To "clear" your house, or hunker down.

[Will Carry]

A buddy at work was talkin about hearing a bump in the night at his home and he said he went room to room to "clear" his house. I told him that "clearing" his house sounded like a good way to get shot. He got offended and said, "I was an Air Force MP and I have had extensive training in small arms and small arms tactics, which includes clearing buildings!"

Now he WAS an MP in the Air Force, but IS he an idiot? Would it not be better to get in a defensive position where you can protect your family and let the bad guy take your flat screen TV, Laptop computer and anything else that can be replaced, as long as they didn't threaten your family?

I'm a firm believer in the "bedroom fortress" theory of home defense.

[KOM2]

Negative for me. If I hear someone in the house, they have already given up their chance to leave unhurt. My son is on the opposite end of our house so I would be headed in his direction first thing! Wife would be in the bedroom with her pistol.

[Guest jackdm3]

When my wife wakes up screaming, it sounds like monkey in pain. I think that's enough of a warning for them.

[Guest Bronker]

All bedrooms upstairs, and one way up to them.

We stand ground, and wait at the Bronker house. Adequately armed and prepared to meet what rears its head in the stairwell.

Let the cops deal with the first floor.

Luckily, it has not happened. Pray that it never will.

[Guest cjr]

Our dog would clear the main level befor I would have a chance.Once I know the second level is secure the dog is going down the stairs to the basement.If BG is in the basement, BG will be running out of the basement soon after.

Short version is yes I would clear the house.

[Smith]

I think it depends on you house and its layout. My house is small, so if someone breaks in they are on top of us pretty quickly. I can clear my house standing in the middle... literally. In other larger houses I've prepared my wife and kids to hunch together with the shotgun in fortress mode while I cleared inside and out. They one time I had to do it, they didn't make it inside. Just make sure you announce yourself when you return to your family!!

[Raoul]

The dogs and I would definitely clear the house.

[Guest ogreabroad]

Short story, yes... I would clear the house, and have before.

The house my family currently inhabits is not very tactically sound... 2 story, 2 bedrooms on each level... next one will be better

[DavidD]

I would definitely go after the threat since daughters room is upstairs and mine is down. Wife would be on phone with 911 with "her gun" while I get the girl. If she wasn't home that night, I'd probably still go after them.

[E4 No More]

Your buddy said that he was an MP in the Airforce, but aren't Airforce police called SP's?

[Guest jackdm3]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ima telllllllllllll!

[DaveTN]

Every situation is different.

I too have a dog, so clearing the house is not going to be an issue.

I’m a former Police Officer and I’m not aware of any special way to clear a house by yourself. But it’s been a long time for me; maybe that’s some new tactic. It worked for us because we worked in teams.

Common sense tells me that if there are two armed people in a house that are willing to shoot each other; the one moving is getting shot.

We all at times hear things in night and go check them out. But that’s a whole lot different from knowing or believing someone is in the house.

If I didn’t have a dog and I truly believed someone was attempting a break-in or was in my house; I’m going to be on the phone with the Police dispatcher, giving her information on which way the Officers need to come from, where I am in the house, where I think the intruder may be, and I will be making sure she tells the responding Officers that the homeowner is armed and that she has him on the line.

[Guest ScottD]

I see everyone talking about having a dog and that being a scare tactic for the bg. Hate to break it to you, but you can shoot a dog as quick as you can shoot a human. If the bg is in your house with intent to injure, your dog stands little chance.

[Guest bkelm18]

I see everyone talking about having a dog and that being a scare tactic for the bg. Hate to break it to you, but you can shoot a dog as quick as you can shoot a human. If the bg is in your house with intent to injure, your dog stands little chance.

Well they'll give their position away when they shoot the dog.

[E4 No More]

I see everyone talking about having a dog and that being a scare tactic for the bg. Hate to break it to you, but you can shoot a dog as quick as you can shoot a human. If the bg is in your house with intent to injure, your dog stands little chance.

Good luck hitting a Rottweiler in the dark, but it's kind of his job to take one for us.

[Defender]

Your buddy said that he was an MP in the Airforce, but aren't Airforce police called SP's?

Some people don't know what an SP is....so some use the more generic sounding MP as a descriptive term instead of SP or SF.

The term Security Forces identifies the ground forces responsible for protecting the vital resources of the U.S. Air Force. Security Force members perform the military police function within the United States Air Force.

I'd clear the house, but it's a small house.

[DavidD]

Someone say a dog will help? How about this killer-

[Guest jackdm3]

That's certain death, right there! See, they get you with kindness and cuteness, then your jugular's gone!

[JReedEsq]

All bedrooms upstairs, and one way up to them.

We stand ground, and wait at the Bronker house. Adequately armed and prepared to meet what rears its head in the stairwell.

Let the cops deal with the first floor.

Luckily, it has not happened. Pray that it never will.

+1; We have a similiar setup and the same plan. You can have my stuff but you won't make it up the stairs.

[Alpha7]

I see everyone talking about having a dog and that being a scare tactic for the bg. Hate to break it to you, but you can shoot a dog as quick as you can shoot a human. If the bg is in your house with intent to injure, your dog stands little chance.

By then though He has revealed himself. At which time he would be taking a full magazine of 40 cal from the xd.

[Alpha7]

Someone say a dog will help? How about this killer-

Damned ankle biter. Easy killer easy. There is a little tea cup chihuaua in our neighborhood that thinks he is the cock of the walk. He follows people around that walk and once went into the neighbors house to say hi. I dont know what his name is but I call him killer. He looks just like this "killer" in the photo graph same color anyways.

[peejman]

I also have a dog that would (and does) bark like mad at any unusual noise. She's not real big, but sounds like a big dog. There are many instances where a barking dog alone deterred a break-in.

My wife and I have discussed this, and she calls the cops, gets my other loaded handgun out of the safe and waits in our closet. I go get our son and retreat to the closet to wait for the cavalry.

Some motion sensing lights for the exterior of the house are also on the "to-do" list.

[Sandman]

We also have a two story house with all the bedrooms upstairs. One way up. The way my stairs are, there isn't any open space. It's completely surrounded by walls. I would be prone at the top of the stairs with a 12 gauge aimed at the bottom. There is no way a BG could shoot me before I shot him. I would maintain position while waiting on the police.

[G27]

If you have kids, the 'fortress' mentality is out the window. I have three bedrooms outside of mine that I have to insure are safe should I hear something, so I'm going out.

Were I at home alone I'd likely arm myself and hunker down with my phone.

[Sandman]

Ok, forgot to add...I have no kids. Just a wife and dogs.