Home security systems/weapons???

Carbon12 wrote: Also, shot gun or handgun for home defense?

Shotgun, preferably sawed off to the smallest legal size. Legally the barrel needs to be 18 inches or longer, be sure it's at least 18 1/2 inches in the event you need to use it so you won't have any issues with someone measuring fractions of an inch. Overall length needs to be 26 inches so make sure it's 26 1/2.

I brought my shot gun primarily because of the sound it makes when I pump it. As someone else said, there is nothing like the sound of a shot gun being pumped to instill fear in the hearts of bad men in the dark. It also gives my family time to yell and get down.

Smokeyja wrote:Most of you guys are from PA , one of the few commonwealth states just like Virginia. I actually bought a mannlicher carcano rifle from a little shop in West Mifflin PA. The good thig about PA is ya'll have Castle Law. We don't have castle law here in VA which can make it a bad situation for the victim trying to protect their home. We could easily get caught up in court proceedings and would be at the mercy of the jury. But that wouldn't stop most of us from protecting our family, whatever the means.

Maryland is not a castle state either. You just have to say you were in fear for your life. A throw down weapon would also help if needed. Anyone brazen enough to break into your home while you are there is capable of anything as far as I am concerned. Once the target is identified as a bogey, I'm going to shoot first and hear his life story later. Large mouthy dog and .40 cal Beretta

Have a whole house security system that I haven't had on for years.

Instead, I have a Winchester 1300 Defender 12 ga, S&W 38 snub nose, two fearless rat terriers,
and a Sicilian wife

Hell oakback, I'd be willin to tackle anything except the Sicilian wife.

freetown fred wrote:Hell oakback, I'd be willin to tackle anything except the Sicilian wife.

me either

coalkirk wrote:Maryland is not a castle state either. You just have to say you were in fear for your life. A throw down weapon would also help if needed. Anyone brazen enough to break into your home while you are there is capable of anything as far as I am concerned. Once the target is identified as a bogey, I'm going to shoot first and hear his life story later. Large mouthy dog and .40 cal Beretta

I had a cop friend tell me that if you are going to shoot an intruder than you better shoot them dead, so they can't tell their side of the story. He was referring to a non-castle state. I believe the family of the intruder can sue you in civil court and if you only wound the intruder then they can sue you as well for being hurt on your property. Isn't that a load of crap! Shoot first before they shoot you and take no chances with your families life!

Yep - MA is a non-castle state ... BIG SHOCK there huh! However there is no duty to retreat, which I was shocked to learn from a forum member here a while back. Either way I was told the same thing. If you shoot someone on your porch you'd better drag him back inside the threshold of the door.

Isn't it amazing how "shall not be infringed" is infringed upon every waking moment of modern life? The founders would be wondering why we're all sitting on our hands allowing this to go on. They'd have started another revolution .... a REAL one ... in the 60's.



DVR-based surveillance systems have come WAY down in price compared to the old junk VCR based systems of not so long ago. They hold months worth of multiple camera footage, & with pretty damn good detail too. If you want an American made system, they're out there ... but your gonna pay BIG. Chinese ones are all over the net. You can get a 16 camera system for under a grand now. 4 or 8 cam systems are even less. I bought a system 3 years ago .. but then replaced the junk DVR with a VERY expensive American made one after a lengthy but unproductive battle with the seller of the junk one. Long story short, I had my CC cancel the payment. As far as reliability, so far so good. Biggest issue I've had was wiring problems. I bought the cheapest wire I could find .... But the cams have been outdoors 24/7 ... and being made in china I figured I'd get a few months out of them. They all still work as good as they did new. As an added bonus the ugly color they were painted got bleached by the sun, so they look pretty good now.

But the system is great - don't know how I lived without it before. I see EVERYTHING. Can also view them on the cell phone or someones computer... but I'm not that tech savvy. My neighbors will take care of anyone when I'm not here anyway.

SMITTY wrote:Yep - MA is a non-castle state ... BIG SHOCK there huh! However there is no duty to retreat, which I was shocked to learn from a forum member here a while back. Either way I was told the same thing. If you shoot someone on your porch you'd better drag him back inside the threshold of the door......

An old piece of pipe or a rusty untraceable screwdriver can be your friend.......... Just sayin'
(and make sure the screwdriver doesn't match your set in the garage that is missing one)



Rick

Smokeyja wrote:I had a cop friend tell me that if you are going to shoot an intruder than you better shoot them dead, so they can't tell their side of the story

Cheif of police told us back in the 70's,back in the good ol boys days," dead men don't talk" and drag them back into the house.

Oakback wrote:

freetown fred wrote:Hell oakback, I'd be willin to tackle anything except the Sicilian wife.

me either

Italian/Sicilian women are the very best women in the whole world!!! BUT, they are also the worst of women to piss off!!! YIKES... One of these days I can only hope that I learn to keep my "sense of humor" under control around my Italian lady, I'm tired of getting beat up already, but damn can she cook and keep a clean home!!!

you wanna kill em or just scare em? Id just rack a round in my 870 and if that dosent put the fear of god in em ,they are to dumb to live anyways. wanna kill em ,Ak-47 with a folding stock and a 100 rd drum on it. Oh yeah ,bayonet on it too !

AA130FIREMAN wrote:Shotgun with bird shot will not over penatrate walls if loved ones are behind them, not as lethal and would show you mean buisness. 1 bird shot in the chamber, followed by buck shot and slugs in the tube if the first shot doesn't do the trick.

Bird shot is for birds. If someone breaks in I ain't giving them any warning shots or non-lethal bird shot. If it comes to that, the first round needs to count. If you are worried about over penetration don't miss. By the way, vests stop slugs. I know someone who was shot by a slug and buckshot in combat many years ago. The slug hit the vest. It hurt. Threw him off balance so he hit the ground. The buck shot that didn't hit the vest did some damage but he lived to tell the story thanks to his friends. He lost enough blood that he blacked out. War is hell.

My security system is an ITI. Third ITI system I've had nd all have performed flawlessly. And yes, I use the system every day. I actually purchased all 3 systems to use more when I'm home than when I'm out. All 3 houses have been way out in the country so LEO response wouldn't be much use. My big thing is I ALWAYS arm it at night before bed. I sleep soundly and if someone broke in at the other end of the house they'd be on me before I ever knew they were there. Set to no delay the system will let me know the instant they break glass or kick in a door. After that I'm quite well prepared to handle their presence and will do so with no hesitation.

Yup, going with the wireless door, glass break and IR motion detector system. Dog sleeps in the room with us, would send her down stairs first on alarm followed by me with the 18.5" 12 ga. I decided on. My Significant Other will call 911 and grab the pistol (haven't decided on make/caliber yet) grab the kids and lock the bedroom door. Of course I might just wait near the top of the stairs with the 12 ga pointing down the steps until the police arrive.