Protection - Gun Alternatives?

reply to post by ConspiraCity


Katanas aren't beginner type white weapons. C'mon. This is not Kill Bill, and Urma Thurman is not a trained expert in the use of katanas.

A Katana is a lot heavier than a machete, and to use it well you need to use both hands, unless you are really good and have strong arms, then you could use one hand once in a while.

A Katana is not used as a baseball bat, which is how Urma Thurman was using it in all the Kill Bill movies, and using a REAL katana like that you will probably cut off one of your own legs much sooner than hurt, or kill an attacker.

If you want to use a bladed weapon, as a beginner, I would stick to knifes, and machete type weapons, and even using those well takes at least some training, unless you want to rely only on how lucky you are that you will defend yourself with a bladed weapon.

From following the thread it looks like you've already made up your mind on getting a gun. One thing that I didn't see mentioned was an intercom. This way if someone knocks at your door you can find out what they want without opening your door. Even better if it has a camera so you could see who's at the door.

Also an alarm system should have a battery back up and maybe even solar charging. I really don't care about it alerting anyone else. All I would want is for it to make noise to scare anyone off and to alert me. If your already armed then who cares if anyone else shows up after the fact.

I don't trust locks. If they have a keyhole they can be picked or drilled out. If I'm on the inside then a sliding latch on a solid door gives peace of mind.

Originally posted by daskakik
From following the thread it looks like you've already made up your mind on getting a gun. One thing that I didn't see mentioned was an intercom. This way if someone knocks at your door you can find out what they want without opening your door. Even better if it has a camera so you could see who's at the door.

Also an alarm system should have a battery back up and maybe even solar charging. I really don't care about it alerting anyone else. All I would want is for it to make noise to scare anyone off and to alert me. If your already armed then who cares if anyone else shows up after the fact.

I don't trust locks. If they have a keyhole they can be picked or drilled out. If I'm on the inside then a sliding latch on a solid door gives peace of mind.

Heh, if you come to my door after 8 PM I guarantee you that you have a shotgun aimed at your chest. Our front door is mostly frosted glass (we live out in the country). And to say it again, as it's been said over and over in this post: dogs. Dogs are the best alarm system, screw ADT.

Originally posted by thinkingthing
We have been putting off getting a gun for a while. Debating the issue. Neither of us have really ever handled a gun before. We know nothing about the subject and are quite intimidated by it. We do plan on getting one real soon, but have been so busy with moving, starting new jobs, registering kids in school, etc. I am afraid the SHTF scenario may go down before we get around to buying one and learning how to use it.

What are other effective ways of protecting ourselves and our belongings? Assuming a shelter in place situation. I plan on getting pepper spray and a good survival knife. What are some other things I should consider?

Also, what if I'm caught totally off guard? What are the best makeshift weapons and methods of protection, using common household items?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

You know alot more about guns than you think you do. A liftime of television has prepared you. Its better to have the gun and decide not to use it than need to use it and not have it. Shooting it into the air could often be more than enough to get out of a situation. There is not a better way for 99% of the women out there to protect themselves. It can be the great equalizer. Take lessions. More than anything you must be mentally prepaired to shoot to kill. Without hesitation. If you can do that, the pulling a trigger part is easy.
If you are caught off guard then you do what you are told and wait for opportunity. Stay alive.

reply to post by SprocketUK


AYO GURKHALI!!!

Khuks are great things to have around, but take a whole lot of practice to wield effectively as a weapon. I own four, but would only reach for them first if I was being attacked by shrubbery.

Originally posted by tangonine
Heh, if you come to my door after 8 PM I guarantee you that you have a shotgun aimed at your chest. Our front door is mostly frosted glass (we live out in the country). And to say it again, as it's been said over and over in this post: dogs. Dogs are the best alarm system, screw ADT.

Yeah but I'm not gonna knock at your door after 8 pm. it'll be after 11pm and it will be my partner. I will wait for you to sneak out the back and take care of you as you make your way to the front to confront the guy on the porch. See how that works. Stop playing the tough guy. Anyone can be caught off guard.

I also said screw ADT. I want an alarm that alerts me and probably scares the perps. Dogs can be silenced.

ETA: of course if the dogs or the alarm are on the inside then they both will work.

Best advice I can give; take a look at your house. Identify entry points and probably routes an attacker would take. What would they be after? Food? Money? Carnal Knowledge? After that, identify the best places to counter the attack. The majority of a woman's strength is in her legs. Consider falling back to a position behind a door, with something keeping it from being closed on you, then kick it closed on an attacker's gun hand (most untrained individuals will lead with their weapon).

