Don't open your door to see who is there!

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I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting you....otherwise our male GS would have to let you in.....and that's not gonna be good.
 
This is something I've given some thought to. A friend of a friend around here recently had something similar happen. He even answered the door with a gun and everything. The other guy had a gun too, and got the better of him. No one was shot or anything, but it goes to show you that just having a gun isn't a panacea. I thought it over a lot and talked it over with the old lady, and we decided the best policy is just to not answer the door for anybody we're not expecting. If it looks like a neighbor, I might open the door, but I only open it a crack, and keep my foot braced behind it so no one can push through. If somebody on the porch tries to stick me up, I can quickly jump back into the house behind the door. Then even if they are pushing through behind me, they have to come around the door and I can get into a better position back in the house, or even fire through the door.
 
rgwalt said:
I have a balcony above the front door. If I'm not expecting someone, I don't make the trip down to the first floor. Instead I answer the door by going out to the balcony. It throws people off.
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I agree and do something similar now, ever since my "carpet cleaning lady" incident not too long ago. (Some folks here know what I'm talking about, I posted it on here)

I go up to the upstairs bedroom and look down to see if I see a car or someone standing outside before going to the door; that is, if I'm not expecting anyone.
 
I always answer my door with a smile.

Cause on the other side is a cocked and locked 230 grain rounds ball on standby.
 
rainbowbob
Can you tell us what happened next?
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I was very lucky with the forced entry by a guy that was stoned out of his head. Standing in my LR in his underwear he started talking about a job he was suppost to do. I talked with him and walked him out the front door. In total that night before the county deputies arrived he had forced his way into no fewer than 5 houses. The last one had the guy spread eagle in the road way with no underwear and a 357 to the back of his head. He is now serving some where around 8-10 yrs. I was lucky, and have since improved my view of who is out side, I am too old to roll around on the ground even with a 20yr old girl.
 
I don’t care what time you come to my door, if I don’t know you I don’t answer. I have never had an unknown person come to my door that wasn’t some type of inconvenience or annoyance. Why should I open the door or encourage them?
 
You probably won the Reader's Digest sweepstakes for $25 million but they went on to the next person on the list when you wouldn't come to the door!
 
only problem is that if my wife or I get cornered on the third floor, there is no easy way out.
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I don't have a link to one right now, but perhaps one of those fire escape roll-up chain ladder things might work? I believe that Harbor Freight has those.
 
Roll-up chain ladders are very difficult to use, almost as hard as using a rope ladder. But it certainly is a good idea to have one as a final back-up to wherever you might end up retreating to. I guess there are practical limits on self defense measures. Personally I don't want to have guns planted in every room around my house, nor to carry a gun with me while in my house, nor to have elaborate contingency plans for every remote possibility. Keeping doors and windows locked; checking who is at the door before opening it; having reasonable access to a firearm in case of a break-in, and keeping my cell phone with me at all times, including at the bedside charging at night (in case the land lines are cut prior to a break-in) are about as far as I am willing to go. Paranoia needs to be resisted. If I lived in an environment where all of the above elaborate actions were truly warranted, I would make my primary effort as moving away from that environment.
 
Posted by vito: If I lived in an environment where all of the above elaborate actions were truly warranted, I would make my primary effort as moving away from that environment.
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Moving might be indicated if property values were declining, or if there were issues with vandalism, car break-ins, or danger to persons mowing lawns or going to and from the street.

Violent home invasions present a different problem. First, the perpetrators are mobile. Second, they tend to select targets in areas in which there are things of value to be had. Moving won't help. Keep in mind that the crime cited in the OP occurred in "in a very safe and seemingly crime free neighborhood."

I do not like the idea of having guns planted here and there. At first I thought the idea of carrying while at home to be preposterous, but a little analysis convinced me otherwise. There are four possible portals for forced entry onto the first floor; entry through one of those would prevent me from getting to the second floor. Depending upon my location at the time, entry though any of the others would either put me into a footrace with bad people or cut me off.

