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

[KD5NRH]

Granted that's not likely but it's worth noting that most residential camera installations do not place cameras in bedrooms.

Given the price of a good multiplexer, PTZ mounts, night vision cameras, DVR, etc, most residential camera installations consist of one fixed face camera at the front door with active IR illumination good for about 30ft directly in front of the camera if you're lucky, and no recording. That isn't much good for a threat that isn't planning to ring the doorbell.

[KD5NRH]

My situation may be a little different then most of the folks who have answered so far. I have a little ranch operation (little being the operative word) so I don't live in a town, LEO response would not be very quick.

Maybe we should start a 'real world club' for the folks who live in the country and can't call for government help every time the coyotes howl.

Another time it was a poacher, equipped with a high power rifle and night vision (that was an interesting night in the woods) .

That's when it's nice to have a shotgun full of 3-1/2" magnum buckshot, night vision, a serious tac-light in case you get the opportunity to fry his night vision, and 25 years of experience in those woods. Most NV gear has its drawbacks, and a little practice with it will let you know how to keep him blind to your existence until his intensifier is a smoking wreck, and his eyes are no longer dark adjusted at all.

Another time, it turned out to be feral dogs, and that was a very dangerous situation and proved the value of having a ranch rifle with high capacity magazines, a good flashlight, and a pistol.

How did you deal with the rifle at night? Varmint light, mounted tac-light, or something else?

[wrt45]

Maybe we should start a 'real world club' for the folks who live in the country and can't call for government help every time the coyotes howl.

Likewise....... the one time my security sysem went off at my barn, I was several hundred miles away. After calling the police the monitoring station called my son, who lives in a town about 20 miles away. He got dressed, drove over, and was there about 15 minutes before the deputies arrived.

Living out here, you can not depend on immediate help from law enforcement....or fire dept., ambulance, etc. Thats just a fact of life.

[Trope]

It's funny to me when discussions like this turn to clear-cut, either/or discussions. We're talking about a broad range of possibilities, and not a finite set of potential actions. I consider "going to investigate" as one of the options, but not the only one.

In thinking about this, I realize that my options have changed since becoming a parent. When it was just my wife and me, sitting tight in our secured bedroom and calling 911 was much more likely. Now that we have little ones sleeping in different rooms, different actions may be required. Or to put it another way, I probably wouldn't risk my own safety to protect any of my stuff, but I would definitely do so in order to protect my family, if needed.

[txinvestigator]

When you hear a noise in late night, which one is safer:

A. Grab a gun, go to the noise and investigage
B. Grab a gun, but turn on your camera and monior watching it from your bedroom with door locked.

Safer for who? Me, my daughter sleeping upstairs or the badguy?

You want to cower in your bedroom knock yourself out.

[Stupid]

Safer for everybody!

You go investigate, the bad guy ambushs you and shoots, then all you family end up dead along with all other horrible things. Aren't you going to shoot everything you see that moves in your house? Doubtly! However, for the bad guys, they WILL because they know anything that moves is a target for them.

Always maintain the benefit of the surprise.

When you hear a noise in late night, which one is safer:

A. Grab a gun, go to the noise and investigage
B. Grab a gun, but turn on your camera and monior watching it from your bedroom with door locked.

Safer for who? Me, my daughter sleeping upstairs or the badguy?

You want to cower in your bedroom knock yourself out.

[Stupid]

Aren't glad that it didn't turn out in a different way? He could have just killed you, right?

But there have been cases where it was not a benign situation. Once, it was someone who fancied the tools in my workshop . Another time it was a poacher, equipped with a high power rifle and night vision (that was an interesting night in the woods) .

[TX Rancher]

Aren't glad that it didn't turn out in a different way? He could have just killed you, right?

But there have been cases where it was not a benign situation. Once, it was someone who fancied the tools in my workshop . Another time it was a poacher, equipped with a high power rifle and night vision (that was an interesting night in the woods) .

Mr S:

Possibly, but in both cases I would have bet on me, but as you state, nothings a sure thing…

All situations can be looked at from many different directions. What if the tool thief had a pistol? Then the situation could possibly turn out different. But the reality is, he didn’t, and my tools stayed where they belonged, and the would be thief left to continue his life elsewhere. Based on the outcome, my actions were fine…that is not in dispute, it’s a historical fact. Even if he had a gun, there’s no guarantee he would use it, or I would lose if he did…

The poacher…I really doubt I was in serious jeopardy. He was operating a very bright IR light, so I just stayed passive and followed him around with my NV gear (Gen 3 rifle scope and a MUM). He never knew I was there. If he looked like he was going to take a shot in the direction of my cattle, house, or horses, I would have fired 3 quick shots in the air, and I bet he would have hot footed it off the property. What I did learn that night is the tactical need to take a communication device with me. Most of the time, he was between me and the house, so I couldn’t get to a phone to call anyone. Stupid of me, I now carry a radio so I can talk to my wife (I’m far enough out my cell phone can be unreliable).