Identify your own strengths and how to best use them. Learn how to fight in a closed space like a narrow hallway (if you have one). Fight dirty, no one wins a fair fight. Use everything you can to your advantage and to throw off an attacker. A boobie trap doesn't have to be elaborate. Half of a broom handle mounted to the wall on a hinge so it can drop across a choke point into a socket (like those for a baby gate), and set at shin height would be a helpful device.

Remember though, disarming an armed opponent is dangerous and potentially bloody. Attack when the advantage is right. When you identify your fallback points, hide a few weapons there. If you're going for an enclosed area, make your weapons small (a pocket knife can kill someone just as dead as a machete). Aim for vulnerable points (neck, stomach, groin). Above all, end the fight quickly, and always know how many attackers there are before you act.

Rule one in protecting / killing.
Kill before you get killed.
Making that happen requires distance, either distance in time or in geographical placement.
So if youre not employing a boobytrap or using a firearm to create distance,
go with a pike or spear, a very sharp and pointed pike or spear.
Knives are up close and personal and you are within physical grabbing distance to your enemy as well.

Chances of your attacker also having a pike or spear are probably pretty slim, but hey you never know and at least you have something.

Oh and remember, dont kill family or friends, this seems to happen when untrained or even trained people are startled awake or encounter what they think are 'bad guys' in the night.

Good luck.
(get familiar with your weapon as best you can, one final note, your mind and will are the most valuable tools you'll have in a fight to the death, alot of people will NOT be able to do it.

reply to post by thinkingthing


Dont put it off! Get the gun! Get the Judge if you want less than lethal for the first few shots. You need the gun friend, it is always better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

double posted removed

Originally posted by RedGod

AYO GURKHALI!!!

Khuks are great things to have around, but take a whole lot of practice to wield effectively as a weapon. I own four, but would only reach for them first if I was being attacked by shrubbery.

As it is I own two Khukris, the Taiwanese Ka-Bars are the ones I own, but as it is can only use one now if i needed to. They are great for either close combat, and are excellent throwing weapons as well.

I did forget to add. The only problem with these weapons is that they are very heavy blades, and they would be hard to use for most women unless they have training with them and are used to them.

Even for men, unless you have very strong arms, and you get used to them and practice regularly these are hard to use.

The Khukris are not like other regular knives, even the "Rambo knife" is lighter, and would be easier to use for women, or even for a lot of men than a Khukris.

reply to post by LilFox


You mentioned a torch.
With today's tech you can get a blinder(literally)for small bucks.

I got a cracking torch a while back,after reading this ATS thread:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

That thread gives a good review with pics.
And I agree-the torch is a solid one hand power house.
Batteries last a crazy number of hours..
The beam is insane,and on spot mode at close quarters,no one can look at it.
A great torch.

Originally posted by HappilyEverAfter
...
Chances of your attacker also having a pike or spear are probably pretty slim, but hey you never know and at least you have something.
...

Yes, you are partially right, puting as much distance in self defense either in time, or in physical length would increase the chances of defending yourself better, but using a pike or a spear is not the ideal self defense for most people, and much less women, and kids, and even most men these days wouldn't be able to defend themselves well with a halberd or a spear.

This sort of weapon requires a lot of training and getting used to, since they are heavy, and cumbersome, and less be real, if an attacker sees someone with a halberd or a spear, they will not continue to run at you. They would either get a gun, or throw things at you, including a knife.

So imo a halberd, or spear is not really a good choice for self defense these days, or even if TSHTF, unless you are throwing the spear, which in this case I would use javelins better, but again throwing a javelin, or a spear is not a skill people are born with, you need training with these weapons as well.

reply to post by Donkey_Dean


Excellent choice of a close combat gun.

I have been trying to decide if I should get one myself.

Originally posted by daskakik

Originally posted by tangonine
Heh, if you come to my door after 8 PM I guarantee you that you have a shotgun aimed at your chest. Our front door is mostly frosted glass (we live out in the country). And to say it again, as it's been said over and over in this post: dogs. Dogs are the best alarm system, screw ADT.

Yeah but I'm not gonna knock at your door after 8 pm. it'll be after 11pm and it will be my partner. I will wait for you to sneak out the back and take care of you as you make your way to the front to confront the guy on the porch. See how that works. Stop playing the tough guy. Anyone can be caught off guard.

I also said screw ADT. I want an alarm that alerts me and probably scares the perps. Dogs can be silenced.

