1:47 a.m. Wake up call

[Demo Steve]

Went from a deep sleep to 1,000% adrenaline because of the sound of our adt security alarm going off this morning at 1:47 a.m. Adt called and said our sliding glass door in the basement had been tampered with. They called the cops but it took them 28 minutes to get here. I don't own a gun and my wife wouldn't let me go downstairs. Pretty helpless feeling just sitting there listening. Cops showed up and didn't find anything other than the slider was unlocked so maybe it never got shut all the way and maybe the wind jiggled it just enough? The neighbor kids were over today so maybe kids were running in and out and it didn't get shut all of the way? I don't know. You can't set the alarm if a door is open. Lots of thoughts running through my mind. First thought is i don't ever want to have this feeling again. Second one is that maybe it is time to become a true american and become a gun owner. Third thought is i don't really know anything about them. I had a .22 for coon hunting and that was it. How about some recommendations? Looking for something that i can afford but don't want to sacrifice quality. This would be something that would be locked in a safe 99% of the time. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[tonybolton]

Re:

.....or maybe a video camera / monitoring device?

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[halcat]

How about a gun and go down stairs.

 

[Beerj]

A shotgun isn't an awful choice for home defense. They're pretty foolproof and you don't have to be very accurate to be effective. The biggest downside is they're obviously more cumbersome than a pistol but if you've got a decent amount of room to move around then they're not bad. Plus they're relatively inexpensive.

 

[The Luke]

After having a guy kick in my door back in college and not having a gun at the time, I know exactly how you felt. Glad y'all are safe.

I went with a 12 gauge pump. Normally, just a cycle of the action is enough to scare anyone away.

In my situation I went down stairs and was lucky that they didn't have a gun. The front door flew open as soon as I came out of my bedroom and I rushed the hell outta him. Basically, beat him half to death.

 

[smbroady82]

How about a gun and go down stairs.

This^

Cabela's is running a decent sale on some of their hand guns.

I picked one of these up for my soon to be wife for c.c. a year or two ago. I'm thinking about getting one for myself too.

$299 LC9s w/ manual safety

http://www.cabelas.com/product/shooting/firearms/handguns/semiautomatic-pistols%7C/pc/104792580/c/553829580/sc/105526980/i/105529680/ruger-reg-lc-s-reg-pistols/1182399.uts

good little carry gun

the extended clips are nice especially for guys with decent sized hands

 

[smbroady82]

I went with a 12 gauge pump. Normally, just a cycle of the action is enough to scare anyone away.

You are correct sir, that is a very distinct sound !

 

[d_daffron]

Definately go with a pump shotgun, theyre cheap and very effective should you ever be forced to use it. Youre probably about to get some recommendations for a pistol but it sounds like youre looking for home defense and not something to carry. The only thing a pistol has going for it is its easy to carry/conceal. I'd say go with a Mossberg 500 or a Remington 870, both can be had cheaply and both are pretty much indestructable even with poor maintainance. If you really are planning on leaving it in a safe 99% of the time make sure you have a plan to access it in seconds, otherwise youre wasting your money buying anything.

 

[Demo Steve]

Thats the mode i went for. My first action was i wanted to get the alarm off because i have three kids under the age of 7 and i didn't want them to be scared and never ant to sleep in our house again. I had to run across a pitch black house so i had fist cocked to start throwing in case i ran into anybody. The shotgun is a good idea. I am not a good dry waller It has to be something my wife will use too. I was thinking handgun because i could put it in a small safe up on a closet shelf where the kids couldn't get to it. We are going to go look at some surveilence cameras today.

 

[Demo Steve]

I am liking the idea of spray it, don't say it. The shotgun would be a little more obstrusive to hide in the closet though. Agree 100% i need to make it acessible though.

 

[tonybolton]

Re:

Surveillance isn't so much a prevention....but more so knowledge.

I prefer knowledge so I can make a more informed decision on my next actions.

I can access my cameras through my phone. The one intruder you find/shoot may jus be half of of your problem around the next corner.

Just my philosophy...

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[Demo Steve]

100% agree. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[muddinmetal]

If you go handgun, put some thought into a revolver with a hammer. Easy to shoot and reliable

 

[Demo Steve]

Ok thanks. Any particular brand better than others?

 

[muddinmetal]

It is hard to mess up a revolver :****:

Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Colt, & Taurus are your most common, but there are many more out there

 

[money_pit_yj]

Rick Island 1911. If your not going to carry it it fits well in a drawer, big enough to find, easy to shoot, enough power to neutralize the situation and cheapish. We had a similar situation in our last house and my bodyguard was hard to find in the drawer. Make sure whatever you get you can shoot very well. Good luck!!

 

[Jacksonwolf39]

Taurus judge would be my choice in home defense. You can find them very reasonably priced and leave a hole in there ass :****:

 

[TBItoy]

I'd get a youth model 20 gauge or compact 12 gauge and 38 special revolver and learn to shoot them.

A gun locked in a safe isn't worth a damn when hoodlums are ransacking your house.

An unloaded gun is equally worthless.


There is a decent selection of low recoil/low noise shotgun rounds that are pleasant to shoot, won't deafen you, and will still flatten a perp




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[j-mox]

I bought a inexpensive home defense shotgun with the short barrel then put a pistol grip on it off of eBay. Really small short package now and you don't have to be real accurate in panic mode.

Shot it several times after setting it up and there is very little kick to it.

 

[Eddyj]

Two guns. One with serial numbers one without, so that way if someone....

Ohhh yeah, public forum.
whatever you get, shoot it a lot get use to it.