Mistakes

[getsome]

Made two this weekend, first one happened last Saturday evening about 7:30 after dark, the door bell rang and I figured it was another Amazon delivery which this time of year happens everyday so I opened the front door and there was a young African American kid there wearing a reflective vest with a box in his hand so I said thank you started to take the box and he said no no I'm here collecting for the greater Atlanta anti gang foundation or something like that and would you like to contribute to our cause? I said no thank you but good luck and Merry Christmas and closed, locked the door....Now we live in an upper middle class neighborhood and we don't get many calls like that and I really wasn't expecting anothing other than another package delivery but it got me thinking that he could have been part of a robbing crew with several other pals wanting to make an armed robbery, home invasion attempt and I really messed up going to the door unarmed thinking it was just another delivery....

Second mistake happened Sunday morning when I went out to pick up the paper, a young couple was walking their two dogs, a Shepherd and what looked like a Chow and when they saw me the dogs went nuts and were doing their absolute best to pull away from their leash which the very small woman had in her hand, then the two dogs started fighting each other so I eased away and slid back to the house while they were trying to untangle that mess which ended up well and they went on their way but I realized that even going to the mail box or picking up the newspaper can get you hurt or killed if you aren't prepared so from now on I will have a firearm on myself to just get the mail or when answering the door even if it's to the Girl Scouts selling cookies because you just never know......Sad but it is what it is, better safe than dead...

[JohnR]

The gang kids, even if legit - what makes them think it's a good idea to knock on doors and beg for money in any neighborhood?

[Ken L]

Agree that it's best to stay vigilant, especially in our current climate. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Glad everything was without incident.

[berettabone]

I think we've all made a few mistakes. When I lived in the city, I subscribed to the FAH theory. Firearm Always Handy. Even when I went outside to the fenced back yard, or to take out the garbage, or to answer the door, I was ALWAYS armed. I think that a few people that came to the door possibly filled their pants when they saw a firearm when I answered. I had one person, opened the outside door, and then tried the inside door. I wasn't going to answer and I figured that they were just going to stick something in the door. They had NO reason to be trying the inside door. I then answered it and told them that they were lucky that I didn't shoot them. I told them that in that neighborhood, I really hoped that they weren't doing too much "door jiggling" They could get shot.............................................. .......I got a bit lax when I moved to the country. My first mistake was not being armed and finding fresh bear scat in my woods................. The second was nodding off in a chair out by the garage and waking up to a group of 4 large dogs surrounding me without a firearm handy.......................The third was walking the dog down a road, and having a coyote coming down the road right at us. It finally looked up when it was about 75 yds. away and quickly veered off in to the woods. Could have been bad news. It was a quick walk and I figured ah what the hell, I don't feel like going back in the house to get the gun. Foolish. Now, once again, whether me or the wifey, there is always a firearm handy, without exception.

[Armybrat]

We keep both the front door (steel panel) and its stout storm door locked (both anchored with 3.5” screws - same for patio door).
If a solicitor rings the bell, I’ll open the steel door then pull down the glass slider to speak to them through the screen... “No thanks and good luck”.... and close it all up if they’re still talking or not.
No need to be rude or nasty.

It would take some effort to break the lock on the storm door or punch through the screen for a bad guy to get at me, slowing them down enough for me to get my LCP or CT380 out of my pocket to discourage any further intrusion.

[Bawanna]

Since I retired a gun, usually the Cbob goes on when I get up and comes off when I lay down. Just a habit I got into and now more than ever probably not a bad one.
We live in a pretty peaceful quiet area. Even town about 6 miles away is safe but one never knows.

[Armybrat]

Our metro area has over 2,000,000 in it now. We live in an unincorporated suburb between Austin & Round Rock.
While the murder rates are pretty low and the violent crime mostly confined to the druggie/gang culture, the property theft is really high. Anything not nailed or bolted down outside is subject to those latter mentioned sumbitches.

Then there are the politicians, but that’s a horror topic for a different forum.

[wyntrout]

I ALWAYS have my P380 on at home. I put it at the head of the bed at night and there's already my Glock 21 and my wife's G43 in our bookcase headboards.

I've even holstered my P380 in my briefs before donning my shorts at times, while going to another room for something. The Uncle Mike's soft IWB holster works with my Duluth briefs. :D

For "visitors" at the door, I make sure that my P380 is on my person and think about the closest larger pistol/rifle and a possible response to a threat. I watch my surveillance monitor and also look through the side window by the door. I replaced my front door and had to have Lowe's remake it because they had it opening to expose the inside of the house instead of the wall to the left of the entrance. I had drawings with measurements and pictures, so the guy doing the ordering should have gotten THAT right!

Wearing a pistol full-time is a habit that could save you and your family. People live in "nice" neighborhoods and think there's no need to be prepared for criminal attacks, but criminals like nice stuff and will go to the nicer neighborhoods to "shop".

Certainly in the country where there are predators besides the two-legged kind, one should be prepared, especially with heightened situational awareness.

I just ordered a bunch of jeans with lightly larger waists so that I have a choice when stuffing my P40 and holster IWB. I'm currently wearing 33" jeans from Lands End and I measured them finding the inside to be 36" when stretched... just enough room for me! The jeans were on sale at half price with custom hemming, so I ordered 1-34", 2x35", and 1- 36" for $100 + tax and free shipping... one reason I ordered so many! :D I have several gun belts in 34" and 36"... the Looper Kydex-reinforced ones, so I'm good to go now when we travel. I hate being limited to the P380 on long trips. I feel much better with my P40 and spare mag... and assisted-opening knife backup. At night I add a tactical flashlight.

I really need a ckecklist at the garage door... glasses, keys, wallet, gun, spare mag, knife, phone, MASK, and shopping list. The list is getting pretty long! :o

[340pd]

Learned a long time ago to keep a revolver stashed in a velcro holster on the inside wall of the front hall closet. I have a very heavy 2" thick door with nothing but a peephole so I always have gun in hand in my pocket when answering the door.