Home Defense

[CoggedBelt75]

We use Action First Security based in Yukon, Ok that is a monitored system. All the doors and windows have wireless sensors plus a motion detector mounted so that if someone was to break out a window and crawl thru, it would detect them, as they would have to pass by it. No matter which room they enter, they will have to go down an exposed hallway as they move thru the house. We normally use the "stay" function when arming, as this activates all sensors but the motion detector so we can freely walk around the house at night. And the built in delay when entering keeps the monitoring company from calling. If I go past the allowed time time before the code is entered, the alarm is activated and a minute or so later they are calling asking for a password and to verify everything is ok. When are are gone we use the "away" function where everything is armed and no delay. When tripped, they call the cops first, then you. I might add the cops have a very good response rate too .
My neighbors house has been hit twice in a week's time, so we are going do do a little upgrading. Glass break sensors for the windows, motion detectors in the backyard, and cameras. If I had the cameras at the time, I might have caught this will it was going down.
Should anyone decide to enter while we are home, my choice of defense is the Winchester Defender 12ga with #6 load. Not worried about any legal action against me. Thank heaven for the Oklahoma Make My Day law. This has been tested many times recently and the home owner also prevails.
Shame we all have to go to such extremes to protect and keep what is ours. But our two lines of defense gives us quite a bit of peace of mind. 

[87454westernhauler]

my parents have had some major isssues at their farm with people breaking in and trespasing on our farm over the years. they have so many issues that have ranged from people steel feed for their horses to kicking in our doors, or even trying to steel or have vandalized tractors and trucks. the biggest reason we have with this is that we live 5 miles from town and almost on the edge of 3 county lines and the county we live in, the cops take any wheres from an 30 min to an hour to get there and then they never do anything about it.  but over the past year or so we have goten a few security cameras and have cought alot of people coming on to the place  that do not have any reasin to set foot on the place when we were gone, but still the cops wont do a thing, but the vandalism and theft have kind of stoped again. my dad does have a pretty good arsenal, but never have to many issues with people when we are at home.

[choptop]

I carry a .380 pistol at all times, there is a Sig 9mm in the console of my truck. The house defense consists of a Smith& Wesson .357 magnum,.45 acp semi auto, and one of my favorites, a Judge with alternating .45 long Colt, and .410 self defense rounds. None of them are loaded with warning rounds, they are all stop rounds. My wife is an expert shot with any of them, tho her favorite is the .45 acp. The black lab in the yard is the early warning system......for the intruder. We live in the county and if you call the cops, its 30 minutes at best before they arrive. I dont have alot of concern about the house where we live, but sometimes the places I work are remote and illegals are known to be aggressive in some areas.

[Captkaos]

Chop, how do you like the Judge?  I have a .380 with me at all times also.

[chuck13]

When I was a kid my dad told me "never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot,and never shoot anything
you don't intend to kill".I've carried those words with me all my life.

[DnStClr]

My son (police officer) relayed a story to me- four of them had to fight off a guy who was on meth and had cut himself many times on his arms with a big knife he was wielding. The cops tazed him 3 times and he kept coming at them. They finally got him under control and off to jail after quite a fight-
For me, a shotgun seems a better defense than a tazer. You really don't know what kind of drugs an invader has been puttin in himself. But with 9 grandkids, I'm REAL careful with my weapons.

[thirsty]

I have a .380 with me at all times also.

I carry a .380 pistol at all times

Me three

[Grim 82]

As of lately, me 4. Kahr P380, how about you guys

[choptop]

Chop, how do you like the Judge?  I have a .380 with me at all times also.

I love it. It can be concealed, but not as easy as the .380. Its fairly accurate with the 45 long colt rounds considering how short it is. Of course, its hard to miss with the .410 rounds, but they kick like a mule. The .410 rounds kick remind me of the Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag I had when I was younger.

I carry a Taurus .380. Ive put over 100 practice rounds thru it and never jammed once. I am meticulous about keeping my guns cleans tho.

