The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Why I carry at home, and why I wish my wife would........

rantingredneck · March 14, 2009, 11:58 AM

I was talking with one of my employees this week who is a volunteer firefighter. His Assistant Chief's wife was home alone earlier in the week when a man wearing a mask and gloves broke into their back door. She managed to get her hands on a baseball bat and beat him badly enough that he ran away. This was Tuesday or Wednesday I believe.

Fast forward to Friday. The same fellow (to believe otherwise is stretching the odds) came back and again gained entry to the house while she was home alone. She was stabbed twice in the abdomen. Last I heard yesterday she was in stable condition. No major organ damage. No word on whether there was any further assault beyond the stab wounds.

Speculation among the officers responding was that the first attack was an attempted sexual assault and the second was revenge for the beating she gave him the first go round.

Both of these attacks happened in broad daylight. Friday's was at around 9-9:30 am. This happened in rural Orange Co. NC. Not a high crime area to be sure.

These incidents obviously have me wondering what else I can do to "harden the target" at my house. My wife had surgery a couple weeks ago and will be out of work and home alone during the day for another two weeks. Beyond that there are the odd days where she's off and I'm not, though we try to coordinate our vacation days. 2-3 times a year I'm away on business over night for 1-2 nights at a stretch. She often takes the kids and stays with her parents when I'm away though.

Currently....

Deadbolts......check (and they stay locked during the day too, if I'm not home)
Monitored Alarm............check (yes my wife keeps it armed during the day if she's home and I'm not)
Exterior lights.....check (high output flourescents at opposite corners of the house and by both doors, dusk til dawn sensors/always on at night. Motionactivated flood at corner by driveway. LED Solar powered landscape lighting scattered about the property that minimizes dark spots in shrubbery/trees, etc.)

What else am I missing structurally?

We don't presently have a dog. Lost both of ours a couple years ago to old age. Haven't been quite ready to take on the responsibility of a puppy lately.

Beyond the prevention measures, my wife knows how to use the various firearms in the house (except for the AR-15 which we've not really worked on yet). She does not carry a handgun either in the home or while out. She has no interest in getting her own carry permit, but is very glad that I have mine and carry regularly. My problem with this, though is that I cannot always be there.

When I'm away I keep a Mossberg 500 with tube full of managed recoil 00 buckshot and unchambered outside of the safe for her use if necessary. It's kept in the closet, with one of those child proof doorknob covers keeping the door closed and the little ones away from it. Beyond that, there's the slide release and safety to manipulate to make it ready to go boom. It's enough of a safety layer that I'm comfortable with it now with where my kids are, may not be the case in the next few years. Beyond that we're doing the obvious safety training with the kids.

Any advice on how to get my wife to come around on the carry issue? Pax, I'd like your input here in particular, please?

March 14, 2009, 11:58 AM	#1
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Why I carry at home, and why I wish my wife would........ I was talking with one of my employees this week who is a volunteer firefighter. His Assistant Chief's wife was home alone earlier in the week when a man wearing a mask and gloves broke into their back door. She managed to get her hands on a baseball bat and beat him badly enough that he ran away. This was Tuesday or Wednesday I believe. Fast forward to Friday. The same fellow (to believe otherwise is stretching the odds) came back and again gained entry to the house while she was home alone. She was stabbed twice in the abdomen. Last I heard yesterday she was in stable condition. No major organ damage. No word on whether there was any further assault beyond the stab wounds. Speculation among the officers responding was that the first attack was an attempted sexual assault and the second was revenge for the beating she gave him the first go round. Both of these attacks happened in broad daylight. Friday's was at around 9-9:30 am. This happened in rural Orange Co. NC. Not a high crime area to be sure. These incidents obviously have me wondering what else I can do to "harden the target" at my house. My wife had surgery a couple weeks ago and will be out of work and home alone during the day for another two weeks. Beyond that there are the odd days where she's off and I'm not, though we try to coordinate our vacation days. 2-3 times a year I'm away on business over night for 1-2 nights at a stretch. She often takes the kids and stays with her parents when I'm away though. Currently.... Deadbolts......check (and they stay locked during the day too, if I'm not home) Monitored Alarm............check (yes my wife keeps it armed during the day if she's home and I'm not) Exterior lights.....check (high output flourescents at opposite corners of the house and by both doors, dusk til dawn sensors/always on at night. Motionactivated flood at corner by driveway. LED Solar powered landscape lighting scattered about the property that minimizes dark spots in shrubbery/trees, etc.) What else am I missing structurally? We don't presently have a dog. Lost both of ours a couple years ago to old age. Haven't been quite ready to take on the responsibility of a puppy lately. Beyond the prevention measures, my wife knows how to use the various firearms in the house (except for the AR-15 which we've not really worked on yet). She does not carry a handgun either in the home or while out. She has no interest in getting her own carry permit, but is very glad that I have mine and carry regularly. My problem with this, though is that I cannot always be there. When I'm away I keep a Mossberg 500 with tube full of managed recoil 00 buckshot and unchambered outside of the safe for her use if necessary. It's kept in the closet, with one of those child proof doorknob covers keeping the door closed and the little ones away from it. Beyond that, there's the slide release and safety to manipulate to make it ready to go boom. It's enough of a safety layer that I'm comfortable with it now with where my kids are, may not be the case in the next few years. Beyond that we're doing the obvious safety training with the kids. Any advice on how to get my wife to come around on the carry issue? Pax, I'd like your input here in particular, please? __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)