So, have you ever had to use/display your weapon?

[kauboy]

Thats exactly what its intended to do. Protect me from the bad guy, and an overzealous DA.

[Stupid]

My bad. it's $9.99, not $5.00.

Here's how to locate someone via a license number search.

http://publicdata.com

[HankB]

When somebody eyeballs you in the parking lot, instead of get in your car and drive away, you reach your gun??!!!

There's a profound difference between having a gun immediately available, perhaps even in hand (but still discretely concealed) and waving it around or pointing it at someone.

Sometimes being "eyeballed" is an early indication that the party is up to no good . . . preparing to take action, if necessary, is prudent, and quite different than actually initiating something.

[Stupid]

Please don't educate me the "castle doctrine", I know that. Surprisingly, I am not THAT stupid, yet, nor am I saying that you have no right to defend yourself/loved ones etc. We have the right and we have the laws on our side too - how often is that!!

All I am saying is, it's not our duty to catch bad guys or clean the street. Some of you may feel that way, and certainly, I feel that way, but the laws are NOT on our side this time. It is our duty to survive and to protect our loved one by means of defense ONLY IF necessory.

Having said that, for those who don't understand what "defense" is, going to investigation mode with a gun and flashlight is NOT something a sane man would call "defense", right? Yes, it's your home and you are allowed by law to do whatever, BUT, would you rather choose to face the deadly confrontation or would you do all you can to avoid it?

Some many of you, maybe take a look at 2 books: "In the gravest extreme" and "Strong on defense", then we can probalby have some reasoning put into perspective.

BTW: get night vision, not flash light.

[Stupid]

For those are afraid of intruders breaking your windows, use this:

http://www.glassgard.com/scotchshield.html
http://www.sunrayfilms.com/3M_C_Scotchshield.shtml

[seamusTX]

Having said that, for those who don't understand what "defense" is, going to investigation mode with a gun and flashlight is NOT something a sane man would call "defense", right?

If you are in your home, and your dogs are barking or you hear a window break, do you call 911 and stay in the bathroom until the cops come?

Surely you know the police response time for some areas of Texas is over an hour, especially if your call is about barking dogs.

If the goblins know where you are, they can break down the door, shoot through it, or set your house on fire.

I think it's entirely appropriate at times to investigate. Though it is dangerous, it may be less dangerous than staying put.

- Jim

[Stupid]

You always wait in darkness till bad guys come to you, my friend. I am not stupid enough to search for unknown enemies in hiding. No sane military commander or police officer would do this.

Why do you do this?

On the other hand, if you forsee that much trouble (guns involved, 911 called), why do you go there alone with no backup???

Yes yes yes, we are the soldiers of our castles, well, we have the authority to hunt down bad guys in our casles, but do we have the responsibility? Nope.

Having said that, for those who don't understand what "defense" is, going to investigation mode with a gun and flashlight is NOT something a sane man would call "defense", right?

If you are in your home, and your dogs are barking or you hear a window break, do you call 911 and stay in the bathroom until the cops come?

Surely you know the police response time for some areas of Texas is over an hour, especially if your call is about barking dogs.

If the goblins know where you are, they can break down the door, shoot through it, or set your house on fire.

I think it's entirely appropriate at times to investigate. Though it is dangerous, it may be less dangerous than staying put.

- Jim

[stevie_d_64]

Please don't educate me the "castle doctrine", I know that. Surprisingly, I am not THAT stupid, yet, nor am I saying that you have no right to defend yourself/loved ones etc. We have the right and we have the laws on our side too - how often is that!!

Okay there, you got it...

All I am saying is, it's not our duty to catch bad guys or clean the street. Some of you may feel that way,

Again, that is an assumption on your part on how any of us feel...I do not assume anything about anyone, but I am very confident that many of us do NOT, and will not, consider taking action, or the law, into our own hands as brazenly as YOU are implying that we do...I find this comment you made alone to be antagonistic and offensive as any I have ever seen in this forum...

and certainly, I feel that way, but the laws are NOT on our side this time. It is our duty to survive and to protect our loved one by means of defense ONLY IF necessory.

So if you feel this way, and your assumption above that some of us feel that way, is wrong??? I'm confused...I know your trying, and I hope you spend some more time in here to get a better feel for what is discussed here a little better...I want this to happen for you...

Having said that, for those who don't understand what "defense" is, going to investigation mode with a gun and flashlight is NOT something a sane man would call "defense", right?

I believe we could probably learn something from you in this regard...

Yes, it's your home and you are allowed by law to do whatever, BUT, would you rather choose to face the deadly confrontation or would you do all you can to avoid it?

I believe I would want to do everything I can within the law, and the law happens to give us a lot of leeway in determining what we can do in our homes...BUT, you already know this...

Some many of you, maybe take a look at 2 books: "In the gravest extreme" and "Strong on defense", then we can probalby have some reasoning put into perspective.

Got those somewhere in Steve's library...Is there going to be a test?

BTW: get night vision, not flash light.

I hope Santa's good to me this year...

[kauboy]

You always wait in darkness till bad guys come to you, my friend.

I certainly do not. While I'm cowering in the bathtub with my thumb in my mouth crying and hoping that they leave, they are searching the other rooms and may find my wife or children. Then what?
HECK NO! If someone breaks into my house, they will be found and when they are, they will have a barrel pointed at their chest.

BTW, those links to the "unbreakable glass" didn't show anybody using a knife. Since its a film, and I being the common criminal always have my pocket knife, then its a simple "smash-n-cut-n-grab" job now. No real help there.

