Home Defense

A Manrichment Activity Presented by Scott Cannon 2010

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I AM NOT a licensed attorney and am not qualified to give legal advice. I AM NOT currently a Law Enforcement Officer and the information presented here should not be considered to be endorsed by nor seen as originating from any Law Enforcement Agency. What follows are my own opinions and recommendations based on my own research, training, and experience.

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Grew up in a home completely devoid of guns. 

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Summer 2007 – Graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters Degree in Psychology. Oct 2007 – Mar 2008 – Worked for Boise Police Department. 

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My parents bought my brother and me a BB gun which we used to maim a Chickadee. It fell into some tall bushes and got stuck there, crying for us to put it out of its misery. We tried desperately and unsuccessfully to finish it off with our underpowered weapon. We were both in tears by the end and our parents took away the gun and never gave us another. Shot a shotgun once in Scouts. Shot a .22 handgun once on a group date in college. That was the extent of my firearms experience until 2007.

I wanted to be a police officer for various reasons, but one of the most significant was because I wanted to know how to defend my family from any enemy, foreign or domestic. Completed BPD Advanced Academy including 30 hours of firearms training. Passed both Department and State shooting qualification tests for handgun and shotgun.

Fall 2009 – Completed Ada County Concealed Weapons Course. I am now the proud owner of 4 (four) firearms!

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What is Home Defense? 

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Guidance from the Scriptures

What Does the Law Say About Home Defense? 

IC 18-9004 – Justifiable Homicide  In a Nutshell  Fleeing Felons and Liability

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So You’ve Decided To Become a Gun Owner   

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Why Buy a Gun? Your Responsibilities * Dummy Rounds

Four Fundamental Rules of Gun Safety    

Rule #1: Keep your FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER until your sights are on the target. Rule #2: Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to DESTROY. Rule #3: Every Gun is ALWAYS Loaded. Rule #4: Always be Sure of Your Target AND Background.

Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites to worship and their church. And they were doing that which they felt was their duty which they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by your enemies. And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed…. (Alma 43:45-47)

18-4009. Justifiable homicide by any person. Homicide is also justifiable when committed by any person in either of the following cases: 1. When resisting any attempt to murder any person, or to commit a felony, or to do some great bodily injury upon any person; or, 2. When committed in defense of habitation, property or person, against one who manifestly intends or endeavors, by violence or surprise, to commit a felony, or against one who manifestly intends and endeavors, in a violent, riotous or tumultuous manner, to enter the habitation of another for the purpose of offering violence to any person therein; or, 3. When committed in the lawful defense of such person, or of a wife or husband, parent, child, master, mistress or servant of such person, when there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design to commit a felony or to do some great bodily injury, and imminent danger of such design being accomplished; but such person, or the person in whose behalf the defense was made, if he was the assailant or engaged in mortal combat, must really and in good faith have endeavored to decline any further struggle before the homicide was committed; or, 4. When necessarily committed in attempting, by lawful ways and means, to apprehend any person for any felony committed, or in lawfully suppressing any riot, or in lawfully keeping and preserving the peace. [I.C., § 18-4009, as added by 1972, ch. 336, § 1, p. 844.]

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You MAY NOT EVER shoot someone to protect property alone! You MUST have a reasonable, well-founded FEAR OF DEATH OR GREAT BODILY INJURY (i.e. any injury that would render you unable to defend yourself) in order to be legally justified in shooting someone in your home or on your property. NEVER POINT YOUR GUN AT SOMEONE unless you can articulate a fear of death or great bodily injury; otherwise you risk being charged with AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 

A man in Garden City was convicted of Aggravated Assault for pointing his gun at vandals who were fleeing from his car dealership.

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If the person begins to flee and you can articulate why this person would be considered a VIOLENT FELON (i.e. he has already seriously hurt/killed/ raped someone) you can use deadly force to prevent his escape. (Tennessee vs. Garner) If you shoot someone and can establish in court that it was IN FACT justifiable homicide under IC 18-4009, you CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE for damages by the victim or victim’s family in a civil lawsuit (IC 19-201 through 19-205). 

However, that doesn’t mean they won’t try. The decision to shoot someone will always have serious consequences and should never be taken lightly.

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The greatest power of a gun is its power to DETER! 

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Studies of firearms used in self defense situations have found that simply brandishing a gun will deter a criminal between 70 and 90% of the time.

From The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry (2008): “Any women’s rape prevention class or self-defense class will teach to attack the assailant’s genitals, eyes, or throat, or to pick up some object to strike the attacker repeatedly in the head. We are talking about crushed testicles, eyes gouged out, suffocation, and skull-fractures or traumatic brain injuries. All these results fit in the category of a life-threatening injury and/or grave bodily harm: a deadly force level of injury. Deadly force is deadly force, whether delivered with bare hands, blunt objects, edged weapons, or a firearm. The biggest difference between these alternatives is the deterrent effect. A martial arts stance will have little impact on a larger, more determined criminal, but a drawn firearm and a firm shooting stance is the ultimate exclamation point…”

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“…The ironic reality of all this is that an unarmed victim will likely have to kill or maim a determined attacker to defeat the threat, probably sustaining injury him/herself in the process. By contrast, a person who is armed with a deadly weapon is significantly more likely to be able to end the threat with no physical injury to either side due to the tremendous deterrent effect of a legally carried firearm.”

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Teach everyone in your home about proper gun safety and have them PRACTICE good safety habits. For children, take away their curiosity by familiarizing them with your firearms and teaching them how to properly and safely use them. (Do your kids see guns as mysterious “forbidden fruit” or as clearly understood “deadly fruit”?) Teach everyone in your home how to unload and make safe each weapon you possess. Keep all but your home defense weapon(s) unloaded, locked, and securely stored. Store weapons and ammunition in different locations. Consider storing your home defense weapon with a dummy round* in the chamber for an extra layer of safety. Practice grabbing the weapon and immediately cycling the dummy round out so you will have the habit of doing this and will do it automatically under stress.

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Great for practicing loading/reloading (esp. w/ shotguns) and perfecting your trigger pull without damaging your firing mechanisms. Also great for providing an extra layer of safety when storing a loaded home defense weapon. Unfortunately, they’re not cheap: Two shotgun dummy rounds will cost you over $10! 

1. Keep your FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER until your sights are on the target. 

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This is not the same thing as “keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.” Why? Because you may be ready to shoot when you hear a window break and footsteps coming toward your bedroom in the middle of the night – that doesn’t mean that you have a target to shoot at. Keep the finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target! This is arguably the MOST important gun safety habit to establish.

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to DESTROY.  

You must develop “muzzle awareness,” especially with handguns. Think of the muzzle as a laser. As you handle any weapon, keep in mind that anything you “laser” during that time is something you just risked destroying. Be VERY CONSCIOUS of what you “laser” while handling a firearm. You aren’t likely to shoot anything you don’t point a gun at.

3. EVERY gun is ALWAYS loaded. 

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You must personally perform a VISUAL AND TACTILE check on EVERY firearm you handle. NEVER trust someone’s word or your own memory to tell you whether or not a gun is loaded. Once you’ve checked the status of the weapon, this rule then serves primarily as a reminder of the critical first two rules.

4. Always be sure of your target AND background. 

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You will be held accountable for your decision to shoot at a target, whatever that target happens to be. A loud crash in the night could be an intruder, OR it could be one of your children looking for a midnight snack. VERIFY YOUR TARGET before you shoot. You also need to know what is beyond your target in case your shot overpenetrates or YOU MISS. Any bullet that doesn’t hit your threat may end up in a child’s bedroom or a neighbor’s house.

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Basic Civilian Firearms Types    

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Shotgun Rifle Pistol Revolver

Ammunition Terminology 

Rifle and Handgun Terminology  A Word on FMJ vs. JHP

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Which Caliber should I Choose?     

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What’s the Difference The Cost Factor Selecting Defensive Ammunition Recommended Defense Loads Testing Your Defense Load

Shotgun Terminology

 *A Note About Shotgun Ammunition for Home Defense

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Shotgun: A smooth-bore firearm that shoots shells filled with multiple steel or lead pellets of various sizes over short to medium distances or single slugs over longer distances. Rifle: A long-barreled weapon with spiraled grooves cut into the bore to produce a spinning motion on a single projectile that improves accuracy over great distances. Pistol: A short weapon intended to be fired with one hand that is loaded using a magazine. Revolver: A short weapon intended to be fired with one hand that is loaded using its revolving chambered cylinder.

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Rimfire: A type of ammunition in which the primer is integrated with the shell casing making them a “one-time-only” casing. These are most typically small caliber rounds, the most common of which is .22 Long Rifle. Centerfire: A type of ammunition in which the primer is added to the shell casing allowing the casing to be reused if a new primer is added. The majority of ammunition types, both handgun and rifle, are centerfire.

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Caliber: The diameter of something of circular section, esp. that of the inside of a tube; with firearms, the caliber refers to the diameter of the inside of the barrel (usually measured in inches or mm). Grain: The smallest unit of weight in most systems, originally determined by the weight of a plump grain of wheat; with ammunition, the number of grains indicates the weight of the projectile (i.e. a 115 grain 9mm bullet vs. a 147 grain 9mm bullet).

