If you are more than three seconds away from your gun, you are unarmed. When you are unarmed and attacked by someone who is armed, your options are limited to the most dangerous type of personal defense — the hand-to-hand fight.
I’ve just begun “carrying” on a regular basis. The past couple of weeks I’ve begun carrying around the house. As my primary reason for carrying is protection for me and my wife I am happy that I am now doing so and appreciative of this blog.
Thanks for the reassurance that I’m doing the right thing.
I’m doing the same. Feeling safer. Be safe my friend
I always keep one next to me while at home; police response time is way to long in my area. i use an inexpensive shoulder holster to carry it around the house effective and
comfortable
This situation makes me wonder. What would the consequences be to shooting someone breaking into my house, who is armed with a sludge hammer - not a gun, as soon as the break in occurs, as you are suggesting? In as much as I should not have to consider the consequences of protecting my family and in a similar situation because someone is breaking into my home, times are not what they used to be. However, seems to me that shooting someone with a sludge hammer would be viewed as excessive force (in some states and municipalities), which then means I am going to jail (most likely) in this day-and-age. I am probably missing something. Please elaborate how that would not be the case and why drawing and using my firearm as soon as the break in occurs makes a difference. Thanks
Your cautious approach seems valid where law allows deadly response only where one believe s/he is in danger of immediate death or great bodily harm. Property defense in my area is not a valid justification for responding with deadly force.
The concept that is portrayed in Hollywood productions that you will escape from a fight (gun, knife, fists) unscathed and ready to begin your favorite hobby the next day is only in the mind’s eye of the producer/director. A tool, be it a sledgehammer, rock or stick IS a deadly weapon and your defense attorney will explain that to the jury if it comes to that. Each of the individuals fight for their lives in the invasion video will have bruises for weeks following the attack. They are lucky to escape with their lives as it could have gone much worse.
When my family asked why I carry all day, I tell that that greater than 99% of Home Invasions happen in the home. The joke being, that it is 100%, but sounds more humorous stated that way.
The presumption is if someone is illegally entering an occupied home, there is an intention of great bodily harm or death that justifies a comparable use of force level. De-escalation, if there is time, is one facet of self-defense; pointing a firearm at a violent criminal (carrying a sledge hammer, he/she is not there for tea and crumpets) entering your home is a reasonable method of de-escalation, along with commands to stop, drop the weapon, and leave. Once the commands are not followed, you must use whatever means at your disposal to neutralize the threat, up to and including use of lethal force (a firearm is always considered lethal force).
I understand this, but I disagree.
If a police officer stops to check on me while I’m changing my tire and he sees my rifle in my trunk, he’s not going to say I’m unarmed just because I’m 4 seconds away. Similarly, if the FBI raids my house because I shoveled my sidewalk without wearing a CDC approved face mask, the report won’t say I was “unarmed” simply because my firearms are secured in a safe. There’s going to be a headline in the newspaper saying I had a cache (more than 1) of firearms and therefore I must be up to no good.
In an emergency self-defense situation, it’s always better to be more ready. I believe that’s the point of the quote.
But that doesn’t mean I walk around my house with my rifle at the low ready. It’s fine to secure my firearms and walk away- so long as I know where they’re at, how to get to them, and who has access.