With my XD tucked in my boxers....

[Mike Russell]

I'd have told my neighbor to piss off. It's my house and I will do whatever I damn well please to make sure that my children see another day. Then I'd probably not-so-nicely tell him the conversation was over and please remove himself from my property.

[wmrawls]

IMHO your neighbor is way out of line. That circumstance, your actions were justified.

[CountryShooter]

I would not sweat it. You did the right thing all the way around (except the gun in the shorts). I would sent some of these over to the neighbor to let him see what others think. He was probley made cause the wife just chewed his butt off, cause her brother got the piss scared out of him.

[texasm203]

I think you were in the right. I got into a similar situation. I have 2 roommates, my bro (blood) and my friend (like a step-bro). One day it's raing really bad, roads are flooding, and my brother is at the lake, about 50 miles away. I call him and tell him just to find a place to stay with a friend up there. He calls and tells me he is staying there, will come home in the morning.

An hour later, I am fixing a sandwich in the kitchen, and I hear the doorknob moving. I stopped, looked at the door, and see a shadow outside and headlights. The power was out, so no lights were on inside the house. My first thought: "Somebody is breaking in!" I grab the 12 Ga and surefire and approach the door. My roommate is now behind me with his 1911 using the surefire. I rack in a round as the door is flung open. I put my finger on the trigger thinking "OMG! This is really happening!" My roomy hits the surefire as I scream "Get on the F*&$#@ ground!" My brother turns around and has the biggest grin on his face, like the whole thing was a joke. Then, he got mad about the guns being pointed at him.

3AM, and I think he's already in bed at his friend's place, and he came through the door. (Keep in mind, this is my 22 yr old big brother). He started yelling and screaming at us. My bad...

[WD40]

Whenever I get a knock at the door during a strange hour and I am not expecting company, I always have a weapon handy. People can criticize me if they want, but you are either prepared or a victim. There isn't any in between.

[newKid]

Originally Posted by justgotback

Ok, all of you please give me your opinions. Last night at 2am the doorbell rings. I have a 3 year old and a 13 month old, both of them wake up and start crying. I grab my XD from the closet safe, and tuck them into my boxers and turn the house alarm off and open the door. A guy is standing there at my door with a strange look on his face. When he sees the XD he gets nervous and says he has the wrong house and leaves.

The next day my neighbor comes over and gives me the third degree about answering the door with my weapon on me. The guy at my door at 2am was his brother-in-law that had driven up from Oklahoma and came to the wrong house. But my neighbor was pissed that I had scared his brother-in-law. Well I tried to politely tell him that if the door bell rings at 2am at my house it was not normal, and I was being cautious. He isn't having any of it, he is still very upset. Am I way out there? Or is it ok to take the actions that I did? Please let me know what you all lthink...

James

your neighbor and his brothe rin law are p***ys. this be-eth the answer.

silly sheeple.

[MrBug]

You need to forgive your neighbor for his stupidity. It takes no special training or education to be a moron....simply a birthright.

[jmsstnr]

Originally Posted by beitzel15

I've had the doorbell ring at early hours and no one be there... so I got my shotty and went outside to patrol the yard to make sure everything was safe...

Anytime after 11 at this house is not normal and a gun will be present at the door...
If I rang someones doorbell at 2am and they came with a gun, I wouldnt be scared or anything.. certainly wouldnt go whine to my brother about it..
I think you handled like anyone would... well, SHOULD.... Very nice on being prepared though and I mean, you had your KIDS in the house... so yea, +1 for that dude. good job.

+1

[UtahStateGun]

I don't know if there's something that I'm missing, but when I took my concealed firearm's permit I learned that you want to threaten or use deadly force as a last resort and when you're in danger of imminent death or grave bodily harm. In my state, there's no duty to retreat but you're supposed to use deadly force when the threat is imminent. I've read books from Massad Ayoob about how you should use/threaten lethal force only when the other person has the ability, opportunity (position), and intent to hurt you. If someone rings the doorbell at 2 AM and I look through the peep hole and see a person who makes me fear for my life, I don't know if this is wrong thinking but I wouldn't open my door even if I was holding a gun; I would just call 911 instead. I don't know if I'm missing something, but if someone rings your doorbell and you're really in fear of your life, shouldn't you not open your door and call 911, while having your firearm ready just in case. I strongly believe you shouldn't have to be required to retreat, but should you place yourself where there could be a fight if there isn't one yet? If they start breaking in, then use your firearm, with no requirement to run away. If someone rings your doorbell, is there an immediate and imminent threat? Do they have the opportunity to kill you right there and then? Do you shoot at base bat wielder who's behind a strong and tall chain link fence? I don't know, maybe I'm missing something. I just feel that deadly force should be used when you can't use other means, because using deadly force is serious (whether legal or not). Maybe I'm just messed up in the head.

[texasm203]

Originally Posted by UtahStateGun

I've read books from Massad Ayoob about how you should use/threaten lethal force only when the other person has the ability, opportunity (position), and intent to hurt you.....

I don't know if I'm missing something, but if someone rings your doorbell and you're really in fear of your life, shouldn't you not open your door and call 911, while having your firearm ready just in case....

If someone rings your doorbell, is there an immediate and imminent threat?

Do they have the opportunity to kill you right there and then?

Do you shoot at base bat wielder who's behind a strong and tall chain link fence?

I don't know, maybe I'm missing something.

I just feel that deadly force should be used when you can't use other means, because using deadly force is serious (whether legal or not).

Maybe I'm just messed up in the head.

1) Guy may not LOOK Threatening, but who knows his intentions? Maybe it's an 80 year old man... similar to the one who shot and nearly killed, a Tx state trooper during a traffic stop. Didn't LOOK like a threat.

2) You are right, if you don't think you should open, don't. Call police, have gun ready. +1

3) Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Be ready to react (have gun on you).

4) Yes, ppl have an opportunity to kill each other every second of every day, that's life.

5) If said fence may give, or bat-wielding man is climbing said fence, yes.

6) Yes, you are thinking the gun is being brought with intent to use, but it is simply being brought in case of need to use.

7) You are right again. +1 Although I would rather explain my actions to 12 of my peers then be carried out of a church by 6 of my family.

No, you are not. You are just on a different frame of mind than everybody, and that's not a bad thing.