That's a lot of loaded firearms for kids to get at if they should break in. If you have a normal house, that's a lot of firearms period. Why not just have one in a secure location and go to it when in need?

 

Anyone that leaves a loaded firearm in plain site, with easy access = is an A$$h@t.

I am sure (or at least hope) that the poster was referring to very well "hidden & secured" firearms.

 

so did the juveniles actually enter the residence?

did they do it while the homeowner was there?

 

Yeah, went through this with a couple of juveniles (who will be tried as adults thankfully) back on the 15th I think the date was. I don't know how to post a link but if you're interested you can probably dig around and find it.

 

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=262315

 

I lived in the Phoenix, Az area for six years and had a homeless guy come over the back wall, he told me he had the right to come over and avail himself of what he felt he needed. A minute later he was looking down the barrell of a .44 mag, so decided to leave, I called the police who came and hauled him off. Same guy, same problem a week later, I did the same thing but after calling the police, when they got there I had him down on the patio so they hauled him off. The judge had him hauled to a nearby community and told him not to come back. a loaded gun in this day and age is a must.

 

not me, but my sister and her family were at home one evening and a man busted through their back door. he was being chased by the cops and was jumping peoples back yard fences and decided to hide out at my sister's house. luckily her husband was home and pointed his gun at him.

the guy left, and everyone was safe, but the sad part is the guy was never friggin caught.

 

My S&W Model 60 is so comfortable to carry in an inside the waistband holster that I carry it every waking moment. Don't have to worry about where the nearest gun is for protection!

 

I live in a 16x20 cabin so if anyone crashes through my door or window I figure since they're already broke my 12 ga. can blast'em back out of it. That cannon is never far from reach.

 

Better to keep it on your hip.

 

I had a false alarm the other night. Our tension spring broke on our garage door opener, It freaked my wife out who ran into the office as I was going to investigate with my gun. It sound like a hard pound on the front door.

I did not find this until morning so the wife was very skiddish until then. I had hoped it would wake her up a little about keeping doors shut and locked.

 

You might want to consider a holster, in pocket or out, and carry your firearm rather than leaving guns lying around unattended. :xeye:

 

After talking to my wife i think im going to just start carrying in my house. Any good holsters for a tarus ultra lite 38 spl?

 

I really like my Crossbreed IWB holster for my Beretta PX4 Compact, very comfortable and I always wear it, even in the house. No one notices that I am carrying, even friends that know I do.

 

Thank you TRM for posting the link. I am never sure how to do that, usually when I try it doesn't work. I'm not too computer literate.

 

Buy a large dog if possible. They will keep the vast majority of thugs and low lifes out of your house. Post a sign saying beware of dog. Put up the signs even if you dont get the dog. Generic "alarm" company signs too.

 

Buy a large dog if possible. They will keep the vast majority of thugs and low lifes out of your house. Post a sign saying beware of dog. Put up the signs even if you dont get the dog. Generic "alarm" company signs too.

You do that and if your dog bites anyone even a perp you are liable for damages and open to a lawsuit as you know you have a dangerous animal, and did not take precautions to secure it even on your own property. This happened to a neighbor some 15 plus years ago it was dropped but they had to pay for a lawyer, and in today’s sue crazy world I would not bet on that outcome every time. Me I have the dogs, just no signs, them barking and looking out windows and over the fence (I built a ramp and platform where they can look over the back yard fence and announce themselves at those that think they want to be there) the mastiff mix has a head like a cinder block and is quite intimidating. When they bark I can bring my security cameras up from any TV in the house and on my phone to see what is going on. So far cats/skunks/raccoons and the rare trash can dumpster diver, I don’t even have to go out. The plan is to make your house the least attractive to hoods in the area they will move on to easier pickings.

 

To enforce and expand on what has been said above...

1) Carry your firearm on your person when in your house. Having a firearm in every room seems like a good idea, but as mentioned above by TMcArthur, if you are burglarized, you're just leaving weapons out for the burglar.

2) Reinforce your home. Include "Door Jamb Armor" (something I am installing in my home on all my doors) to reinforce the jambs and hinges for all exterior doors, security doors, and think about security film (something I am considering) or hurricane security screens for your windows.

