Common Notion: Racking a Pump 12 Gauge Will Scare Off a Bad Guy.

[Don Ro]

Interesting discussion from this fourm:
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Think racking a 12 gauge pump will scare the bad guy away?


I agree with this fellow:
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Yes, if they break into your house with the sole intent on killing you, then perhaps the sound of a pump shotgun won't deter them.
However, given that most home break-ins are thieves looking for an easy steal, the sound of an armed and pissed off homeowner is likely to deter most home invaders.
The idea that your average B&E has nerves of steel and is looking for a fight is naive at best.
Most are cowards and will behave accordingly.
For the ones who aren't....as many have said here, it's going to be a bad day either way.
As you don't fire a warning shot, the sound of the pump serves as notice that they have one small chance to rethink their decision to enter your home.
And personally, I'd rather deter them without having to clean them out of the carpet and drywall if I'm at all able.
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[porsche4life]

I've heard numerous stories from hi-pos of perps dropping the act or even wetting themselves upon hearing the racking of an 870...

[onewhippedpuppy]

I've pondered something similar. Say you hear someone breaking in and can gather your weapon and take a defensive stance before an actual confrontation. All of our bedrooms are upstairs so this is a real possibility. If you are armed and in a position to defend yourself, do you give the thief one last chance to leave before going Dirty Harry on him? If not racking your shotgun, maybe yelling that you are armed, the police have been called, and if they do not leave immediately they will be killed?

As much as we talk about defensive confrontations, the last thing most of us want is to be in one. I don't want that on my conscience, I don't want that in my carpet. In the above scenario I would be armed and covering my stairs, the one way that they can get to me or my family. Short of a professionally trained assassin breaking in to steal my tv, the odds are on my side. Frankly the average thief is a coward who takes the path of least resistance, and I'd be willing to guess that 95%+ of them would take the option to escape. Personally I would give them the out if faced with that scenario.

[Don Ro]

So I'd guess they'd split when hearing this being racked?
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Lots of different points made in the above thread/forum.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Btw, you guys are reminding me why my next purchase needs to be a shotgun.

[masraum]

I think there are some very brazen gang banger types that will break in whether there is someone home or not. I think they break in assuming that 3 or 4 big dudes can come in and beat the crap out of many, most folks that are sitting watching TV. But I've read several stories of these home invasion types hauling ass when the home owner starts shooting. As stated, they may be ok with certain types of confrontation (physical where they have strength and numbers on their side), but I don't think most of them are the thugs with a death wish that will run straight at the end of a gun. If they broke into my house, they are more likely to meet my pup before I get to them.

[dyount]

1. I would ask "who's there?" (shooting my daughters boyfriend "by accident" isn't a good thing)
2. KEEP THE LIGHTS OUT! (You know your home and they don't) OR close one eye, turn on the light to ID your opponent,turn the lights out and "hey I can see out of one eye and they can't?"
3. IF no I.D. on who's there shoot to kill (cause this is life or death period)
4. Be prepared for this to effect you for the rest of your life (think about that for a moment)
5. I'd not advise a pistol grip (shotguns are hard to handle even with light loads with a pistol grip. Look rather into a "combat" shotgun w/ shortened barrel. "IF" this turned into a wrestling match over a weapon your advantage is with a longer weapon using the barrel or stock to strike.

[Baz]

Skip to the 2 minute mark.......lol.....

[mattdavis11]

I'm not real fond of my surroundings currently, but I have to deal with it for the time being. We have a lot of foot traffic cruising up and down the street at all hours, I believe there is a meth/crack dealer just up the street. There's a little park across the street, and I know drug use is going on there.

Having said that, I do rack my shotgun periodically to remind passer byes what the course of action will be should they choose to make the wrong decision.

I have racked it when I heard someone trying to open my garage, and did let the neighborhood understand I was upset when they stole the poker for my smoker from the back yard. The poker mysteriously reappeared, and no one has tried to get into the garage since.

Someone did bust out the neighbors car window (parked in the drive next to mine) a few weeks back, but they left our stuff alone.

Rack it.

[Baz]

Or you could hook up one of these....(skip to 1 minute mark):



Wonder if that would spook someone trying to break in.....

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

As much as we talk about defensive confrontations, the last thing most of us want is to be in one.

I had the misfortune 2 weeks ago to defend my family/home from a perp trying to break/kick my front door down at 2 in the morning. It is a VERY long story, but the relevant part to this thread is that I drew my handgun on this piece of human debris through a narrow sidelite alongside the door. When he saw the gun (and my dog who is a large doberman mix), he began sobbing 'don't shoot me man, I have kids at home!' He curled up in a fetal position on my front porch and was apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter. Later he squirmed away from them and a chase ensued with him eventually being tazed 3-4 times in my yard - all this during a severe ice storm. I live in a very quiet, low-crime area. It proved to me that your gun(s) should always be in a place where it is quickly accessible to you, loaded, and ready to fire (mine always are). There was very little time to think, much less unlock and load a weapon.

