Protecting Your Home Without a Firearm

Other than getting a dog, installing an expensive security system, and buying pepper spray, there are many ways out there for protecting your home, throwing off would be invaders, and buying yourself time to get to safety or neutralize the threat: without a firearm.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a strong believer in and supporter of the second amendment. Living in Alaska, pretty much everyone has a firearm or their neighbor does. Most people that I know if have several different calibers for various types of hunting and bear defense. Alaska is not the rest of the country and even though it is our right, many places make owning a firearm extremely difficult. Not everyone can afford a gun and the ammo, some are unable to have them for legal reasons, and still others simply don’t like them or want them around. That does not mean you can’t defend yourself and your home! There are other ways!

There are guerrilla warfare tactics that can be implemented within reason but before we get to that, let’s take a look at your home from the outside. Regardless if you live in a single story home in a suburban setting or a high rise condo in the city, there are vulnerabilities that can be exploited by those wishing to gain entry with the intent to do harm, loot, et cetera. Do you have trees or other things that someone could hide in, under, or behind that are close to your house? Eliminating these, if possible, is a great first step. You want to be able to see clear space around your home to spot anyone coming. If you are in a situation where you cannot alter the outside of your home, you still have the advantage! You know the area better and can take steps that will either eliminate those hiding spots or, alternatively, you could use misdirection to actually lure the would-be invader to a place of your choosing. They may think they are safe and hidden while you know exactly where they are and can go from there.

Try breaking into your home. “A lock only keeps out an honest man” is a very true statement. Thieves prefer to be in and out very quickly, snatching whatever they think has value. They will try the easiest, most obvious spots first such as doors, windows, and patio entry. That said, very little will deter a looter or keep them from getting inside if they want to badly enough. The trick here is to make it difficult, make them have to take more time to gain entry while you get out of harm’s way or get into a defensive position.

What if they are already at your door, moments away from getting inside? There are numerous things that can be done in this situation. I cannot stress enough the importance of not putting yourself in harm’s way unless it is absolutely necessary. You want to impede and stop the threat so that you and yours can get to safety or neutralize the threat. The real advantage here is you know your home better than they do. Placing some seemingly harmless decorations in key locations can make a big difference. Take, for example, the glass vase gems that are used as fillers and colorful accents. If someone is banging on your door trying to break in, that vase on the entry hall table suddenly turns into an effective way to literally trip up the bad guys. The gems will stay where they fall for the most part as they are flat on one side.

Of course, this assumes you have laminate or hardwood floors in the hall way. For carpet, you could use actual marbles. Unless you have some kind of 1970’s shag carpet in your home still, the marbles will stop in the fibers of the carpet. Once stepped on though, they will generally roll every bit as easily as if on a flatter surface. If nothing else, the assailants will notice the bumps and slow down.

There is so much more that can be done beyond that!

• The proverbial baseball bat behind the door and/or in other key locations.
• Extremely bright flashlights that will blind the intruder and disorient them.
• Installing a simple panic button that will emit a high decibel alarm (in other words, really loud, screeching noise!). They come in personal and home systems ranging from less than $20 up into the thousands.
• Install motion lights around the outside of the house or a security system like those sold at Entry Vision.
• If you don’t have a dog, you can get a barking dog alarm or other deterrents like a fake security camera.
• Have broken glass in a few places that could be dropped to not only help deter but also give you the advantage of knowing where they are because of the noise. (If you go this route, make sure it is in a place pets and children can’t accidentally get into and spill).

I am well aware and have heard it all about this being like the movie “Home Alone.” I get that many people scoff at what I’ve written here but the bottom line is this: if someone wants to do you harm, the best you can do when you don’t have a firearm is to slow them down and/or hopefully stop their pursuit of doing you or your loved ones harm. I have heard and read your scorn on this topic but guess what? You don’t have to follow any of it if you don’t want to. Just like the people reading this article who don’t want to use a gun or other type of firearm don’t have to follow your beliefs or preferences for using a gun. To each their own. Any flaming comments left below will be removed immediately (as numerous ones have been).

There are even more things you can do but you get the idea. You could run a mini test to see how effective it might be by having a friend ‘break in’ a couple times. It will help you practice what you would do, help reveal any holes in the plan, and provide insight you would not normally get. It helps to establish a pattern, muscle memory, and reinforce to the family what their roles are. Is someone into archery? Unless you are in New York, a bow and arrow is not a firearm. It does not explode upon impact and can make a person think twice when one is shot across their line of sight.

To get more ideas, a simple Google search can give you numerous sites that are dedicated to home security as well as general review sites that have reviews of the best products. Just remember, you don’t need to buy what they sell. Just looking around to see what is out there, reading about primitive defenses or guerrilla warfare tactics of surprise, home court advantage, and distraction will help you get into the right frame of mind for protecting your home: without a firearm.

Personally, I choose to exercise my 2nd amendment right to bear arms. We each make our own choices but having options is good. 🙂

How do YOU protect your family and property without a firearm? Inspire someone in the comments below!