When was the last time you cleared your house?

[Guest JLowe]

The inability to sleep late at night makes me start thinking too much. But, when was the last time you cleared you home in the dark as practice. I find that many times people go to the range, shoot a bunch of ammo, and then thats it for training. Practicing clearing you home with or without your family there is a good training tool. It lets you see all the places a person can find concealment. If you have kids, let them go hide and you try to find them, because no adult can hide like a kid can. Clearing/Searching will also let you see what is defendable and not. It will show you where you can use a long gun and where you can't. Remember, do it in the dark with a light, because you know your home better than joe thug does, so leave him in the dark where he can't see all the clutter.

Slice the pie, it will save your butt.

[creeky]

This isn't the same but fun all the same...

Me and my two boys play "Hide and go shoot" in the house. Usually at night with most the light's turned off, with flashlights and nerf guns. One hides while the other two look. It's a lot of fun. Once some one is "shot" they usually fall to the ground and I drag them through the house on their back while they giggle and laugh.

My oldest one time had a toy pump shotgun and before we went in to the bedroom to look for his brother he said "I get this one Dad" and preceeded to pretend to shoot the hinges off and bust in. Hahahaha!

I asked him where he learned that... he said "YouTube Dad! I watched a thing on these Bristish guys in masks doing it! Cool huh!"

Yes son... very cool!

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Awesome

[BrasilNuts]

LOL.. there is nothing in life better than having a son.

[Guest canynracer]

Yes, I do practice this, and we have a "plan" that we run through once a month.

The Kids are to stay in their room as quiet as possible, if there IS someone IN THEIR room, they are to scream...that is my first destination.

I will then work my way through the living room to my youngest daughters room, then across the hall and up the stairs to my oldest, my youngest daughter holding the back of my pants but ready to run to my room to my wife and son if I do confront on the way to get my oldest. She is to yell to mom as she is running. I get my oldest, and head back to my room, and lock the door, we will all go to the master bath and lock that door, and kids go into the master closet.

I do know that if there is someone in my house, my dog will go crazy, so more than likely I will follow her, which is why the kids are to stay put and remain as quiet as possible.....

Mom sits with the shotgun the entire time, I have my M&P.. and my german shepherd...obviously if she is going crazy, that is my first destination.

but yes, we do practice this. and other scenarios, like there are more than one, and if my daughters just panic, they know to call daddy if they begin to run cause they are scared....they are to make noice WITH THEIR VOICES...whether is calling, cussing or whatever...

Slicing the pie is incredibly valueable and it is a skill that all should know...

also, my house is never completely dark, I have soft glow night lights all over, and emergency lights in each room, and in the hallways.

Edited November 7, 2008 by canynracer

[Guest canynracer]

The fun part is letting my 7 yr old come up with the "What ifs"....

[Magiccarpetrides]

This isn't the same but fun all the same...

Me and my two boys play "Hide and go shoot" in the house. Usually at night with most the light's turned off, with flashlights and nerf guns. One hides while the other two look. It's a lot of fun. Once some one is "shot" they usually fall to the ground and I drag them through the house on their back while they giggle and laugh.

My oldest one time had a toy pump shotgun and before we went in to the bedroom to look for his brother he said "I get this one Dad" and preceeded to pretend to shoot the hinges off and bust in. Hahahaha!

I asked him where he learned that... he said "YouTube Dad! I watched a thing on these Bristish guys in masks doing it! Cool huh!"

Yes son... very cool!

Thats awesome...makes me nostalgic for when I was young. Sounds like your a great dad.

[Guest VolGrad]

I need to try this. I have done it in my head a thousand times but am aware I will miss sooooo much if I have to do it for real. I would rather make mistakes on a practice run.

The trick is finding a time to do it when there is no one home. My wife and daughter would freak out. You really have me thinking though. I might call a couple of LEO buddies over to walk me through it.

