Encounter today that made me think...

[Project325]

Two years ago, if someone came knocking at the door, I would have asked what they wanted and told them to piss off. But since I've gotten more into the "right to bear arms" frame of mind, I find things are a little different.

Knowing that lately there have been a lot of home invasions in the news, and that I have 2 small ones and a wife in the house to protect, I find myself almost in a state of paranoia.

Tonight a stranger came knocking on the door and ringing the bell (rather impatiently). I peeked around the corner to see if it was my dad, cause he's known to show up. Seeing that it was not, I immediately retrieved a 9mm and went to answer the door. Turns out he was selling newspaper subscriptions and I politely sent him on his way. I could have just answered and been done with it, but I actually though to myself "who the F is that... I better get my gun"

All this leads up to the big "what if?" What if he was testing to see if anyone was home before kicking in the door? How would I react? I'm pretty sure that if he had entered forcefully, I would have drawn the weapon anticipating that he would turn & run. But if he drew his own weapon, what then? Or if he had no weapon but refused to leave? I don't know, maybe I'm just rambling...

If a stranger knocks on the door, do you guys answer it armed and ready for anything? Or am I just being paranoid?

 

[M. Sage]

If I'm not expecting someone, yes I go to the door armed every time. Then I look to see who's out there. If it looks like trouble, I'm not opening the door.

I go gun in hand, not in holster. Why? Because I'm not going to try wrestling with someone that's forcing their way through my door. That's why I brought a gun... I also don't open the door all the way. From the inside, my front door's hinges are on the right, which keeps my gun out of view. I open the door about halfway. No sense letting anybody I don't know see what's inside my living room. Less sense flashing my Sig at them without knowing what they want.

 

[Dcav]

I always have a gun when someone strange is at the door, but then again I wear my holster in the house as well.

 

[Roscoe]

I'm always armed when answering the door.

 

[Texasjack]

Armed.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Armed and i keep a 12 gauge hidin within arms reach of font door

 

[M. Sage]

Armed and i keep a 12 gauge hidin within arms reach of font door

I've done that a few times, taken a long gun with me and kept it nearby. But then I thought about it and decided it wasn't the best plan. If you open the door and someone decides they want to force it, you're going to be wrestling with them as you try bringing that shotgun to bear.

That's why I bring a Sig instead of my AR or 870. When you're nose to nose with someone, it's a lot harder to bring a long gun to bear. If they're farther away, I can always use the pistol to keep that distance and make a dash for a "real gun". But odds are I won't need any more than the pistol in the first place.

 

[lalonguecarabine]

Like others, if I'm not expecting anyone, or the person outside is unfamiliar, I'm packin'! Then again, if it's not someone I know, I don't answer the door anyway. But I'm armed if it's some idiot who's stupid enough to try to break in.

 

[Wolfwood]

my SOP is to stand sideways using the door as a sheild, while at the same time blocking it with my right foot (lengthwise in contact with the sole of my boot) open the door with my left hand, my right is concealed behind the door holding my 9mm with one in the tube, hammer back.

the thinking is, the door will be hard to force with 300 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal as a door stop, i am armed and ready, yet, in case it is an elaborate "casing the joint" situation he wont know that i have guns. which wont offer any extra incentive to come back when i ain't home. if he does manage to force the door, and if he tries by throwing his shoulder into the door i can pump a couple of rounds through the door itself. with any luck directly into a pile of bad guy meat.

FYI - i keep the first two or three rounds of my "answering the door" magazine loaded with FMJ for easy door busting

i wont have to draw becasue the weapon is already in hand, and those few seconds of saved time could be the few seconds that save my life, or more importantly my wife's.

 

[Wolfwood]

i'll also add that i follow this procedure even when expecting company. if i in fact DO know them, it doesnt take much to decock and posket the pistol let them in shake hands and go deposit the Home Security System back on my desk.

 

[Texas1911]

A while back I had two guys knock on my door around 2 PM ... I didn't answer. I heard them walk off, but then I heard them start walking down the side of the house. I thought they were cutting through to my neighbors house, but they started to open the back gate to my yard. I jumped up, grabbed my loaded M1A and headed for the back. Once they were in the "open" so to speak, I slid the back door open and asked them in a loud tone what they were doing in my back yard. The first guy about shit himself and said he had the wrong address, and I ordered both of them to GTFO.

I don't take risks. I don't even answer the door. If someone kicks down my door, they will be shot until they catch on fire, leave, or die. I have absolutely no respect, mercy, or resemblance of care for someone that burglarizes homes and attacks people.

