So you hear a noise, now what?

Late to the discussion, but....

I live in an old "four square" farmhouse. Four bedrooms up, four rooms down, with a central staircase. I have a good, monitored alarm system. I thought all was well.

Cue 2AM alarm #1: I had left my main defensive gun downstairs after cleaning it and all I had was an unloaded .22 single action revolver. Boy did I feel stupid. Look downstairs & see a shadow in the kitchen (kitchen light is on 24/7). Now feeling REALLY stupid. My wife goes to round up the girls and discovers the 4YO is missing....she is the shadow downstairs. Thank God. Solution....don't leave gun downstairs, put a backup in the drawer JIC.

Cue 2AM alarm #2: Girls are in bed. I have my AR, mounted light, red dot, GTG. Police response is 20 min out here, don't really want to sit with alarm going off that long and have police respond for a false alarm, so I decide against my better judgement to check out downstairs. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I realized I would have to walk in to one of two rooms with NO IDEA what could be behind the corner. I listened for a while, although with the siren going, there wasn't anything to hear.

Turned out to be a false alarm, cold air coming through the window tripped the temp diff., and the ceiling fan tripped the motion. Police still responded no code as I was getting back into bed.

I think the solution is cameras. I have a touchpad control panel in the stairwell that will display cameras, so a couple pointed in the right places would eliminate the blind spots and allow me to check doors and windows without having to expose myself.

Seems like it always takes a few failures to get to the correct solution. I'm glad the failures are false alarms and not actually BG's.

Fred Fuller said:

4) get shotgun from closet and remove safety

Ummmm ... what safety would that be?

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I don't know about him, but my 870 has a crossbolt safety button on the back of the trigger guard. And it's got Remington's "integrated security system" feature built into it, which uses a key to lock/unlock the cross bolt safety.

Not that I use the integrated security feature.

Chief,

Remington no longer uses that style of safety. You see, it was possible for it to lock WITHOUT the key, without a lot of manipulation ... but it still required the key to unlock. I used to swap a lot of safeties out for 3-gun shooters who wanted oversized safeties on 870s or 1100s, and as a result had a bunch of standard Remingon safety buttons in my parts box.

I used most of them up (along with a bunch of newly-ordered old style safety springs and detents) back when Remington was engaged in this aberration - you see, they wouldn't sell replacement old style safety buttons at that time.

I won't have a locking safety button on a defensive 870 in this house - YMMV of course.

So you hear a noise, now what?

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If that noise is being created by my intruder alarm system, I check the annunciator panel beside my bed to determine which unit(s) has tripped.

If the noise is from outside, I listen carefully before deciding whether or not to trigger all of the perimeter floodlights.

Either way, specific circumstances will determine my next move(s), whether it is to move out of bedroom to investigate or call the county cops, trigger the inside lights, and hunker down in the bedroom (prepared for a relatively long wait) in a covered position to control the approaches ... just two among several other responses.

At my bedside, in addition to firearms, I keep a set of Peltors, safety glasses, my cellphone and assorted light-creating devices.

Fred Fuller said:

Chief,

Remington no longer uses that style of safety. You see, it was possible for it to lock WITHOUT the key, without a lot of manipulation ... but it still required the key to unlock. I used to swap a lot of safeties out for 3-gun shooters who wanted oversized safeties on 870s or 1100s, and as a result had a bunch of standard Remingon safety buttons in my parts box.

I used most of them up (along with a bunch of newly-ordered old style safety springs and detents) back when Remington was engaged in this aberration - you see, they wouldn't sell replacement old style safety buttons at that time.

I won't have a locking safety button on a defensive 870 in this house - YMMV of course.

Click to expand...

REALLY? Thanks, that's good information to know!

I picked up that shotgun from a friend at work for a song...like new condition. I didn't complain at the time I bought the gun, because I got it for a good deal and it wasn't going to be a deal breaker for me.

Didn't have the factory key, so I visited a gun shop to see about getting one (guy pulled one out of the drawer and gave it to me for a buck, if I recall correctly).

But I'd LOVE to replace this with a standard safety. I'm not much for adding unnecessary bells and whistles which may adversely affect the operation of a firearm.