[Guest JLowe]

Yes, I do practice this, and we have a "plan" that we run through once a month.

The Kids are to stay in their room as quiet as possible, if there IS someone IN THEIR room, they are to scream...that is my first destination.

I will then work my way through the living room to my youngest daughters room, then across the hall and up the stairs to my oldest, my youngest daughter holding the back of my pants but ready to run to my room to my wife and son if I do confront on the way to get my oldest. She is to yell to mom as she is running. I get my oldest, and head back to my room, and lock the door, we will all go to the master bath and lock that door, and kids go into the master closet.

I do know that if there is someone in my house, my dog will go crazy, so more than likely I will follow her, which is why the kids are to stay put and remain as quiet as possible.....

Mom sits with the shotgun the entire time, I have my M&P.. and my german shepherd...obviously if she is going crazy, that is my first destination.

but yes, we do practice this. and other scenarios, like there are more than one, and if my daughters just panic, they know to call daddy if they begin to run cause they are scared....they are to make noice WITH THEIR VOICES...whether is calling, cussing or whatever...

Slicing the pie is incredibly valueable and it is a skill that all should know...

also, my house is never completely dark, I have soft glow night lights all over, and emergency lights in each room, and in the hallways.

Great plan. Way to really think it through. Do you use a light attached to your gun? It helps to ID the target, but also provides that momentary blindness of the target that allows you to "get off the X" and place your rounds. Good Job in including your children as well and teaching them what to do.

[Mike.357]

LOL.. there is nothing in life better than having a son.

grandson trumps a son everytime!!

[Guest canynracer]

Great plan. Way to really think it through. Do you use a light attached to your gun? It helps to ID the target, but also provides that momentary blindness of the target that allows you to "get off the X" and place your rounds. Good Job in including your children as well and teaching them what to do.

I dont have a gun light, I use a small flashlight. I took street level classes on how to use it effectivley.

Edited November 9, 2008 by canynracer

[Guest Jcochran88]

don't know if its weird but i try to practice this at least once a week usually when the wife is not home. I like to do it at night, I have had the neighbors call me on my cell to make sure everything was all right as when they drove by they could see my light shining throughout the house.

[Guest JLowe]

don't know if its weird but i try to practice this at least once a week usually when the wife is not home. I like to do it at night, I have had the neighbors call me on my cell to make sure everything was all right as when they drove by they could see my light shining throughout the house.

Try practicing it when your wife is at home as well and come up with a game plan that the both of you know how to execute properly. Talk with her about it, she might enjoy it as well.

[Guest bkelm18]

To clear my apartment, I stand up and turn in a full circle. House clearing done.

[Guest krater]

My dogs are responsible for clearing my house! I just cuff em as they come out.

[Guest dkirby]

To clear my apartment, I stand up and turn in a full circle. House clearing done.

+1. I do have to lean a bit to clear the bathroom though.

[Guest pjblurton]

I have practiced this with the wife and kids a few times when we first built our house (4 yrs ago) and readily admit that I need to do it more frequently.

Thanks for the reminder!

We have a split floor plan with the kids rooms on one half of the house and ours on the other. Our 130lb Great Dane keeps sentry duty between us all in the living room. We have an alarm system with a keypad at the front door and in the master bedroom that beeps whenever any door or window is opened. (Great for teenage children as well as burglers BTW...)

The Dane will go completely apesh#t when the system beeps at night, which scares the holy bejesus out of me. I could only imagine what a burgler might think. Her bark is so feakin' huge that you feel the vibration in your chest, as soon as I hear the beep and/or the bark:

1) I pick up my 18.5" 12ga Mossberg proped up next to the bed and approach the bedroom door, from there I can see all three door entrances to the house. Momma pulls her 9mm from her nightstand and proceeds to the master bathroom closet to recieve the children and the call from the alarm company. (Also where the spare ammo and weapons are stored)

2) I proceed around the farside edge of the living room, which is furthest from the three door entrances to the house, towards the children who were instructed to hit the floor and roll under their beds and wait untill they hear my voice when the Dane goes crazy. Unless there is someone in the room with them, at which point they scream like crazy and that's the room I hit first.

