• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

I almost shot my son!!!

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
zekester said:
he never identified himself, which I know he will do from now on.
Smart boy.
Not as smart as if he'd done it the first time, without almost being killed.
If I'm going into someone's home (when they're not holding the door for me) I say "hello" several times rather loudly until I get a response.

Jack House said:
Do you lock your doors even when you are home and awake?
I do.
(Unless I'm stepping right inside the door to set something down, then turning around to go back out.)
Sitting here on the couch, the front door is open for air & to let the cat look out. The storm door is locked, & there's a pistol next to me. I know how easy it is for someone to pull open that latch. (DAMHIK):cry:
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
No details to be provided, but I've been there and done that. It ended well and my son learned a lesson he has never (I guarantee that) forgotten.

We both learned somethings that night.
 

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
this is vary true, but in my shoes i have a kid in my home.

I understand why you would leave the shotgun in that position. I do not store my weapons in the ready position (besides my carry weapon) but if I feel the need to have a firearm in my hand, I feel that it should be ready to fire. I suggest to (quietly) rack the shotgun before you ever leave your room.
 

newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
I understand why you would leave the shotgun in that position. I do not store my weapons in the ready position (besides my carry weapon) but if I feel the need to have a firearm in my hand, I feel that it should be ready to fire. I suggest to (quietly) rack the shotgun before you ever leave your room.

i see your point there, but if the sound of the 870 doesnt scare the guy out of my home, my girlfriend will be right there behind me with a loaded ready to go 9mm. then if that all fails i will unload my 5 shots drop that gun, and go for my sidearm witch is always loaded ready to go with 8 shots, switch mags and then i have 9 in my spare clip. 14 in the 9mm my girlfriend will be holding.

( my spare mag holds more rounds but is not factory for my handgun thus the reason why i dont keep it in for my primary)
 

ManInBlack

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
And this is what I don't understand. Why live your life behind locked doors?

:rolleyes:

I value my life, and I protect my freedom. The locked door keeps me safe from unwanted intruders, but it is not as if I don't have the key and can't (and don't) leave whenever I want, which is often.
 

ManInBlack

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
i see your point there, but if the sound of the 870 doesnt scare the guy out of my home, my girlfriend will be right there behind me with a loaded ready to go 9mm. then if that all fails i will unload my 5 shots drop that gun, and go for my sidearm witch is always loaded ready to go with 8 shots, switch mags and then i have 9 in my spare clip. 14 in the 9mm my girlfriend will be holding.

( my spare mag holds more rounds but is not factory for my handgun thus the reason why i dont keep it in for my primary)

I also own an 870, and keep it fully-loaded, as I do all of my other self-defense weapons.

If your intent is to scare the intruder away, "Get the f*** out of my house; I have a gun and I will shoot you!" will do just as well, if he is the type to be scared off. If he is not, why give up a single second of reaction time?

As for me, my working game plan is to be as silent and inconspicuous as possible, so as not to give up the advantage of concealment. If there is to be a violent encounter, I'd prefer it on my terms, rather than after he pinpoints the sound of my voice and develops a plan of attack.
 

newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
I also own an 870, and keep it fully-loaded, as I do all of my other self-defense weapons.

If your intent is to scare the intruder away, "Get the f*** out of my house; I have a gun and I will shoot you!" will do just as well, if he is the type to be scared off. If he is not, why give up a single second of reaction time?

As for me, my working game plan is to be as silent and inconspicuous as possible, so as not to give up the advantage of concealment. If there is to be a violent encounter, I'd prefer it on my terms, rather than after he pinpoints the sound of my voice and develops a plan of attack.

i may have a small advantage over you guys, i live in a condo where there is one door witch you have to walk up stairs to get into my family room. its a open concept condo where you come up starts there is my family room, kitchen and the 3 bedrooms branch off of. so if i hear the door open i have plenty of time to rack the gun, announce i have a gun and if he keeps coming up the steps then i will rack the gun and point.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
And this is what I don't understand. Why live your life behind locked doors? Even if I lived in Detroit, only reason I'd leave my doors locked at all times, would be to keep the police out. :uhoh:

Locks keep honest people honest. We employ other means for the rest. :p
 

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
If locks are required to keep someone honest, then they were never honest in the first place. Just too stupid to bypass the lock. :p

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
 

PistolPackingMomma

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
1,884
Location
SC
We always keep our doors locked. Home or not, the doors are secured and pistols are with us. I consider locking the door one more layer of security, as well as enforcing the habit of locking them when we leave.

We also lock all the car doors, both when we drive and when the car is parked in the garage or on the street.

I figure, if it locks, use it. If it doesn't lock, buy a lock and install it. At least then you'll deter the people too stupid to open it :)
 

newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
We always keep our doors locked. Home or not, the doors are secured and pistols are with us. I consider locking the door one more layer of security, as well as enforcing the habit of locking them when we leave.

We also lock all the car doors, both when we drive and when the car is parked in the garage or on the street.

