We cover home defense related issues a lot here on Tactical Life. Whether it’s using a revolver for home defense, or selecting a 410 bore shotgun and ammo, we’re here to help make your choices easier. Today we’re going to take a look at 4 particularly persistent home defense myths that just need to go away forever.
Starting our Home Defense Myths Easy with #4: Birdshot is a Good Idea for Home Defense
How this myth continues to persist is absolutely beyond us. Countless ballistic tests have proven that birdshot is for killing little birds. It’s not for stopping lethal threats to your life. It won’t throw a “cloud of lead” down a hallway. If you’re going to use a shotgun for home defense, you need high quality buckshot. You also need to know what how your shotgun patterns at ranges you’re likely to encounter in your house. It’s time for this home defense myth to die.
Number 3: You Should Investigate Noises Outside
This one is a bit more situational. That being said, want to learn a neat trick on how to go to jail? Shoot someone in your yard that doesn’t present a credible threat of deadly force. Even if you live in a castle doctrine state, if you walk outside your home to confront someone in your yard, you could be placing yourself in legal trouble. Unless that person presents a credible threat of deadly force, you can’t shoot them. Best to call the cops and stay indoors.
Home Defense Myth 2: Pumping a Shotgun Will Scare Away Intruders
#3 on our list of home defense myths is another old-school myth that refuses to die. You still see people saying it unironically: “the sound of the 12 gauge racking will scare them off.” Usually these guys also have birdshot loaded in their guns. It’s maddening.
You know what is more likely to scare off a home intruder? You shouting “I called the police and they’re on their way” from behind your locked bedroom door. All pumping a shotgun does is make a noise that just tells the criminal that there’s a gun in the house.
The King of Home Defense Myths: Lights Will “Give Away your Position”
We saved the worst for last, and we’re going to spend some time on it. Any time there’s an article about putting a weapon mounted light on your home defense gun, someone will pop up in the comments and say “lights just give away your position.” Of all home defense myths, this one is the worst because it gets innocent people killed.
We see news stories every month that are some variation of the following headline. “Homeowner accidentally shoots wife/husband/son/daughter/etc because they thought it was an intruder.” In 100% of those cases, someone failed to positively ID their target. Then they shot at a shape in the dark, and killed someone that didn’t need killing. You know what would prevent the vast majority of these incidents? A weapon mounted light so you can SEE WHAT YOU’RE SHOOTING AT. Or even better, turning the lights on in your house.
There’s this nonsense idea perpetuated by movies of creeping through your house looking for burglars. Why? If you don’t have family in other rooms, if you think there’s a break in, lock your bedroom door, call 911 and wait for the cops. If you have family, get them secure, then do the same thing. None of your possessions are worth killing someone over, and they’re certainly not worth dying over.