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Full Metal Jacket (FMJ): This is a type of bullet in which a typically soft core (usually of lead) is encased in a “jacket” of harder metal to allow for greater muzzle velocities while depositing less metal residue in the bore. These are typically used for target shooting and practice because they cause less damage in defense situations than JHP bullets and have more tendency to overpenetrate and ricochet. Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP): This is a type of bullet in which a typically soft core is partially encased in a “jacket” of harder metal. However, the nose of the bullet is left un-jacketed, causing the bullet to expand on impact. These are typically used for personal defense as they cause greater damage and are less likely to overpenetrate a target or to ricochet.

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A New York Times study of NYPD shootings of innocent bystanders and fellow officers between 1995-1996 found that for 15 wounded innocent bystanders, 53% were hit by shots that missed their intended target, while 46% were hit by rounds that passed through their intended target and continued on with enough force to wound the bystander; for 44 wounded officers, 52% were hit by misses, 2% by ricochets, and 42% by shoot-throughs of the intended target. 

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In other words, 42% of the 44 NYPD cops shot by friendly-fire in 1995-1996 were hit by bullets that hit and passed all the way through the targeted offender. This was while the department was using 115-grain 9mm FMJ. In 1999 the department switched to 127-grain +P+ 9mm JHP and largely solved the problem.

Bottom Line: DO NOT USE FMJ in your defense gun. FMJ is only for target practice. Only load your defense gun with high-quality JHP (recommendations to follow).

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All of these rounds are actually the same caliber (approx .357 inches or 9mm). In fact, .38 Special rounds can actually be fired in a .357 Magnum revolver (but not the other way around); the calibers are identical. However, there are important differences: The amount of gunpowder in each cartridge is very different, with the .380 having the least and the .357 Magnum having the most. This indicates a difference in potential projectile speeds. Tests have shown that among similar calibers, projectile speed has the greatest effect on the damage caused by a round – a very important factor in defensive shooting.

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Let’s face it: If you can’t shoot your gun on the cheap, you aren’t going to shoot it enough to have the skills you may need some day to defend your life and loved ones. This chart shows most of the commonly purchased handgun calibers and what it will cost (approx.) to practice with them. Ammo Type

# of Rounds

Price

Price per Round

Source

Date Verified

9mm

50

$10.37

$0.21

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.40 S&W

50

$11.97

$0.24

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.38 Special

50

$13.90

$0.28

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.45 ACP

50

$15.95

$0.32

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.357 Sig

50

$19.68

$0.39

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.357 Magnum

50

$19.99

$0.40

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.380 ACP

50

$21.59

$0.43

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

.44 Magnum

50

$22.50

$0.45

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

10mm

50

$38.95

$0.78

ammoengine.com

As of 2/24/2010

*All ammunition figures come from the lowest priced box of 50 rounds, regardless of manufacturer or specific bullet type.

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“Is one brand of X-caliber JHP the same as another?” 

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NO! Different brands have different production specifications that can have a HUGE impact on the effectiveness of the round as a “man stopper.” Some JHP rounds will clog with clothing on impact and fail to expand, effectively turning them into FMJ-type projectiles with the associated risks of overpenetration and much lower stopping power/damage to target.

Massad Ayoob, author of The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry (2008) has the following recommendations based on “street tests”: Thoroughly investigated law enforcement shootings from across the country that involved complete autopsies, forensic ballistics tests, and intensive debriefings of shooters and witnesses detailing the effect of the rounds. His general conclusion based on the evidence is that projectile speed (fps) seems to have a greater effect on damage to the target than weight (grains). A lighter bullet of the same caliber can reach higher speeds and requires less resistance upon impact to expand and produce the maximum “man stopping” damage.

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Load: The specific brand, weight, pressure, and caliber of ammunition used in a firearm (i.e. 115-grain 9mm FMJ vs. 124-grain 9mm +P JHP) +P: This indicates “Over Pressure,” ammunition which has been loaded to a higher internal pressure than standard ammunition for the same caliber. This is typically done to produce ammunition with greater muzzle velocity and stopping power. Because of this higher pressure, using +P ammunition increases recoil, potentially leading to malfunctions in some firearms, and will decrease the service life of any firearm if used extensively. 

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You should verify whether or not your specific firearm is designed to handle +P ammunition. While most newer models can handle +P ammunition, it will still be a good idea to check. Otherwise, using it could damage your firearm.

+P+: Indicates “Exceeding Over Pressure.”

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.38 Special 

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9mm   

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Federal 9BPLE 115-grain JHP (1300 fps, used by Illinois State Police) Winchester Ranger 127-grain +P+ (1250 fps, currently used by NYPD) Speer Gold Dot 124-grain +P (1250 fps, currently used by Orlando PD)

.357 Magnum 

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Speer Gold Dot 135-grain +P (“New York Load”)

Federal, Winchester, or Remington brand 125-grain semi-JHP (1400 fps) – known as the “Magic Bullet” for its stopping power

.357 Sig 

Winchester Ranger, Remington Golden Saber, or Speer Gold Dot 125-grain (1400+ fps, used by Texas State Troopers)

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.40 S&W 

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Speer Gold Dot 180-grain JHP (good reputation from PDs in Boston and Milwaukee) Federal HST 180-grain JHP (impressive one-shot stops in the Pacific Northwest) Remington 155-grain JHP (1200 fps, used by US Border Patrol) Federal Classic and Winchester Silvertip 155-grain JHP (affordable high performance rounds)

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Winchester 230-grain JHP (low-price, street proven choice) Hydra-Shok variety .45 auto ammo is the “gold standard”  Speer CCI Gold Dot  Remington Golden Saber 230-grain  Winchester SXT/Ranger 230-grain

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Different loads of ammunition will have different manufacturing specifications even within the same caliber and manufacturer. Here are a few potential differences:    

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Shell casing material (Brass vs. Steel) Shell casing thickness Shell casing length Internal Pressure (Normal vs. +P vs. +P+)

Even a slight difference in any one of these areas could cause your gun to malfunction in combination with that specific load of ammunition. For example, your semi-auto pistol may reliably fire every load of ammunition but one. That load may have a slightly longer or shorter shell casing or projectile which causes the gun to jam when firing. Once you’ve selected your desired defense load, be sure to test it by firing at least a box or two of the load in your defense weapon to make sure the combination of your specific gun with that specific load is a reliable one!

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Gauge: The diameter of the inside of a shotgun barrel, determined by the number of spherical lead bullets of a diameter equal to that of the bore that are required to make one pound (i.e. a lower number, like 12, indicates a larger diameter barrel than a higher number, like 20). Shot shell: A self-contained cartridge loaded with shot (multiple projectiles) or slugs (a single projectile) designed to be fired from a shotgun.

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Shot: The type and size of the projectiles loaded in a shot shell. The two primary types of shot are buckshot and birdshot. Birdshot can be either lead or steel. Birdshot shells contain a high volume of small metal pellets designed to inflict damage on small animals, primarily birds. Buckshot shells contain fewer, larger pellets designed to inflict damage on larger animals, including humans.

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“I have had a lot of questions, summed up as follows: How effective is birdshot (#4, #6, #8, etc.) as a defense load? We have done tests with various birdshot loads. Birdshot penetrated through two pieces of drywall (representing one wall) and was stopped in the paper on the front of the second wall. The problem with birdshot is that it does not penetrate enough to be effective as a defense round. Birdshot is designed to bring down little birds. A policeman told of seeing a guy shot at close range with a load of 12 gauge birdshot, and was not even knocked down. He was still walking around when the EMTs got there. It was an ugly, shallow wound, but did not STOP the guy. And that is what we want... to STOP the bad guy from whatever he is doing. To do this, you must have a load that will reach the vitals of the bad guy. Birdshot will not do this. In fact, tests have shown that even #4 Buckshot lacks the necessary penetration to reach the vital organs. Only 0 Buck, 00 Buck, and 000 Buck penetrate enough to reach the vital organs. Unless you expect to be attacked by little birds, do not use birdshot. Use 00 Buck. It will do the job.” – From www.theboxotruth.com

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"I saw a gunshot victim, about 5' 10" and 200 lbs, taken to the operating room with a shotgun wound to the chest. He was shot at a range of six feet at a distance of just over the pectoralis muscle. He was sitting on his front porch and walked to the ambulance. We explored the chest after x-rays were taken. The ER doc had said 'buckshot' wound, but this was obviously not accurate. It was # 6 shot. There was a crater in the skin over an inch in diameter. When the shot hit the level of the ribs, it spread out about five inches. There was ONE pellet that had passed between the ribs and entered the pericardium, but not damaged the heart at all. As you say, 'use birdshot for little birds.'“ – From www.theboxotruth.com

If you are planning on using a shotgun for home defense purposes, you need to be sure that you have the correct ammunition. As we’ve read here, ammunition designed to bring down a duck will not kill or incapacitate a dangerous intruder. Be sure to use No. 0, 00, or 000 buckshot for defense.