Your house may still be broken into. Nothing will keep a burglar out if they are determined to get inside. However, it will buy you valuable seconds to get ready, and may physically deter the burglar.

3) Gun-Nut5 suggested a large dog; I don't disagree, but would add the caveat that it should be a loud dog if the dog is predominantly kept inside. I have two smaller dogs with deep barks who go insane when someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell. Every time the visitor backs away from the door. There's something psychological about hearing a dog inside go nuts when you can't physically see them.

4) Check your house for vulnerabilities and address those. Larger door peepholes, the security of your garage door (it is insanely easy to disable then bypass a garage door), exterior lighting, ease of access to the property, all of these things will determine how a thief looks at your house.

Perhaps the best way to put it is that you can't ever be safe, but you can be safer.

 

I used to keep a number of weapons around the house - until I thought it through. At night if a person were to break in they'd have plenty of time to round them up and use them against us. Now I keep the guns around during the day (concealed but available) but lock them up in the safe at night - all except mine in my night stand and wife's in her night stand.

 

The only time my pistol isnt on me is at work and college.

 

Home invasion is increasingly common in some places. Usually those places are where gun ownership is rare.

If you have even heard of home invasion in your area then you should carry on you person at home.

Adjust your defensive posture to what the Bad Guys are doing. While sitting in jail the Bad Guys will swap ideas so a successful home invasion will spawn others. Furthermore Bad Guys will shop around for more vulnerable victims so if your home looks clean and well kept you have a target on you.

 

This is very true things can happen fast whether in the city or in the country I always have a loaded weapon near by.

 

Rather invest in all that gun nut crap I recently installed a can of military grade pepper spray in an easily reachable spot. This is backed up with a strong ammonia spray bottle for those who are so stubborn they don't go down with any pepper spray (like a drug addict). Those people will loose their eyes to the ammonia spray if they invade my home.

 

We found out that the one kid beating my brother (the kid I had a bead on) was on bath salts. I don't know if he would have even felt pepper spray or bear spray. Ammonia putting out his eyes? Well, yes, maybe after he got through smashing in my disabled brother's skull. Ever heard the sound of someone's skull being smashed, repeatedly, and the horrifying gurgling, gagging, blood-spurting-out-through-the-sinuses-and-nose-under-pressure and the hoarse, high pitched shrieking so loud the vocal cords can't handle it? I have, and I would have killed, yes, I wanted to kill, had the kid not seen me drawing a bead between his eyes and fled like the animal he was and is.

So Grandpa Pipes, you can keep your bear spray and squirt bottles of ammonia, and hope your family never has to hear you shrieking and have to hear the sound of your skull making sickening wet, crunching sounds. Or that you never have to experience the same happening to one of your loved ones. It's a sound I'll never forget.

And cleaning up the blood that sprayed from my brother's nose, from the impact of the weapon used, what drooled out of his broken mouth, fragments of his shattered teeth, tufts of his hair, a couple had some bits of flesh sticking to them... mom couldn't do it, dad couldn't do it, so I did. I'll tell you what, scrubbing dried blood, pools of it half-coagulated, feeling something in the paper towel and looking at it thinking it was glass but no, it was fragments of teeth... I don't wish that on anyone.

Ammonia, bear spray. You're a real flower child.

 

If you ever need a gun to respond to a sudden encounter like a home invasion, you're going to need it nearly instantly. First, it happens so fast - sometimes as simple as walking around a corner to find someone standing there. Second the distances are so close. Reaction time is measured in seconds.

"Retrieving your gun" from "some other place" may not cut it. Everyone's situation is different - no one right answer - but you should work something out that allows access within several seconds, whatever that is for your situation. The day may come when that's all the time you have.

 

The day may come when that's all the time you have.

'Dry Fire' drills are great. Especially if one is thinking about changing how they are going to store a firearm. If someone feels unsafe with a sidearm in the dressed/beside the bed. Get a mock-up of the proposed location and PRACTICE IT. Sometimes, muscle memory helps and it can identify serious issues with storage as well.

 

A thought..

Home Invasions don't necessarily start with the bad guys breaking in to a house.. A friend got home from work and was walking from his car to his door. As he unlocked his front door, 5 thugs coming out of bushes, jumped him and pushed him through his front door. He and his elderly mother was tied up and gagged as the thugs ransacked his house. They left his mother with a couple of thugs at his house, and took him in his car to an ATM machine to withdraw his money. They went back to his house got the other thugs that were left there and left. He and his mother was pretty banged up, but were luckily fine. The ATM camera did get a photo of 2 of the thugs, but as of yet, never caught them.

