People saying they will use shotgun to defend themselves

[gixer1]

 

 

Of course it can! Defence, by its very definition has to be aggressive. If you are not prepared to offer violence then you cannot defend your self, only aquiesse.

 

J.

 

Not really true there....a defence can be blocking a violent advance - something as simple as closing a door....

[neil3728]

I like the whole I've got a dog arguement.

 

A client of mine owns a yard at the back of his house full of agricultural equiptment and the pet dog slept in one of the sheds. Someone jumped over the 10 foot high wall and was bitten by the dog.

 

When the police arrived the dog had to be out down as it had bitten someone.

 

I have a beagle which on a night sleeps in her cage, so offers no procection except a bark.

 

Criminals are not stupid, there are plenty of house about, if they are aware that guns are kept in a house, I recon they would just burgle next door. Its not worth the risk to themselves that they might get shot.

[Catweazle]

When the police arrived the dog had to be out down as it had bitten someone.

 

I doubt that is normal practice. However, this thread has people writing about whether they could get their shotgun out of the safe fast enough to stop a prowler intent on causing them harm. In my opinion, if this is genuine possibility in your area, you need a guard dog. They don't come much better than Dobermanns.

[Hamster]

Last year some time, I came home very late from a night out lamping and caught someone trying to break into my garage. I had my 222 rifle over one shoulder and shotgun over the other and pockets bursting with ammunition. It was a massive shock to say the least, and all I had to do was undo a zip and I had full access to a firearm. A lot of things go through your mind when this actually happens to you, the main thing I thought was simply "now what". I could see he had something in his rright hand, a screwdriver? A knife? A hammer? It could have been a gun of some description for all I knew. My instant reaction to the situation, self preservation. I thought a lot of 'what ifs' and him grabbing one of my guns and doibg me in was a massive fear. His reaction was the same thing, we both looked at each other in a state of shock and panic and we both ran away from each other. Saying what you will do in the situation is very different to what you will actually do. Just incase anyone is interested, it took plod 50 minutes to get to me, and Im only 6 miles from the nearest town.

 

A rare insight of reality V fantasy, it must be one helluva experience even with a gun in your hand. :o

[Hamster]

The only realistic scenario of getting access to your gun in such a situation is if the cabinet is in your bedroom otherwise the burglars need to be outside in the yard.

[JonathanL]

Jonathan is there any real reason why your bringing up everyone previous posts,,, or has your sky signal gone ??

 

Errm, because I'm engaging in conversation and debate by responding to what others have said. This is the entire point of an internet discussion board, is it not?

 

J.

[JonathanL]

Don't stop now JonathanL ...you are on a roll, not many posts left to quote and reply to!

 

As I have said - isn't that the entire point of this thing?

 

J.

[JonathanL]

Not really true there....a defence can be blocking a violent advance - something as simple as closing a door....

 

The post I was replying to though was specficically related to pointing guns at peple. That's violence or at least the threat of it.

 

J.

[TJ91]

 

 

As I have said - isn't that the entire point of this thing?

 

J.

 

At what point did i say it wasnt.

 

Wouldn't be very entertaining if there was no banter

[JonathanL]

I like the whole I've got a dog arguement.

 

A client of mine owns a yard at the back of his house full of agricultural equiptment and the pet dog slept in one of the sheds. Someone jumped over the 10 foot high wall and was bitten by the dog.

 

When the police arrived the dog had to be out down as it had bitten someone.

 

I have a beagle which on a night sleeps in her cage, so offers no procection except a bark.

 

Criminals are not stupid, there are plenty of house about, if they are aware that guns are kept in a house, I recon they would just burgle next door. Its not worth the risk to themselves that they might get shot.

 

I think there is even more to it than that. House burglars want an easy life. Very few of them would take guns or if they did they would dump them pretty rapidly as the penalties for possessing illegal guns are high these days, let alone stealing them.

 

Anyone criminal who decides that they want your guns will get them and all the security in the word won't stop them. It's far easier an safer to hand them the keys.

 

J.

[Imperfection]

 

 

When the police arrived the dog had to be out down as it had bitten someone.

 

 

 

Hmmm,i dont buy this at all. The Police told *me* in their own words when i enquired about the legalities if my dogs bit someone-"it would take a very harsh magistrate to order the destruction of a dog which has bitten a burglar". The Police cannot tell an owner to have their dog PTS-only a judge or magistrate can do this.

 

Dogs do offer good protection against burglars.Not only because of the threat of being bitten,but because often they're noisy and they like to go about their business undisturbed.