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Issues to Consider    

Stopping Power Ammunition Capacity Ease of Reload Collateral Risk

 Box O’ Truth’s Ammunition Penetration Experiments

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The Contenders    

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Reliability Ease of Operation Recoil Cost Shotgun Rifle Pistol Revolver

Caring for your Home Defender

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Stopping Power – You want to choose a gun and ammunition type that will be powerful enough to stop the threat posed by a dangerous intruder in your home. Ammunition Capacity – The last thing you want in a gunfight is to run out of bullets because the first one to run out of bullets loses. And remember, you can’t miss fast enough to win a gunfight. Ease of Reload – If you do run out of bullets before the fight is over, a gun with a simple and fast reload procedure may be a lifesaver.

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Collateral Risk – You will be held responsible for every bullet that leaves your gun, and under stress, you will probably miss the threat with at least one of them. Where will it go? Your child’s bedroom? Your neighbor’s house? Some bullets pose a bigger threat of leaving your immediate area than others.

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The website www.theboxotruth.com has a great deal of information about the collateral risk posed by various types of ammunition in a home defense setting. Here’s a summary of some of their most relevant findings: Handgun/Rifle Penetration - 12 sheets of 5/8” sheetrock, a water jug, and a wood/brick backstop:     

9mm JHP: 12 sheets, water jug; stopped by wood .45 ACP JHP: 12 sheets, water jug; stopped by wood .357 Magnum JHP: 9 sheets; stopped by 10th .223 from AR-15: 12 sheets, water jug, wood; stopped by brick 7.62 x 51 mm: 12 sheets, water jug, wood; stopped after breaking the brick  In a follow-up test involving four insulated interior walls (8 pieces of 5/8” sheetrock and insulation) spaced “room distance” (i.e. 10 feet) apart, the handgun rounds penetrated all four walls without difficulty while the rifle rounds deviated wildly after the second wall making the results inconclusive.

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12 Gauge Shotgun Penetration - 12 sheets of 5/8” sheetrock, water jug, pine wood and brick backstop:    

12 ga birdshot/target load @ 12 feet = penetrated 2 sheets, bounced off 3rd 12 ga #4 buck @ 12 feet = penetrated 6 sheets, bounced off 7th 12 ga #1 buck @ 12 feet = penetrated 6 sheets, bounced off 7th 12 ga #00 buck @ 12 feet = all pellets penetrated 7 sheets, some 8, and one 9

 Entry wound spreads @ 12 feet were between 2.5” and 3.5” (in other words, you still have to aim)

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12 ga slug @ 12 feet = penetrated all 12 sheets and stopped by or in the water jugs

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Maneuverability – The ability to maneuver inside your home and make an accurate shot while at the same time not giving away your position or jeopardizing your control over the firearm will be essential in a home defense situation.

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Reliability – You want your gun to function when you need it, whether you just shot it last week or it has been sitting in a safe untouched for the last 10 years. Ease of Operation – Under stress your ability to perform complicated or precise operations will be severely inhibited; a complicated weapon will only aggravate the problem. Recoil – Almost all guns have some recoil. A greater amount of recoil will make it more difficult to make wellaimed shots in rapid succession if needed. If the recoil is uncomfortable it may also make you less likely to train with the weapon. Cost – Any gun is better than no gun in a gunfight. A basic home defense shotgun can cost as little as $200. Also, pay attention to how much the ammo costs; a weapon whose ammo is too expensive to train with regularly will be one you won’t train with regularly.

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Stopping Power Ammunition Capacity Ease of Reload Collateral Risk Maneuverability Reliability Ease of Operation Recoil Cost

Shotgun Rifle Pistol Revolver

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Pros:  Stopping Power  Collateral Risk  Reliability  Ease of Operation  Cost Cons:  Ammunition Capacity  Ease of Reload  Maneuverability  Recoil

The shotgun is a widely available, relatively inexpensive, and highly effective home defense weapon. With the right ammunition (buckshot) it can have unrivaled stopping power without the level of collateral risk that comes with centerfire rifles or handguns. Shotguns are very reliable and fairly easy to operate. However, shotguns also have one of the lowest ammunition capacities of the systems evaluated here. They are also one of the slowest and most difficult weapons to reload. They are less maneuverable than smaller guns, especially in close quarters. They also have the greatest amount of recoil.

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Pros  Stopping Power Cons  Collateral Risk  Maneuverability  Recoil Variable  Ammunition Capacity  Reliability  Ease of Operation  Ease of Reload  Cost

Because of the huge variety of rifles on the market, it is hard to make meaningful generalizations about the whole class of guns. However, most rifles do have a few things in common. First, most rifles are designed to kill or incapacitate large animals (including humans) across great distances. However, with this power comes a high collateral risk to neighbors and bystanders, even if you hit your target. Rifles are also larger and longer than handguns, making them less maneuverable in close quarters. They also have higher amounts of recoil compared to handguns.

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Pros  Ammunition Capacity  Ease of Reload  Maneuverability  Recoil Cons  Stopping Power  Collateral Risk  Reliability  Ease of Operation  Cost

Pistols have one of the highest ammunition capacities of any of the systems under consideration. They also can be one of the easiest and quickest to reload because they employ a magazine loading system. Their size also makes them highly maneuverable and their lower power rounds give them less recoil than rifles or shotguns (though their smaller frames also do not contain the recoil as well). Unfortunately, pistol rounds do not have the stopping power of rifle or shotgun rounds, and yet they still present a high level of collateral risk, especially in close quarters. They are less reliable and are more complicated than most of the other systems considered here. Their starting price is also usually higher than that of other weapons.

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Pros  Maneuverability  Reliability  Ease of Operation Cons  Stopping Power  Ammunition Capacity  Ease of Reload  Collateral Risk  Cost

Revolvers are typically small and highly maneuverable. They are also some of the most reliable and user-friendly firearms available. A revolver, unlike a pistol (which has springs under tension when loaded), can sit—loaded and ready —untouched for years and still perform perfectly when needed. While revolvers typically have greater stopping power than pistols, they have less power than a rifle or shotgun. Revolvers also have one of the lowest ammo capacities of the systems evaluated here, and are usually slow to reload. They also carry a high level of collateral risk and usually a higher price tag compared to other weapons.

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Most experts (based on my research) would recommend a shotgun, pistol, or revolver for home defense. Why not a rifle? Simply because they are typically too unwieldy and present too much collateral risk to be practical in a home defense capacity. Rifles are great for shooting things dead at 100+ yards, but most home defense firefights will occur within the 510 yard range. Ultimately, you should use what you feel most comfortable with after understanding the pros and cons of each home defense weapon option.

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Cleaning your weapon is important: How important varies with the weapon. 

Some guns, like Glock pistols and AK-47 rifles, have a reputation for being able to fire reliably with little or no cleaning and maintenance.

 (I still wouldn’t want to stake my life on a dirty gun, but

it’s nice to know it will probably work whether or not I cleaned it as well as I should have.)

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Some guns (esp. centerfire rifles) will be more significantly effected by dirt, fouling, and other issues and will need greater care to work reliably, fire accurately, and avoid corrosion/rust.

A good rule of thumb is to clean your weapon after every time you take it shooting or put more than 10 or 15 rounds through it. It’s also a good idea to clean your gun any time you plan to store it for an extended period (i.e. one month or more). Sample Gun Cleaning Kit

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In order to properly clean your gun you will have to (at least partially) disassemble it. This is also know as “field stripping” the weapon. 

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Once you have disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the weapon, if you are planning on using it for defense it is a good idea to take it out and test fire it one or two times to make sure that you didn’t reassemble it incorrectly and that it is in working order.

YouTube is a great resource for how to field strip, clean, and reassemble almost any type of weapon. You will also need to buy a cleaning kit for your specific weapon, or a “universal” kit that will work for multiple weapon systems (I got one from Wal-Mart and it works well for me).

Pictured: Glock 17 Field Strip

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There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted their victims by body language: slumped walk, passive behavior, and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select the one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself. However, when there were cues given by potential victims that indicated they would not go easily, the cons said that they would walk away. If the cons sensed that the target was a “counter-predator,” that is, a sheepdog, they would leave him alone unless there was no other choice but to engage. – On Combat (2004) You can apply this same principle to defending your home against possible invasion: Make your home someplace that a criminal won’t want to risk messing with. Follow the guidelines on the following page to make your home a less appealing target.

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Utilize bright, exterior lights throughout the night and while on vacation – a well lit house is a much less appealing target for an opportunistic criminal (and they are the most common kind). 

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Fluorescent lights use much less electricity and will be a much more affordable option for prolonged use.

Trim hedges and landscaping to reduce hiding places and improve lines of sight from the street to home access points (doors, windows). Make sure that garage doors are closed at night. An open garage door is one of the biggest invitations to a home invader. Do not “advertise” your valuables by keeping them in view of passers by (i.e. in the yard, in the garage when open, in windows facing the street).

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Initial Response: Take Control to Prevent a Shootout Your Stress Response  

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Preparing for Combat Stress     

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Tactical Breathing The Tunnel Vision Sidestep

Awareness Spectrum  

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Loss of Dexterity Visual Distortions Autopilot/Muscle Memory Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast Force-on-Force Training/Stress Inoculation

Dealing With Stress in Combat 

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Heart Rate Perceptual Distortions

Conditions White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Black “Living In” Condition Yellow

What if They Don’t Leave?   

