Becareful when someone knocks on your door

[MudCamper]

Something this thread is lacking is the fact that most home invasions, burglaries, hot prowls, etc. are committed with the perpetrator simply kicking in the front door. How secure is your front door? Do you use those silly little short screws that come with your lock hardware, or do you use extra long 3" deck screws to secure your hardware to the 2x4 frame of your house?

Yep. I had the same thought. I just replaced all the screws on my deadbolts the other day with 4 inch screws into the framing.

As for all the, "my wife thinks I'm a paranoid nut" comments, I have similar problems with that so I just carry a P3AT in a wallet holster in my pocket always when I'm home and then nobody's delicate sensibilities can be ruffled.

But then my gf will never answer the door when someone knocks, ever. She won't even go look and see who it is. So she's a paranoid nut like me but just deals with it differently.

[yelohamr]

Yesterday I mounted a wireless video camera to cover the front porch. If someone knocks or rings the bell, just push a button on the remote and I can see them on a wide screen t.v.
That way I can see if they need to be shot, from the comfort of my recliner.

[RedFord150]

Magazine solicitors have been known to case houses too.
I had one at my door a few months ago and she claimed to be a "neighbor up the street". ...When I opened the security gate and asked where she lived, she couldn't pronounce the name of the cross street. ...
A few days later another one showed up and when I opened the door, the first words out of his mouth were, "Don't shoot, I'm not violent." I hadn't opened the security gate yet and he couldn't see me. How did he know I was armed?
I wonder if he knew the lady that was there earlier?

I had a teen show up at my door selling stuff and claimed to live nearby. I asked what street. Kid gave a street name I did not recognize. I asked what city. The city given was 15 miles away. I than asked for the city permit to solicit. Kid did not have one. I than advised kid that the police would be on their way, best leave NOW. Kid left.
Another kid showed up claiming to be from the high school. Even claimed to know the vice principal. I sent her away, just not interested. I also know the Vice Principal. Called his office the next day. He had no idea who she was. Same girl shows up a month later selling something else. I told her she previously said she knew the vice principal. He denies knowing her. While she was making up the next lie, I told her to hold on, I would call him at home, he and I were buddies. She actually 'sprinted' off my porch and down the street. I do not actually have the home # for said principal, I only know him because my kids go to his school and he is always at events talking to parents.
I have a 15, almost 16, daughter at home and a 24 year-old that grew up in this house. I cannot point a gun at every teenager or young adult who shows up. Heck, I have kids drop by in their 20's to ask about my Son or tell my wife they just finished college.
If late at night or looks bad, I ask without opening door. My dining room window looks onto my porch. My gun is in my pocket or in my hand behind my back. I never brandish or show it. If I need it, it will be ready in a micro-second.
Just my opinion.

[CornFedWB]

It's so easy to criticise "paranoid" people, i'm sure thats exactly what most of the people would do who had thier doors kicked in and wives raped in front of them while held at gunpoint. Dont think your nieghborhood excludes you from being a possible target. I grew up in a very nice neighborhood, we had a carpet salesman come to the door selling a 2 rooms for the price of 1 deal. Mom let him in to create a quote(case our house). 2 days later a hand full of men broke into our house while we were sleeping and started ransacking the place. they got thousands of dollars worth of stuff, when my mom screamed they took off. it could have been way worse. Some of us are just done with the bull*****, it's better to have and not need than to need and not have.

[Henry47]

Can you imagine a juror in a case where the defendant admitted pointing a loaded gun at every stranger who walked up to his door? Unless you're a 5'2 90 pound rape victim or has had some type of heinous crime committed upon you, I don't see the jury being too sympathetic.

[POLICESTATE]

Can you imagine a juror in a case where the defendant admitted pointing a loaded gun at every stranger who walked up to his door? Unless you're a 5'2 90 pound rape victim or has had some type of heinous crime committed upon you, I don't see the jury being too sympathetic.

I don't see why it would ever come up unless the defendant stupidly brought it up

[CornFedWB]

Can you imagine a juror in a case where the defendant admitted pointing a loaded gun at every stranger who walked up to his door? Unless you're a 5'2 90 pound rape victim or has had some type of heinous crime committed upon you, I don't see the jury being too sympathetic.

Pointing a gun at everybody who comes to the door is way overboard. Agreed, having one holstered on you around the house. I say very understandable. And if I ever need to use it, all the cops will hear is "5th amendment".

[pro1911]

the first story i heard on the radio was they kicked in the door, is that not what happened.

[Scratch705]

Your own semantics are the reason you don't comprehend the rule....the rule is to never point a gun at any thing you aren't ready to destroy.
Not "willing" to destroy. READY to destroy!

And you aren't ready to destroy the person whom you're pointing the gun at, are you?...you are waiting to see what they do. That's not ready. That's waiting.

