So i just kind if skimmed through this, enough to pick up on some crap.

"Shoot to kill" is 100% correct. Tell cops "I was in fear for my life" is 100% incorrect. If the situation did come up, you would not say one word to a cop. In court, a cop can not help you. Shoot to kill ... can you imagine what a jury would do to you if you said "I just shot him in the leg because i figured it would hurt alot and stop him" if this was the case then clearly your life was not threatened because less-than-lethal force was all that you felt was needed, you should not use a firearm for less-than-lethal force.

It should be clear that someone that has broken into your home does not have a good intention. If you feel that a firearm is needed, you should feel that death is warranted, in order to protect you or a loved ones life. (one of the basic rules of firearm safety is to "never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to destroy") if you fear for your life, you should be eliminating the threat to it.

anyway - to your question... like i said, i didnt read much in here, but heres in input and sorry if its been covered:

deterring someone from breaking in is just that, a deterrent. unless you live in fort knoxx, if someone wants in your house, they will get in, im sure you know this.
here are some ideas that i think are good deterrents:
1- good locks (like medco)
2- steel door, in a steel frame
3- alarm system that you use
4- motion sensitive lights
5- rose bushes at your windows (why stand in throny plants when the guy house next door doesnt have them?)
6- video surveillance (this can be pretty cheap to set up)
7- a gun that you are ready to (properly) use. if you dont plan on killing someone with a gun when your life could be in danger, i recommend getting a pinwheel. just blow on the pinwheel and ask them to leave you alone, this technique about as effective at stopping a threat as not shooting to kill
8- many more, just use your head. like i said, its all about deterring the criminal, anything that makes their job harder is a bonus for you. they need to be in and out quickly, the more stalling that they foresee, the more likely they are to go down the street.

hope this helps, ill add more if i think of anything

ETA: Research the 'castle doctrine' and your local laws.

 

Even with adding a deadbolt, you're not really securing the house, if the door isn't properly secured to the house.

A lot of contractors use pretty cheap nails to secure the frame. Most of them aren't really long enough to proper hold the door if kicked in. Adding longer screws into the frame (4", I believe) will keep the door in place or at least make it a lot harder for someone to kick in.

 

Whats all this talk about dogs? As people have said, give a dog a treat and it will be your best friend.


What you need to get is a cat sniper.

 

Dogs are excellent deterrents, as good or better than any alarm and present 24/7, unlike weapons (since booby traps are illegal... sucks). You have a dog and bad guys pick another home most of the time.

Besides, I'd like to see you try feeding a dog treat to a protective Rottie that doesn't want you there. Anyone with stones that big is Chuck Norris.

 

[QUOTE=Penforhire,Dec 1 2010, 03:57 PM]Dogs are excellent deterrents, as good or better than any alarm and present 24/7, unlike weapons (since booby traps are illegal... sucks).

 

get a lion- you can get past a dog but no one f's with the king of the jungle.
(i watched grandma's boy recently)

 

Yes, cat sniper and lion are good suggestions, but they are animals, and thus, unpredictable. I still stand by my ninja suggestion. If you have any doubt, check out this new movie: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-warrior...y/10044069/main

 

Fine, be that way, then I recommend a trunk monkey in the mailbox...

 

Yup. Milwaukee cop told my dad the exact same thing after an attempted robbery, and my dad nearly shooting him from our porch. "if you kill him, be sure to drag his dead ass into your house".