Scenario 1: They Don’t Threaten/Engage Scenario 2: They Threaten/Engage The Knife Threat

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Call the Police! 

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Have your firearm at the low ready 

Low Ready 

You will need to have a cell phone on your person or in your bedroom where you can dial 911 immediately in the event of a home invasion. They may not get there in time to prevent a confrontation but getting reinforcements en route immediately may be a lifesaving first move. Remember: Rule #4 - Always be sure of your target and background. What if the loud sound you heard was your teenager looking for a midnight snack. Rule #2 – Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to DESTROY! VERIFY THE THREAT before taking aim!

Give loud, verbal commands: “I’ve called the police! I have a gun! Get out of my house!”

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Get your family to the most secure, defensible area available to wait for the police. 

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You may not have any cover (i.e. anything that can stop a bullet, like the engine of a car) but you can probably find some concealment (i.e. anything that removes you from the intruder’s line of sight or keeps them from getting a clear shot at you, like doors, walls, furniture, etc.). You may want to have an additional defense firearm safely stored in your “holdout area” where your wife or children can access it to return fire should the threat make it through you to them or in case there are multiple intruders.

“I think the best home defense system is a cell phone and a dead-bolt lock on your bedroom door.” – Cpl. Greg Oster, BPD Defensive Tactics Instructor

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Your normal resting heart-rate is 60-80 beats per minute (bpm). When someone enters your home and violently threatens your life, your heart rate is probably going to shoot up in a matter of seconds. If your heart rate rises above 175 bpm, your ability to defend yourself will be seriously impaired due to the side-effects of such high arousal. These include:    

Deterioration of cognitive processing and “freezing up” Voiding of bladder/bowels Loss of peripheral vision, near vision, and depth perception Selective hearing loss

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You may experience a true “altered state of consciousness” as a result of a deadly force encounter as your brain and body attempt to keep you alive in a deadly situation. Research on law enforcement officers involved in deadly force encounters has revealed a wide array of perceptual distortions that can occur during deadly conflict. The most common of these perceptual distortions are:      

85% - Diminished Sound (Auditory Exclusion) 80% - Loss of Peripheral Vision (Tunnel Vision ) 74% - Unconscious Actions (Autopilot) 72% - Heightened Visual Clarity 65% - Slow Motion Time 51% - Partial Memory Loss (Critical Incident Amnesia)

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As your heart rate climbs over 115 bmp, changes will occur in your body that you need to be prepared to minimize, overcome, or take advantage of. Loss of Dexterity 

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Your body will divert blood from small muscle groups to large, “fight or flight” muscle groups through the process of vasoconstriction. This will make intricate, complicated manipulations difficult or impossible. REMEMBER THIS when developing your training program. If there is anything you can do with your whole hand rather than one or two fingers (i.e. racking the slide of a pistol), practice using your whole hand so that when your fingers go numb/limp it won’t slow you down. In the case of survival actions that require fine motor skills (i.e. dialing 9-1-1 on a small cellular phone, reloading a shotgun), regular practice may allow you to perform these intricate actions in spite of reduced dexterity. However, you may additionally need to lower your heart rate through tactical breathing (discussed later) in order to perform these actions successfully.

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Auditory Exclusion 

The most commonly experienced perceptual distortion in combat is auditory exclusion. 85% of law enforcement officers reported experiencing some form of auditory exclusion.  The brain and the inner ear shut out less important sounds under

stress with only milliseconds of warning. Sometimes a person will not hear their own gunshots (which the brain can anticipate and block) but will hear the shots of those around them (which cannot be anticipated) or the sound of brass hitting the ground between shots.  The saying “You don’t hear the one that gets you” may come from the fact that when several survival-related stimuli occur simultaneously (i.e. sound of a bomb, sight of an explosion, feel of the concussion), the brain blocks those stimuli that it perceives as less important in order to focus on the single stimulus most salient to your survival.  Some people have discarded their gun after pulling the trigger several times and not hearing “BANG!” like they expected. The gun had indeed fired, but auditory exclusion had blocked the sound. Be aware of this and don’t let it throw you off while in a firefight.

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Auditory Exclusion (Cont.) 

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“One officer told me that on one occasion he was at the bottom of a stairwell with a suspect above shooting down at him. He said the sound of the gunshots was overwhelming. ‘I had a shotgun in my hand,’ he said, ‘I raised it, drew a bead on this guy, and all of a sudden the shots got quiet.’ When the officer got a visual lock-on with the suspect, his eyes turned up and his ears turned down—a phenomenon that happens frequently when warriors are caught in an ambush. The sounds of the incoming shots are initially overwhelming: Boom! Boom! Boom! Since he is taken by surprise, he has limited [useful visual information], but after he quickly scans the environment and gets a visual lock on the attacker, the shots become quiet.” – On Combat (2004), by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

In low-light situations, auditory amplification can occur. When visibility is limited, the brain will focus on—and even amplify— sound. Because the sound of a gunshot echoing in the darkness is of limited usefulness, you must train yourself to look for a muzzle flash. Then your brain will be able to switch its focus from less useful sound to the more useful vision.

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Visual Distortions 

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Tunnel Vision - As your heart-rate increases you may experience “tunnel vision” in which your peripheral vision is severely impaired and you feel as though you are looking “through a toilet paper tube.” Counteract this phenomenon by “keeping your head on a swivel”—physically turning your head from side to side to check your periphery and break any tunnel vision trance. Loss of Near Vision - This is especially problematic for people using handguns for defense. Near vision may become impaired to the point that you cannot see the sights on your handgun to properly aim your shot. If you plan to use a handgun you may need to train yourself to “point and shoot” rather than use the sights in the event your near vision fails you as a result of combat stress.

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Autopilot/Muscle Memory 

74% of Police Officers involved in deadly force encounters reported experiencing “autopilot”—performing actions without conscious thought—during the course of their encounter.  One officer recounted the following: “I came around the corner of

this guy’s van…I didn’t know he’d already killed [someone]…All of a sudden a gun appears in his hand. Then a hole appears in his chest and he drops. My first thought was, ‘Whoa, somebody shot him for me!’ I actually looked over my shoulder to see who shot this guy. Then I realized that I had my gun in my hand and it was me who had shot him.”

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Under stress, your mind and body will fall back on those actions with which they are most familiar, whether they are effective or not. Consequently, IT IS ESSENTIAL to practice survival actions correctly and exactly as you will do them in a real survival situation.  Example: An off-duty cop disarmed a bank robber and then handed

him back his gun…twice! He was too used to handing back the gun to his fellow officers during disarm training.

“You do not rise to the occasion in combat, you sink to the level of your training.”

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Autopilot/Muscle Memory (Cont.) 

Simple is Better: Remember that stress will reduce your ability to think about and perform complex or intricate actions. When training your muscle memory, SIMPLICITY is KING. If your muscle memory is too complex or intricate, your brain will order your body to do it but your body’s ability to carry it out under stress will be impaired.  Hicks’ Law states that the amount of time it takes to react to a

stimulus is a function of the number of possible responses available. Experiments have shown that going from one to two possible responses to a stimulus increases reaction time by almost 60%! With this in mind, limit the number of possible responses you practice to the one or two simplest and most effective. “A simple set of skills, combined with an emphasis on actions focusing on gross motor movement, extensively rehearsed, will allow for extraordinary performance levels under stress.” – On Combat (2004) by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (paraphrased)

“An amateur practices until he gets it right. A professional practices until he can’t get it wrong.”

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Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast 

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Practice SLOW, SMOOTH, fluid motions in all of your defense training, especially when it comes to reloading. If you try to go fast, you will drop rounds/magazines, increase the risk of jams or of magazines failing to feed, and will create other hazards that will greatly reduce your ability to get back in the fight. Don’t practice FAST – Practice SMOOTH. If your muscle memory is not set to smooth, under stress it will automatically get set to fast and that will lead to problems. You will have to train yourself to RESIST THE URGE to go fast when the stress hits. Your muscle memory must be for smooth, so practice smooth until it’s all you know how to do!

“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes habits. Bad practice makes bad habits. Good practice makes good habits. Perfect practice makes perfect habits.”

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Force-on-Force Training/Stress Inoculation 

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Studies of law enforcement agencies around the country found that many of their officers were shooting 90% accuracy during training, but only 20% accuracy in lethal force encounters in the field. That means 4 out of 5 shots missed when they counted! Some departments, however, were shooting 90% in training and almost 90% in lethal force encounters as well, quickly and efficiently eliminating real world threats while under intense stress. The difference? Force-on-force training. The high accuracy departments were using paintball and paint pellet training to prepare their officers to take steady, well-aimed shots while experiencing high levels of stress and taking potentially painful incoming fire. This “stress inoculation” training allowed officers at those departments to fire fewer and better aimed rounds in real lethal force encounters.