 

It takes merely seconds to run thru a single story house, so "secured firearm is useless.
Keeping a firearm in every room is an imperfect solution, as carrying one on himself evry moment of the day (especially since the latter is utterly impossible).

 

Sad world we live in isnt it. But I tell you one thing my family scans the property and hOuse daily. I have taught them never to let our guard down because the minute you do someone is there for the kill. Heres a story and lesson to be learned. We live out in the country, we have fencing around our property and we have a gate for the drive way. I know a lot of people like to keep their trees up to be hidden but I cut most of ours down to see the road. At night time brush and trees make for good hiding spots especially in the shadows. But anyways Our house sits back off the road a good distance. During the warmer days we keep our blinds closed. Just so happens my wife had one window barely open this morning folding laundry. At about 10:00 am my wife had noticed a green Honda accord driving back in forth very slow. Each time it got slower and slower on about the tenth time she had me on the phone asking my thoughts on what to do. I said if they were looking for an address the mailbox is right there to get it. They could have done it at least on the second or third trip down the road. So I said babe you got options, one wait for them to come towards the house and trespass which can ad more danger to you then dial 911. But you know it will take 15 minutes or so for them to possibly reach us. So I said grab the S&W 40 cal, the two Rottweilers and go outside make yourself visible with the dogs. Make sure these guys see your gun too. So the next time they came down the paved road the car almost stopped at our driveway until they saw her, gun, and two rotts. The car sped off and never returned. Do I feel they were going to try and steel something yep. My wife may not have been a scare tactic but those two dogs will detour just about anybody. Most people don't want to shoot a dog or have a conflict with a dog so they move on. As much as I say when my dogs die I will never get another one, I am probably lieing to myself. Big intimidating Rottweilers, German Shephards etc scare most people. I warn people in advance with signs, lights, cameras, dogs and the obvious we have guns and are not scared to use them. So hopefully they will just move on. Good luck with your deterrents in what you choose. But in this day age people better start using a lot more of them. The crime wave expands farther and farther out so your never safe. God Bless.

 

It's attitudes like this that drive me absolutely nuts.
If I leave a firearm on my nightstand guess what? It IS out of plain site and not easy to access, its in MY home behind a LOCKED door. If someone has access to it they committed a crime.
I get you want to make harder to steal by hiding them, but in the attitude we have to cower and hide our rightful, legal possessions even further than simply locking them in our homes is nonsense.

And no, I'm not new to this forum, been here for years, just forgot my password.

QUOTE=NHCraigT;4790821]Anyone that leaves a loaded firearm in plain site, with easy access = is an A$$h@t.

I am sure (or at least hope) that the poster was referring to very well "hidden & secured" firearms.


[/QUOTE]

 

It's attitudes like this that drive me absolutely nuts.
If I leave a firearm on my nightstand guess what? It IS out of plain site and not easy to access, its in MY home behind a LOCKED door. If someone has access to it they committed a crime.
I get you want to make harder to steal by hiding them, but in the attitude we have to cower and hide our rightful, legal possessions even further than simply locking them in our homes is nonsense.

Exactly! My home is my castle. As long as I secure it to prevent people from walking in and out at will, my possessions are, or should be, secure. But locks only keep honest people honest. I could spend tons of money building a safe room inside my house, fill that with expensive safes, and anyone really intent on stealing my stuff would still be able to given time.

No kids living in my house so both of us have loaded handguns readily available. A loaded shotgun is likewise easily accessible. Some of my ammo is not locked up in a special place and if anyone breaks in they may get some of those things. But the items are secured simply by locking the house and once in, they are the felons. I'm not guilty of any crime.

I have gone round and round with cops, State Attorneys, and what-not about it. One of the best criminal lawyers in CT teaches a lot of cop training. I have him on retainer for more than 15 years now. Got him on speed dial. :

He agrees there is no violation of any law given the absence of kids in the house. Of course, I may lose anyway given the political side of the issue. There are States Attorneys and judges that rule on PC rather than law.