Thanks! I'll look into ordering a replacement.

I haven't read any of the responses, but here is what I plan to do if something goes bump in the night:

First off, our home is occupied by only my wife and me, so there are no other family members to worry about. That's great for me since it means I have no reason whatsoever to be a hero. I plan to grab my 12ga pump while my wife dials 911. My intention is to defend my position with deadly force only if the intruder breaches our bedroom door.

I'll look into ordering a replacement.

Best get the old style safety spring and detent also, at the same time. The key-lock safety parts won't work as well as the parts purpose made for the old style safety button. The spring is a bit shorter that's installed with the key lock safety button, and the detent is a different shape as well. The detent for the old style safety button is a little ball bearing.

There were several threads on the locking safety in the Shotgun forum, back in the day, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=294720 is one...

Fred Fuller said:

I'll look into ordering a replacement.

Best get the old style safety spring and detent also, at the same time. The key-lock safety parts won't work as well as the parts purpose made for the old style safety button. The spring is a bit shorter that's installed with the key lock safety button, and the detent is a different shape as well. The detent for the old style safety button is a little ball bearing.

There were several threads on the locking safety in the Shotgun forum, back in the day, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=294720 is one...

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Thanks! Part numbers for ordering from MidwayUSA were also listed, which minimized my research efforts.

For anybody else that's interested, the parts run a smidgen over $6 each. Including S&H and a nominal round-up for an NRA contribution, this cost me $27.

I'll probably keep the originals as "factory original parts" for the gun...in the unlikely event that this will nominally increase the value of the shotgun for my descendents a few generations from now...

Get the dirt simple revolver, get behind the bed, point it at the door and wait. Clearing the house is dangerous so do not do it unless you have to, kids are depending on you, goblin noise tells you their location, etc. Get the shotgun or carbine if there is time. Only my revolver has night sights, but the recent trend in home invasion is gangs, not just one or two goblins.

gym said:

Then what? Do you get up and grab a firearm and start going room to room, or stay put, call 911, and wait for help. What if there Is no phone in your bedroom, how about lights?
I just want to hear how members react? I keep 2 pistols next to me, and a shotgun and rifle within reach, also 3 tacticle lights and one on my handgun.
Alarm and dog are on and ready.
After several incidents, lately it's time to have a clear idea of what you are going to do, if you haven't already done so.
I sleep well.

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Without reading any replies, just the OP...

If I hear a noise I wonder what the dog or cat just broke. If I am in bed and somebody gets into the house, the alarms will go off. So will the alarm. (monitored alarm coverage on all doors and windows + 2 dogs).

There is always a phone in the bedroom. At night there are two.

There is adequate light from night lights to navigate and identify somebody who doesn't belong there, with many of those being powered by internal rechargeable batteries in the event the power is out.

If I think somebody may be attempting to enter the house, or may be in the house, my wife will call 911 from the bedroom (or if she isn't there/can't I may dial it myself, or may not, and may talk to them, or may not, depending on variables, but the alarm will get some notification out anyway most likely).

Most likely I would unlock one of the quick access safes and grab either a handgun or a 5.56 carbine (the one with handguns has two so either way my wife can have a handgun there int he bedroom) and move to my daughter's room, where I would most likely stay. We would only go back to the bedroom if it seemed clear to do so, and would call out to my wife that we were going to be coming back in. But she would probably see us leave our daughter's room on the monitor.

If it's during the day or I am otherwise not in the bedroom then it's either move to where a firearm is (if I don't have one on me) or move to where my daughter is and then if possible go with her to where a firearm is

the answer to the OP is SURVEILLANCE.
Yes cameras. Look into various types. But you can get good cameras now that connect to the Internet or thru wireless. If you can see whats going on, you might not have to get out of bed. Just roll over and go back to sleep.

CA R

gym said:

Then what? Do you get up and grab a firearm and start going room to room, or stay put, call 911, and wait for help. What if there Is no phone in your bedroom, how about lights?
I just want to hear how members react? I keep 2 pistols next to me, and a shotgun and rifle within reach, also 3 tacticle lights and one on my handgun.
Alarm and dog are on and ready.
After several incidents, lately it's time to have a clear idea of what you are going to do, if you haven't already done so.
I sleep well.

