Have you ever considered what you would do if someone broke into your home?  The FBI reported that there were nearly 450,000 home invasions (burglary at a residence) in 2022.  Of those burglaries, over 53% occurred during the daytime.  Don’t be complacent if you think having a security system or a dog will fully protect you, having a plan is the best way to prepare if the need arises to protect people and property in your home.

What is a home defense plan?

A home defense plan is something everyone should consider to protect themselves and others residing under the same roof in case of a home invasion.  That plan should account for every member of a household and should be revisited often, especially as everyone gets older, their role in that plan may change, or the plan itself may change.  

The following items might influence what your plan includes and how it is executed - Are there young children in the home that are not capable of protecting themselves?  Do you have teenagers or adult children that may have access to the home and could arrive during the middle of the night unannounced?  Are there any disabled persons in the home that cannot easily move around?  Your plan should include as much detail as possible.  For example, parents with a small child may have in their plan on who will go to protect the child and who will call 911.  

There is no standard plan to follow, and there are many varying options on what a plan could look like on the internet and your plan may or may not include a home defense firearm.  A home defense plan needs to be personalized to your situation and may look very different from someone else’s plan because of situational factors.  Most importantly, every state has different laws regarding defense inside of the home and it’s important that you know and understand your state’s laws so that your home defense plan remains within the boundaries of those laws.

What is the best firearm for home defense?

Just as your home defense plan is personalized to you, the same goes for what firearm you may choose to have for home defense.  Your home defense weapon may be a firearm, or it may include other less than lethal weapons.  Ensure what you have is within the legal bounds of your state’s laws and that you can legally possess the weapon that you choose to have for home defense.

Common firearms used for home defense include pistols, AR platform rifles, and shotguns.  It is important to note that no matter what firearm you may choose for home defense, safety still applies!  It is your responsibility to ensure that firearms remain out of the hands of those who should not have them including, but not limited to, children, those who are not trained or not legally allowed to handle a firearm, and even the intruder themselves.  This means your home defense firearm must be stored in a manner that it is stored in a locked safe, but is also quickly accessible by those who are authorized to use them.  Biometric safes have become much more affordable and are available for both pistols, as well as long guns, and make quick access attainable.  Just make sure you regularly change or charge the batteries if the safe is not powered by a plug!  

Pistols are commonly used for home defense due to their size and concealability, allowing a pistol to be stored in close proximity to someone, yet secured in a safe.  They are easy to maneuver with and work well in short distance situations.  There are options with many pistols to install optics for sighting and pistol mounted flashlights to illuminate an area.  Pistols are one of the most difficult firearms to use due to having the least stable platform, and with a shorter barrel, with a pistol it may be harder to get an accurate shot at longer distances.  With training and practice a pistol can be a viable choice for a home defense firearm.

AR platform rifles have gained popularity as a home defense firearm due to their size and adaptability to the owner and a vast selection in multiple price points.  People have found them to be easy to learn to shoot with training, and can customize the AR rifle to their needs with an adjustable stock and options for different sized barrels to make the rifle shorter.  A shorter barrel makes it easier to maneuver in smaller spaces compared to a standard hunting rifle, yet having a higher likelihood of more accuracy at distance than a pistol.  Most AR rifles have handguards that have rails and slots to mount additional tools like optics and a flashlight.  One limiting factor for AR rifles is that they can be heavy for some people when fully loaded, and they are not as easy to conceal and generally would need to be stored in a larger rifle safe.

With manufacturers designing shorter barreled shotguns for law enforcement use, the shotgun has gained traction as a home defense firearm.  Shotguns have proven very effective when used with the correct ammo as a self-defense tool.  Most instructors and law enforcement departments recommend using 00 buckshot (pronounced double-aught) for self-defense purposes.  Choosing to use a home defense shotgun takes special consideration because of its power and if it’s a pump shotgun, the strength to be able to rack to chamber each round.  There are reliable semi-automatic shotguns on the market, which takes away the need to chamber each round, but the most reliable brands are expensive.  Recoil is also something people struggle to control on a shotgun without professional instruction and training to properly handle the gun.  It is also key to know that unlike most pistols, shotguns cannot be stored loaded as they are not “drop safe”, meaning if the shotgun was dropped or if it falls, it will go off if there is a round chambered.  This can be helped by staging your pump or semi-automatic shotgun in a “closet/cruiser ready” state in the safe to be quickly deployed and remain safe while stored.  

Less than Lethal Home Defense Tools

There are many less than lethal tools available to people for self-defense and these tools could be used for home defense purposes as well.  OC spray, also known as pepper spray, is an option and many manufacturers who make OC spray for carrying, also make larger models to have around the house or in a vehicle.  Ensure you are buying a quality brand that discloses their Major Capsaiacinoid percentage (MC %) and that the product you choose is legal in your state.  An MC percentage of 1.4% is the maximum recommended limit for use on humans, but states have authority to set laws to reduce that limit.  For example, in New York, the legal limit is only 0.7% MC.  Every OC spray product has a recommended range of distance that the unit is rated to spray within.  Buy and practice with inert trainers that mimic the units and be sure to set reminders to change out expired products.  

There have been multiple manufacturers who have introduced airsoft (CO2 or green gas) based projectile launchers that may dissuade an intruder.  These launchers can shoot projectiles made of rubber or metal or even pepper balls at an attacker to inflict pain to turn them away.  It is important to know that even though these products are considered less than lethal, they are still considered weapons in most states and if used incorrectly could still be considered to inflict serious physical injury or can even be lethal (especially using metal projectiles).  It is important that you do your research on these products from reputable experts to determine what tool works best for your home defense plan.

Practice Your Plan

Regardless of what your home defense plan looks like or the tools it involves, it is imperative that you review and practice your plan regularly.  Set up mock scenarios and involve all people in executing your plan so that if you ever have to put into play, it won’t be the first time.  If a firearm is part of your home defense plan, consider keeping your skills sharp with dry fire training at home with Mantis Laser Academy or the Mantis X10 Elite Shooting Performance System.  Learn more at https://mantisx.com.  Seek out training for your less than lethal home defense tools from quality instructors.  Talk to your area police department to find out what information they might want to know on the 911 call.  

Bringing It Home

Brian Stuart Germain puts it best in his book Transcending Fear.  “Until you have the courage to let yourself surrender to the brave task of envisioning the story of things going well, you are destined to walk another path. The body cannot go where the mind has not gone first."  Planning for an event you want to avoid is being brave and by doing so, you are putting your family’s safety first over just hoping that it won't happen.  Having a home defense plan is key to reacting to an intruder, but also consider hardening your home to make it undesirable as a target for the intruder.  Outdoor and indoor lighting, even if you are not home, takes away the privacy intruders want.  If you are able, install a security system to help warn and buy your family time to react when an intruder has breached your home.  Keep garage doors closed and bushes and trees trimmed when near the home.  Your home defense plan should be the plan of last resort when keeping the intruder out has failed.  Make the choice to have a plan and practice regularly with your home defense tool of choice.