3) If someone is gallactically stupid enough to proceed into the house disregarding the alarm system and the Dane, we will most likely meet in the kitchen area if the Dane doesn't get to them first, as the rear and side doors enter there. Which is a good thing, ceramic tile will make for easier cleanup.

4) Suppposing I do not meet an intruder during my initial sweep, I hit my sons room first, call his name and bring him out behind me. He is 18 and a HS Wrestler. If a scuffle insues, he would be the most help. Followed by my daughters room to call her out.

5) We then all proceed back to the master bedroom, with me leading the way and the kids directly behind me, daughter in the middle.

6) I then call out to the wife to make sure no one has gained entry into the master bedroom, which, if I don't hear the 9mm, is most likely the case, she's a darn fine shot and mean as hell when it comes to protecting the flock.

7) Upon returning to the master bedroom, the wife and kids are in the walk-in closet on the floor and I hold my position at the entry to the master bedroom to wait for the police or the intruder, whichever comes first. Wife has the backup position to guard the kids if anything happens to me.

I've run this scenario several times and with the layout of the house, I think it will work well with any one of the three doors to the house. There are glass breakage sensors on all of the windows and only two of which are accessable from the street. I also am relatively sure that unless the intruder kills the dog, they will not make it past the kitchen. Just like any other southern boy, you don't f' with my momma, my dog or my truck!

I would appreciate any critique or suggestions anyone may have...

[Guest VolGrad]

don't know if its weird but i try to practice this at least once a week usually when the wife is not home. I like to do it at night, I have had the neighbors call me on my cell to make sure everything was all right as when they drove by they could see my light shining throughout the house.

Good neighbors are a real asset.

[Guest grimel]

I need to try this. I have done it in my head a thousand times but am aware I will miss sooooo much if I have to do it for real. I would rather make mistakes on a practice run.

The trick is finding a time to do it when there is no one home. My wife and daughter would freak out. You really have me thinking though. I might call a couple of LEO buddies over to walk me through it.

Gabe Suarez has a DVD (tactical something or other) that does this from a non-LEO standpoint. If you learn nothing else it will get you thinking about buying a home with all the bedrooms on the same floor and same end. Watching this DVD really convinced my dad of the wisdom of forting up, calling the police, and waiting 12ga in hand.

LEO's have different ideas, equipment, and (usually) help.

[DaveTN]

My dogs are responsible for clearing my house! I just cuff em as they come out.

Exactly….

No “house clearing†required.

[Guest clownsdd]

grandson trumps a son everytime!!

Yea grandkids are God's gift for not killing your children!!!

[strickj]

Exactly….

No “house clearing†required.

Its a well known fact that dobermans dont have the same take down power as a Shepard.

They're also unsafe! You should get rid of it before it bites you In the butt!

[DaveTN]

Its a well known fact that dobermans dont have the same take down power as a Shepard.

They're also unsafe! You should get rid of it before it bites you In the butt!

We have had conversations about this.

His job is not to take anyone down; I don’t want him to get hurt.

His job is to come and get me and let me know there is someone that needs to be shot.

[Guest grimel]

Yea grandkids are God's gift for not killing your children!!!

That may be the truest statement of the month.

[Guest Astra900]

We have had conversations about this.

His job is not to take anyone down; I don’t want him to get hurt.

His job is to come and get me and let me know there is someone that needs to be shot.

Absolutely! I have a 85lb mutt/pit Heinz 57; Best friend that lives outside. We have discussed it and his job is to make noise and if possible, scare the out of any trespassers. Further action will be handled without him, I don't want my BDB (Big Dumb Buddy) getting hurt!

BTW, Purty dog Dave!