Hardening the home for defense

[Str8Jacket722]

I'll be back in a minute, my tinfoil hat is too tight, I'm gonna adjust it and be right back. FIGHT THE MAN, POWER TO THE PEOPLE, and all that crap.

[misanthropist]

Well, my personal approach has been to move to the top floor of a fairly secure building, and simply harden the entrance. Could it be defeated? Absolutely. Is it much, much harder than just continuing down the block to an easier target? You bet.

My door and door frame are both steel. The door is commercial and very solid and the door frame was not difficult to harden...it was 1/16 steel so I filled it with concrete.

Technically a strata rule violation. But nobody noticed, or is likely to notice now that the work is complete. I was already mixing concrete for another project anyway, so it was only an extra hour or so of work.

Easiest way in now would be through somebody else's place, then out on to the balcony and back in. But once I get some film up on the windows, I think even that would be a pain in the ass.

I know urban living is not popular amongst many prepper types...but there are some upsides.

Now my last place was REALLY tough to get in to...it had been a steel fabrication shop and the previous owner went to great lengths to make it hard to break in.

You take a team of experienced steel fabricators and tell them, "make this place secure", man...you end up with a house that doubles as a vault.

[The_War_Wagon]

Remember the L.A. Riots in '92? News cameras go rolling through the 'hood - burned out building... burned out building... armed Koreans on top of intact grocery store... burned out building...

The media didn't INTEND it, but it got the POINT across...

[a1fabweld]

I'll be back in a minute, my tinfoil hat is too tight, I'm gonna adjust it and be right back. FIGHT THE MAN, POWER TO THE PEOPLE, and all that crap.

WTF? Put the bong down man.

[Blstr88]

Typical looters will be turned away instantly by gunfire...watch those videos of any riots, as soon as the cops start firing people scatter. They're an angry crazy mob but each individual is still a person and I would assume people typically don't stand their ground when they're being shot at.

As for my house, I live on a dead-end street with 7 houses total. 6 of which are younger families (ranging from me at 26 to my oldest at about 40) and one old couple. But the cool thing is that since its a new development its not on GPS or even google maps yet, so most people probably wouldnt realize we're even here.

And if it got bad enough where we'd have to defend it, I've already spotted out a few big trees we could very easily cut down and block the road with...it wouldnt stop being on foot but no vehicles would be coming down the road at least.

[Javelin]

Everything in FM 7-8 of the US Infantry manual basically points to one common theme which I will share...

"... There is no such thing as security without a active offensive patrolling"

[Str8Jacket722]

WTF? Put the bong down man.

I know, don't drink the bong water... It was sarcasm. I'm tired of guys who plan for total anarchy like it's just around the bend. Basically, the best thing someone can do is have a simple plan, a contingency plan, and training. Not in that order. By the way, sarcasm isn't funny anymore when you have to explain it. Frankly, I find some of this stuff interesting, the rest....laughable. Some of these guys need to stop scanning the skies for black helicopters and spend more time with a pen and paper writing down their plan and then practicing it.

Semper Fidelis!

[a1fabweld]

I know, don't drink the bong water... It was sarcasm. I'm tired of guys who plan for total anarchy like it's just around the bend. Basically, the best thing someone can do is have a simple plan, a contingency plan, and training. Not in that order. By the way, sarcasm isn't funny anymore when you have to explain it. Frankly, I find some of this stuff interesting, the rest....laughable. Some of these guys need to stop scanning the skies for black helicopters and spend more time with a pen and paper writing down their plan and then practicing it.

Semper Fidelis!

People prep for piece of mind. If a guy sleeps better at night having a .50BMG beltfed gun mounted to every corner of his home, good for him. I find it laughable that people are so bored they come here to bag on people for doing things different that they would.

[John W]

People prep for piece of mind. If a guy sleeps better at night having a .50BMG beltfed gun mounted to every corner of his home, good for him. I find it laughable that people are so bored they come here to bag on people for doing things different that they would.

Well put. Some people place higher value on certain needs than others. In this forum we are concerned about safety.




See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%...archy_of_needs

[Straight Shooter]

I say GOOD FOR YOU Op for thinking ahead, and wanting to be as ready as possible for any upcoming unrest. I see no reason for anyone to question your motives.
As to your question about putting bars on your lower windows...what about covering those with some ornamental wrought iron type screens? Would still protect the windows, while looking WAY more inconspicuous, and wouldnt draw near the attention as bars would.
That along with the film wold be great I think. Im in an apartment, but were I still in my home I sold a few years back I would have already done this. I think Col. Cooper wrote at least one book on this subject, Ive always wanted to read it, but there are others as well. But IMO...LOW KEY is the word.