The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun.... is a good guy with a gun

[vanzandt]

You think robbers and burglars target houses only in the hood?

F*ck I don't know. I don't worry about it too much. I've got insurance.... I hope they fucking steal everything. Take the carpet too.
I'm with Arnie though if there's a so called "home invasion". A yippy yappy Yorkie that will raise hell 24/7 if a fly lands somewhere out of the ordinary.... a lazy Pitbull that that only raises hell when Yorkie does.... and a very expensive (loaded) Italian double barrel 12 gauge. There better be three of em.

 

[TJustice]

I got interested in protecting my family when I saw law and order break down after hurricanes. I think there is also a risk of some sort of solar storm that screws up the electrical grid. (I know it might be mayhem for years.)

I consider the break in risk low. I consider the law and order break down risk low. But, the magnitude of the problem could be large and a few fire arms can help mitigate some of that problem. (at least for a little while). So why not? Plus, I found I really enjoyed target and skeet shooting.

What kind of f'ing neighborhoods do you guys live in anyway?

 

[Poindexter]

I just ran through a scenario in my home using an air pistol modeled after a Colt. It was not loaded.

1. I have to stay low and in cover as much as possible. There are multiple levels.

2. I have to learn to shoot from cover with my left handed as well

3. I am sure I would be spending very little time in a range stance.

4. There would spots in my house I just could not risk shooting.

You are way over-thinking this.

I've been shooting since I was 4, am a combat veteran and retired from the Army. Best advice here was from Tsing in posts #6 #11 and #21.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[TJustice]

How many times in combat does a person take a range stance when firing a hand gun.
I would expect standing in the open with a range stance would not be a preferred way to shoot when real bullets are flying or could be.

So my next question would be... in cover... do you use one hand or two? It would depend on the cover but I would think most times you naturally prefer to expose the least amount of your body as possible.

I understand the point. Range training is necessary for the masses to not screw up and for people to stay sharp.

But, reality is that you are not going to be shooting in a range stance if you can help it. You should be moving from cover to cover or you are reacting very quickly.

I say this because that is what we read from the police shooting reviews conclusions and commons sense.

I say this being willing to be corrected by anyone who has real experience being shot at and returning fire.

I know I spoke with a cop a few months ago at our son's baseball games. He said the other cop confronted a criminal with a gun and that cop was being shot at. He said he stopped his car got out and shot from the cover of his vehicle. He said the first few seconds were wild and you don't have a good grasp of all the risks and it was very intense. I did not ask him about his technique but if i see him in the spring I will.

You are way over-thinking this.

I've been shooting since I was 4, am a combat veteran and retired from the Army. Best advice here was from Tsing in posts #6 #11 and #21.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Scataphagos]

But the other side of it is, would you rather not have a gun at all? What are your chances then?

Years ago wifey argued, "no guns in the house".

One day she was discussing with her mother, and mom let it slip, "I have a gun in my nightstand".

Wifey went "WHAT?? No way!"

Mom said, "Way... Your father and I used to go the range for practice all the time".

Now, we have guns. (I get wifey to the range, but sadly not often enough.)

 

[Poindexter]

How many times in combat does a person take a range stance when firing a hand gun.
I would expect standing in the open with a range stance would not be a preferred way to shoot when real bullets are flying or could be.

So my next question would be... in cover... do you use one hand or two? It would depend on the cover but I would think most times you naturally prefer to expose the least amount of your body as possible.

I understand the point. Range training is necessary for the masses to not screw up and for people to stay sharp.

But, reality is that you are not going to be shooting in a range stance if you can help it. You should be moving from cover to cover or you are reacting very quickly.

I say this because that is what we read from the police shooting reviews conclusions and commons sense.

Handguns are useless in combat and we used to joke that the only thing they were good for was to throw at the enemy. Field grade officers and GOs were issued 9mm pistols mainly for self-protection when I served but requested M16s in addition when circumstances warranted. With that said, I prefer a handgun with hollow-points for home defense because long barrels can be awkward in the dark confined spaces of a house. As far as stance, don't get too hung up on what some "expert" says. Go to the range and practice, practice, practice. The "correct" stance is what works best for you. I'd also recommend using two hands unless you're more proficient using one. Again, the "correct" answer is what works best for you and you'll only know that after putting in a lot of range time. That will also give you the muscle memory Tsing referred to.

P.S. Tsing made an excellent point about warning devices so you know if/when there's an intruder. I have a friend who lives alone. Trained her on a S&W .357, put in an alarm system and walked her through what to do in different scenarios.

 

[constitutionman]

How many times in combat does a person take a range stance when firing a hand gun.
I would expect standing in the open with a range stance would not be a preferred way to shoot when real bullets are flying or could be.

So my next question would be... in cover... do you use one hand or two? It would depend on the cover but I would think most times you naturally prefer to expose the least amount of your body as possible.

I understand the point. Range training is necessary for the masses to not screw up and for people to stay sharp.

But, reality is that you are not going to be shooting in a range stance if you can help it. You should be moving from cover to cover or you are reacting very quickly.

I say this because that is what we read from the police shooting reviews conclusions and commons sense.

I say this being willing to be corrected by anyone who has real experience being shot at and returning fire.

I know I spoke with a cop a few months ago at our son's baseball games. He said the other cop confronted a criminal with a gun and that cop was being shot at. He said he stopped his car got out and shot from the cover of his vehicle. He said the first few seconds were wild and you don't have a good grasp of all the risks and it was very intense. I did not ask him about his technique but if i see him in the spring I will.

I know, all of your compadres here are gung-ho on owning a firearm for self-defense. your best chance is to stay away from any confrontation and use other deterrents/defense mechanism. Setup an alarm system with guard patrol response. (they are much quicker to respond than police) and get a dog.
if you must have a firearm. make sure to get one that is practical and reliable for self-defense. handguns and shotguns are good choices, you don't need a rifle for home defense. Also as it was mentioned many times here, practice and practice. make sure to find a well-qualified firearm instructor to critique you and help you fine tune your skills. (if you go to the range often enough, you will see a few eventually).
The most important part about home defense strategy is to communicate it with your family. a huge percentage of the folks only focus on their own skills or even sometimes they won't let their husband/wife know that they own a firearm. your family needs to know what to do, when to do and where they need to be if there is a situation that requires the use of a firearm. IMHO, this part is the most important part, after all, your goal is to protect them.

 

[Poindexter]

The most important part about home defense strategy is to communicate it with your family.

And know when an intruder is really an intruder and a threat. The last thing you want to do is kill your son who comes in drunk at 3AM.

P.S. The boyfriend of the daughter of the guy I bought a house from did that before I changed the locks. I didn't over-react because I was proficient enough not to.

 

[wolf001]

Hello, first of all, I would like to say that firearms are useless in mass shootings. However, I am against the ban on the sale of weapons, as weapons can defend themselves against a burglar, for example.

 

[Snarkhund]

My neighbor carries a .45 (Glock 32?) with 10 in it and 2 extra mags with 12 each.... to take out his trash. This weekend he erected a large Impeach Biden flag on his home.

I asked him to please not shoot me when I'm chasing the armadillo off my lawn who is digging holes in the middle of the night lol.

<shrug>