[Zapp]

Saying what you will do in the situation is very different to what you will actually do

 

Someone buy this man a pint.

 

Unless you have been in the Police or armed forces and been trained to function in genuinely dangerous, frightening situations, I'd lay money that most are just as likely to freeze or wee themselves as to fight back.

 

EDIT to clarify, that by "function", I certainly dont just mean confronting the intruder, I mean being able to make clear, rational decisions as how to avoid harm to yourself or your loved ones, which could just as easily mean getting out of the house and calling the police.

[gixer1]

Yes, the best course of action is to send the wife, then the kids out one at a time to confront the intruder while you climb out the window.... :yp:

Edited December 29, 2012 by gixer1

[GingerCat]

This has been going on a bit hasn't it? To put this simply and somewhat bluntly, if someone is in your house call the police and make sure the family is safe. All this messing about re guns is silly.

When the above is done go and confront the intruders if you feel you can do so safely, if you think you need a gun to do this then stay with the family as clearly your lacking either physically or mentally and will not function when under this sort of pressure. The results are not nice.

This may upset you but please don't take it as in insult to you manleness, but its a fact and not one to be ashamed of as everyone is different and not everyone can function under extreme pressure with these variables, by function I mean making clear informed decisions in a split second and then have the confidence to carry then out with the ability to do so.

For the record I am very profecient in unarmed and armed combat and have confronted lots of people without guns before subdueing them, no doubt will do so many times in the future.

Would I go messing about with the gun safe keys and confronting an intruder? No. Whys that you ask? Because my family and their safety is more important. I don't need to be disarmed and then put into a worse situtation due to a moment's stupidity reaching for that sxs with the bird shot or clay load when I should have got the baseball bat out and made some noise.

From my not inexperienced position i can say that thankfully most burglaries are 9-5 when no one is in (for that very reason), sash windows for some reason are the number 1 entry point if not secured and cash and man portable high value items are stolen 99.9% of the time with car keys close behind.

When they break in and tie u up before wanting to know where the valuables are, is extremely rare and is often linked to something else, not always but often, I can count on one hand how many times I have dealt with that vs how many burglaries I have dealt with in the last 10 year's and it was never legal valuables they were after.

To sum up 1. Call the police, 2. Get the family safe, 4. Confront the intruder or more wisely stay with your family till the police arrive ( unless you have an ability in unarmed combat involving a big more than a drink and kebab fuelled fight once when you were younger) 4. Leave the gun in the cabinet.

 

Well that's all well and good but what if u live n the back of beyond I hear u ask?

Simple, stick to the plan. Police will arrive, burglars don't like being confronted or know there creeping has gone detected and will scarper quick, if they dont then do as you think us right however bear I mind that leaving your gun by the bed is a recipe for diaster and one that will end in tears so please don't do it. Have a plan, reherse it if u feel the need, have a safe room, for the love of god stop spouting on about shooting people in your house, you'll shoot the dog more likely or worse.

[GingerCat]

Re the dog aspect, I have never know a dog to bite someone on private property and then be put down, in public its a different matter. And unless they are the dog whisperer will not tell the difference from a lab to a 10st razor back behind a closed door, pretty sure they will think again, also bear in mind most dogs poo there pants when people rush in so once the deterrent effect is gone and they come in, don't count on the dog to help u.

[bedwards1966]

This has been going on a bit hasn't it? To put this simply and somewhat bluntly, if someone is in your house call the police and make sure the family is safe. All this messing about re guns is silly.

When the above is done go and confront the intruders if you feel you can do so safely, if you think you need a gun to do this then stay with the family as clearly your lacking either physically or mentally and will not function when under this sort of pressure. The results are not nice.

This may upset you but please don't take it as in insult to you manleness, but its a fact and not one to be ashamed of as everyone is different and not everyone can function under extreme pressure with these variables, by function I mean making clear informed decisions in a split second and then have the confidence to carry then out with the ability to do so.

For the record I am very profecient in unarmed and armed combat and have confronted lots of people without guns before subdueing them, no doubt will do so many times in the future.

Would I go messing about with the gun safe keys and confronting an intruder? No. Whys that you ask? Because my family and their safety is more important. I don't need to be disarmed and then put into a worse situtation due to a moment's stupidity reaching for that sxs with the bird shot or clay load when I should have got the baseball bat out and made some noise.

From my not inexperienced position i can say that thankfully most burglaries are 9-5 when no one is in (for that very reason), sash windows for some reason are the number 1 entry point if not secured and cash and man portable high value items are stolen 99.9% of the time with car keys close behind.

