There are two schools of thought on the shotgun. Having trained with a national champion I agree with the alternative thought. By racking the shotgun you've told the criminal both what you have and where you are. Most will leave as you say. A few will not due to stupidity, drug induced thoughts of invulnerability or whatever. Now rather than sneaking around they know you are there so they come in shooting. You very well may still prevail but the odds just went against you.
For home safety the boots may help a little. If you want to really increase home safety it takes some work. Here's one that will work fairly well. The biggest threat, IMO, is home invasion. That's usually the most determined and best armed criminal(s). You need to secure the house from a kick in as well as setting up a safe room for everyone to gather in.
Your front door should be a solid wood door. Along the hinge side of the door you hammer heavy nails, about pencil diameter, every 2 or 3 inches from top to bottom. You quit hammering when the head is about 1/3 inch from the frame. You take bolt cutters and snip off the head so you now have pencil size rods sticking out about 1/3 inch. You take a drill and drill holes in the door at each rod. Now when you close the door it is held in place by the rods. On the knob side you get long hasp double throw deadbolts. Preferrably you put 2 of them, one about 1/3 of the way down from the top and one about 1/3 of the way up from the floor. Those have 1 1/2" long hardened bolts. Once they are locked the door isn't kicking in for anything less than multiple hits of a battering ram.
Should someone ever begin to kick it in you immediately get everyone to the secure room. The door to it is set up just like the front door. Inside this room you have a cell phone in case the regular phone lines are cut. You call 911 immediately and tell them someone has broken into your home and you think has been shot. They haven't yet but you say you think someone is shot so the police come all the faster. The room should be configured so there is a bed between the door and everyone in the room. You get everyone on the floor behind the bed. If shots come in the mattress will absorb a lot. You already have the shotgun set to go so all you have to do is release the safety. If you aren't prepared to teach gun safety and have a home that allows that you load it as quietly as possible. Anyone determined enough to kick in the secure front door isn't going to leave at the sound of a shotgun. If that door opens you shoot first and sort them out later. If they stay outside that door you let your insurance company and the police deal with it.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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