Bees and chainsaws? This thread is not going at all in the advisory direction I anticipated.
I own four chainsaws and I suppose I’m more handy and familiar with them than most persons are. I also own a shotgun, and that’s what I’d pick to discourage looters.
Or maybe not. See, if the looters are all sitting in an SUV drinking swiped beer and making plans to loot me next, I could have my yapping dog scare them into staying in the SUV while I sawed a big tree down on them, and thereby I get the whole mob at once. 
I wouldn’t kill people just for looting. Human life is worth more than anything you or I own.
I’ll leave that question up to the killer bees.
It might be a good idea to watch this documentary. Admittedly, the assailants portrayed here aren’t simple looters, but some of the home defense techniques appear quite effective.
Hear hear. I’d want a couple of shotguns to protect myself and neighbours from harm. I would also fire a warning shot to scare off looters. But I wouldn’t kill someone for taking property, that IMHO would be unnecessary use of force.
Wow.
You must have really crappy stuff.
What stuff do you have that is intrinsically worth more than a Human life?
My jar of bees! 
Well, if it’s natural disaster time, any food, water, shelter, clothing, blankets, etc., I’ve managed to stockpile for the survival of me ‘n’ my family is worth more to me than anyone else’s lootin’ robbin’ life.
Those who doubt the existence of “determined looters” are on to something. “Loot” means stealing undefended property during a time of civil unrest (a riot, the aftermath of a natural disaster, war, etc.). “Pillage” means to smash heads and take stuff during a time of civil unrest. So if it’s defended, it’s pilaging; if it’s not defended, it’s looting. Thus, the proper title of this thread would be "What (legal) weapon is best to defend your home against a band of determined pillagers.
I actually had to look this up in the course of an editing job. The meanings of the two words have grown together over the years because of the phrase “looting and pillaging.”
And I’m going with the chainsaw, on the theory that people will tend to get out of the way of crazy people.
I’m going to go with the wasp thrower someone had made up out of an old vacuum cleaner in another thread.
That or a now legal AR-15 rifle.
A piece of paper on the front door that says anyone coming through the door will be shot. It worked for a friend’s dad.
Texas or Louisiana, can’t remember which. But there were some riots in the 70’s and he lived in a bad place. A riot started near him and he put the paper on his front door and sat in the living room with a handgun. He said he heard a few people come up to the door, pause, and leave.
As for killing someone to defend your stuff…your stuff could be your family. Letting a looter come into your home hoping they will only commit a little crime is just plain stoopid. They are there to take advantage of the opportunity, and that does not just end where your TV begins.
-Tcat
Personally, I think the Metal Storm would be a damn fine way to protect your abode from looters, or bystanders, or neighbors, or y’know, people. Sure, at a million rounds a minute, the price of ammo could get a little out of hand, but still…
Really though, the shotgun is THE best home defense weapon, in that it has excellent penetration and wound cavitation, but the energy behind the projectiles dissipates quickly, and will you won’t overshoot, or accidentally kill your neighbors.
I’d like just a plain old Louisville Slugger. Maybe a crate of yappy little dogs. The looter walks up; you grab a dog and WHACK!! Between the poor dog’s eyes, and you calmly turn and say “This is you if you don’t am-srca pilgrim!!”
That would so work!!
It looks like someone has already had Tomcat’s idea:
http://www.wilcopress.com/plastic_signs/images/statement_signs/S0004.jpg
http://www.wilcopress.com/mini_stickers/images/gun_mini_stickers/WS16.jpg
http://www.wilcopress.com/mini_stickers/images/gun_mini_stickers/RG36.jpg
http://www.wilcopress.com/mini_stickers/images/gun_mini_stickers/WS02.jpg
http://www.wilcopress.com/mini_stickers/images/gun_mini_stickers/RG13.jpg
As for killing someone to save your property; if you fire a warning shot into the ground with your 12-gauge and they keep coming, a lot more than your property is in danger. Somebody gets into my house, I will assume he means me harm. Sadly I don’t have a 12-gauge. My little .410 would just make somebody mad except at very close range. :eek:
I remember seeing pictures of the riots after the Rodney King incident. I remember some shopkeepers (I vaguely recall that they were Asian-American) banding together with weapons and turning away a mob of prospective pillagers.
Except when loaded with slugs. Then it’s the equivilant of a .45 caliber bullet.