When they break in and tie u up before wanting to know where the valuables are, is extremely rare and is often linked to something else, not always but often, I can count on one hand how many times I have dealt with that vs how many burglaries I have dealt with in the last 10 year's and it was never legal valuables they were after.

To sum up 1. Call the police, 2. Get the family safe, 4. Confront the intruder or more wisely stay with your family till the police arrive ( unless you have an ability in unarmed combat involving a big more than a drink and kebab fuelled fight once when you were younger) 4. Leave the gun in the cabinet.

 

Well that's all well and good but what if u live n the back of beyond I hear u ask?

Simple, stick to the plan. Police will arrive, burglars don't like being confronted or know there creeping has gone detected and will scarper quick, if they dont then do as you think us right however bear I mind that leaving your gun by the bed is a recipe for diaster and one that will end in tears so please don't do it. Have a plan, reherse it if u feel the need, have a safe room, for the love of god stop spouting on about shooting people in your house, you'll shoot the dog more likely or worse.

 

I'm sorry, but you are in a different world regarding police response times, at least in my area.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that at the first suspicious noise I'd grab a gun and confront burglars, but the time it takes the police to get themselves moving to a location a couple of miles away gives thieves enough time to load up a van, attack you and be gone - and to then dispose of the stuff.

Perhaps in some places the police are just round the corner, perhaps there are some times when they will then actually bother to come in time, but that is often not the case. I've had several burglaries and the police have failed every time.

 

When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

[GingerCat]

 

 

 

I'm sorry, but you are in a different world regarding police response times, at least in my area.

 

 

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that at the first Ysuspicious noise I'd grab a gun and confront burglars, but the time it takes the police to get themselves moving to a location a couple of miles away gives thieves enough time to load up a van, attack you and be gone - and to then dispose of the stuff.

Perhaps in some places the police are just round the corner, perhaps there are some times when they will then actually bother to come in time, but that is often not the case. I've had several burglaries and the police have failed every time.

 

When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

 

How many time were you burgled when actually at home and told the police such? Or were u reporting it when you came home?

Edited December 30, 2012 by GingerCat

[Paul T]

Re the dog aspect, I have never know a dog to bite someone on private property and then be put down, in public its a different matter. And unless they are the dog whisperer will not tell the difference from a lab to a 10st razor back behind a closed door, pretty sure they will think again, also bear in mind most dogs poo there pants when people rush in so once the deterrent effect is gone and they come in, don't count on the dog to help u.

My old long-haired german shepherd was a bear of a dog, but who had the most placid temperament. My wife always said he'd be the first to leg it at the first sign of trouble, but one evening he proved her wrong:

 

I was laid in bed and was awoken by a noise behind the house, followed by the dog growl and bark a couple of times. The dog then came upstairs to wake me up (or try hide behind me - not clear which) and the noise happened again. I grabbed my dressing gown, said to the dog 'let's go' and went downstairs. Then I could hear someone trying to kick the back door in, which is pretty ******* scary in the early hours of the morning! I decided I'd go for it and I unlocked the door, but with hindsight, perhaps I should have phoned the police.

 

What happened then was so fast I just acted on instinct. As I started to open the door it was forced open and I was pushed back into the kitchen. A young man lurched towards me and as he raised his hand I could see the glint of a piece of steel, so I just said to the dog 'get him!' And bless him, my humble bear of a dog lurched forward and with paws on the blokes shoulders pinned him against the kitchen wall, barking and snarling an inch from the blokes face. The bloke was shouting 'call him off, call him off', which I did. I then shouted at him to get out and he said 'I'm not going - this is my Dad's house' I said 'No it ain't pal, now **** off'. He told me where he lived and it was obvious he was really drunk so I just turfed him back out onto the street and said 'try the next house'.

 

The following day I had a knock at the door and an apology from a rather worse for wear uni-student, apparantly home for the holiday. I told him he was bloody stupid and nearly lost his face to my dog, to which he said he was very sorry for causing us all grief. If I had a gun to hand I could have shot my next door neighbour's son for being drunk in charge of a door key - yes, that was the piece of metal he lurched at me with!

 

So, for all those wannabe heroes out there, who want to prove they are the big man by protecting their family with a firearm - think again. What happens in the heat of the moment can make you do some pretty stupid things you may live to regret. I didn't reach for a gun then, and I wouldn't if the same situation ever arose again - it's not the reason I have my guns!

[Clayduster]

Having jumped out of bet naked and grabbed a porcelain parrot from the stairs landing to confront an intruder in the middle of the night while looking after my in laws house when they were on holiday, I now always plan how I will defend myself if burgled in advance.

