House broken into yesterday.. home defense help needed

Hey all,

I've been at a bit of a loss for the past few days and was hoping that someone could shed some light on the subject.

My house was broken into yesterday. As I am out of town for the holiday, I have only had my house-sitter and the police to give me an initial report. It looks like nothing was stolen and the culprits were probably looking for the previous (very rich) occupants belongings. In any case, I have been debating the idea of a first firearm for a while now and believe that it's time. My girlfriend is moving in in May and I would like to get this squared away before she comes.

I went to a shooting range with some friends today and tried out a few basic shotguns including a Mossberg 500 pistol grip. While the gun is probably not the best for target shooting, it seems like it would make a great first gun with my intentions. I plan to get a bit more involved in the firearms scene and would like to purchase a 9mm in the future. But, as a newbie I think a shotgun would make the most sense. Any advice? Should I purchase a bedside safe? Those of you who leave home defense weapons by the bed, how do you store them? I appreciate any and all wisdom. Thanks guys. This is an important issue to me.

[emopunker2004]

why not pick up a mossberg 500 or rem 870 with a stock vs a pistol grip. You can get them with the 18.5" barrels. That would do HD duty well. Personally with no kids in the house, i would leave they gun propped against the wall by the bed or behind the door. my

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by emopunker2004

why not pick up a mossberg 500 or rem 870 with a stock vs a pistol grip. You can get them with the 18.5" barrels. That would do HD duty well. Personally with no kids in the house, i would leave they gun propped against the wall by the bed or behind the door. my

Got both , great choices.

I like the 870 better out of the two

I grew up around guns. I have guns. I shoot guns. I write for a gun magazine, but I gotta ask, don't you think they would have stolen your gun if you had one?

That being said, take a class. Than take another one

[MikeyC]

Originally Posted by ysr_racer

I grew up around guns. I have guns. I shoot guns. I write for a gun magazine, but I gotta ask, don't you think they would have stolen your gun if you had one?

That being said, take a class. Than take another one

First I want to say, I'm really sorry to hear about this. YSR brings up a good point though. You weren't home when this happened. How would a gun have helped you in this situation? It sounds like you need an alarm system not a gun.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by ysr_racer

I grew up around guns. I have guns. I shoot guns. I write for a gun magazine, but I gotta ask, don't you think they would have stolen your gun if you had one?

That being said, take a class. Than take another one

I don't write for a gun magazine, but ditto on the rest. When I was a kid, all we had to do is ask Dad if we could take the .22 pistol down to the gas well to shoot bottles and we were on our way. That was at maybe 9 and 10 years old and we'd go by ourselves. We were taught to shoot and respect guns as soon as we could hold one, and I taught my daughters the same. At ten years old my daughter could put a whole clip in a six inch group at 30 feet, barking them off in under 3 seconds. At 12 years old she put all the old boys at the shooting range to shame. She's a natural and she has her own handgun.

I've had my house robbed twice, I wasn't home either time. My guns weren't bothered, they were put up.

Take a class and take another class is good advice. Get out to shoot often. Go hunting, if only to spend time with your buds and your gun. They'll teach you how to handle, respect, and fear your weapon.
You really have to spend time with a gun to become confident with it so it's an extension of you. If you jump up in the middle of the night because of a noise and you're a nervous wreck carrying a gun, there's a good chance you'll shoot the cat or the refrigerator or the furnace. You have to develop a confidence and innate relationship with a gun. Period.

I keep a 9mm and a .22 with a pair of clips for each in the safe near our bed. I used to shoot regularly, but in the last year since I've moved I have yet to find a shooting range. I'll find one soon, I have two new kids and a wife to teach.
I'm not a fan of the scatter-gun angle. I feel it's not tactically sound in close quarters and I'd lose advantage in a situation where someone is closing fast. I'd far rather have a handgun.

Lastly, keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot, and keep the gun pointed at the ground.

[Remo]

Sucks about the house, on the gun topic a Shotgun is a great home defense weapon but you must be at home to defend it, if it's not locked up when you're not at home bad guy has a new gun. Any kids in the home? I leave my gun(s) in my nightstand at night and on my person when not at home.

Originally Posted by Remo_5_0

Sucks about the house, on the gun topic a Shotgun is a great home defense weapon but you must be at home to defend it, if it's not locked up when you're not at home bad guy has a new gun. Any kids in the home? I leave my gun(s) in my nightstand at night and on my person when not at home.

I agree with the shotgun, been a LEO for 17 yrs and any advice for HD would be a shotgun loaded with turkey shot. Reason. Bullets go through walls and I am a family man, someone comes through the door you fire off several rounds and those rounds travel through walls and end up hitting your kid sleeping in the bedroom. Turkey shot you hit the person they will fall but if you miss the shot won't travel through a wall. Plus shotguns make a universal sound when you rack a round in them. Anyone standing behind the door hear the sound of a round being racked into action they will know whats coming next.

