Home invasion or intruder scenario: whats your plan?

[centerfire]

I have recently decided to arm myself to protect my family in the case of a home invasion or robbery type scenario.
We live on the middle floor single level apartment with people living above and below us.
I am going to be purchasing a shotgun very soon (and training as soon as I can afford it) and am running down a plan on how to protect my wife and kids.
Specifically I would like to hear some ideas on how you round up your kids when someone appears to be attempting to enter your house or apartment.
I am trying to decide if I hear something and/or someone is trying to break down my front door, do I grab my shotgun/phone/knife and the wife and head down the hall to my boys room (I have 2 boys 5 and 8 who sleep in bunk beds in our other bedroom.) Or do I have them lock themselves in their closet when I tell them to?
This is the first time I have ever thought of planning something out in case of an issue like this.
Obviously I dont want to give away my position but most importantly want them to be as safe as possible while I keep them away from the danger.
What do some of you do as far as a plan when things go bump in the night?

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[The B]

if you have a plan, you sort of need to drill it. are you and your family willing to drill it, so everyone knows what to do?

we don't have a plan.. we just have a lot of guns. my thinking is that there are far too many possible scenarios to drill for, and i have no desire to drill my large family and fill their hearts with fear. no matter how much you emphasize "this is just a drill, and we'll probably never have to actually use this," little kids' minds are still filled with fear over things like this.

just train to use your weapon of choice in CQB environments. hit the range often and budget for as much ammo as you can- and likely whatever amount of ammo you currently think is adequate, isn't... so shoot even more.

i strongly suggest professional training. i also suggest doing a lot more research before you head to the local gunshop and pick up the shotgun they recommend.. read up on terminal ballistics and tactics, then buy the weapon you think is going to be the best option.

 

[centerfire]

Good point.
I would be willing to "drill it" if it meant them staying out of danger. I absolutely do not want them to dread or be fearful of a plan at all.
I will look into that a bit more before I adapt anything for us.
Otoh a bit of preparedness for all of us could make the difference between a liveable scenario as opposed to a tragic one.

 

[spengo]

I think you should re-think your choice of home defense weapon. Shotguns are excellent if you don't have to worry about people behind walls. In an apartment though, if you miss think of it as missing 9 times with a 9mm handgun at once. Even if you do get a good combat effective hit, there is the possibility of one or two pieces of shot missing the bad guy and continuing on to hit whatever is behind him.

I think a handgun or carbine would be better for your location. 1 miss = 1 liability instead of 9.

...unless you load up on slugs of course. That's another great thing about shotguns--versatility!

Whatever weapons system you decide on I'm very glad to hear you plan on getting some professional training with it as well. That's almost more important than the gun itself imo.

 

[centerfire]

I agree with the training.
Absolutely necessary.
I hope to be ran through some real life scenarios so I can see what I need to work on.
I also plan on purchasing a Glock 23 around tax time hopefully.
I think using a shotgun with the correct ammo would be better than using a pistol or carbine.
From what I have researched online you would have more of an over-penetration issue with a pistol or carbine round.
But I know very little about that other than what I have read online.

 

[Gunner3456]

I'm for the shotgun with 00 buckshot. A long gun is easier for most people to aim, at 25 feet the spread is only 8", and at the distance you're more likely to fire from, it's much less. At 10 feet even the plastic wad will enter the wound.

When the 9 pellets, (2 3/4" shell) all about the diameter of a 9mm or .38 special enter a body they then spread out making multiple wound channels. They are not likely to exit the body and so not likely to hit anything behind the target.

I've gone to 22" barrels with rifle sights which are handy for shooting slugs outdoors, and easy to aim. One of my shotguns has a rifled barrel for jacketed sabot slugs (nasty critters.) You can also put a longer mag extension on those and get a couple of extra rounds in the gun. FWIW, you can shoot buckshot in a rifled barrel, especially at distances inside a house. At longer distances they may spread more unevenly.

$.02

 

[mjbskwim]

+1 on the shotgun.The sound of racking the slide makes the intruder think about leaving.

As far as the drill.Why not converge on the kids room and get them under the bed or such?
No need for a drill,just go to their room and drag them to the floor.You won't be in the mood for "But Daaaad"

My drill is my dogs are the alarm.
And if you are stupid enough to try to get by them,well...

 

[centerfire]

+1 on the shotgun.The sound of racking the slide makes the intruder think about leaving.

