The issue I have with these discussions, and no I'm not picking on you OP, is that as has been stated everyone's situation is different, also, we can discuss all kinds of potential issues but they really only cover the tip of what might occur. We also are kind of assuming that any sort of situation will end with the use of force. Having been in six situations in civie life where I've either drawn down on someone, broke retention, made an overt movement for my own personal weapon, or had a fellow friend do so, not one was in a situation where I thought I'd have been prior to that. Thankfully reaction and/or show of force either deescalated the situation, or caused the would be attackers to flee. These were both at home and outside of the home for FYI. First, while everyone talks about it being important to having a gun, I'd say the most important thing is being aware of your surroundings and knowing when things could become bad, second, having some kind of training, then have a gun, or weapon. Shit can happen anywhere as well, so always be of that mindset. This is something I recently, as in TODAY, drilled into my GF while going out, she was asking why I needed my glock when we were only stopping at her family's house and the gas station. My response, "You never know." She made the comment, "What think someone is going to try something at the gas station?" My response, "Been in there incidents where that happened personally. And they weren't even in bad areas of town, and one was in broad daylight." I got no further shit for carrying my glock.
As far as noise, or making noise, to again muddy the waters. The hunker down, call 911, and wait thing. What if the guy, or guys hear you, and light a fire to try to burn you out, or if you are in a ranch with all windows on one floor try to come around and hit you through the windows with their own firearms should they have them. While this may not be "rational" we don't know if we are dealing with rational enemies here. Again, everyone's housing is different, everyone has to make their own calls as to what they want to do, me personally for my dedicated HD rifle I have been kicking around a Redi mag since I'm not throwing on a battle belt or chest rig rolling out of bed, and I might not have time to toss on the PC. Extra mags are damn hard to get to stay in underwear, if you even have any on and my ass cheeks don't clench that tightly. Also every situation is different as well, so you kind of have to have ideas of what could happen and roll with what does happen. Does the sound of someone trying to force the door open but being sloppy about it get the same response of someone who just took your front door off the hinges and is screaming get on the ground? Here's a really good question, how do you react to someone kicking in your door at zero dark thirty screaming "Police get on the ground?" Do you comply or do you resist? Again every situation is different. I'm not sure anyone has THE RIGHT answer, but I'd say a number here have right answers on that.
As far as the threat being armed.... I don't know all state laws, but most places I know of it doesn't matter if they actually have a weapon, it is the perception of a weapon. At least every place that I have lived in. Guy tells you that he is going to "**** you up!" after being verbally or even physically aggressive, made no motion to show that he is not serious and reaches behind his back, I'm drawing down on the guy at that point, if he quickly draws from behind his back anything that even passingly looks like a weapon I'm shooting. Knowledge, training, experience, and perception under the circumstances I don't think he is going to hand me a business card or a fist full of flowers and any reasonable person in that situation would likely make the same assumption that he is a threat. Again though, there is no cut and dry situations, but the perception of a threat rule has gone all the way to the USSC so there is something that you can point to for defense. On top of that, if you are being attacked, a fist or foot can kill just as easily as a bullet, so who is to say the guy who is ground and pounding is not a threat and should not be treated as such. As much as it pains me to use the example, the Zimmerman case. Also, size differences, I'm over six foot, good shape, not an easy target, but if you are a female, I'll use a friend of mine, who is 5'1'', 109, petite, if someone my size were to attack her even unarmed I'd expect her to use lethal force to stop it. And she is a better shot than most men, I mean I'd trust her at my six, she is, pound for pound, in better shape than me, or most men for matter, but I've taught her a fair bit of defensive tactics, if I put hands on her she is screwed simply because I am significantly stronger than she is and can literally pick her up and throw her if I chose to, and my size ans strength, and honestly pain tolerance even trying some of these fancy joint locks I've seen some places trying to teach girls to fight attackers she doesn't have the size to gain enough leverage. Again, if she is attacked, she knows enough that she is going right to lethal because of the threat.
"I don't collect guns anymore, I stockpile weapons for ****ing war." Chuck P.
"Some days you eat the bacon, and other days the bacon eats you." SeriousStudent
"Don't complain when after killing scores of women and children in a mall, a group of well armed men who train to shoot people like you in the face show up to say hello." WillBrink
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