# Someone breaks into your house with intent to do you harm. What are they met with? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954 "2009-03-18T22:46:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/141 "2009-03-21T06:23:46Z")
> [@krisolov](#): > > ::: snip ::: > something that would give me an unfair advantage. Says it all. And I like being behind them too. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/142 "2009-03-21T22:10:37Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > ā€¦ My wife may let some daylight into said intruder with her pistolet makarova. Funny, my wife thinks the Mak kicks way too much with the 95 grain load, and much more enjoys her Astra A-70 9mm smooth-like-buttah recoil. So Iā€™d have the Makarov in hand within 5 seconds if in bed, longer if in another part of the home. If their intent to harm is not assuaged, well, I practice at 7m, because my house isnā€™t that big. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/143 "2009-03-22T00:00:53Z")
A 95 pound mastiff and an angry FallenAngel with pistol in hand. If they make it past the two of us to the bedroom, they get Mrs. FA with a phone connected to 911 and another pistol. Since itā€™s always better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it, thereā€™s no place in my house that youā€™re not within 10 feet of a firearm, and everyone is familiar with how each of them functions. Since we live in a relatively nice neighborhood in one of the home invasion capitals of the U.S. (Just had another one a couple of blocks away 2 weeks ago), itā€™s just good prudence. ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/144 "2009-03-23T04:43:54Z")
I have a bat in my bedroom closet and some sort of shotgun that belongs to my husband. A professional set of knives that are very sharp in the kitchen, but Iā€™m afraid someone would use that on me instead since it is on the counter. Iā€™d probably run with the baby. Actually I dont know, I have pepper spray somewhere here. Iā€™ve run into questionable scary homeless men in my parking garage which is suposed to be secure so Iā€™m more afraid of an encounter someone bad in my garage than in my home. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/145 "2009-03-23T16:03:25Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Violence. Best answer so far. šŸ˜› Judging from the variety of answers, the OPā€™s question is one that very few have given serious thought to. While swords, knives, and martial arts weapons are all interesting and can be used effectively, I think youā€™ll agree that an honest assessment is that the hallway or a bedroom or den full of lamps or chairs or Tripping Dogs and Legos is not the ideal place to be swinging large-ish weapons. Then again, your ceilings may be higher than mine. An intruder intent on attacking you \*\*will \*\*attack. You have one swing of your bat or broadsword or whatever, and youā€™re in his grasp. You may have injured him, but what if he still has a knife/gun/bottle of petouli oil (ick). Heā€™s now angrier, and on you. If your intent is to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm, the threat must be stopped immediately, and done so from a safe distance. A crossbow may give me pause for thought, but your average intruder isnā€™t thinking as rationally as you and I might, and I would therefore dismiss it as a reasonable choice. Those nice people who have some moral objection against firearms should know you have some options. Truly, the first thing to grab while the Mrs. (or Mr.) is dialling 911 is a powerful [flashlight](http://www.surefire.com/Flashlights)as I mentioned before. I have 2 on the bed-side table, and they are forbidden to be used except in an emergency. The last thing I (or you) need is to grab a dim or dead light because the kids have been looking under the bed for the cat, or my wife has been trying to choose shoes in the closet without waking me up with the overhead light.:rolleyes: A high-quality very bright light will do several things for you 1. It really can blind and disable an intruder for several seconds, giving you time to gather family, make a 911 call, or even escape. 2. It shows you your target. Perhaps itā€™s that escaped convict they were talking about on the news, or maybe itā€™s just Junior sneaking back in after an un-authorized evening excursion. You must know before you can take the proper action. 3. It conceals you and your weapon, and even your location and distance. This is disconcerting to the intruder, and many times has caused them to break and run. Itā€™s hard to attack what you canā€™t see or find. The next option for the no-gun crowd is a big can of OC or pepper spray that can spray several feet. Frankly, I love the big riot-control [size](http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum4659.php). nothing like fogging a couple of unsuspecting punks from the safety of your kitchen. It may seem silly to some, but what you need in any confrontation is distance and to stop the fight. Itā€™s not permanent, itā€™s not lethal, and again, it gives you the option of escaping while Jed and Leroy are choking their way back out. Another non-lethal :rolleyes: option is a Taser. Taser sells consumer-use [devices](http://www.taser.com/Pages/consumer.aspx)to the public, and they can save your life. I personally have no problem using lethal force to defend myself and my family, but if thatā€™s not a choice you can make, I humbly suggest that you seriously consider the options given above instead of using a sword or some other foolish weapon that will only get you and your family [hurt](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLIOtBLqoU&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/146 "2009-03-23T16:32:15Z")
If they catch me in bed, my 9mm handgun is within reach. If I can make it across the room, theyā€™ll be met with my Browning 12 guage. The 9mm has a round chambered and ready to go. But, not the 12g. Thereā€™s very few people who donā€™t recognize the sound of cycling a shotgun. Hopefully thatā€™ll be enough - shotguns tend to make a mess of people. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/147 "2009-03-23T16:33:29Z")