 

The sister in law **** herself, how was I to know she was coming home from university.

[overandunder2012]

My old long-haired german shepherd was a bear of a dog, but who had the most placid temperament. My wife always said he'd be the first to leg it at the first sign of trouble, but one evening he proved her wrong:

 

I was laid in bed and was awoken by a noise behind the house, followed by the dog growl and bark a couple of times. The dog then came upstairs to wake me up (or try hide behind me - not clear which) and the noise happened again. I grabbed my dressing gown, said to the dog 'let's go' and went downstairs. Then I could hear someone trying to kick the back door in, which is pretty ******* scary in the early hours of the morning! I decided I'd go for it and I unlocked the door, but with hindsight, perhaps I should have phoned the police.

 

What happened then was so fast I just acted on instinct. As I started to open the door it was forced open and I was pushed back into the kitchen. A young man lurched towards me and as he raised his hand I could see the glint of a piece of steel, so I just said to the dog 'get him!' And bless him, my humble bear of a dog lurched forward and with paws on the blokes shoulders pinned him against the kitchen wall, barking and snarling an inch from the blokes face. The bloke was shouting 'call him off, call him off', which I did. I then shouted at him to get out and he said 'I'm not going - this is my Dad's house' I said 'No it ain't pal, now **** off'. He told me where he lived and it was obvious he was really drunk so I just turfed him back out onto the street and said 'try the next house'.

 

The following day I had a knock at the door and an apology from a rather worse for wear uni-student, apparantly home for the holiday. I told him he was bloody stupid and nearly lost his face to my dog, to which he said he was very sorry for causing us all grief. If I had a gun to hand I could have shot my next door neighbour's son for being drunk in charge of a door key - yes, that was the piece of metal he lurched at me with!

 

So, for all those wannabe heroes out there, who want to prove they are the big man by protecting their family with a firearm - think again. What happens in the heat of the moment can make you do some pretty stupid things you may live to regret. I didn't reach for a gun then, and I wouldn't if the same situation ever arose again - it's not the reason I have my guns!

 

fair play

[bedwards1966]

How many time were you burgled when actually at home and told the police such? Or were u reporting it when you came home?

 

Both. When the police have been called after it's happened then it takes them about two days on average to get to the scene, where they then say fingerprints can't be collected because it's been too long.

 

They have also been called when someone discovered two thieves with a dog carrying our stolen property across fields to a village two miles away. The person following was old and unfit and couldn't keep up, but could follow them because it was in snow so the footprints gave it away. Yet the police didn't come, despite the easy catch they had there. They got away with it because the police never came - even if they got there too late there is a good chance they would have known who it was and where to look.

 

There was also a time when a van was found loading up my property, the police were immediately called. The van drove at two people attempting to kill them repeatedly then left, and I followed in my car - on the phone giving directions to the police. The van got 5 miles before the police arrived - and they knew exactly what was going on due to the phone call.

 

 

 

To just assume they will come in time could be suicidal. Even if they make an effort a violent attack can leave someone dead long before they can get there, and I've yet to see them try.

Edited December 30, 2012 by bedwards1966

[Gunnerbob]

As GingerCat says, plod will turn up mob handed if you have intruders actually on the premises. I had to call them when two drunk and drugged up persons attempted to smash their way in through the back gate and garden.....999 and within minutes, yes minutes many of Norfolks finest were on scene and sorting said problem. At the time I lived about 15 mins from the station.

[Vince Green]

If I heard burglars downstairs I would send the wife down naked, that will scare anyone away

[SSS]

Like I said on my previous post, it took the Police 50 minutes to get to me. I am 5 minutes from my nearest local station and 15 minutes from the main Burton station. The offender was on site at the time which I clearly told them on the 999 call. When the officer finally arrived, he said "if I had got here sooner I would have called the dog unit, but it's been too long". Hopfully, the fact that I caught the **** in the act is enough to put him off coming back.

For all of you keyboard warriors and wannabe Rambo's out there, I promise you that the situation feels an entirely different one when it actually happens, especially if you get awoken in the small hours, in a frantic, panicking and dazed state of mind!

[ordnance]

Police will arrive, burglars don't like being confronted or know there creeping has gone detected and will scarper quick, if they dont then do as you think us right however bear I mind that leaving your gun by the bed is a recipe for diaster and one that will end in tears so please don't do it

 

People don't always brake into your house to steel things. They could be there to attack you which happens here regularly enough. Phoning the police isn't a option you won't have time. I would agree if possible barricade yourself in the bedroom ring the police don't confront a intruder if possible. Sometimes you might not have a choice.