Your bad gun habits will eventually catch up with you. You could have the gun at a low ready and be just as prepared for the threat while having almost none of the potentially disastrous consequences.

willing and ready have both been used interchangeably to describe the 2nd rule.

but either way i'll work on remembering to be only in a ready position with my gun instead of the aimed position.

but then again maybe my internet machismo made my typing not entirely truthful? i only did it once, to two males dressed in suits that came knocking on our door at 9pm. this was right after that whole home invasion that happened to that couple was on the news with the fake cops.

all other times i am just staged in my room with ammo and gun put on bed not even loaded nor taken out of the case.

[GunHobby]

Fuken sick bastards I cannot believe this ****. There are some sick people in the world! I always answer the door with my gun behind me or in my pocket.

[The Director]

willing and ready have both been used interchangeably to describe the 2nd rule.

but either way i'll work on remembering to be only in a ready position with my gun instead of the aimed position.

but then again maybe my internet machismo made my typing not entirely truthful? i only did it once, to two males dressed in suits that came knocking on our door at 9pm. this was right after that whole home invasion that happened to that couple was on the news with the fake cops.

all other times i am just staged in my room with ammo and gun put on bed not even loaded nor taken out of the case.

And I don't blame you one bit. Just today I had a knock on my door in the middle of the day. I don't get many of these and just happened to be home. In light of this thread I got my loaded pistol first, and placed it below a newspaper on a table just a few inches from me.

It was just a salesman that I shooed away quickly. It was loaded, round chambered, safety on. Could had it going within a few seconds. That's about as far as I take it.

[The Director]

Fuken sick bastards I cannot believe this ****. There are some sick people in the world! I always answer the door with my gun behind me or in my pocket.

You're going to get the smackdown for trying to bypass the language filter, bro.

[MasterYong]

Joe-

In the county that I live in, indoor marijuana growing has been all but legalized, due to our DAs tactics and the proliferation of medical marijuana.

There has been an INSANE increase in home invasions in the last 3 years. Last I heard it was something like 300%. Half the time, the invaders get the WRONG HOUSE and kick in the door on some poor unsuspecting people demanding drugs and/or money. One of my best friends was shot with a shotgun by a home invader that meant to rob his neighbor. The invader had been to the house he meant to target a few days before with some friends, learned they grew pot there, and came back to rob the place. Trouble is, he musta been too stoned to remember the address. I can't help but think that my friend would still be able to use both of his arms, had he had a weapon on him that evening.

When I'm home, I'm ALWAYS armed. If I had the option, I'd be armed outside the home at all times as well. I'm not paranoid, I'm not some nut, I'm just a regular guy that understands that the world is dangerous...

Better yet, I was a Boy Scout myself. If you knew even the first think about Boy Scouts, you'd remember "be prepared". That's what they taught me, and that's why I always have a knife on me in the day-to-day activities. When I go on a hike, I have a backpack with water, a coat, emergency blanket, matches/lighter, headlamp, and strapped to the side is a 15" Kabar Next-Gen fighter (knife).

I'd rather have X and not need it, than need X and not have it. Insert whatever word you want there.

[audihenry]

Joe-

In the county that I live in, indoor marijuana growing has been all but legalized, due to our DAs tactics and the proliferation of medical marijuana.

There has been an INSANE increase in home invasions in the last 3 years. Last I heard it was something like 300%. Half the time, the invaders get the WRONG HOUSE and kick in the door on some poor unsuspecting people demanding drugs and/or money. One of my best friends was shot with a shotgun by a home invader that meant to rob his neighbor. The invader had been to the house he meant to target a few days before with some friends, learned they grew pot there, and came back to rob the place. Trouble is, he musta been too stoned to remember the address. I can't help but think that my friend would still be able to use both of his arms, had he had a weapon on him that evening.

When I'm home, I'm ALWAYS armed. If I had the option, I'd be armed outside the home at all times as well. I'm not paranoid, I'm not some nut, I'm just a regular guy that understands that the world is dangerous...

Better yet, I was a Boy Scout myself. If you knew even the first think about Boy Scouts, you'd remember "be prepared". That's what they taught me, and that's why I always have a knife on me in the day-to-day activities. When I go on a hike, I have a backpack with water, a coat, emergency blanket, matches/lighter, headlamp, and strapped to the side is a 15" Kabar Next-Gen fighter (knife).

I'd rather have X and not need it, than need X and not have it. Insert whatever word you want there.

You do live in Humboldt, the veritable capital of weed growers.

[MasterYong]

You do live in Humboldt, the veritable capital of weed growers.

Yeah, and they've become violent. It's not the dreadhead hippies like it was when I was growing up... now a bunch of wannabe gangbangers and tweakers, most of them form out of town, have been attracted to the growing scene because of the increasing potential for profit, and decreased legal risks. It's making this a dangerous place to live. Not as dangerous as Oakland, for example, but when I was growing up no one ever locked their doors if you know what I mean.