Came home last night

[sweettractors]

Why do you want to chase one? Chances are they will have a knife or bar to hit you with. My Uncle used to tell me if you are ever chasing someone to fight, don't catch them or they might just kick your arse. Don't shoot over their heads either...terrible waste of a bullet.

You wouldn"t want to shoot him in the back. You would be the one facing charges in today's world. Ken Sweet

[tonycrow]

Not sure why, the man thing I guess...never claimed I was smart!

[Gary Fowler]

Thats the nice thing about a shotgun; aim low and put some #7 1/2 in his butt and legs. That will make him run much slower and much more painful to remove than a single slug and 100 yards away, you dont have to worry about where the shot went

[gwiley]

I keep the 18" barrel 12ga loaded with #7 by the door in a closet - lethal within 20 ft or so. Outside that it will bring supreme pain and misery to someone on the receiving end. Less likely to penetrate the walls too. It is really there for the 4 legged critters and snakes, but I am confident that it would do the job on the 2 legged predators as well.

[Dingo Man]

Do you think they could outrun ruber bullets, or rock salt shot out of a shotgun ? LOL

Rubber? who wants to frig around with rubber bullets. In my opinion that is a good opportunity to cull a non productive member of society and if he lands outside the house just drag him inside before calling the police Lets face it probably most of us on this site own, or live near property that would be very easy "for someone to get lost in". I've always said if it ever happened while I am home I gaurantee whom ever it is they will never leave alive.

[GMtb42]

Came home last to someone trying to break into my house i chased him off, my daughter and pregnant wife are scared and mad at me for chasing him away because he could of had a weapon. So we called the police station and will have a officer drive by the house for a couple days.

My wife is a retired Police Officer, she would have been mad that they got away.
Most thieves are not violent, violence just adds time to their sentence if caught.

[murphy1244]

Rubber? who wants to frig around with rubber bullets. In my opinion that is a good opportunity to cull a non productive member of society and if he lands outside the house just drag him inside before calling the police Lets face it probably most of us on this site own, or live near property that would be very easy "for someone to get lost in". I've always said if it ever happened while I am home I gaurantee whom ever it is they will never leave alive.

Use the SSS method.

[ritcheyvs]

I am a strong gun supporter but ... don't get a gun unless you are prepared to kill another human and are willing to train (preferably professional training) to use it effectively. Real life is not like TV. Pointing a gun at someone probably won't freeze them in their tracks. Shooting someone, particularly with a handgun, will probably not stop them in their tracks either. Shooting in the air is never a good idea (except, maybe small shotgun shot). Firearms is a serious business that involves serious responsibility. You need to know your state (and sometimes, local) gun laws.

Other points: Firearms are a prime target for thieves. There are no winners in a gun fight. Few possessions are important enough to risk death or serious bodily injury. If you use a gun in self defense, you may get arrested and may need to hire a lawyer, especially in blue states. Finally, have a plan: when do you run (usually whenever you can) and when (and how/where) do you stand your ground (generally when you have no other choice).

Some of the previous comments in this tread reflect more bravado than realism.

[landedakioti]

I have guns but there in vermont my wife dosen't want them around with children. When she was a kid a kid down the road shoot his dad by accident the dad left it loaded on the table. I grew up around guns . Killed my first deer when i was 10. Killed my first cow with a hammer when i was 8yrs, my grandfather if it every came down to save your family from danger image the person as a animal. That is how he survived koran war.

[rustythread]

+1 on what Ritcheyvs says. It doesn't take much law enforcement experience to tell when a body was shot outside and dragged inside--advocting that is at best ..er...not good advice.
If you are going to contemplate pointing guns at anyone outside your dwelling--or carrying a sidearm at all outside your dwelling, get training. There is a lot of pretty good training available. From a dollars-and-sense perspective, a two-week intensive practical course will cost you about the same as a two-hour meeting with your lawyer after you've screwed up and been arrested. More importantly, training on what you can legally do and how to do it without shooting yourself in the @$$ is crucial, especially the repetitive, muscle-memory parts--with a certified instructor making sure that you don't engrave your brain with bad moves and dangerous habits.