Click to expand...

Unless you have thermal imager to scan the area going outside to investigate noise when it is dark is probably a dumb idea.

depends

2 story house? bedroom upstairs? Is your bedroom hardened? WHY aint you got a cell phone in there with you? Ayoob says to have steel shutters on all windows, hardened doors. I'd never bother with a dog, but an alarm is a good idea. Mas also says to have a bright orange blob on your key chain, so you can toss it out the window to the cops when they come, and let them clear the house.

Do you have kids? Do they have friends over, or slip out without telling you? Do you have to go gather them up and return to the safe room with them? Is your spouse skilled with a gun and level headed enough in crises?

Get soft armor and stereo earmuffs, electronic ones, or at least, Norton sonic earvalves, so you can hear without getting your ears ruined if you have to fire. The armor gives you a fighting chance. Get a better flashlight, preferably AA, one with a side button, so that your weak hand thumb can work the button and hold the light, without changing your 2 handed firing grip at all.

Gun in hand,pointed toward door or noise, get behind bed or something, get woke up and access noise or situation.

PabloJ said:

Unless you have thermal imager to scan the area going outside to investigate noise when it is dark is probably a dumb idea.

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What?

that's correct.

if you don't have night vision goggles, or aint friendly with their use, don't go outside in the dark, to check out a noise, unless you are sure it's just an animal. You will be very easily heard and shot, and the enemy can be very hard to detect, hiding behind cover

Warp said:

Without reading any replies, just the OP...

If I hear a noise I wonder what the dog or cat just broke. If I am in bed and somebody gets into the house, the alarms will go off. So will the alarm. (monitored alarm coverage on all doors and windows + 2 dogs).

There is always a phone in the bedroom. At night there are two.

There is adequate light from night lights to navigate and identify somebody who doesn't belong there, with many of those being powered by internal rechargeable batteries in the event the power is out.

If I think somebody may be attempting to enter the house, or may be in the house, my wife will call 911 from the bedroom (or if she isn't there/can't I may dial it myself, or may not, and may talk to them, or may not, depending on variables, but the alarm will get some notification out anyway most likely).

Most likely I would unlock one of the quick access safes and grab either a handgun or a 5.56 carbine (the one with handguns has two so either way my wife can have a handgun there int he bedroom) and move to my daughter's room, where I would most likely stay. We would only go back to the bedroom if it seemed clear to do so, and would call out to my wife that we were going to be coming back in. But she would probably see us leave our daughter's room on the monitor.

If it's during the day or I am otherwise not in the bedroom then it's either move to where a firearm is (if I don't have one on me) or move to where my daughter is and then if possible go with her to where a firearm is

Click to expand...

Warp, I wouldn't put too much faith in your monitored security system. I used to manage a call center for a top rated security system company, (for three years) and believe me... Home alarms are everything but foolproof.

I live In a ranch, and many times i've found random people out there. Last year I found a crazy dude in my backyard, I told him to go away, he refused and then I made a few shots just to scare him off, and he ran away. After that I called the police and they caught him. Apparently he had mental health problems.

xxjumbojimboxx said:

Warp, I wouldn't put too much faith in your monitored security system. I used to manage a call center for a top rated security system company, (for three years) and believe me... Home alarms are everything but foolproof.

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It's one of multiple layers.

Between the monitored alarm (whose primary benefit is making a lot of noise immediately if a window or door is opened while it is armed) and the two dogs, I am fairly comfortable with the idea that somebody coming through a door or window will lead to noise indicating that.

NOTHING is foolproof, of course.

alfon99 said:

I live In a ranch, and many times i've found random people out there. Last year I found a crazy dude in my backyard, I told him to go away, he refused and then I made a few shots just to scare him off, and he ran away. After that I called the police and they caught him. Apparently he had mental health problems.

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That seems ill advised.

That seems ill advised.

Here in the US, pretty much anywhere. In Uruguay, perhaps not so much... I haven't looked into international law regarding that sort of thing.

Did not notice location was Uruguay