[PromiseKeeper]

Surprised that the Judge kicks that hard. I have a Thompson Center Encore that shoots the 45 long colt and the .410 shot shells. It's just plain fun to shoot. I bought it to rabbit hunt with but it makes a great home defense choice as well.

I have a buddy that has a Judge and he says it wont shoot the .410 as far as the Encore, but that's understandable considering mine has a 15 inch barrel.

[SGarage]

Out and about: Smith .38 +P
Kitchen: 20 gauge Ithaca DeerSlayer

[velojym]

Dogs. Two of 'em.

They aren't vicious, or even trained for security, but they do let us know if anything is out of the ordinary. In our old neighborhood, there was a rash of burglaries while folks were away from home. None of the houses that were hit had any dogs, and those of us who had 'em were passed over. They didn't have to know that all our dogs' barking could be translated to something like: "Pet me!!! Any treats???"
It isn't a silver bullet, but burglars have an eye on risk factor just like any other criminal, and they'll tend to gravitate toward the easier targets. All this goes out the window if it's advertised that you have something *really* worth stealing, though.

When we're home, my bedside roscoe is a Springfield XD45. If we're not taken too badly by surprise, I can shortly reach my 1894 levergun in .44 magnum.

My wife and I talked about it the other day, though, and I'm going to be shopping around for a short 20 ga pump. My wife is willing to shoot that a bit, but won't touch a 12.

[choptop]

Surprised that the Judge kicks that hard. I have a Thompson Center Encore that shoots the 45 long colt and the .410 shot shells. It's just plain fun to shoot. I bought it to rabbit hunt with but it makes a great home defense choice as well.

I have a buddy that has a Judge and he says it wont shoot the .410 as far as the Encore, but that's understandable considering mine has a 15 inch barrel.

the Judge has a 2-1/2 inch barrel. Its close range only. If I want to "reach out and touch someone", the S&W .357 mag and the .45 acp can take care of that issue. If theyre that far out, theyre not much danger to me so Im not too concerned about long range accuracy.

[Lt.Del]

We have a big dog.  Gives us a warning while we are at home.  He is a deterrent when we aren't home.
Now, when I am home, my Glock 22 .40 cal with 15 +1 rounds should get the job done.  I don't keep my rifles or shotguns loaded and keep the ammo away for safety purposes,having a 7 yr old son. 
I do subscribe to motion sensor flood lights.  I have run extension cords from the shed through the trees, to two trees where I have strategically placed these flood lights.  At night, if someone walks in my backyard or pulls in my driveway...LIGHT!!!! As bright as daylight.

That is another warning for me to be conscious of what is going on, coupled with my dog.  I also have deadbolts throughout.  Since i have a basement which has those small rectangle basements windows with small metal frames, all of my first floor windows are up high from the ground deterring anyone somehow climbing up to climb in.  I've been in my house since i was 23, over 20 yrs, and never had a problem.  And, because i have a garage attached to my house with a garage door without windows, people don't know if i'm home or not (my '65 mustang GT convertible rests there), not to mention in my driveway is usually a suburban, a pickup truck, and a Taurus when my wife is at work with her Escape and me in my unmarked sheriff's Fusion.    Nope, no problems here.   

I am a huge fan of flashlights on firearms

I don't want to preach or anything here, but, when I'm instructing at our firing range, I give deputies the pros and cons.  The state says we must night fire while using the flashlight.  There are many ways to hold a light while shooting.  I favor holding it out to my side w/ non gun hand as far away as possible.  That light is an instant target at night to anyone wishing to do harm with their own weapon. 

My wife is an expert shot with any of them, tho her favorite is the .45 acp.

Whoa!!! I love a woman who is not afraid of a .45 ACP!! Awesome. The next step from there would the Smith and Wesson 500 revolver .50 cal. 

[velojym]

Also worth mentioning, about the light... if you're using the light to see what's going on, you're pointing a firearm at everything you illuminate.