My wife, my daughter and me were watching a movie about 2 hours ago when we heard the back door open and close. My son had started a new job tonight so we knew it wasn't him. As we looked at each other in suprise, I got out of my chair and approached the back part of the house. My hand went into my pocket automaticaly and out came my carry derringer. High Standard model D-101 .22 mag. I could see the kitchen all but the immediate area around the back door. Pistol at my side, elbow tucked tight, pointing with index finger next to the barrel. Left fist was balled and ready for that kind of situation too. I poked and peeked at the same time and it was my son, home early. Heart rate never increased but my awareness was at an above average level. He didn't know when he left that it was to be a training class tonight and he would be home before his scheduled 1:00 am quiting time. We didn't know either. We laughed it off and they are in the living room watching TV right now as I type this. Now it is hitting me how close it was and how I reacted. I have mixed feelings about it. Should I have given away my element of suprise by calling out to the 'intruder', or did I do right by getting the drop? Man, I am glad I didn't have to shoot somebody tonight! Critique me..

Why did this post go to page 5 when I submited it a few minutes ago?

I don't know why the posts don't move up. I just started to surf here again, I hadn't been here in months.

Nothing wrong with looking out for your family.
A few weeks ago I had a dream in which my wife awoke me because of noise coming from the living room. In my dream I was too sleepy to get up and check it out.  I layed there thinking my families life could be in danger but I could not resist my sleepiness. [b]So[/b]  a few nights ago when my wife really wakes me up because of noise coming from the dining area or living room I pop tall out of bed. First thing I did was grab my USP 40 and start towards the living room sweeping each room as I enter it. I used my foot to swing doors open ...false alert/back to bed. [b]Better safe than sorry[/b].

I would of said something.  Like, "I have a gun, or some crap like that".
I rather hear the motherf*cker run out the back door, than have to shoot him.  Also, your son could yell out it is him, and you could recongize his voice, and make extra sure a accident does not happen.  
c-rock
[url]www.illinois-shooter.org

Yeah Im with C-Rock.  I have no problem defending my loved ones or home, but I would much rather give warning than make a deadly mistake.

My .02.

Robelee

I was on the other end of a .32H+R mag wielded by my wife.

Since then I announce my early returns and make lots of noise. No sneaking up

I think this falls back onto that idea of "know what you are targeting before you pull the trigger."  This is [i]exactly[/i] why.

I'm with Capro on this-the first rule of guns I was taught(at about 4 years old) was to never point it at anything I did not want to KILL. That being said, Pangea you were correct in NOT warning the would-be "intruder". The element of surprise gives you the extra second or so to ID your target and then do what is necessary. Finnbear

Pangea, you did good.  Nobody was hurt, because you kept a clear head.

About your question to sneak around or call-out to give the person a chance to identify themselves.  If I'm armed, I'm more inclined to call-out.  I've seen almost a half a dozen local homes and apartments broken into by the police in the past year.  The police broke into the house next door through the back door!  I hate to think what would happen to me if I came home through my garage and pulled a gun on a group of cops that I thought were burglers.  I'd probably have dozens of holes in me from their AR-15's and shotguns.  Does it really take a dozen men in body armor with AR-15's, and worse, to investigate a claim that a high school kid is smoking pot?  Except for the traffic cops and the black pajama wearing thugs who break into houses, the local police usually don't wear uniforms.  They wear blue jeans with navy t-shirts.  You try to tell the difference between a cop in a t-shirt and a bad guy in a dark room.  Even if you think "it can never happen," an intruder(s) in your house could be a well-armed group of LEO's.  If you shoot, or even draw, first, you're life will be forfeit.  I drive an armored car, so we have to listen to the local cop instructors in training seminars.  The city cops where I live are taught not to allow a loaded gun to remain loaded no matter what the situation, even if it involves the murder of an innocent bystander.  They ask you to drop your weapon, and if you do not comply, they're instructed to use deadly force.  If I'm holding a criminal at bay, and someone who does not identify themselves as a LEO tells me to drop the gun, what should I do?  It could be his criminal's partner or it could be a cop.  Do I take my eyes off of the bad guy to examine the speaker or do I simply drop my weapon?  You need to identify them as a LEO *as quickly as possible* to make sure that you know whether or not to do as they say.  Our boss says that we should follow instructions from any male with an authoritive voice.  It's his claim that it's safer to disarm ourselves infront of a bg, than than to hold on to our OC or ASP batons in front of someone we don't know is a LEO (especially our local city).  Think about that.  Target recognition is very important.