So I tried carrying and got used to it. The net result is that I do not have to strap on a firearm when I leave the house and take it off when I return home.

I consider the likelihood of sudden entry by violent criminal actors to be less than remote, but the potential consequences are quite severe, as the article cited in the OP pointed out.

And while the likelihood of being attacked in the out of doors is low, the risk of being attacked at an ATM or service station or between a shop and your car is a lot higher than that of being attacked in the home.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, I do not rely for security on the idea of answering the door while armed. We answer the door only after we have ascertained that there is no apparent danger.
 
Simple-- don`t answer the door for strangers.

Answering the door with a gun behind your back is half-witted. It assumes that you are faster, meaner, and more aggressive than an attacher. I think this is a bad assumption for most folks.

Leave the door shut. With a cell phone in one hand and a weapon in the other, ask who they are. If you are not interested, tell them to go away. Call the police or neighbors as necessary.
 
Swann multiple camera system, one covering each door, driveway, hidden side yard. Internet/Smartphone capable as well.

Newfie mix goes nuts, (or someone makes it to the door without him alerting) hit source on the remote, instant removal of as much mystery as can be expected.

As to answering the door, the dog dominates the discussion, unwanted folks are told to leave for their own safety before the dog overpowers us, and he puts on quite a show for their benefit.

He actually responds quite well to commands, I'm just deliberately slow in giving them. ;)

Always wearing a gun, but wouldn't carry one in hand to the door unless the cameras showed more than the local weirdos at an odd hour.

That's the nice thing about a shoulder rig... no pants? No pockets? no problem!
 
Both me and the wife can "look" thru several small plains of glass in the front door.
We don`t know you ............. nobody home.

If they have other ideas, Plan B comes into play.
 
For some strange reason my golden retriever and border collie/husky like to hang out in the kitchen which is right by the front door. They have a handle on everything. Ears up, tails down, barking, they give them the works.

Coupled with the house alarm signs and obvious cameras there would be easier targets. My edc is always on me.
 
vito said:
Most readers of this forum know better, but an older couple who live fairly close to me, in a very safe and seemingly crime free neighborhood, were robbed and the husband shot today. Police reported that two young black males knocked at the home of the older couple, and the man opened the door to ask what they wanted. A struggle ensued, the man was shot, his wife battered, and the house ransacked before they fled. Why would any sane person open his door to two strangers? I rarely have anyone come to my front door, but when my door bell rings I am pretty cautious about even coming to the door. If its after dark and I'm not expecting anyone, I am armed as I approach the door (which is largely glass so I can see who is there, and there is no close in place for someone to hide). Hope the police catch the two thugs quickly. I'm thinking of installing close circuit TV so I can see if anyone is outside my garage door now. What a great world we live in.
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Same thing nearly happened to my next door neighbor Friday night.
 
It is impossible to be prepared for every eventuality and foolish to try. Basic security measures (dog, signage, deadbolts) will stop MOST break-ins from ever happening. Using a little common sense can stop just about any violent encounter but there will always be times when, no matter what precautions you take, bad things can happen.
 
bubba in ca said:
Simple-- don`t answer the door for strangers.

Answering the door with a gun behind your back is half-witted. It assumes that you are faster, meaner, and more aggressive than an attacher. I think this is a bad assumption for most folks.

Leave the door shut. With a cell phone in one hand and a weapon in the other, ask who they are. If you are not interested, tell them to go away. Call the police or neighbors as necessary.
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Who answers it with it behind their back? Ball rounds go through cheap aluminum just as easy as they do door thickness oak.
 
I was looking at guns in a farm & ranch store in a small rural town about 20 miles away one day. There was a couple in there being waited on by the gun clerk, and the lady's face was bandaged, she was obviously having difficulty talking and looked to be in pain. They were buying a Glock .40.

After they left and I came to the counter, I guess my curiosity was showing. The clerk told me that couple lived in the country nearby, and the lady had answered the door to a stranger.....who then shot her in the face for no apparent reason and ran away.

They suspect he was a meth head planning on robbery, but lost his nerve after shooting her.
 
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