I’m not advocating that you go and investigate anything in your domain. Respond as you see fit…your property, your dependents, your call.

I’m also not stating going out and investigating is ultimately going to be the safest action, only time will tell. But pulling out of the driveway is risky too, and every time I get on a horse and enter the sorting pen full of cattle I take a risk. These risks are acceptable to me, but not to everybody.

I understand your points, and I agree bad things can happen. I just don’t see the probability as high as you do, and that becomes the decision point. If I knew, or even suspected there were 3 hardened criminals out there, armed with AR’s, of course I wouldn’t go.

[txinvestigator]

Safer for everybody!

You go investigate, the bad guy ambushs you and shoots, then all you family end up dead along with all other horrible things. Aren't you going to shoot everything you see that moves in your house? Doubtly! However, for the bad guys, they WILL because they know anything that moves is a target for them.

Always maintain the benefit of the surprise.

When you hear a noise in late night, which one is safer:

A. Grab a gun, go to the noise and investigage
B. Grab a gun, but turn on your camera and monior watching it from your bedroom with door locked.

Safer for who? Me, my daughter sleeping upstairs or the badguy?

You want to cower in your bedroom knock yourself out.

So, me hiding in my bedroom while the Badguy has his way with my 10 year old daughter is somehow safe for her?

No thanks.

[Stupid]

When did I say you need to hide in your bedroom and watch the bad guy harming your daughter?

I said use your cameras to investigate, then you decide what to do. Use technology to your advantage. That's why army use NV now. Why don't they just go fire at anything that makes a sound? Why do you think people use baby monitor now?

Cameras are so cheap now. In combination with a motion sensor, it is about $100 a room. How many rooms do we have, right? Why don't we use them?

Cameras, better doors, better windows, motion sensed lights, alarms. Can't we just use them so that we don't have to put our lives in danger by "go investigate"?

Safer for everybody!



So, me hiding in my bedroom while the Badguy has his way with my 10 year old daughter is somehow safe for her?

No thanks.

[txinvestigator]

When did I say you need to hide in your bedroom and watch the bad guy harming your daughter?

I said use your cameras to investigate, then you decide what to do. Use technology to your advantage. That's why army use NV now. Why don't they just go fire at anything that makes a sound? Why do you think people use baby monitor now?

Cameras are so cheap now. In combination with a motion sensor, it is about $100 a room. How many rooms do we have, right? Why don't we use them?

Cameras, better doors, better windows, motion sensed lights, alarms. Can't we just use them so that we don't have to put our lives in danger by "go investigate"?

Safer for everybody!



So, me hiding in my bedroom while the Badguy has his way with my 10 year old daughter is somehow safe for her?

No thanks.

Who is "we" and "our" ? You can hide in terror all you want. I'll be taking care of business.

[Stupid]

Of course, it's your life and your family. Do what you want and be safe.

I was merely providing a different point of view. If you don't think it helps, just disregard.

[Dirt Dauber]

Forgive me for I'm new here in the forum and I've read some valid points on all sides and the bottom line to me everyone is going to react differently to any given situation. The location of your residence will probably dictate how you react. As for myself, I'm like Tx Rancher in that any help is a good 30 min. away, so it narrows it down to who is gonna go check out the noise. But since I have several dogs for my first line of defence I will follow their lead as by how they are reacting to a given distubance. I also realize that is not feasible for everyone here. It works for me only. By the way the 12 ga. will go with me and the Q-beam. If I lived in the city I figure I would have to change my tactics a little. The neighbors wouldn"t like seeing a scared ole coot running around in his.....well, you know what I mean. DD

[WheySmart]

I am only 14 so I can't really even own a gun let alone carry but here is my story.

One night our neighbor and a few of his "friends" apparently got drunk and were being drunk in the street. Noisy...

My dad went out to try talk to them and told me to wait in bed. I of course didn't listen and knowing how drunkards get I loaded up his .357 mag revolver and watched from between the blinds.

Apparently another neighbor called the cops who soon came and sent them home, I unloaded the gun, put it away and went back to sleep...stupid drunks.

[WheySmart]

Well, I once chased off a maintenance guy with a battleaxe while naked.

If you're going to interrupt my shower, you'd better identify yourself loudly.

Wow, Isnt that a lovely thought. Do you keep a battle axe in your bathroom?