ETA: of course if the dogs or the alarm are on the inside then they both will work.

edit on 17-8-2011 by daskakik because: (no reason given)

I'm not playing the tough guy, little one. I am the tough guy. I check corners reflexively. I think you're missing the point: I don't open that door after 8 PM. I'm never "off guard."

You can ask the guy who was on our private road just last night fking his girlfriend in the back of his car. I won't go into the details but I expected a car load of mexican mafia, so I did a tactical approach with my M-14. End result: get off my lawn.

I will bring the hate.

You come to my house, I will end you, and your friends.

Originally posted by tangonine
I'm not playing the tough guy, little one. I am the tough guy. I check corners reflexively. I think you're missing the point: I don't open that door after 8 PM. I'm never "off guard."

BS you said:

If you knock on my door after 11PM I'll be exiting the basement, coming around the back, and tactically engaging my front door with a shotgun aimed at your face.

I just pointed out that given that bit of information someone just might be waiting for you as you exit the basement. You are not the only tough guy out there. Your not the only one with military training.

If you think that the story of you sneaking up on a couple focused on each other instead of their surroundings proves how badass you are then that is sad.

Originally posted by daskakik

Originally posted by tangonine
I'm not playing the tough guy, little one. I am the tough guy. I check corners reflexively. I think you're missing the point: I don't open that door after 8 PM. I'm never "off guard."

BS you said:

If you knock on my door after 11PM I'll be exiting the basement, coming around the back, and tactically engaging my front door with a shotgun aimed at your face.

I just pointed out that given that bit of information someone just might be waiting for you as you exit the basement. You are not the only tough guy out there. Your not the only one with military training.

If you think that the story of you sneaking up on a couple focused on each ot

her instead of their surroundings proves how badass you are then that is sad.

You're welcome to come test your theory. Might want to make sure your will is up to date.

when it comes to home defense and gun's. you must take the safety of the rest of the neighborhood into account.
fire off a 00 buck and one ball or more is likely not to hit the target and keep going into your neighbors house, potentially endangering the occupants.( and maybe held accountable if a stray round hits)

so depending on how populated your neighborhood is, i wouldn't opt for a hi powered shotgun, maybe a 410 or 20guage.

personally i would rather have a 40 or 45 and know what is behind my target before shooting.

shotgun's: cheap and effective, very much so, but they can be sloppy.

and if you do get a shotgun, get a pump action, you don't need a jam in a home invasion or shtf type deal.

EDIT: also keep you weapon's system clean, it don't matter what type, all weapons systems work better clean.

I don't personally own a gun, but i am very familiar with many weapon's systems. and auto shotgun's are nice for taking out targets fast, but the worse thing to happen when you life is on the line would be a jam or FTE

rifle should be kept for hunting but will work just fine in the right hands.

once familiar with how to handle a weapon, i would just say, see what fits.

Originally posted by daskakik

Originally posted by tangonine
I'm not playing the tough guy, little one. I am the tough guy. I check corners reflexively. I think you're missing the point: I don't open that door after 8 PM. I'm never "off guard."

BS you said:

If you knock on my door after 11PM I'll be exiting the basement, coming around the back, and tactically engaging my front door with a shotgun aimed at your face.

I just pointed out that given that bit of information someone just might be waiting for you as you exit the basement. You are not the only tough guy out there. Your not the only one with military training.

If you think that the story of you sneaking up on a couple focused on each other instead of their surroundings proves how badass you are then that is sad.

I had no idea what I was approaching, genius. are you that stupid?

When I go to work, I'm surrounded by 250lb manimals. No pure Tier One operators, we don't do that here, but they're close enough. These guys trained me. I've kicked a few doors in my day, nothing close to what they've done. I tell you this to illustrate the point that yes, I am one bad mofker. Don't like it? tough.

reply to post by tangonine


Honestly your all over the place. Your not the baddest, then you are the baddest, then your gonna blow cars up and eat people.

Did you really type up a whole rant only to erase it and only then did you finished reading my post and decided to add another little snippet of a rant in a seperate post?

I was just saying that creeping up on a horny couple in a car is not hard. Why not just leave them alone? If these were criminals now they know that you have the habit of leaving your home when you see a car nearby and that you are armed.

So how hard is it for someone to think that you are some type of paranoid survivalist, you know the kind that keeps gold and silver in physical possesion just in case the economy crashes. You don't have to worry about me but the ones you snuck up on may be another story.

You said:

Oh, gee, I dunno. I'll start with don't walk out the door like an idiot?

I think that is exactly what you did but what do I know, right?