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Tactical Breathing 

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Just as a basketball player who gets fouled on a drive to the basket must calm himself down before shooting his free throws, we too must calm ourselves down before taking the shots that may save our lives. If we attempt to fire without deliberately lowering our heart-rate, we will most likely miss our target. This will give the threat more time to endanger us and our loved ones. If you feel your heart racing and your hands trembling, taking 2-3 controlled breaths can “create calm,” reducing your heart rate and giving you the ability to make wellaimed, smoothly executed shots that will find their target.

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The Tunnel Vision Sidestep 

While you yourself may experience tunnel vision as a result of stress, your attacker may also be experiencing the same phenomenon. To take advantage of his visual distortion, quickly sidestep to one side so that you, in effect, disappear or “go off his radar screen.” In order to visually reacquire you he has to blink, draw back, and move his head in your direction. In the critical second it takes for him to do that, you have a brief moment of advantage. Practice sidestepping while shooting during training to form this potentially life-saving habit.

“Most people talk about tunnel vision saying that it was like looking through a toilet paper tube. For me it was like [looking through] a soda straw.” - From On Combat (2004)

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Condition White: Environmental Unawareness. There is no readiness for a threat confrontation in this mental state. Condition Yellow: Relaxed but Alert. You are not anticipating any threats but you are aware that a threat could appear and are attuned to any signal of threat potential. Condition Orange: Alarm. You know there is trouble and you are concentrating on evaluating and analyzing it further. You begin following a tactical plan and preparing to respond with decisive and deadly force if necessary. Condition Red: Threat. What looks wrong is wrong and your mind and body swing into full “fight-or-flight” mode. Your dominant responses kick in to full gear. Condition Black: Panic. You are “blacked out.” You are mentally or even physically paralyzed. You were unprepared for a threat and are now unable to respond.

Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters (1980) by Adams, McTernan, & Ramsberg

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Condition White and Condition Yellow are the only two mental states a person can maintain indefinitely without inducing mental and physical exhaustion. Because the great majority of people never take an active interest in their physical self-preservation they will never experience Condition Yellow, only Conditions White, Orange, Red, and Black. However, when a person decides to take an active interest in their physical self-preservation they prepare themselves to experience Condition Yellow and, with practice, can develop the habit of “living in” Condition Yellow - Relaxed but Alert. While Condition Yellow is not a guarantee of protection, it gives you the best odds for reading danger cues and moving in proper sequence and in a controlled manner up to Orange or Red as needed. Anticipating danger…will reduce your startle response if danger does explode. If an immediate escalation to Red is required, the jump from Yellow is much easier to accommodate than from White, because the springboard of alertness is already there. Being forced to go directly from White to Red will usually land you in the Black.

Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters (1980) by Adams, McTernan, & Ramsberg

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This scenario will most likely apply in situations where you are not in visual contact with the intruder. If, after you give your loud verbal commands, the intruder(s) does not leave but does not engage or threaten you or your family, the best course of action will usually be to keep your weapon at the ready and remain in a defensible location while you wait for the police to arrive. Most home invaders are probably looking for money, jewelry, or other easily removable valuables and aren’t looking for a fight if they can avoid it. If they know they’ve been detected and may be facing an armed, confident, prepared homeowner if they press their luck, they will probably leave. 

REMEMBER: You MAY NOT EVER shoot someone to defend property alone. Even if you see them walking out your front door with your 50” TV you MAY NOT shoot them unless you can articulate why they represent a threat of death or great bodily injury to your or others. Now, if they have a weapon…

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This is the worst possible scenario but the one we all need to prepare for. If a dangerous intruder engages you, it is up to YOU to KILL OR DISABLE him in order to protect your life, your family’s life, and the lives of others he may pose a threat to. 

A word of advice: On my first ride-a-long while preparing to join BPD, I asked the officer if police are taught to aim for the leg or shoulder to wound. He soberly replied: “Police don’t shoot to wound.” He then went on to explain that if the situation has reach the point where an officer has to pull his gun and take aim at a person, that person is presenting a lethal threat to the officer or others. If the officer has to pull the trigger, he will be aiming to kill because shooting to wound would mean intentionally giving a deadly threat a chance to continue their threat, escape, or counterattack.

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Does a knife really pose the same deadly threat that a gun does? 

There’s a concept known as the “21- foot rule.” Knife defense research has shown the following:  The average officer requires between

1.31 and 2.25 seconds to draw their weapon and fire one unsighted shot at center mass on an approaching target.  The average test subject with a simulated edged-weapon, starting from a dead rest, covered a distance of 21’ from rest on a smooth, level surface in between 1.5 and 1.7 seconds.  Source: www.policeone.com/edgedweapons

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In other words, if you have a gun and an intruder “only” has a knife, that intruder can stab you dead in less than 2 seconds if they are within 21’ of you. 

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Just remember that a knife can kill you just as dead as a gun. 

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HOWEVER, just because someone has a knife within 21’ of you doesn’t mean you are automatically justified in shooting them. They must initiate a reasonably hostile action (i.e. lunging, moving toward you, brandishing the weapon, or even aggressive posturing) before you are justified in taking the shot.

Police Videos: Brazilian Police response vs. Nicaraguan Police response

Bottom Line: If an intruder in your home is armed with a knife, you should shoot him dead the moment he makes the first overtly aggressive move toward you.

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Have a Prepared System    

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Protect Your Weapon  

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Avoid Fatal Funnels

Go on the Offensive 

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The tactical tuck Slicing the pie

Protect Yourself 

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Handgun system Shotgun system *Mounted flashlights – Pros & Cons *Tactical shotgun reload

Offensive Mindset vs. Defensive Mindset

When the Time Comes to Shoot The Aftermath

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“System” here refers to the weapon system you will be staking your life on. If all you have is the gun itself and a few bullets, you don’t have much of a system. Here are some suggestions of what you might want or need for a life-saving system. Handgun 

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Extra Ammunition: This is trickier with revolvers, but with pistols, having a few extra loaded magazines with your firearm (and possibly hidden in strategic locations around the house) will greatly improve your chances of not being the first one to run out of bullets in a firefight. Light: This also goes for shotguns/rifles, but in the event that your home is invaded during the dark hours, you will want a flashlight to allow you to identify your potential target, fire well-aimed rounds, and possibly blind/disorient the intruders for a temporary but significant advantage. Laser Sights: Effective laser sights can be very helpful in low light and high stress situations. Crimson Trace Laser Grips, for example, utilize your natural gripping action on the weapon to activate the laser so you have one less action to take in a high stress situation. A laser sighting capability can provide an immediate, decisive advantage.

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Pros:  

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Frees up a hand that would otherwise be dedicated to holding the flashlight. You only need to grab one thing in the dark rather than two (gun w/ flashlight vs. gun & flashlight). You can keep both hands more firmly on the weapon for greater firing stability.

Cons: 

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You will be pointing a deadly weapon at anything you use your light to identify, possibly including family members, neighbors, or police officers. Intruders will instinctively (in most cases) shoot at your flashlight (because, while they can’t see you, they know you’re there somewhere). This means that if you are aiming your gun, those bullets will be coming right for your face.

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Shotgun 

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Strap: You need a strap on your shotgun! Why? Because you need a way to free up the use of your hands while still keeping the weapon with you. If you have to let go of the weapon for any reason (i.e. you are wounded), you DO NOT want to risk leaving the weapon behind because a) you won’t have it should you need it, b) the bad guy could get it and use it against you. Side-Saddle: A side-saddle is a gun-mounted carrier for extra shells. Two of the main disadvantages of a shotgun are its low ammo capacity and slow reload time. A side-saddle (or two) coupled with lots of practice reloading will greatly reduce these disadvantages.

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To reload a shotgun in a tactical situation:  

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DO NOT take the muzzle off of the threat. Tilt or roll the shotgun to the side so that you can access the side-saddle without obstructing your view of the threat. Remove the shells one or two at a time and smoothly load them into the magazine. When finished, tilt or roll the shotgun back into primary firing position. REMEMBER: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast!

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“He who controls the barrel controls the bullets.” 

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You must keep your weapon in your control at all times. This may sound simple, but especially if you are using a shotgun or rifle, your weapon may be rendered useless if the intruder gets a hold of the barrel as you come around a corner. You will tell a bad guy you’re coming if he sees the barrel of your gun coming around the corner several seconds before you follow.

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The Tactical Tuck 

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As you approach a corner, tuck your weapon close to your body to prevent an intruder from easily wresting control of the weapon from you. For Handguns: The off-hand is raised in a guard position in order to defend against any ambush attack as well as to keep the attacker at a distance where they will be less able to seize your weapon. Muzzle is toward threat area. For Shotguns/Rifles: Keep the weapon as near to you as possible and keep the barrel from giving away your position. You will want to distance yourself from the wall as you turn the corner. This will allow you to aim the weapon without jeopardizing control over it by dangling the barrel out in the unknown.

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Slice the Pie 

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As you approach a corner, step back, away from the wall, so that you cannot be easily ambushed by any intruder hiding just out-ofsight around the corner. Then, start “slicing the pie” by taking small sideways steps that will allow you to see inside the room one “piece” at a time without exposing yourself all at once. You must be especially careful about the dangers lurking around corners when in a pursuit. If you EVER lose visual contact with a threat, SLOW DOWN and prepare for an ambush around every corner.

