Defending my home against intruders

[Midnitemo]

the problem with a machete is it's not something that would in normal circumstances fall to hand...most legitimately owned machete's would live in the tool store/garden shed or garage....I'm guessing you will be asked why you keep one round the house...shotgun's and firearms are routinely kept upstairs in houses, my own are in my walk in cupboard in the masterbedroom....5ft from my bed.

[Devonian]

(6 February 2015, 15:17)Midnitemo Wrote: the problem with a machete is it's not something that would in normal circumstances fall to hand...most legitimately owned machete's would live in the tool store/garden shed or garage....I'm guessing you will be asked why you keep one round the house...shotgun's and firearms are routinely kept upstairs in houses, my own are in my walk in cupboard in the masterbedroom....5ft from my bed.

But officer, all my bushcrafting equipment is kept upstairs in the spare room and I just grabbed the first thing as I went past........

(no finding the keys for the gun cabinet, unlocking it, selecting a gun, picking up the cartridges and then loading it.....)

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Or equally how about grabbing that ice axe which is also in the spare room with your hill walking equipment/clothing......

[Midnitemo]

I wouldn't routinely think about the gun's in the cupboard....I do have a Maglite on the bedside table....and if I clock you with it your going down.....I can and know how to use it to good effect...failing that i'll set the missus on em....she scares me.

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thinking about it .... I could probably be armed and ready in under 30 seconds....cabinet is just inside the door keys are on bedside table if I'm in bed(alway's with me)the gun that would come to hand first is my 12 bore side by side(very compact and wieldy)there is a box off shells in my gun bag hanging on a hook next to the cabinet....the key's are marked one with a rubber cover(top lock) can do all this in the dark and silently if I felt threatened enough but as I said my default would be to pick up the Maglite and pad off across the landing.

[CharlesHarris]

Improvised weapons which have been used by US homeowners in the US, probably legal in UK are:

Dry chemical fire extinguisher, both a distraction and irritant, which can be used as an impact weapon when empty.

A study broom with wood handle was successfully used by my mother on several occasions over the years.

A mop can be used similarly.

Fireplace tools?

Sporting equipment such as golf clubs, etc.

Long handled house cleaning implements are an obvious choice, having better standoff capability than short kitchen knives, etc. and are readily viewed as expedient, non-lethal, but can be effective when used by trained persons as impact weapons.

[Hex]

Use a bog brush, no one wants to be hit with a bog brush lol

[Steve]

" Well, Officer, he appears to have slipped whilst climbing in the window and fallen into my Dobermans. I've put what I could in a black sack, you can have the rest in about 12 hours...."

[CharlesHarris]

Honestly officer, he must slipped on manure in the barnyard, fell and may have hit his head and overnight the hogs ate him!

Not sure THAT one would fly, but you might get away with the dog story...

I really like the bog brush idea!

[T-oddity]

Anything can be used as a weapon its more of a case of having the presence of mind to use something, I like Hex's idea of the bog brush definitely a good weapon of distraction, some burglars will put the kettle on to boil on entering a property to use as a weapon, I do have a folding entrenching tool fastened to the outside of my camping gear that's in my bedroom that could come in quite handy and effective and weapon of choice during ww1 in the trenches.

[MaryN]

Actually, taking the loo brush concept even further, I could think of a lot of things that could make a burglar back up. I guess it is going to depend on just how determined your intruder is. If he's just an oportunistic get-in-and-out quick merchant, he probably wouldn't be hanging around for long anyway. I think I'll stick with lots of sensor lights, good locks on the doors and windows and my easily ticked-off dog. Next door neighbour has IR lights and sensors and cameras and they do cover some of our property.