[MedicCook]

Sorry to hear about the break in. Having a gun for protection in the house can be a catch 22.

@emopunker, thanks for the advice. I was looking at a stock mossberg 500, but was advised that the pistol grip would be a bit easier for storage reasons (I guess because of size?). Like I said, absolute newbie here, does this sound like a trivial quality? Thanks again brother.

@ysr, I was thinking about taking a multi-session class. Unfortunately, with my work schedule in the new quarter it looks like it will be a few months until I can find the time to fit it in. I saw some advertisements for 1 on 1 lessons though and will be investing in some! I'm a bit confused as to your comment regarding, "don't you think they would have stolen your gun?". IMO it's missing the point. When I travel for extended periods of time I lock my valuables (watches, cash) in a safety deposit box. The break-in happened early in the morning, roughly between 5-10 AM while my house-sitter was at work. I need to feel safe with my loved one sleeping beside me.

[ninjavanish]

Considering obtaining a gun because of a Break-in while you're not at home is like saying you had a house fire while you were away and wanting to buy a fire extinguisher.

I'm not going to discourage you from purchasing a home protection weapon, but I think you may be better served by calling brinks home security or adt or something like that.

[CasaDooley]

Originally Posted by ninjavanish

Considering obtaining a gun because of a Break-in while you're not at home is like saying you had a house fire while you were away and wanting to buy a fire extinguisher.

I'm not going to discourage you from purchasing a home protection weapon, but I think you may be better served by calling brinks home security or adt or something like that.

The right training, along with the right weapon, is good when you're home, but, a good home security system is an optimal way to go in my opinion.

1. Home security system
2. Home safe
3. Weapon and training, then practice, practice, practice.

Thanks @ninja, you make a good point. I'm trying not to dwell in the immediate fear of another break-in. But this is something that I have been considering for some time. I recently moved into my first house. It's not in what I would consider a "bad" area, but it's more prone to crime than my past residences. If the house was completely unoccupied during this time it would be one thing. But during my absence there has been someone in my bed every night. They have also been driving my car. Unless someone was paying very close attention I think it would appear that the house was occupied as usual. I appreciate your input!!

EDIT: I also want to add this, they ****ed up one of my dogs and locked both of them in the bathroom.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Maestro

If the house was completely unoccupied during this time it would be one thing. But during my absence there has been someone in my bed every night. They have also been driving my car. Unless someone was paying very close attention I think it would appear that the house was occupied as usual...

Or they know your house sitter.

[emopunker2004]

Originally Posted by T.G

Or they know your house sitter.

Good point

[bobarian]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Thanks @ninja, you make a good point. I'm trying not to dwell in the immediate fear of another break-in. But this is something that I have been considering for some time. I recently moved into my first house. It's not in what I would consider a "bad" area, but it's more prone to crime than my past residences. If the house was completely unoccupied during this time it would be one thing. But during my absence there has been someone in my bed every night. They have also been driving my car. Unless someone was paying very close attention I think it would appear that the house was occupied as usual. I appreciate your input!!

EDIT: I also want to add this, they ****ed up one of my dogs and locked both of them in the bathroom.

This doesnt sound like a "break-in". Looks like someone was taking advantage of he fact that you were gone. Why would they "use" your car and then bring it back? Why would someone sleep in your bed without knowing when you return? That's just ridiculous. Your house would be stripped bare even if there were no "valuables" I would be looking for a new house sitter.

[bvilchez]

Originally Posted by bobarian

This doesnt sound like a "break-in". Looks like someone was taking advantage of he fact that you were gone. Why would they "use" your car and then bring it back? Why would someone sleep in your bed without knowing when you return? That's just ridiculous. Your house would be stripped bare even if there were no "valuables" I would be looking for a new house sitter.

I think he means his house sitter was doing this for him in his absence to seem as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. I could be reading this wrong though.

[bobarian]

Originally Posted by bvilchez

I think he means his house sitter was doing this for him in his absence to seem as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. I could be reading this wrong though.

Ahh, that could be. Thanks Jay. Still seems a bit unusual that the break-in occurred during the small window where someone was gone. Seems like a security system with cameras would be a good investment.

[Bax]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Ahh, that could be. Thanks Jay. Still seems a bit unusual that the break-in occurred during the small window where someone was gone. Seems like a security system with cameras would be a good investment.

Costco has an awesome camera that can be linked to your smart phone. It can pan and zoom and it can be set with a motion detector. It's also a stand alone unit that can be moved and hidden easily.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Maestro

EDIT: I also want to add this, they ****ed up one of my dogs and locked both of them in the bathroom.

That is too bad, what kind of dogs?

I'll take 2 of these please.... http://www.familydobes.com/