As far as the drill.Why not converge on the kids room and get them under the bed or such?
No need for a drill,just go to their room and drag them to the floor.You won't be in the mood for "But Daaaad"

My drill is my dogs are the alarm.
And if you are stupid enough to try to get by them,well...

Wife and I were just discussing that.
We think that moving into the boys room is the best solution in case of an intruder.
That and since we live on the second floor to get a fold out type ladder
so we can escape from their room as well if needed.

 

[The B]

The sound of racking the slide makes the intruder think about leaving.

either that or it gives away you're presence and position- completely eliminating the only advantage you had in this gunfight.

always keep one in the chamber.

 

[centerfire]

either that or it gives away you're presence and position- completely eliminating the only advantage you had in this gunfight.

always keep one in the chamber.

I saw a youtube video about this tonight.
giving up your position by racking the slide seems like a bad idea.
the video host also discouraged against a weapon mounted light too for the same reason.

 

[The B]

I saw a youtube video about this tonight.
giving up your position by racking the slide seems like a bad idea.
the video host also discouraged against a weapon mounted light too for the same reason.

well the video host was incorrect about weapon-mounted lights. you must identify your target before you fire, therefor you must have a light. will you always have a hand-held light, and will you train tirelessly to use it in conjunction with your weapon?

 

[centerfire]

I should have made myself a bit clearer
he was offering a homemad system that included inside lights as well as an pressure pad inside a holster that called 911 and activated the lights.
I have no interest in buying that system but he did have some good ideas.
His system would discourage the assailant from knowing your position.
I absolutely agree on identifying your target with some type of lumination..
Cant just go crankin off rounds all willy nilly.

 

[Gunner3456]

We have motion sensors in every room and even every hall. As someone passes through the house, he just keeps turning on lights on himself as he goes.

+1 on dogs. Ours are too small to fight, but they'll make a lot of noise and give up his position.

+1 on no noise or light to give away your position.

 

[ejmpnu92]

When I had my house in CA, I had a plan to clear my home. My master bedroom was easy to defend and my hallway had a great field of fire. I rented rooms to a couple of people, I briefed them that if they ever heard me shouting or heard my shotgun, to fall to the floor in their rooms(which were right off the hallway). And if things got dicey, they were to exit through the bedroom windows.(single floor house, no great drops).
Now that I live in an apartment, much smaller than what I am used to, and no house mates, defense is much simpler and don't really need to have much of a plan. Open floor plan prevents too much in the way of planning.

 

[spengo]

What the heck? Who would advise against putting a light on a home defense weapon. Just make sure you know how to use it and don't kill your natural night vision by leaving it toggled on or flashing it at a wall you are looking directly at.

 

[centerfire]

He was selling a package that included lights you would mount on your ceiling and walls that illuminate the area they are installed in and dont give away where you are located in the room like a weapon light would.

Heres the video series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxbiSdrF5S4

This is a six part video series.
I have no affiliation with this but thought this would help to explain about not having a weapon light.

 

[mjbskwim]

Tell you what,the motion lights are the best for a house.
Always blinding the person.Every time he would pass one or just approach the house,he gets an eyefull and will need some time to recover his night vision.
In the hallway,point them towards the entrance,doing the same thing
I have always thought of having the porch light pointing towards the street,as to give you the advantage when someone knocks at the door late at night.
If it's a friend they should know to call ahead.

I understand the giving up the position thing,but have heard of people scaring the guys off the porch by racking the slide.(This was day time and she had heard them messing about at the door.)

I have heard both sides of the light argument.
You do give up a position,but you also screw his night vision.
AND,if he has a gun,you will know when he raises it,won't you?
I guess I wouldn't walk around the house with the light on,swat style.But when they come to the room and it's "go" time,I don't see how a light would hurt.

 

[torpedoman]

well the video host was incorrect about weapon-mounted lights. you must identify your target before you fire, therefor you must have a light. will you always have a hand-held light, and will you train tirelessly to use it in conjunction with your weapon?

O.K. now explain why it is ok to give away your position with a light that also gives them an aim point but not sound?

 

[Gunner3456]

First, I'm not going hunting for someone. I'd rather explain to the police and my insurance company how I lost some things to a burglar than to explain why I shot someone.

Second, if there are motion lights in the area(s) just outside your bedroom door, when he opens the door he is in light and you're not. You can see if he's armed.

Third, even if I can't see for sure that he's armed, he's still getting a load of buckshot and he will never have known I was there.

$.02

 

[centerfire]

Agreed.
Defensive only.
The only time I would venture out is if one of my kids or my wife was in danger.