Rude awakening

[happeetxn]

Howdy All,
I got long winded writing this, but I am letting out some frustration and this site is cheaper than going to a therapist.
This morning at 0515 my wife wakes me up and says someone is knocking on our front door. She had heard a light tapping sound and went to look out the side window and saw a man dressed in a black sweat suit with a metal baseball bat, he saw her and started knocking again. This is when she gets me.
I get my .40 Beretta and go to the front door and in my best Marine Corps Drill Instructor voice informed the man to leave the front porch immediately. I didn't mention that I had a gun as no stranger needs to know that.
This knuckle head procedes to tell me he needs gas money, I repeat my command to leave. Didn't phase him, he changes stories and says (Get this) I work for the D.A.V. (My gosh those guys get an early start). I repeat the command to leave again, he sticks with the story about the D.A.V. but my wife can see him walking down the front side walk.
I call the police relay the whole story, as I am on the phone with them he is standing in front of my house walking back and forth shaking the bat, he leaves before the police show up. I went out front and met the police and retold the incident again. They say they'll drive around and take a look.
About 15 minutes after the cops left, curiosity got to me and I hopped in the truck to see if I can find the cops or if I see the guy (no gun with me just a cell phone). Sure enough I find them with the ol' boy leaning against the hood of the squad car in cuffs. I didn't bother to stop as I figured if they needed me to ID him they'd come get me or bring him back by the house.
The reason I am posting this is because of a post I read yesterday on here about criminals breaking in to a house and getting shot. I read the responses that were posted and after being "kind of put in that position" here is where I stand on the issue.
I don't go out looking for trouble and I obey the law (with the exception of breaking the MPH thing on the highway) but you can bet that the individual on my porch this morning would have been well ventilated had he attemped to enter the house or if he had made it in. I don't say this to sound tough or full of bravado, but with a 3 y/o and a wife who is 6 months pregnant, that jokers life is low on the priority list when it comes to my family.
Thanks for the soapbox...........next,
Craig

 

[Scarlet_Nape]

Craig,

That's just scary! I personally don't own a hand gun, yet, but I do have a couple of shotguns. I have found that the racking of a shotgun can quell most any disturbance. Regardless of the language one speaks, the sound of a 12 gauge shell being chambered is "multi-national". I abhor the thought of ever having to fire a weapon in self defense, but that doesn't mean I won't do it, either.
I am glad you called the police and they were able to find this guy, before someone got hurt. You'll have to let us know what comes of the rest of the story, should the police contact you back.

 

[BamaSixGun]

glad to hear that you and your family are alright craig.

 

[Tx_Atty]

Craig, good for you for protecting your family. Im just going to throw out a home protection idea I hold - bullets can go through walls and hit unintended people (your kids come to mind) but a good short tactical shotgun will drop an intruder without requiring the wherewithall to aim accurately and wont go through a wall (well, not like a bullet anyway). Also, even if you miss entirely, shot wont kill a neighbor across the street like a .40 cal slug.

I keep a pistol near my bed but only because I cant afford the shotgun...yet.

I applaud your protection instinct and am grateful it did not come to that.

 

[bushpilot]

Good Brave Action...and certainly a better person than most of us....
Im sure all it would have taken <to protect yourself & your family>
was a move toward you or a swing of the bat at you or your window.

 

[Maxtor]

Another happy ending. Self protection is a good example of why a person should own a gun. .357 Mag, 30-30, 30-06, .243, .22, 12 ga., 10 ga., and one bb gun.
As stated above, my 12 ga. is there for home protection. The other guns are for hunting four legged things, and things that fly.
Good job Craig.
I am an ex cop and you did everything just right.
Maxtor

 

[happeetxn]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone. My family wonders why we (my wife and I) are packing up the family and moving to a small town in Kansas when my contract at the hospital is up (18 months). I know that small towns have there share of problems as well but the event that happened this morning is less likely to happen. Plus people generally know each other and watch out for one another (just my experience).

A couple of things I didn't mention in my first post:
1) Our front porch and walk way are lit up like a runway. We did this thinking it would keep people (trouble makers) away at night. I don't know if I should rethink this or not. I can only assume that the individual last night was impaired in some manner to pick our house that as I mentioned is brightly lit.
2) We have two dogs; great pyrenees / border collie mix. The female (Belle) dog sleeps in my sons room and the male (Rascal) roams the house at night. When I started having a "conversation" with this guy Rascal would bark once or twice be quiet and bark again, didn't seem to phase the guy. Once again imapired???

As for the shotgun.........I couldn't agree more with y'all about using it for home defense, however, we got in from Kansas last night and it was still in the cab of the truck buried under suitcases and packages. It is a 12ga. and when it is in the house it is loaded with 00, and my wife knows how to shoot it as well (sometimes I work nights and I feel better with her knowing what to do). One of the thoughts that crossed my mind while all of this was taking place was "doesn't do you a lot of good out there does it" I won't make that mistake again or be to lazy to unload the truck from now on. Kicking my own tail for that especially since I know better than to leave a weapon in a vehicle.:chp
Anyways, hope I this scenario doesn't repeat itself anytime soon and again thanks for the positive comments.
Here's to wishing all of y'all a safe New Year,
Craig

 

[bartman]

Where abouts do you live? My family and I live in Dallas as well, and I am curious how far away you are.

 

[ktpauley]

You can get Magsafe rounds for pistols. They are made of the jackets, filled with BBs then held in the jacket with epoxy. Those don't penetrate walls, that is what the magazines say. Keith

 

[jvencius]

You might also want to consider loads with #4 buck vs. OO buck. You won't give up any range in home-defense scenarios and there are more pellets per shell.