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Avoid Fatal Funnels

“Fatal Funnel” refers to the dangerous area where a person is silhouetted against their background, making them an easily visible target. It also refers to the area where a person is vulnerable not only from the front, but also from the sides as they pass through an entryway and become exposed on three sides.  Avoid stepping into the fatal funnel by slicing the pie and “sweeping” (visually) as much of the unknown area as possible before you expose yourself to move forward. Once you have swept as much of the target area as possible, move quickly into the funnel and then (if entering a hallway) “hug” a wall to hide your outline or (if entering a room) commit to and “button hook” one corner to eliminate it as a threat zone before visually sweeping the others. 

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Go on the OFFENSIVE! Mindset will be one of the most important variables in determining the outcome of any life-and-death situation.  Offensive Mindset: “I’m going to KILL this guy.” 

 The attacker already has this mindset, giving them a

significant advantage in a confrontation.

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Defensive Mindset: “How am I going to survive this?”  If you have this mindset, you will probably lose (i.e.

die). However, if you go on the offensive, you not only change your mindset but that of your attacker. Suddenly his thinking changes to, “Holy cow, this guy is going to kill me!”

“A predator feels no stress. A predator is the stress.”

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“The best gun fight is the one you never have. The second-best gun fight is the one you quickly and decisively win.” Changing your mindset from victim to predator gives you a significant advantage. It focuses and clears your mind as you assume control over the situation and take meaningful action. Your aggressive action will simultaneously take away the intruder’s biggest advantage by changing his mindset from predator to potential victim. In making this change, you have to assume the worst in order to be prepared for anything. Assume that there at least two armed, experienced, cold-blooded killers in your home who will murder you and your family without hesitation. How do you survive this scenario? By quickly and decisively KILLING THEM FIRST!

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Examples of going on the offensive Trolley Square Shooting – February 12, 2007  United Flight 93 – September 11, 2001 

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Examples of failing to go on the offensive Mumbai, India – November 26, 2008  Virginia Tech Shooting – April 16, 2007 

Park Boxer vs. Two Bullies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJe3XpWmuVY

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Shoot the intruder until he stops moving (be it 1 shot or 25). 

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If he keeps moving, shoot him some more (be it 1 shot or 25). When he stops moving, stop shooting. Scan for additional threats without taking the muzzle off of the downed threat.   

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By moving, I mean moving in any way that implies he still has the ability to pose a reasonable threat.

Keep the gun pointed at him. Issue loud, verbal commands: “Do not move or I will shoot you again! The police are on their way!” Perform a tactical reload if necessary or prudent.

If he moves again, shoot him some more. DO NOT approach him, even to remove a weapon – if he goes for it, shoot him some more. Wait for the police to arrive. 

Have someone else (if possible) call the police to update them on the situation. Tell them you have shot the intruder and have him at gunpoint. The officers who arrive will be in “Lethal Force Mode.” Follow their instructions EXACTLY or you risk being shot yourself.

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“My exterior lights were all on, but he kept coming.” “All of my windows and doors were locked, but he kept coming.” “I told him I had called the police, but he kept coming.” “I told him I had a gun, but he kept coming.” “I told him to drop his weapon. He didn’t, and he kept coming.” “I told him to not to move or I would shoot, but he kept coming.” “He left me no other option but to shoot.” 

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The more of these statements you can truthfully make during any post-shooting investigation or legal proceeding, the better you can make the case that he left you no option but to shoot. This doesn’t mean that you should wait to check off each of these statements before defending yourself if threatened. If the intruder has a weapon and makes a move to use it against you, let him have it! He just jumped all the way to the bottom: “He left me no option.”

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“It is not the thing itself, but the view we take of it which upsets us.” – Epictetus, Roman Philosopher People will have varying responses to killing based on how prepared mentally they are for that event beforehand. 

Often, people who have to kill someone early on in their law enforcement or military careers feel euphoria and even joy, followed soon by remorse and nausea, and ultimately by a lifelong process of rationalization and sometimes PTSD. Others who have already had years of preparation for the possibility of killing may share the feelings expressed by one veteran police officer who had to shoot and kill a violent criminal: “All I felt was the recoil.” By having resolved the issue in their minds ahead of time, their responses were healthier and they were able to return to their lives without the residual problems experienced by those who were unprepared mentally for what it would be like to kill another human being…I am convinced, based on interviews with hundreds of men and women who have had to kill, that if you tell yourself that killing will be an earthshattering, traumatic event, then it probably will be. – On Combat (2004), by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (paraphrased, emphasis mine)

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The Bathtub Theory of Stress 

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People are like bathtubs, and stress is the water. If you plug up the drain and turn on the faucet, the water will fill the tub until it overflows. If you leave the drain open, but the tub fills too quickly (i.e. as the result of the extreme stress dump of a deadly force encounter), it can overflow unless the drain is further opened, the faucet is turned off, or both. People can need days, even weeks, to let the water drain out after a deadly force encounter; expecting them to immediately move on is a recipe for PTSD. Police department protocol dictates that any officer involved in a deadly force encounter be given 3-4 days off to recover from the event. Civilians may need even more time because they are generally less mentally and emotionally prepared to handle a deadly force encounter and the extreme stress that will follow.

Critical Incident Amnesia 

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Almost half of all law enforcement officers involved in deadly force encounters report experiencing “missing frames”—significant chunks of memory lost from their event, including memory of their own actions (i.e. number of shots fired). This is known as “critical incident amnesia.” It is common to recall only 30% of the event in the first 24 hours, 50% after 48 hours, and 75-95% after 72 hours. Memories from “critical incidents” are often like a series of snapshots: some vivid, some blurry, and some even missing.

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Killing another human being—even if they were posing a real and deadly threat to you or your loved ones—may be a hard thing to live with depending on how prepared you were mentally and emotionally beforehand. You may experience some degree or form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of a lethal-force encounter. This disorder can have a potentially devastating effect on close, personal relationships and should be dealt with promptly and thoroughly by an experienced, trained professional. It would be truly tragic to successfully defend your family from a deadly attack only to have your relationships with them fall apart as a result. Even if you don’t experience PTSD, there will be an investigation, paperwork, questions, and possibly legal proceedings, reporters, accusations, and what may turn into an ongoing parade of stressors disrupting your life for months or even years after the event. Prepare yourself and your family to help and support one another through these challenges.

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The entire criminal justice system is geared on the assumption that whoever calls in the first complaint is the victim. In a self-defense situation you automatically become a contestant in “The Race for the Telephone.” The winner gets to be the good guy, and the loser automatically becomes the bad guy. 

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While a home defense situation provides significant context supporting your claim as defender rather than aggressor, it will still be essential to call the police as soon as you safely can do so.

If you are put on trial as a result of your shooting, you will need to request that your attorney secure an expert witness to testify about the appropriateness of your actions (assuming they were) and to educate the jury regarding the following:    

Why you used JHP ammunition and not FMJ (assuming you did) Why you fired multiple shots (assuming you did) Why you used the type of gun that you did Why you shot to kill, not to wound (assuming you did)

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The “Hair-Trigger” Trap: Studies have shown that even highly-trained people, in defense situations, may unconsciously place their finger on the trigger without intending to. This can potentially lead to an “unintentional” or “negligent” discharge. The lighter the trigger pull on your defense weapon, the higher the risk of an unintentional discharge. THIS IS A TRAP often used by attorneys in shooting trials to make an intentional, defensive shot appear “unintentional” or “negligent.” 

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Single-action firearms—those which require the manual cocking of the hammer in order to fire, thereby creating a “hair-trigger”— are more vulnerable to this attack than double-action firearms— those which use the trigger for both the cocking and firing action and consequently have longer trigger pulls than a cocked and ready single-action trigger. For this reason, most police departments have adopted doubleaction-only (DAO) handguns and usually require at least a 4-5 lb trigger pull.

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Mental Preparation     

Your Most Dangerous Weapon Survival Triangle & Killer’s Mindset A Person Prepared to Kill Is Less Likely to Have To “When…Then” Mental Rehearsal When You Get Shot  Incredible Survivors

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Practice – No Fire    

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Practice – Live Fire  

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Trigger Pull Drills Reloading Drills Room Clearing Drills Drawing/Accessing Drills Run’n’Gun Course Target Options

Idaho CCW Reciprocity Map

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“Your mind is the most dangerous weapon you have…The extent to which it is prepared for a high-risk, high-stress encounter determines for whom it is dangerous. Properly prepared, it can be a paralyzing threat to your adversary. Unprepared, it can prove devastating to you… because of its capacity, under stress, to mercilessly sabotage your performance…If you approach high-risk situations without the proper mental preparation, the strongest force in deciding your destiny is going to be luck.” – Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters, pg. 16

“You are the weapon, everything else is just a tool.” - Anonymous

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Mental Conditioning is the foundation of the survival triangle. It will be your single biggest advantage OR will prove your single biggest vulnerability in a survival situation. You may be a tactical expert or an incomparable marksman, but if you panic under stress or your mind goes blank when forced to confront a real, dangerous threat to your life, neither of those will do you any good. According to an FBI study, cop-killers have a mindset where they “have been exposed to killing after killing, they fully expect to get killed and they don’t hesitate to shoot anybody, including a police officer. They can go from riding down the street saying what a beautiful day it is to killing in the next instant…[They survive] by developing a shoot-first mentality.” 