[casselthief]

without playing devil's advocate (great movie, btw), I understand what El Stupido is saying.
to me, why would you leave the safety of a known situation, your bedroom, and go into an unknown situation, for instance: the living room, where the noise was heard. by going into the unknown, you are putting yourself at risk.
or even worse, going out side.
I understand that.

however, for me, I am going to investigate, because 1) not knowing is worse, and the repurcussions of a loved one coming into your bedroom, or a child in some of your cases, may be worse. I mean, you're hunkered down, heater in hand, just a'waitin' for that door to open. it does, and it's your ol' lady, comin' to visit, or it's your kid. even if you don't even process a thought of shooting, that's still not a good situation!
2) if there is a prowler, I'm just going to make a giant leap and assume they are not SEAL trained, and aren't employing tactics, and bravo teams, and what-not. it's some jacked up coke head (as were the one's that tried to take me, so many months ago), looking for a quick score. and I ain't got nuthin' that Ocean's 11 is going to want to heist!
or a cat, or whatever.
mind you, I live in an Apt, so, it'd be pretty hard to sneak up on me! what with me being able to see nearly every inch of the place w/o leaving the bedroom....

[seamusTX]

You always wait in darkness till bad guys come to you, my friend. I am not stupid enough to search for unknown enemies in hiding.

Why do you do this?

I am going to try to explain this in more detail.

1. It's not always dark. In my house, it's dark only at night during power failures. When the indoor lights are out, the windows are lighted from the outside. Anyone standing near a window is visible.

Criminals also operate during the day. Burglars in particular like to break in when people are at work.

2. If your dog is barking, or someone is banging on your door, or you hear a window break, the goblins aren't inside yet. You can repel them better from inside if they're outside. They may run away when they realize the house is occupied.

3. Not everyone lives alone. As others have said, the primary defender of the house has to secure everyone who belongs there.

4. If you hole up, the goblins likely will come to you. Most burglars search the house for people before looking for things to steal. Then you're cornered. As I said earlier, they can shoot through doors or walls, or start a fire.

On the other hand, if you forsee that much trouble (guns involved, 911 called), why do you go there alone with no backup???

Go where? It's my house. I'm here 90% of the time. (I work at home.)

I also have backup. My wife shoots. In fact, we went to the range this morning.

[Later] The tactic of staying in your bedroom because there might be goblins in the house leads to the absurd conclusion of never leaving your bedroom. Someone might sneak in at any time. They might have poisoned your dog or disabled your burglar alarm before quietly opening a window.

- Jim

[kw5kw]

I know my house. I know where every stick of furniture is, I know where every door knob is, I know where every light switch is.

This is the only case that I can think of where darkness is my friend. (Right LT?)

I can operate in complete security at night in my house because there is enough ambient light from external sources: i.e.: streetlights, moon, &c. The only time I have any sort of night light going is when we have company and they might need to make it to the restroom or the kitchen in the middle of the night without tripping over something and waking me up putting me therefore in this mode.

The flashlight in my hand is to blind the assaliant upon inital contact, not to light the house while I'm searching. In a dark house a xxxx-power flashlight can be and is quite blinding, at least for enough time to see his condition, because 1) I'm expecting the light and 2) the intruder is not----Plus the light is not focused in my face, i.e.: eyes., blinding me but the light is focused away towards the intruder.

In that short amount of time, I can see if the intruder has a weapon, and if he does I can demand that the intruder drop said weapon.

Upon compliance, or non-compliance, begins the next step. That next step will entail one of two things... 1) a command to a) drop the weapon AND b)retreat, or c) get on the floor; or with non-compliance of option 1 then option two become necessary: 2) there will most likely be a loud report with a bunch of clean up later.

If the intruder showed no weapon, then I can still ask for compliance in either 1) b)retreat, or 1) c) get on the ground. This senario does not necessarily entail a loud report, unless the intruder does not retreat or drop to the ground but instead he keeps comming at me or the wife, then it will most likely require option 2) and the said report mentioned earlier with clean up afterwards.

Still it took much more time to read this than the amount of time that will elapse during actual decision making process.

Russ

[p99guy]

[quote="Stupid"]You always wait in darkness till bad guys come to you, my friend. I am not stupid enough to search for unknown enemies in hiding. No sane military commander or police officer would do this.


As a 21 year Texas Peace officer, I beg to differ with you on this point.
A building search is a quite normal proceedure in the police business
and it envolves seaching for unknown persons, often hiding from us.
And im quite sane. (day eben tauted us to doo it in po-lice acadummy
:)) By the same token I will investigate a problem in my own house which I know a whole lot better even in complete darkness then these buildings I have to go in while on the clock.

[Skiprr]

The flashlight in my hand is to blind the assaliant upon inital contact, not to light the house while I'm searching.

+1, Russ. I live in a subdivision that has very good street lighting, and I have low-voltage landscape lighting around the house. The interior is navigable just about anywhere, upstairs or down, at night. But to do so, your eyes have to be dark-adjusted. A quick blast of 60 lumens or better under those conditions and you won't be able to see a darned thing for a minute, no matter how keen your eyes are. A good tactical light is ordnance, not just a flashlight.

[TxFire]

Stupid,

I also will investigate a "bump in the knight" in my home. Though I will be the THIRD living and breathing creature to find the bump. The other two are furr covered missiles with teeth (German Shepherds) and are none too pleased by uninvited guest to THIER home. They and I know the layout of our home and do intend to protect the occupants (wife and son) in an offensive defense rather than wait for them to come to us. Call me STUPID all you want, you are not the protector of my home.

I have though given different instructions to my wife for use in my abscence. Those instructions are closer to what you describe. The reasoning is her differing level of skill and reaction from mine. That will be worked on in the future though when she is more receptive to instruction in those matters.