #68
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I am not sure why people feel so compelled to answer the door at all. Why answer the door to unexpected people? If they are a friend or family, they would call my cell or home phone. I cant tell you how many times I have walked by my front door, only to see someone (through the side lights)standing on the porch- them see me as well and then knock. I stay alert but keep right on doing whatever it was I was doing prior to them knocking.

The bottom line is that I do not want to answer the door to a stranger, so I just dont. If I ignore a knock that was intended to warn me of some dire emergency... I guess I will just miss out.
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Old August 3, 2012, 08:46 AM   #69
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I've answered the door armed once in my life. That was a 2am wake up call from a knock on the door in the middle of a snow storm. Looked out the window to see a bundled up figure on the porch. Ended up being a neighbor that had car trouble on his way home.

I feel for those of you who CHOOSE to live places that make you feel like you can't answer the door without a gun during normal/sane hours of the day.
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Old August 3, 2012, 08:57 AM   #70
OldMarksman
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Quote:
Posted by Nanuk: Answering the door with a gun in hand is asking for trouble.
In more ways than one, I think.

Nor will it necessarily serve as the magic talisman people seem to think it to be if one does open the door to trouble.
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Old August 3, 2012, 09:01 AM   #71
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The way my apartment is set up, I can either go downstairs and pull back the curtain on the top windowed door, or better yet look or speak from the bathroom window which is right above it (2nd story apt. with a downstairs entrance).

Hasn't happened yet, but should it be someone I don't know - I will likely not go down, I see no reason to provided it is not an emergency. I can easily call 911 or a tow for a stranger in need from inside my home, in the "can I use your phone" instances.

Just the other day a coworker told me about a time long ago when a young couple came to her door in the middle of the night with a car breakdown sob story and wanted to use the phone. They then proceeded to pass out in her living room - the car was fine, they were just both too loaded to drive it any farther. Short version: husband was not happy and they departed soon after he got home

I make it a point not to live in fear - I am not even always armed with a pistol, my best weapon is between my ears and always has been.
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Old August 3, 2012, 09:52 AM   #72
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I use a digital peephole viewer. Works pretty well.
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Old August 3, 2012, 11:36 AM   #73
Edward429451
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Answering the door armed doesn't mean that it's in your hand, and it doesn't mean that you have fear. Lots of times, I answer the door wearing shoes. Does this mean that I'm scared that I will have to run?

Extreme thinking can make anything seem idiotic. I think the nay sayers in this thread sound more scared than the armed people. You guys scared of looking bad? What will people think?

(I wont wear a gun to the door and if I felt the need to, I'd move)...ok, then what? There you are again. You can't run from life. This is more extreme than just wearing a gun.
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Old August 3, 2012, 02:45 PM   #74
Tactical Jackalope
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Silently make my way to my super awesome door ALWAYS with my gun in hand pointing at the door, finger off the trigger, look through the peephole.

Miami Dade County...Home invasions..mhmmm.. -___-

If someone I know, I put the gun back @ 4:00 and open up. (even then I get iffy lol)

Someone I don't know...gun stays pointing "can I help you?" and we go from there...
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Old August 3, 2012, 04:28 PM   #75
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You folks might consider a screen door. It keeps bugs out and helps with insulation.
A screen door also allows you to open your front door when someone knocks and still have a barrier between you and a stranger.
http://www.larsondoors.com/storm_doors/products/3320_07
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