That kind of mental preparation gives a dangerous intruder a serious advantage over the average home-owner. The only way to regain the advantage is to be even better prepared then they are to win a firefight in our home. (See Alma 43:45)

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When you are truly prepared to kill someone, your eyes, your voice, and your body language will communicate that to your attacker. The attacker will either realize that you are playing for keeps and will decide to move on, or he will foolishly take you on to his demise. The reality is this: A person who is truly prepared to kill is less likely to have to do it.

“These are terrible decisions to make and we would like to avoid them at all costs. However, if you do not make the decision in advance, I guarantee you that you will hesitate to make [it in the moment] and that hesitation may make the difference between you living and dying.” – Dr. Ignastus Piazza, founder of the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute

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“No man fears to do that which he knows he does well.” By rehearsing defense scenarios you take the surprise out of combat. This raises your sense of confidence, and that confidence is an essential stress reducer. The more surprises you prepare yourself for mentally, the more confidence and control you will feel in a real defense situation. Get in the habit of rehearsing tactical “when…then” scenarios all the time (“If…then” thinking is for sheep):     

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“When someone breaks in my front/back door then I am going to ___________.” “When an armed intruder is between me and my child’s room then I will ___________.” “When someone is in my home when I arrive then I am going to ____________.” “When I’m searching/sweeping the house and the intruder ambushes me and seizes my weapon then I will ______________.” “When I get shot during a gunfight then I am going to ______________.”

If you have already REHEARSED at least one sound, tactical response for a given situation, if you find yourself in that situation your mind will have a good chance of defaulting to that prepared response when the stress kicks in. You will thereby bypass any potentially fatal “What do I do?” delays that could decide who gains the initial advantage in the confrontation.

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If you are in a gunfight, plan on getting shot. There is nothing you can do about a bullet already in you. If you aren’t dead, you’re still in the fight. All you can do is keep any more bullets from hitting you by killing your attacker. It’s one thing to get shot; you can survive getting shot. You can’t survive being executed by a criminal who comes to finish you off because you’ve decided to stop fighting. You need to understand deep down that even though you are shot —even in the chest, neck, or face—you can still function and win this fight. Remember that with today’s incredible medical technology you have a better chance of surviving a gunshot (or several) than ever before in history. The key is to stop your attacker before he can finish you off. 

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You can lose as much as ½ gallon of blood (30% of the body’s total capacity) before your body is physiologically incapable of sustaining motor function. That’s a lot of blood! To prove it, fill a gallon jug half-way with strawberry milk and pour it on the ground. If you give up before you see this much blood on the ground, it’s you that quit, not your body.

Consider the following individuals…

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Officer Lim was returning to her home from a softball game when she began to suspect someone was following her. When she pulled in her driveway and got out of the car, she carried her 9mm with her. She was approached by a dark figure holding a weapon and, rather than firing immediately, selflessly identified herself as a police officer. Without warning, the would-be carjacker fired a .357 Magnum round into her chest. The bullet destroyed her spleen, and damaged her liver and heart before exiting out her back with enough force to penetrate her car door. Critically wounded, she immediately returned fire, wounding her attacker. As he fled, Officer Lim pursued him, firing three more shots, killing her attacker and frightening off his three associates (all of whom were later arrested). Before she could summon aid she collapsed, but her roommates had called 911. Medical personnel declared the wound fatal and gave her an hour to live. However, Officer Lim refused to die. After fighting through three episodes of full cardiac arrest, a 90-minute heart massage, and receiving over 100 pints of blood, she survived and returned to duty 8 months later.

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PFC Atkins was defending a position with two fellow soldiers on the island of Luzon in the Philippines against a possible Japanese assault. At about 3:00 AM, two companies of Japanese attacked their position with rifles, machine guns, grenades, and TNT charges. PFC Atkins was shot three times and his two companions were killed. However, PFC Atkins remained in his position and returned heavy fire against continuing Japanese assaults. For four hours a seriously wounded PFC Atkins held off Japanese attacks alone until his and his two dead companions’ weapons had jammed beyond repair. Only then did PFC Atkins withdraw to find more ammunition and a new weapon, leaving 13 dead Japanese soldiers behind. A medic at the command post persuaded him not to return to his position in order to receive medical attention. While being examined at the aid station, an alert PFC Atkins noticed a Japanese soldier infiltrating their position. He grabbed a nearby rifle and killed him. Later, while being transported on a litter to a field hospital, he noticed a group of enemy soldiers behind their lines. He grabbed a rifle, sat up and forced them to withdraw with heavy fire. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions.

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On May 12-13, 1945 at Taungdaw in Burma, Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 Japanese soldiers. On approach, the Japanese hurled numerous grenades onto Gurung’s position. Twice he successfully hurled back grenades at the enemy, but a third exploded in his right hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded and unable to fight. Rifleman Gurung, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with only his left hand for four hours, calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range. Afterwards, when the casualties were counted, it is reported that of the 87 Japanese killed by Gurung’s company, 31 lay dead in front of his position. He had repulsed wave after wave of enemy charges alone, severely wounded, and with only one arm. He received the Victoria Cross for his actions.

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Alexis Goggins and her mother were kidnapped under threat of death by the mother’s boyfriend, Calvin Tillie. After driving for some time and stopping for gas, Tillie turned and shot Alexis’s mother twice: once in the side of the head and once in the arm. Before he could fire a third shot, 7-year old Alexis jumped between Tillie and her mother, begging him to stop. Tillie, apparently without hesitation, proceeded to shoot the young girl six times as she shielded her mother. Alexis and her mother were taken to the hospital and Tillie was arrested at the scene. In spite of receiving wounds to the eye, left temple, chin, cheek, chest and right arm, Alexis survived and likely saved her mother’s life.

People are capable of surviving horrendous injuries if they make up their minds to. You must realize that you will likely be wounded in a gun or knife fight with an intruder, but that you can survive even critical injuries if you’ve made up your mind beforehand that no low-life murderer is going to take you away from your family before your time. If you are wounded, just think of one of these people and realize that they survived a lot worse than what may have happened to you.

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Trigger Pull Drills: Make sure your gun is unloaded and then re-load it with DUMMY rounds to practice a smooth trigger pull. You should be “surprised” every time the firing pin engages. If you anticipate the firing pin engaging, you will tighten-up your grip or otherwise subtly throw-off your shot. Reloading Drills: Again, remove all live ammo from the area and practice reloading with DUMMY rounds. Practice doing this without taking your eyes off of your imaginary target when you are comfortable enough using touch alone.  

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Shotgun: Practice tactical reloading and then charging the chamber. Pistol: Practice loading and unloading magazines into the weapon over and over. Practice picking up the magazine, properly orienting it for insertion, loading it and then pulling down to make sure it seated securely. Tactical or “Half-Empty/Full” Reload: With a magazine already in hand, release the seated magazine, grab it between two fingers and using the other two fingers, load the new magazine and charge the slide while still holding the extracted magazine. Do this over and over, slowly and smoothly.

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Room Clearing: Practice clearing your home for intruders using your tactical tuck, slicing the pie, and fatal funnel techniques. 

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If you can use a plastic training gun or gun substitute, you can then realistically practice aiming around corners, etc. without pointing a real firearm in any unsafe directions. If you have children, give them a pellet gun and tell them to hide somewhere in the house. Tell them that if they shoot you without being spotted you’ll take them for ice cream. Then begin clearing your house in a mock home invasion scenario.

Drawing/Accessing Drills: Practice accessing your home defense firearm from your gun safe, holster, or other location. Try setting an alarm for an odd hour of the night. When it goes off, pretend it’s the sound of a loud crash in your basement – respond accordingly. 

Your wife may not be thrilled with this idea, but try to go along or even to get into it as well. Maybe she’ll hear the alarm and do a tactical roll out of bed while you go for the gun.

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The law states that you cannot discharge a firearm in the city limits except in designated locations like firing ranges. However, in the county it’s a different story. There’s nothing to stop you from driving out to the desert to do some shooting practice, as long as you are not trespassing on private land (usually there will be gates and signs) and are not close to any highways or trafficked areas. 

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There are a few places east of Black Creek Road off of I-84, as well as a few places near the Owyhee mountains south of Nampa that aren’t too long of a drive.

Run’n’Gun Course: Set up several targets at varying distances and practice shooting and then running to a new position to take aim on a new target. You can incorporate any number of variables, including reloads, weapon switches, hand switches, different shooting platforms (i.e. prone, kneeling, standing, moving), etc.  

For Home Defense training, 90% of your practice should be from 37 yards! Video - Scott’s “Run’n’Gun” course by Utah Lake - 2009

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Targets: 

Bandit Signs: I have made targets out of “bandit signs” that I then just cover with construction paper when they get too many holes in them. Staple the paper on with a small staple gun.  You can use masking tape to fill in holes

between shoots so you can easily keep track of which holes are old (the taped up ones) and which are fresh (the ones you just made).