> [@UncleBill](#): > > Funny, my wife thinks the Mak kicks way too much with the 95 grain load, and much more enjoys her Astra A-70 9mm smooth-like-buttah recoil. So Iā€™d have the Makarov in hand within 5 seconds if in bed, longer if in another part of the home. If their intent to harm is not assuaged, well, I practice at 7m, because my house isnā€™t that big. My good lady wife was trained in how to use the pistolet makarova and the avtomat kalashnikova when she was in middle school. She is comfortable and competent with them, so neither of us find it needful for her to use something else. My own memories of middle school include stuff like square dancing and ā€œrappingā€ (in the 70ā€™s sense of the word) witht the guidance counselor about whether we had anything ā€œheavy bringing us down, man.ā€ I would have preferred, I think, to have gone to middle school in the USSR. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/148 "2009-03-23T16:43:48Z")
> [@MissIntent](#): > > Depends. \ :eek:Are they loaded?:eek: ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/149 "2009-03-23T21:16:09Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > While swords, knives, and martial arts weapons are all interesting and can be used effectively, I think youā€™ll agree that an honest assessment is that the hallway or a bedroom or den full of lamps or chairs or Tripping Dogs and Legos is not the ideal place to be swinging large-ish weapons. Then again, your ceilings may be higher than mine. I donā€™t have a den. All lamps are against a wall, or on an end table, where they belong. I have neither pets or Legos. And yes, some of my answer was a bit tongue-in-cheek. Iā€™d really never attempt to use a flail. But the OP wasnā€™t asking what the absolute very best answer was; the OP asked what are people met with in _their_ house. As such, there is no ā€œcorrectā€ answer. Itā€™s not a home defense/self defense debate, or planning session. Anyone stupid enough to try a full-out over-arm or side-arm swing with [this](http://www.museumreplicas.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/250_1_.jpg) inside a typical house deserves to have it taken away from them and jammed up their ass hilt first. Rapiers are primarily thrusting weapons, not slashing. They do have an edge, and can slash, but itā€™s not itā€™s primarily intended mode of use. Even then, a slash with a properly sharpened rapier (mine is) is considerably more elegant and wieldy than a wind-up full-body slash with a broadsword intended to overcome a Medieval Knightā€™s shield & armor. My firearms are locked away for two very good reasons: 1. I donā€™t live in a neighborhood with ā€œhotā€ (homeowner in the house) burglaries; 2. It prevents them from being stolen (while Iā€™m away from home working during the day) and then resold to other criminals. I donā€™t plan, or intend, to use melee weaponry to defend myself or home. Itā€™s just what I have to hand, in answer to the OPā€™s question, _ā€œWhat are they met with?ā€_ ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/150 "2009-03-27T07:00:44Z")
A big pitbull/chow/husky mixed breed dog, a berreta 96 loaded with .40 call magsafe rounds, or a Colt Police Positive in .38 special also loaded with magsafe. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/151 "2009-03-27T12:50:53Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > In terms of home defense, I mean? If theyā€™ve gotten that far, then theyā€™re already past the burglar bars, pointy fence and alarm system. Assuming the 2 Staffies canā€™t be arsed (and they usually canā€™t), any home invaders would be met by pepper spray. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/152 "2009-03-27T13:03:37Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Someone breaks into your house with intent to do you harm. What are they met with? Cowardice. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/153 "2009-03-27T15:48:32Z")
Me, cowering and holding the toddler, and my husband, whoā€™s a nidan in two martial arts, shodan in one, and his marvelous collection of nightsticks, sai, staves, bokken, a chen, the cleaver, a longsword. Yes, he has training in weapons. One of the nidan (second degree black belts) is in kobudo, Japanese ancient weapons, which is why we have so many wepons. His tonfa (nightsticks) and bokken are handmade for him and particularly nice. If heā€™s not home, me, armed with calling the police, grabbing the kid, and getting out the ground-floor window. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/154 "2009-03-27T16:46:44Z")
I rest my case: [Dogs, cats send 86,000 Americans flying annually - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/27/fall.dogs.cats/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Count\_No\_Account](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Count\_No\_Account](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_No_Account)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/155 "2009-03-27T17:14:35Z")
Anyone breaking into my condo to do me deadly harm will be met with a flurry of 9 millimeter hollow points launched from my trusty Springfield Armory XD subcompact. I hope it never happens, but thatā€™s the scenario I prepare for when practicing at the firing range. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/156 "2009-03-27T19:08:25Z")
Glock 9mm with 17 hollowpoint rounds. I fully expect it will never be used for home defense, but will be if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/157 "2009-03-27T19:17:12Z")
My blubbering pleas to be allowed to live. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/158 "2009-03-27T20:01:54Z")
**ExTank** , do you happen to know where I can get a [nagaika](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagaika)? (Cool weapons, btw) Me? Probably the insane barking of a hyperactive and extremely noisy Westie. And a big back of cat shit in the face. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/159 "2009-03-27T20:55:05Z")
A Smith and Wesson 686 357 Magnum with a 4" barrel, loaded with hydroshock bullets. Itā€™s what I bought the last time my crackhead ex-fiance showed up on my doorstep. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954/160 "2009-03-27T22:35:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > **ExTank** , do you happen to know where I can get a [nagaika](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagaika)? > > (Cool weapons, btw) > > Me? Probably the insane barking of a hyperactive and extremely noisy Westie. And a big back of cat shit in the face. Never heard of it until I opened your link. Howeverā€¦Iā€™m heading to a gun show in St. Charles this weekend, and the St. Louis Metro has a healthy, thriving, Eastern European population, so who knows what might turn up. Iā€™ll look around and see. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-breaks-into-your-house-with-intent-to-do-you-harm-what-are-they-met-with/489954.md?page=9)