I figure, if it locks, use it. If it doesn't lock, buy a lock and install it. At least then you'll deter the people too stupid to open it :)

locking the car is one thing that i dont ever do, i think it has alot to do with me living in the middle of no where for so long. as of now i live in a small small town and both of my cars are unlocked with the keys in the ignition. i have not drove my saturn in a while, and it is built up alot iv got about 4-5k in the motor of it and the key has been sitting in it in my driveway for about a month, i did start it yesterday though.
 

MyWifeSaidYes

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Logan, OH
My sister-in-law lightly tapped on our door just last week. She has a key and didn't want to wake our kids. She came in real quiet...at 11:30 at night.

I met her at the door (I was up, but she didn't know that) and told her that was a good way to get herself shot. I pounded really hard on the door and shouted (not too loudly) "Hey, kids...are you awake?" Not a peep.

Of cours, at a family gathering this past weekend, her story was that I had threatened to shoot her.

I countered with the fact that I had simply pointed out that she did something dumb and that my WIFE was much more likely to shoot an intruder. My wife backed me up.
 

newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
My sister-in-law lightly tapped on our door just last week. She has a key and didn't want to wake our kids. She came in real quiet...at 11:30 at night.

I met her at the door (I was up, but she didn't know that) and told her that was a good way to get herself shot. I pounded really hard on the door and shouted (not too loudly) "Hey, kids...are you awake?" Not a peep.

Of cours, at a family gathering this past weekend, her story was that I had threatened to shoot her.

I countered with the fact that I had simply pointed out that she did something dumb and that my WIFE was much more likely to shoot an intruder. My wife backed me up.


UGH sounds like we have the same sister in law! mine is always twisting storys to make me seem like a horrible person! i carry a gun for self defense and respect when someone tells me not to have it on ( family houses) i will then cc. well my sister in law is really good friends with my xgf my first sons mom. she told her that i had a gun and that i was "dangerous". so not knowing that she had that little talk with my x i go to her house to see my kid and holy crap there was an all out war about how "dangerous" i was because i carry a handgun. after about 5 min of yelling she then understood why i had it on me, and after seeing that my views will NOT be changed by someone else she dropped it all together.

but still crappy when someone budges into your personal life bad talking, twisting storys.

also i like my rule of MY house its Knock 2 times open the door say hello (vary vary imported to say hello) . I do not care what time of night or day it is thats the rule if someone forgets the rule of my home they get yelled at by me and i am vary firm on my household rules. i dont want anyone to be mistaken or hurt because they forget a rule of my home. they are set for a reason.
 

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
I think his comment was satirical.

I don't always lock my car doors and sometimes I'll even leave the windows down. Shock! But then, I've always got my eye on my car anyway. Except when I don't and it's locked.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
 

Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
I had something similar happen when I was in elementary school (forget how old I was exactly). I got home from school and I thought I was going to try and sneak up and scare my mom. Well she thought she heard something and was going "Hello?" while I ignored her. When I thought I wouldn't be able to sneak up on her (was obvious that she thought someone was in the house because she said "Hello?" and "Who's there?" multiple times) I finally spoke up. Afterwards she told me to not do that again because she had out the shotgun and was about to chamber a round and that I could have ended up getting shot. Needless to say I have never tried to just ignore someone in a house when they start asking who's there even if I was planning on trying to startle them.
 

PistolPackingMomma

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
1,884
Location
SC
locking the car is one thing that i dont ever do, i think it has alot to do with me living in the middle of no where for so long. as of now i live in a small small town and both of my cars are unlocked with the keys in the ignition. i have not drove my saturn in a while, and it is built up alot iv got about 4-5k in the motor of it and the key has been sitting in it in my driveway for about a month, i did start it yesterday though.

My father in law got his truck stolen that way. Left it unlocked with the keys on the floor board way out in the country on some hunting property. He'd been hunting there for years, knew all the guys in the area, and his wasn't the only property stolen that weekend. Scary part is, we were hunting with him that day, and we were less then a hundred yards from the truck. I heard voices and someone drive off, but didn't know about the thefts til afterwards, so it didn't click that they were driving away with his truck!

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't lock your doors, just that criminals do travel and why make it any easier for them then it has to be?
 

Mark 1911

Regular Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
94
Location
Munster, IN
So glad the situation did not turn into a tragic event. Goes to demonstrate that the unexpected can happen, and often does. Your son should have let you know about the key. I did a lot of things when I was his age that I didn't tell my parents about. It wasn't right on my part, but not uncommon behavior for kids.

One thing I learned in a home defense course, something which may have helped you in this situation, is that family members should have and rehearse a "password" system to help immediately identify themselves in possible intruder situation, that an intruder would have no way of knowing. The purpose of this exercise is precisely to avoid the tragedy of accidently shooting a family member or friend. It consists of a "prompt" and a "response". Using your first car as an example, when you heard the door open you may have called out "1966", and if the person entering was not an intruder they would answer with the rehearsed response, might be "Chevrolet". It could be any combination of words you like, as long as it's something the bad guy won't know ("Harley" and "Davidson" might be too easy for a stranger to guess, might not be a good choice). Anyway, you get the drift.
 
Last edited:
Top