[johninvegas]

Originally Posted by BBMW

Without a gun, what do you do if someone breaks in while you're in the house, hope they respond to harsh language?

Not that I disagree with having the alarm, but it's purpose is to warn you (and whoever else is monitoring it) that something is happening. The question then is, how do you respond. Remember, when seconds count, the police are minutes away.

This is why I suggested in addition to the alarm system, steel security screen doors and security film on the windows. Short of the equipment that the fire and police departments have at their disposal, the screen doors are pretty much indestructible and the security film will make the windows very hard to compromise if it is professionally installed. The reason I say professionally installed, is that the film needs to be put under the window frames from the outside to achieve the highest effectiveness.

I feel the alarm system is best for when the homeowner is not at home.

[jet757f]

I'm curious if the OP every bought a gun and if so which type did she buy?

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by swagger

While technically true, a short barrel shotgun is regulated by the 1934 National Firearms Act, and would take many months to be approved for, and of course you'd be subject to a $200 tax on top of letting the feds crawl up your butt with a magnifying glass. For most people, it's not worth the trouble or expense and for all intents and purposes it isn't an option, and they'd opt for an unregulated barrel length instead.

That didn't apply to the one I bought from American Shooters. They make them a legal length just for home protection. There's no extra tax or ATF looking over your shoulder.

[qingguy]

OP - Pam, there's a group on Facebook called "FIREARMS LV" submit a membership request and then post a similar question there. You'll get great targeted advice people will also let you know if they have a weapon for sale that fits your need. I was on there over the weekend and there were a few handguns on there for sale.

We bought my wife a quality (you don't want it to jam on you), nice used 9mm, have spent quite a bit of time at the range and while she's not thrilled with owning a gun, she feels much safer knowing she can defend herself and our kids if she was ever put in that position.

Someone had mentioned firing a warning shot. This video is from last week here in Las Vegas, look closely at the 1:50 mark on the video, kid has a large handgun (some saying with the hammer cocked others say not, immaterial if you ask me). If confronted with a warning shot in the air I wonder if this kid would have turned and run or returned fire . . . or fired first? Something to think about. The female homeowner was in the home 15 minutes prior to him showing-up. Here's the video - http://youtu.be/z7-ABVEFQl0

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Warning shot? Unless you live in the sticks not advised. Roof repairs are expensive.

Even in the sticks, why would you give out your location?

[aggrofish]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

That didn't apply to the one I bought from American Shooters. They make them a legal length just for home protection. There's no extra tax or ATF looking over your shoulder.

I believe the rule is an 18" barrel or 26" minimum overall length if the shotgun has a stock. If not, it can be shorter because it's technically not a shotgun. So, guys shouldn't be going around sawing off their barrels. Like you said buy from a dealer if you're unsure whether it's legal.

[BBMW]

If you're going to go with a long gun for self defense, go with a 5.56mm rifle. You get many more rounds without reloading, and the rounds will destabilize, go sideways, and break up going through building materials. You can also get these in a bullpup configuration that makes them much shorter and handier indoors. Shotguns and regular rifles are too long and unwieldy indoors, unless you got to short barrels, which impose certain problems (legal or otherwise.)

[LV10101]

For every time a gun is used in self-defense in the home, there are 7 assaults or murders, 11 suicide attempts, and 4 accidents involving guns in or around a home.

Buy a "beware of dog sign", even if you don't have a dog and an alarm sign, even if you don't have an alarm...simple.

[BBMW]

There's no way of knowing how many times a gun is used in self defense. Most times, there's no body and no police report. The thug turns tail when his intended victim produces a gun, and the (non)victim then puts away the gun and goes about their business. Even if there's a police report, I don't think if there's not actual shooting, it gets consolidated into a statistical report. Actual shootings are.

Originally Posted by LV10101

For every time a gun is used in self-defense in the home, there are 7 assaults or murders, 11 suicide attempts, and 4 accidents involving guns in or around a home.

Buy a "beware of dog sign", even if you don't have a dog and an alarm sign, even if you don't have an alarm...simple.

[LV10101]

BBMW...Even if you don't account for the few times a gun is used to scare off a criminal it still doesn't make up for the statistic of owning a gun in your home. Even with gun ownership you still have to be able to obtain that gun from its secured place in your house, have the competency to use that weapon, be able to have the aim, the legal authority and be able to do it...a lot of steps.

A simple solution is a non-violent deterrent, like a "beware of dog" sign and/or alarm sign.