Also, keep in mind that even if you *know* your family isn't in the house, it could have been a relative or one of your kid's friends.  A guy I work with almost shot his grandaughter's best friend because she was in his house when he came home at 4:00 AM from work.  Her stepfather had beaten her pretty badly that night, and she used a hidden spare key to his house to get in.  Her nightmare of a night was almost made even worse.  My friend is just under 5' tall and the girl (only 14 years old!) is a few inches over 6' tall.  My friend said when he saw her stand-up in front of him in the darkness, he thought she was a 250+ # black male.  He didn't fire, because he froze from fright.  He mistook a cute girl w/ long blond hair (albeit over 1' taller than him) for a large man.  When scared, your mind can do strange things and leap to bad conclusions.  Ever misread something while in a hurry?  Make sure of your target.

Dang ZW, you make a good argument for the abolishment of police.

experience,safety, and good gun handling.

There was a local guy killed here a couple of years ago defending his wife and relatives with a handgun. You Bay Area people already know the story.

The guy was a Chinese doctor living in Alamo (who, by the way, had one of the few CCWs in the area. Friends with the Sheriff -- contributes lots of money). One afternoon he had some furniture delivered to his home in Alamo, a wealthy suburb in Contra Costa. The delivery guys were two Asian gang-banger types. They scoped out his home while they were there and a few days later, returned to rob the place. So, they come up to the door in the middle of the day and ring the bell. The housekeeper recognized them, but wouldn't let them in at first. They convinced her they needed to have the doc sign some papers, so she finally let them in. Once inside, they pull guns and start screaming for money, etc. The wife starts screaming, so the doc comes running downstairs with his 357, firing as he goes (I believe) and all hell breaks loose. When it's all said in done, one bad guy is dead, the doc is dead, and another bad guy is near death. The latter bad guy was only wounded, but while he was trying to crawl out the front door the wife grabbed a cast iron frying pan and almost beat him to death with it. Watch out for those Chinese women. :)

The Chinese guy was known to be a bragger. He wore lots of diamond and gold rings, expensive braclets, bragged about his income and his CCW permit, drove expensive cars, etc. Just about the antithesis of the "walk softly and carry a big stick" motto. I guess he made a good impression on the gang-bangers. Anyway, he did everything wrong.

The point I'm making, if any, is the guy was not armed the way he should be. He started firing from the top of the stairs and by the time he got to the bottom he ran out of ammo and was a sitting duck.

I also believe in the top of the stairs position, but in my case the weapon of choice is an AR with 30-round mags. I don't necessarily believe in "spray and pray", but sometimes the extra firepower can be a life saver.

There was a case that happened a few years ago, I forget where, when a teenage girl got home earlier than usual.  She found her parents were not at home.  When she heard them pull up, however, she got into a closet to scare them.

The parents heard the closet door close when they were coming in the front.  The father pulls out his carry gun and when the girl jumps out of the closet to 'scare' her parents - he shoots! Kills her.

What's wrong with this picture?  

If you've got the drop on a home invader, there's nothing wrong with taking cover and issuing the bad guy an ultimatum.  Let him know you've got him covered and the police on on the way.  I think you would feel a lot better to have him lead away in 'cuffs than carried away in a body bag. A whole lot less questions, etc.

And for the daughter?  Don't EVER try to scare your gun-toting, itchy trigger fingered Dad!

Eric (Be Certain of yo' Target) The Hun

always identify your target. when i enter my home my little buddy always meets us at the door. if he's not there then we know something is wrong. i will always take the time to identify target unless i'm attacked right when entering home.[sniper]

Good topic. The main thing, as stated above, always ID your target first. Remember, your 13 year old princess might be sneaking back in the house at 2am. I don't care how mad that would make you, you don't want her dead. Also, any number of senarios are possible. I remember a neighbor girl entering my home late at night because someone was in hers. She had a key of mine, I had hers also in case we ever locked ourselves out. She grabbed my key on the way out her back door and let herself in my house. She hid in my house because she was afraid outside, but did not want to wake me up(never did figure that one out.) I met her in a hallway with an MP5. I knew someone was in the house, I knew where everyone in My family was and I knew I was probably gonna drop someone. I was real close but made the ID before the finger went on the trigger. The fact that she was crying let me know something was wrong. Police were called, but the guy was gone before they got there. Police noted nothing was stolen, which leads me to believe it would have been a rape/assualt sort of thing.