When Your Home Defense Gun Won’t Save You

By Kit Perez

Many gun owners cite home defense as an important part of owning a firearm. It can be easy to think that because you have a gun easily accessible or even next to your bed that you’re ready and prepared for a home intruder. If an intruder can get into your home at all, however, you’ve already lost the first battle and are now at a disadvantage. Is it enough to simply own a gun? Or is there more you can do?

Watch Those Windows and Doors

Of course, we lock all our doors when we leave. But what about the windows? Have you ever come home to find that you left a window open? Make sure your home is secure, whether you’re home or not. No one’s saying that you can’t open a window — just make sure you’re not leaving an easy access point for an intruder.

You can also reinforce your door with a tool like The Door Club that braces your door closed, which provides added security against having your door body-slammed or kicked in. A product like this also helps with the next item on our list: how you should answer your door.

Carefully Answer Your Door

Many intruders get into their target home by simply knocking or ringing the doorbell. They may pretend to be door-to-door salesmen, religious solicitors or even neighbors. Their whole goal is to get you to open the door far enough so they can push their way in — or even get invited in.

A product like The Door Club can assist by allowing you to open the door enough to speak to a visitor while still reinforcing it if they try and push their way into your home. And as always, apply common-sense and caution when dealing with anyone who is a stranger that may appear at your door.

Tidy Your Yard

An unkempt and debris-filled property offers places for an intruder to hide. Trees near your house with accessible branches can also serve as an easy way for a burglar to get to the second story of your home, where your children or valuable possessions may be. Tangled, out-of-control bushes, shrubs, and other plants can also serve as a blind for potential intruders who may be waiting for you to leave — or return home.

Fortify Your Castle

Having a gun is a great way to help secure your home, but it is not the only answer. And if you create an environment conducive to a home invasion, you might just unnecessarily stack the deck against yourself in the first place. Following these few tips can help make your home an unattractive target for intruders — creating a safer environment for you and your family, and increasing the chances you won’t have to use that home defense firearm.

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