[Baz]

[motion]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

I had the misfortune 2 weeks ago to defend my family/home from a perp trying to break/kick my front door down at 2 in the morning. It is a VERY long story, but the relevant part to this thread is that I drew my handgun on this piece of human debris through a narrow sidelite alongside the door. When he saw the gun (and my dog who is a large doberman mix), he began sobbing 'don't shoot me man, I have kids at home!' He curled up in a fetal position on my front porch and was apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter. Later he squirmed away from them and a chase ensued with him eventually being tazed 3-4 times in my yard - all this during a severe ice storm. I live in a very quiet, low-crime area. It proved to me that your gun(s) should always be in a place where it is quickly accessible to you, loaded, and ready to fire (mine always are). There was very little time to think, much less unlock and load a weapon.

Holy crap! Glad you and you're family are safe!

[mreid]

There have been a rash of burglaries in my gated and patrolled neighborhood down here in San Antonio. They break in when no one is home (obviously casing the house first), they bring a metal detector and cutting torch, and have stolen $100,000's from my neighbors including the Spurs coach who lives down the street. They cut open gun safes, search for metal objects quickly, and found one poor guys complete collection of old Rolex watches he thought were safe as he had them hidden around his house.

These bastards need to be shot. The problem I have with the racking shotgun is that they come back later better prepared, now knowing they can at least steal the gun or worse, go after you or your family. As for the gang bangers, if you shoot one, you better get them all.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I read through that entire thread, lots of keyboard commandos that sleep with their eyes open and a Bowie knife between their teeth. Here's how I realistically see the situation.

I will be groggy, disoriented, and probably full of adrenaline. Oh yeah, and scared $h!tless. If you claim otherwise you are a liar and a fool.

I will have to grab my glasses to see.

I will have to grab my weapon.

I will have to figure out WTF is going on.

I will have to tell my wife, also likely in a state of panic, to call the police.

I will have to take up a defensive position.

That's a LOT that has to happen in a short period of time, and most of us won't be at our best.

It's also a damn good case for a revolver. I went to the range to shoot my CCH P938, got ready to shoot, pulled the trigger and......nothing. Safety off you dumbass. Yes I need more practice, but when under pressure it is really easy to make stupid mistakes. My 686+ gives me 7 chances worth of .357 Magnum and even I can't screw it up.

[onewhippedpuppy]

There have been a rash of burglaries in my gated and patrolled neighborhood down here in San Antonio. They break in when no one is home (obviously casing the house first), they bring a metal detector and cutting torch, and have stolen $100,000's from my neighbors including the Spurs coach who lives down the street. They cut open gun safes, search for metal objects quickly, and found one poor guys complete collection of old Rolex watches he thought were safe as he had them hidden around his house.



These bastards need to be shot. The problem I have with the racking shotgun is that they come back later better prepared, now knowing they can at least steal the gun or worse, go. After you or your family. As for the gang bangers, if you shoot one, you better get them all.

These are professional thieves following the path of least resistance by casing homes and breaking in when nobody is home. If they made a mistake and broke into an occupied home they would probably be far more likely to free than a coked up hood rat. They are not stupid people, taking on an armed homeowner on his turf is not a wise decision.

Curt, that is scary stuff. Glad everything ended up ok.

[Baz]

[Baz]

And if you really want to get serious.....

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Baz

Skip to the 2 minute mark.......lol.....

We were helping to clean out and prepare for an estate sale of a relative once, when I found an odd item. It was the right size and shape to be held in a hand like a 6-8" piece of dowel, but was plastic (no, it wasn't one of those) and split down its length. I managed to arm it while trying to figure out what it was. When armed, the two halve were separated by about 1/4". Then I squeezed the two halves back together. Holy hell, THAT was a huge mistake. I think it was powered by a small nuclear reaction because it was loud, REALLY loud. It was much louder than the thing in the video, like how did it get inside my head loud. I was doubled over holding the thing to my gut trying to dampen and stop the sound, but that didn't help until I managed to turn it off. I wish I had kept it, or could find it online. I suspect it was designed to be used as a kubotan after being triggered as well.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Here's how I realistically see the situation.

I will be groggy, disoriented, and probably full of adrenaline.
Oh yeah, and scared $h!tless. If you claim otherwise you are a liar and a fool. .

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From 2005:
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Originally Posted by Don Ro

An ex deputy sheriff with his own FFL sold me my Browning Hi-Power 9mm and my Colt .357 Python umpteen years ago.
He told me a story when I asked about the best home defense weapon.
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He passed through his dark kitchen as he headed up the stairs to go to bed. A while later, he awoke to sounds downstairs.
'Grabbed his .357 Python - his shotguns were down for cleaning - and slowly headed down the kitchen stairs. Moonlight coming through the windows showed the neighbor's dog rummaging through his garbage bag. Dog came in through the unlocked screen door - warm summer night - and he didn't notice it earlier.
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He said that even with all his military (Nam vet) and LEO training/experience, his heart was pounding so hard he questioned hitting anything w/the Python.
He advised a short-barreled shotgun - and even then, there's no certainty - also suggested a revolver.
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A while later, I bought the 12 ga. Mossberg 500 Persuader Maxi-Combo on sale at Big 5 for $199.
Standard 28" barrel w/stock and 18" barrel w/pistol grip, etc.
Like many of you, I have a variety of hand guns/rifles/shotguns.
This one is fully loaded/safety off, and lives next to my bed, on the floor under a towel.
No kids in the house.
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