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Spinning Metal Targets: Wal-Mart and other stores carry varying grade metal targets. These have the unique advantage of providing instant audible feedback registering either a hit or a miss.

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Home Made Silhouettes: The Box O’ Truth has a nice article on how to make your own silhouettes for shooting: 

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“As you can see, it consists of 7 pieces of 1 1/2 inch, schedule 40 PVC pipe. Each piece is 16 inches long, and they can all be made from one 10 foot section of 1 1/2 inch, schedule 40 PVC pipe. Also needed are: two tees, two 90 degree elbows, and two caps.” Five pieces are glued together as shown below. The two upright pieces are not glued, but just slip-fitted into the tees to hold the wooden stakes. The wooden stakes are 4 foot long and are just inserted into the uprights.

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Wonder why you’ve never heard a news story about guns being used in selfdefense? You’re not the only one, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. In fact, some studies have shown that guns are used for self-defense between 1,500,000-3,000,000 TIMES EVERY YEAR. Shown below are links to most of the 73 self-defense stories reported in the news in just the first 60 days of 2010!

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A retired Vietnam veteran, a colonel, said the following: “Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Then there are the sheepdogs, and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.” 

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If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you are a wolf. But if you have a capacity for violence and a deep love for your fellow citizens, then you are a sheepdog. Sheep live in denial; it’s what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires happen, which is why they are comfortable with and even demand fire alarms, exits, and extinguishers in schools where they send their children. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid’s school in spite of the statistics that their kid is dozens of times more likely to be hurt or killed by school violence than by a fire. But that’s the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence: denial. The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks too much like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. He is also a constant reminder that there are wolves roaming wild in the land. The would rather the sheepdog cash in his fangs and go “Baa” like everyone else. That is, until the wolf shows up. Then they cling to their sheepdogs like life itself…The sheep pretends the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. Denial kills you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not physically prepared: You didn’t bring your gun; you didn’t train. Your only defense was wishful thinking…Denial kills you a second time because even if you do physically survive, you are psychologically shattered by fear, horror, and shame at your moment of truth.

From On Combat (2004), by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy  

This guy is a Police Officer, Military Man, and Gun/Survival Enthusiast. He makes TONS of informative videos reviewing guns, tactical gear, knives, etc. as well as videos about gun cleaning, shooting techniques, tactical and philosophical issues surrounding gun ownership and use, etc. A very helpful and entertaining resource.

Sample Gun Review Video

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A firearms dealer oriented more toward tactical and defensive shooters than hunters (like Cabela’s or Sportsman’s Warehouse). Indoor range and classes available to public.

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More Guns, Less Crime (3rd Ed) – John R. Lott, Jr. The Bias Against Guns – John R. Lott, Jr. On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and Peace – Lt. Col. Dave Grossman On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society – Lt. Col. Dave Grossman The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry – Massad Ayoob

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Deterrence: Various studies have shown that simply brandishing a firearm is enough to deter a would-be criminal 70%-95% of the time. Right-to-Carry: States that allow citizens to carry firearms show a reduction in public mass-shootings by as much as 70% in spite of that fact that almost 50% of mass-shooters are diagnosed with a mental illness (leading some to believe that they would not be deterred by the possibility of armed opposition). However, a higher number of limitations on where citizens can carry legally is related to higher numbers of shootings as well as higher numbers of fatalities and injuries as a result of such shootings. Right-to-carry laws are also the only gun laws that show a consistent, significant, and positive impact on reducing both the number and severity of public mass-shootings. Gun Control: It is almost always that case that stricter gun control laws make self-defense more difficult for law-abiding citizens and thereby increases crime rates. “Hot Burglary” rates (when criminals strike while residents are at home) are 59% in the UK where gun control is strict, compared to 13% in the US where control is less limited. In a survey of convicted US burglars, 74% said that they avoided hot burglaries because “That’s the way to get shot.”

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Safe-Storage Laws: Safe-storage laws are significantly related to higher rates of murder, rape, robbery, and burglary, with rape and robbery rates rising by 11% and 14%, respectively, after the law is adopted. Unfortunately, these laws have very little impact on reducing accidental shooting and suicide rates. This is at least partly due to the fact that the greatest number of accidental shootings come from people who are already the least law-abiding, and suicide rates are unaffected because alternative methods are frequently substituted. The Gun Show “Loophole”: Gun shows provide an opportunity for low-income people to buy guns. Making these guns harder to get primarily impacts law-abiding citizens, as a survey of 18,000 prison inmates in 1997 revealed that less-than 2% used guns they obtained from gun shows, as compared to 40% who obtained guns from friends/family and 39% who obtained guns on the street or from some illegal source. Assault Weapons Ban: No evidence exists that the ban reduced crime rates; some evidence indicates that it increased crime slightly.

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Guns on Planes: A representative for Boeing testified before the US Congress that modern airliners can withstand multiple bullet holes in the fuselage without endangering the aircraft or significantly effecting cabin pressurization. Some who recoil at the idea of arming pilots to prevent hijackings may not know that commercial pilots were routinely required to be armed from the 1920s to 1960s and that 70% of commercial pilots have military training. Media Bias: Out of 208 media stories covering a 2002 college shooting that killed three, only four mentioned that the students who stopped the shooter had guns themselves. Conversely, 68 of the stories gave details about the gun used by the attacker. More Media Bias: Frequently, the notion that a gun can be used legally for self-defense, or even simply as a deterrent against would-be criminals, is never seen as a legitimate reason for owning a gun. The gun control debate would be very different if a few of the 1.5 million + annual defensive gun uses were covered better in the media. From The Bias Against Guns (2003), by John R. Lott, Jr.

The states in green/yellow are those states in which a person with an Idaho CCW permit can lawfully carry without having to obtain an additional permit for that state.

Q: Why do you feel like you need to carry a gun? A: Because I can’t carry a police officer.

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12:00 – Good position for women or for men using short-barreled guns. 1:00 to 2:00 – Good position for quick draw but only for short-barreled weapons that won’t dig into the groin/thigh juncture when seated. 3:00 – The natural bulge of the hip will call attention to anything “concealed” there; a weapon will grate mercilessly on the hip bone. 3:30 – Optimum position for speed, comfort, and concealment. Weapons fit nicely in the natural hollow below the kidney area. Not as comfortable for women and makes surreptitious draw difficult. 4:00 to 5:00 – Protuberance of the buttock makes concealment difficult and uncomfortable. 6:00 – Concealment is frequently jeopardized when bending at the waist. Any backward fall may result in serious injury. Limited ability to resist a gun-snatch. Drawing places you in an arm-lock position.

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Inside the waistband (IWB) holsters will conceal a firearm better than any outside the waistband (OWB) holster. However, to make it work, you need to be sure that your clothing facilitates it. For example, you will need to buy pants one to two-sizes too large because they will no longer be fitting just your waist, but your waist plus a firearm and holster. Doing this will also help “keep you honest” by making it so that your pants won’t fit unless you are carrying. IWB holsters stay in place largely due to belt pressure, so you want to select a holster that won’t collapse when the gun is drawn, making reholstering difficult. Slimness is important with IWB because the fatter the gun, the more the belt is pushed out from the body causing more sliding in the holster area creating a frequent need for readjustment.  IWBs, ARG & Galco NSA OWBs  Alessi CQC & Ted Blocker DA1

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Full-size handguns, while more difficult to conceal, have performance edges over smaller sizes: 

The longer barrel generates more pressure from the burning powder within, increasing muzzle velocity.  This is particularly important with some rounds, like the .45 ACP, whose

velocity falls off dramatically as the barrel is shortened. It can sometimes mean the difference of whether or not the hollow-point bullet you’ve fired opens up as intended.

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Full-size handguns are typically easier to handle under stress and offer greater ammo capacity than compact/subcompact handguns.

Off-center belt loops (fore and aft, as opposed to center) are better for reducing bulge and concealing larger handguns. The well-made Galco NSA ($65) combines the rough-cut design of Bruce Nelson’s original Summer Special with the rear-mounted belt loop of the American Rear Guard ($90) for those carrying full-size guns IWB. Recommended OWB Holsters:  Lou Alessi’s CQC ($100)  Ted Blocker DA-1 and DA-2 ($89 and $87, respectively) From The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry (2008), by Massad Ayoob

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The Box O’ Truth: www.theboxotruth.com Learn About Guns: www.learnaboutguns.com Keep And Bear Arms: www.keepandbeararms.com Front Sight Firearms Training Institute: www.frontsight.com YouTube: Army Pro Shooting Tips YouTube: Tactical Shotgun for Self Defense Parts 1-7 YouTube: The Nutnfancy Project Edged Weapon Defense: www.policeone.com/edged-weapons Crimson Trace: www.crimsontrace.com Ammo Engine: www.ammoengine.com Ada County Sheriff’s Dept. CCW Course Notes Boise Police Academy Course Notes The Bias Against Guns (2003), by John R. Lott, Jr. The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry (2008), by Massad Ayoob On Combat (2004), by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman