Part of the reason I quit lurking and joined this site is because I have a question (well, lots of them actually, but we'll start slow) about home defense.
It's always good to have questions! Show's you're thinking about things, instead of just assuming, "I'll be ok with my gun."
My husband and I both carry every day, especially around the house. A few months back, while I was still pregnant, our door bell rang at 9 pm. We weren't expecting anyone, so we both went on the alert. He put one hand on the door knob, drew his gun and put it behind his back; I stood behind and a little to the side of him, my hand on my gun. Turned out just to be a neighbor, but this experience, coupled with recently watching the Crimestrike videos, has made me realize we need to have a home defense plan.
Did he use the peephole before unlocking the door?
I'm not asking for anyone's secrets here, just some advice, tips, opinions or suggestions. I want to be prepared, and being a gun owner is only half of that goal.
You're right. I liken it to overtime, after the last inning or quarter of the game. If all else fails, I want to pull every trick in the book to ensure I win, and for that, preparation is the key:
1. Install peepholes on all doors. If you don't know AND trust the person, don't open the door. If it's a couple of shady characters, I wouldn't even acknowledge you're at home.
2. Install entry barriers on all doors and windows.
a. For doors, that means a long-throw keyed deadbolt, along with a separate, inside-only deadbolt. This deters entry even if they manage to pick the lock. All striker plates and hinges should be heavy duty, and secured into both the door and the frame with extra-long screws. If possible, get a steel door. The door to my apartment is steel, and even with a K-12 saw, it would take them a full minute to get inside. Use an additional device, such as a door jamb, which requires serious destruction to get past. Most home invasions begin with someone kicking down a chincy door. If you door is rock-solid, they'll likely skip it by the third kick.
b. For windows, if the problems in your neighborhood are really bad, install interior bars. If not, at least install track restriction dowels. Simply cutting off a broomstick handle works wonders. It forces them to break the glass, even if they can jimmy the lock.
The goals are to 1) Alert you upon any entry; 2) Prolong their entry time.
3. Determine your safe areas and exit route(s). A safe area is one that's as heavily fortified as the exterior (locks, striker plates, hinges, etc.) and that possesses one or two exit routes not likely to be used as an entrance. If they're barred, they should be easily defeated from the inside within a second or two. The goal is to find some place into which you can safely retreat and from which you can rapidly escape while leaving the intruders and your valuables (at least the chincy ones) on the other side. As a minimum, you'll want outside communication (hard line and cell phone), ability to trip your alarm system, ventilation, water, snack. If it's as sturdy as a bank vault, you won't need an exit route. If not, the idea is if they want to pursue you, it should take them longer than it takes you to flee to safety. Your exit routes beyond your exit point should not come within sight of any likely intrusion point. Having two exit routes helps to prepare for a front or rear intrusion while escaping out the other side.
4. Establish your weapons caches. Simply hiding them under the couch cushions isn't a very good idea if that's the first place the criminals (or children) look. On the other hand, you don't want them 10 seconds away in a safe if the criminals can kick down your door in 2 seconds. Carrying them on your person around the home keeps them in your hands and out of the hands of others. You wouldn't want to cache a weapon near the front door. If there's a showdown, you should move rearward, behind a place of cover, but in sight of the front door. That's where one firearm might be, and where you should have a spare magazine for your carry piece. Obviously, you should keep a spare firearm and ammunition in your safe area, in very quick access, but not in plane sight.
5. Establish deterrents. Signs like "protected by Smith and Wesson" or 'protected by dog" seem like simple bravado, as they usually are, and advertise that you have firearms or something else you feel you need to protect. They say, "Steal Me." Cutting back the bushes around ground windows, and installing dual-intensity sensor lights near likely entry points such as front and rear doors not only tend to scare away criminals (they hate the light), it'll also tell them you're prepared. They're not going to hit Ft. Knox when they can knock off a shack.
6. Establish sensors and alarms. A visible sensor says "you're being watched." A security camera tells an intruder who's entered your home that he's just been had. Cameras, working or not, scare the crap of them, as that's one sure-fire means by which they'll find their can in the can. A siren says, "the cops are on their way," as most people have monitored service. Whether you have monitored service or not matters little, as you're alerted, your neighbors are alerted, the bad guys know it, and think the cops are probably alerted, too. Numerous inexpensive contact and proximity alarms are readily available. Somewhat better systems link sensors to a central control unit via IR or more commonly RF. You don't need a multi-thousand dollar system to protect your house. You can get 90% of the way there by a well-placed set of sensor-alarms costing less than $100.
Scenario 1: It's daytime, my husband is asleep upstairs (or gone) and I am downstairs with our 4 month old son. An intruder starts forcing his way into my home.
Scenario 2: We are both home, and on the same level of the house. An intruder breaks in.
Scenario 3: It's nighttime, my husband is gone, and I hear an intruder break in.
Scenario 4: I come home with my son, and enter upon an intruder in the act.
If you live in a state with a castle law, and it's legal for you to fire when he breaks the threshold, then do so.
I guess what I want to know, is, what would you do in these situations? Do I provide back up to my husband? Should I go to/remain a bedroom with our son, gun at the ready and on the phone with 911? When I'm by myself, what do I do with my child? (This is primarily what I struggle with, as I will want two hands on the gun and him out of harms way, but it is difficult to imagine just putting him on the floor and not knowing if he is okay, or not being able to reach him if something happens to me.) Do I retreat (even though SC Castle doctrine says I have no duty to retreat) or stand my ground in my own home?
Let's face it - you're a woman. That doesn't mean you can't take care of yourself. It means when a criminal takes a look at you, unless they see your firearm, they're going to believe they can get the better of you on sheer strength alone. In nearly all homes, that's within 1 second of where you stand, so you're likely to be one second or less away from death.
I would therefore approach things this way:
1. Always lock your doors and windows, and keep them locked. Follow the preparation guidelines given above. That way, if an intruder is in your home, you can be certain they didn't inadvertently walk in the wrong door.
2. If sounds, events, or anything indicate you're being or about to be invaded, call 911 and put it on speakerphone. It's a legal record and police are on their way in the off chance that the intruders get the better of you but don't kill you. Do NOT allow the 911 operator, who does not know your situation, your setup, or what's going on to slow you down in any way. Just say "Armed Intruders are
3. Before pulling the trigger, you might want to take half a second to ensure you don't recognize the individual. It was be a shame to kill a trusted neighbor to whom you'd given a key. Similarly, tell them to "always knock twice, even if they "know" you're not at home."
4. As for two-person defense, that can get very dangerous and hairy real quick. The best remedy for that is to take an advanced handgun class together which specifically address that issue, along with an FTX (field training exercise).
If you would prefer to escape instead of taking them on:
5. Use your safe area and exit plan.
I pray that I will never face any of these scenarios, but since I have a family to protect, I want to be ready, just in case.
You can never be too ready. The key is to be flexible. If I had a clear, unambiguous shot, I'd take it, for a couple of reason. First, I wouldn't know how many I'm dealing with, and I'd rather deal with one less. Second, a shot is as good as an alarm, and may very well scare any others off. Do remain behind cover, though! The perp's partner(s) may come flying around the corner. Cover should conceal you from him both visually as well as physically while providing you with a good opportunity to take a second shot.
Now - what to do with the baby! I'd keep him close. You don't ever want to put him down then have to leave him behind.