Realistic AR home defense scenarios--things to think about

[Doc Safari]

Doc, people have differing views regarding light usage.

The thing that I think can be pretty universally accepted is that once you trigger a light, anyone that sees the beam knows there is someone at the other end.

Try an experiment - get in the room that is at the end of the hallway - have someone come down the hallway with their light on. You will probably notice that you can track them by the beam's appearance in the room you are in. In any event, the moment that person activated the light, you knew their general location. Forewarned IS forearmed.

Based on my experiences, I want to either have myself in darkness while the other area is lit up - turning on overhead lights in the room from the hallway would be an example; or have lighting equal so the bad guy doesn't have an advantage. I learned to useuse lights sparingly while searching.

As I noted at the beginning, people have differing philosophies.

I do see your point, believe me. I'm thinking by the time the children are involved it's a no-brainer that the perp knows where you are and so blinding illumination from your position seems to be the only option left. Likely the kiddos are screaming, crying, and giving away everyone's position and the perp knows where you're at by now. If it's just you poking around silently in the dark of course you would want to maintain the stealth as long as possible.

My house is big, open and "echoing." As soon as you click the bolt of the bedroom door to open it the noise echos through the whole house. From my stanpoint as soon as I've opened the door to the master bedroom I've given away my position. My only option is to immediately cast a room-sized blinding light into the main area and hope the perp is caught by surprise while I level down on him. If he's in the kids' hallway I won't necessarily be able to hear that from the master bedroom. I've considered, "Should I sleep with the master bedroom door open?" Of course then you have to consider the fact that the kiddos may walk in on you and the missus while you're in flagrante delicto.

I'm still debating how to balance all of that.