Scenario: Lunatic trying to knock down your door

[NcongruNt]

I'd have to say that it would really depend on the situation. One thing I will have to disagree with some folks on here is to announce that I am armed. If a determined assailant is armed, this may prompt gunfire directed back at you from the other side of the door. This may go for even announcing myself, depending on the situation.

Someone attempting to bash the door down and yelling murderous threats may get very little verbally if it would be likely to give away my whereabouts in relation to his position. 911 would be called immediately if at all possible, but I can envision many situations where it isn't feasible.

Someone fumbling at the door/lock is a different case entirely and would get loud warnings to leave immediately, with 911 ready to dial on the hands-free. Where it goes from there depends on if it escalates or not. My apartment has a bolt lockable only from the inside, and is not susceptible to picking or bump-keying. An intruder would have to either try to bust in the door or break a window - both of which would clarify intent.

Unfortunately the layout of my apartment would put any rounds directed from an angle to the door through a sheet rock-only wall into the neighbor's apartment, which I would not want. All other angles with the exception of shooting towards the back of the apartment (from the door area or directly inside) puts any stray rounds into exterior brick wall. If it were absolutely necessary to shoot at an angle to the door, I've worked out that COM shots fired from a crouching position should go above the heads of anyone standing in an adjacent apartment, and the floors above (I am on the first floor) are solid concrete that a round traveling in an upwards direction would not penetrate.

Defensive shooting in an apartment is tricky, and there are many more variables regarding stray rounds to consider.

[Sangiovese]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

[frankie_the_yankee]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

Even if you were taking "incoming" fire through the door?

[Sangiovese]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

Even if you were taking "incoming" fire through the door?

If I was taking incoming fire through the door, I would be hightailing it to a different part of the house. I certainly wouldn't stand there and exchange fire through a closed door.

[Keith B]

When I called to ask him if he lost a key he said "No", but he didn't look at his keyring. HMPH! I was worn out but at least relieved that we didn't have some wierd stalker staking out our house.

He hadn't lost it; the end of the key was right where he had left it!!!

[MrsFosforos]

When I called to ask him if he lost a key he said "No", but he didn't look at his keyring. HMPH! I was worn out but at least relieved that we didn't have some wierd stalker staking out our house.

He hadn't lost it; the end of the key was right where he had left it!!!

Yeah, the broken off part of it was in the door where he left it too!

[WarHawk-AVG]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

Badguy breaks into house...you corral your family into your bedroom, lock the door.

Call the police, yell thru the door, I am armed, I have called the police, leave now or I will shoot you

Someone starts physically attacking your bedroom door, hitting it, kicking it, the door is slowly giving way

NOW WOULD YOU SHOOT?

[stevie_d_64]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

Badguy breaks into house...you corral your family into your bedroom, lock the door.

Call the police, yell thru the door, I am armed, I have called the police, leave now or I will shoot you

Someone starts physically attacking your bedroom door, hitting it, kicking it, the door is slowly giving way

NOW WOULD YOU SHOOT?

Right straight out of the NRA's PPH class...Thats a great point you presented...

Someone who doesn't want to get shot, will stop...

Someone who wrongly assumes you will not shoot...Well...That gets right back to my "elementary outcomes" theory...

[Crash]

Not sure banging on the door alone would get me to fire my weapon. Without positive identification of the target, there is too much risk involved in shooting through a door.

First, I'd call 911. I'd let them know I am armed and in fear of my life.

Second, I, would make sure my family was in a safe place away from possible stray bullets (don't know if the guy at the door is armed).

Third, I would take up a position behind cover at an angle to the door.

I would shout to the potential intruder that I am armed and that he needs to cease his actions immediately.

If the intruder broke through the door, at this point, I would feel completely justified in firing my weapon.

Jason,

Looks to me like your approach is the best--you've got all the bases covered.

Crash

[Sangiovese]

I can't think of a single situation in which I would fire through a closed door. Far too many chances for mistakes.

Badguy breaks into house...you corral your family into your bedroom, lock the door.

Call the police, yell thru the door, I am armed, I have called the police, leave now or I will shoot you

Someone starts physically attacking your bedroom door, hitting it, kicking it, the door is slowly giving way

NOW WOULD YOU SHOOT?

I don't think I would. I would be under cover, aiming at chest level with my finger on the trigger... but I don't think I would shoot until they breached the door.

Maybe in the stress of the moment I would, but my plan is to wait. I guess I just have a thing for being able to see my target.

I will concede that an interior door is a different animal than an exterior door. Much less chance of a miss hitting an innocent... and a much more clearly defined threat toward your family. I would not think that someone who chose to shoot through an interior door in a situation like you described was negligent - but personally I doubt that I would make that decision.

[tboesche]

Great topic. I don't know If I would shoot thru the front door but probably thru the bedroom door. One thing no one mentioned, if the fear of stray rounds passing thru the neighbors walls is a concern that is real for you get a shot gun. I sleep with the CZ under the matress and a 12 ga. with 00 close by. I dont care what any body says, there is no more intimidating sound in the middle of the night than jacking the slide of a 12 ga. Inside the house at night, I would go for the shot gun first, and use the pistol as back up

[NcongruNt]

Great topic. I don't know If I would shoot thru the front door but probably thru the bedroom door. One thing no one mentioned, if the fear of stray rounds passing thru the neighbors walls is a concern that is real for you get a shot gun. I sleep with the CZ under the matress and a 12 ga. with 00 close by. I dont care what any body says, there is no more intimidating sound in the middle of the night than jacking the slide of a 12 ga. Inside the house at night, I would go for the shot gun first, and use the pistol as back up

While I agree that a shotgun will penetrate less in the way of interior walls, 00 will still go through 4 of them (worst case when only going through drywall) before stopping. This is based on the testing done by the guys over at "The Box o' Truth" ( http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm ). It is still very important to be aware of what is behind your attacker, as most apartment situations have less than 4 walls before a neighbor's apartment begins. It is important to have a plan for a self defense situation in an apartment beforehand, to minimize the risk of hitting a neighbor with a stray round, as well as for tactical readiness. I'll also agree that for a home defense situation, a shotgun is ballistically superior weapon to a handgun. The downside is that it's difficult to retain shooting readiness of a shotgun while opening doors, while a handgun can remain ready to shoot one-handed.

[Supercat]

I would not shoot through the front door, I would wait for penetration. If I retreated to my room and gave verbal warnings and such and the BG persisted it would depend on my position. Big bedroom lots of space between me and the door I might wait till I can identify the target and then STAPLE him to the wall with a .45.
Small bedroom where as soon as it was penetrated he would be on top of me, I might throw my rule out and put some holes in wood.

The exterior of my house is all brick so my concern of the projectile leaving my house is less than a house with regular siding.

I think I would definatly hesitate if I could not visually ID the target. But I have never been in that type of situation so I can only hope my reaction would be such as to eliminate the threat and harm no one else.