 

[Texas1911]

If a stranger knocks on the door, do you guys answer it armed and ready for anything? Or am I just being paranoid?

What society calls paranoia is really a defensive mechanism that humans have but is suppressed by societal conditioning. This naive mentality is exactly what gets most people raped, killed, or brutalized in conjunction with burglary.

 

[Texas1911]

FYI - i keep the first two or three rounds of my "answering the door" magazine loaded with FMJ for easy door busting

FMJs don't do any better through a door than JHPs. The JHPs just crush the tip or core out the wood and push right through.

 

[OldGringo]

Like most of you I have gun in hand when the doorbell rings after hours which drives my wife insane. She thinks I'm over reacting. Once I started asking her who she was expecting at this hour as I wasn't, she seemed to get the point.

 

[Tejano Scott]

Always on me- knife, flashlight, gun. Shower and bed are the only times I feel vulnerable.

 

[espy59lc]

I had a weird situation happen yesterday. In the morning I was gone doing some stuff around town, when I got back my g/f said there was a guy in a Jeep taking pictures of the house from the street inside his Jeep. Then she ordered pizza and it had been about 2 hours since she told me this story and I look out and there is a guy in a Silverado now parked in front of my drive way blocking my truck, looking and writing stuff down. As I was in the bedroom watching, I decided I was going to conceal my .45 and go see what he was doing, when I went to get the gun she said it was the pizza guy! haha. I was all pissed off and ready to confront the dude, nope just the pizza guy!

I've been a little hardcore on protection since someone opened our privacy fence door and my dogs chased them out at 7am. Good thing my g/f had just let them out while she was getting ready for work or who knows what would have happened since I was passed out from working the whole night.

 

[Rum Runner]

A while back I had two guys knock on my door around 2 PM ... I didn't answer. I heard them walk off, but then I heard them start walking down the side of the house.

See this is the common MO. If you would have answered, they would have been selling magazines or some BS and been on their way to someone else'e house.

This is why I tell my wife to always answer the door so they know someone is home. Also don't open the door, talk through it. And always start by saying something like "Its ok honey, I got it." loudly. Combine all of that with the barking dogs, and she is probably never going to have the guys strolling into the back yard.

I am slowly working towards having her answer it with a loaded gun, but we are not there yet.

 

[ROGER4314]

If a stranger knocks on the door, do you guys answer it armed and ready for anything? Or am I just being paranoid?

Are you kidding? Home invasions are the "IN" thing to do these days! From my observation, a car jacking in your driveway is popular, too. I have loaded firearms ready in my desk where I always sit and at strategic points in my little house. In rural areas like mine, YOU are the law and the cops come later to fill out a report. I don't think being prepared for unfortunate events that happen in our changing world is paranoia. I pray that I will never need to defend my home.........but I will. When I answer the door, it is a heavy door and I can't hear voices through it so I open it or rather, my pistol and I open it together.

My little dog Jake will really sound off if a stranger comes to the door but somehow, he can tell the difference if it's a friend or neighbor. When a friend approaches, he runs to the door quietly. If it's a stranger, he runs to the door making a Hell of a racket. He alerts when someone gets to the end of the driveway by the street. He is an amazing little watchdog and he never barks without a reason.

Flash

 

[zembonez]

I never answer the door unless I am damn well expecting somebody... and even then I make sure who it is first. Anybody kicking down my door better be wearing armor and watching out for a headshot.

 

[JADB]

Two years ago, if someone came knocking at the door, I would have asked what they wanted and told them to piss off. But since I've gotten more into the "right to bear arms" frame of mind, I find things are a little different.

Knowing that lately there have been a lot of home invasions in the news, and that I have 2 small ones and a wife in the house to protect, I find myself almost in a state of paranoia.

Tonight a stranger came knocking on the door and ringing the bell (rather impatiently). I peeked around the corner to see if it was my dad, cause he's known to show up. Seeing that it was not, I immediately retrieved a 9mm and went to answer the door. Turns out he was selling newspaper subscriptions and I politely sent him on his way. I could have just answered and been done with it, but I actually though to myself "who the F is that... I better get my gun"

All this leads up to the big "what if?" What if he was testing to see if anyone was home before kicking in the door? How would I react? I'm pretty sure that if he had entered forcefully, I would have drawn the weapon anticipating that he would turn & run. But if he drew his own weapon, what then? Or if he had no weapon but refused to leave? I don't know, maybe I'm just rambling...

If a stranger knocks on the door, do you guys answer it armed and ready for anything? Or am I just being paranoid?

Thank god! I thought I was the only one. I honestly didn't get like that until I joined this place. Seriously.

Soooo, thank you.....