house clearing

[ega]

anyone ever practice clearing their home?? Its a must you dont want to try it in real life without practice !!!! slice that pie !!!!

 

[shooter521]

I've had plenty of training and practice, and I still don't want to do it for real!

 

[Jay]

cops get paid for clearing... everything downstairs is insured... come upstairs and you're in a choke point....

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Sort of, yes. Delineated responsibilities for myself, the wifey and my son so each has an idea of what the others are supposed to be doing at any given time.

 

[Bruenor]

I often wonder in what situation you would need to clear your house. If you come home and see that someone has broken in, don't go into the house. Call the police. They'll show up and clear the house for you. Not only will they have backup, but at least one of them will hopefully have a shotgun or rifle in the squad car, which will probably be better than what you have on your hip.

If you are at home and you hear someone break in, then you might have a different situation. If there are other people in the house (children), then you can't just stay holed up in your room. But if it's just you, or you and your spouse, stay put and call 911. Grab your gun, and if someone opens your bedroom door without first yelling police, take them down. If you have children, as quickly as you can get them all together, do so, then see the previous example.

 

[rich8483]

there was probably twice i heard bumps in the night that turned out to be nothing. but i went through the house thoroughly. its an " easy" house single story ranch, no basement. kinda a shotgun design if you know what i mean. when i heard noise i would rather make sure its nothing than lay in bed for the next two hours holding my gun waiting for someone or no one.

if i came home and the door was kicked in. the cops are getting called and they are clearing it. but in reality i SAY that but i might actually do the "stupid" thing and go in anyways.

 

[ihateiraq]

no need to clear my house. i have strategically placed booby traps all over.

 

[jsharmon7]

About a year ago all of the houses on my sister's cul-de-sac were broken into, excluding hers. When she got home and saw the police there they advised her that they were "pretty sure" the burglar was already gone but for her to go into her house (alone) and make sure nothing was missing.

 

[kingnereli]

The only time you should be clearing your house is if you have to go get a loved one. You hear that bump in the night and remember little Timmy fell asleep on the couch last night so he isn't upstairs where it is safe. You better go get him. (Don't shoot little timmy when he startles you and it turns out the bump in the night was Timmy tripping over the cat food bowl.)

So, it is good to practice. Until you do it is easy to miss the blind spots and fatal funnels. My family's emergency plan necessitates that we move into our daughter's room to make sure she is secure. The layout of our house is pretty tricky. Our bedroom door and our daughter's bedroom door to the left for the corner of the living room. The bathroom door is directly to the right of our bedroom. There is potential for a bad guy to be either to the right or left or out in the living room somewhere.

 

[VERT]

Crazy as it sounds this is why the wife and I did not want to buy a "split floor plan" house. A lot of new homes the master bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from the children. Now if their is a fire or intruder, you are separated from your kids. The way our house is designed there is a choke point into the master bedroom. It would be tricky to maneuver in or out of this room with a long gun. No I don't practice clearing the house because I have very little training in these procedures. I am conscientious of fact that I may have to get to my children.

 

[JetGirl]

Crazy as it sounds this is why the wife and I did not want to buy a "split floor plan" house. A lot of new homes the master bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from the children. Now if their is a fire or intruder, you are separated from your kids. The way our house is designed there is a choke point into the master bedroom. It would be tricky to maneuver in or out of this room with a long gun.

That's our current floor plan, and I regret it.

 

[rhino]

Even if you know what you're doing and you're in your own house, clearing rooms by yourself is usually not a good idea. That's something best left to people who come in groups of 2, 3, or more.

It's even harder at night. For one thing, if you're using a light in a darkened house, you eliminate your concealment as soon as the light comes on. For another thing, not much in a typical house provides actual cover.

If you have a choice, you're better off staying put.

 

[kingnereli]

Even if you know what you're doing and you're in your own house, clearing rooms by yourself is usually not a good idea. That's something best left to people who come in groups of 2, 3, or more.

It's even harder at night. For one thing, if you're using a light in a darkened house, you eliminate your concealment as soon as the light comes on. For another thing, not much in a typical house provides actual cover.

If you have a choice, you're better off staying put.

What do you suggest as to the issue of kids? I'm not sure I know anyone who suggests hunkering down behind you bed till the cops get there while your kids are at the other end of the house in a condition and level of danger in which you are entirely unaware.

 

[rhino]

That falls into the category of when your other choices suck worse than clearing the house by yourself.

The NRA personal protection in the home class would probably be helpful.

In addition, I'd get some instruction in how to move as safely as possible while maximizing your visual information and minimizing what the other guy(s) can see. That will include avoiding classic mistakes like lingering in a doorway. Knowing how to use your light would also help.

The downside here is that most room clearing classes are not available to people without badges. The exception would be classes specifically for non-law enforcement pairs (like husband and wife). I know Clint Smith teaches a class like that at Thunder Ranch and so do some other places.

Having a plan for your whole family is a good idea too. It's not just for fires and tornadoes ... you also need a plan for everyone in the event of a home invasion of any kind.

 

[Jay]

Having a plan for your whole family is a good idea too. It's not just for fires and tornadoes ... you also need a plan for everyone in the event of a home invasion of any kind.

That's ^ the key. You have to have that plan BEFORE you need to implement it. I've consulted with many students on such a plan, but in the end, it's up to each one of us.

 

[SMiller]

For the guy that said a cop would us a shotgun to clear a house, that is not going to happen, they are way to hard to swing, tuck your semi auto in close and room to room it. Long guns are for outside only!

 

[rhino]

For the guy that said a cop would us a shotgun to clear a house, that is not going to happen, they are way to hard to swing, tuck your semi auto in close and room to room it. Long guns are for outside only!

My primary home defense weapon is an AR. I think I'll stick with it, even if I have to move through the house.

 

[Prometheus]

My primary home defense weapon is an AR. I think I'll stick with it, even if I have to move through the house.

16" AR w/ telescoping stock is a good choice. I like my AK47 w/side folder and red dot. No need to extend the stock.

I have to wonder... if you hear a sound in the middle of the night (and eventually you will)... what do you do?

For all of you "the cops get paid to clear houses", how often do you call the cops? Couple times a month?

The other night it was windy... I heard a thud... it sounded like it came from downstairs and IN the house. I was asleep and wide awake in a milisecond. WTH was it? It's windy but that didn't sound like it came from outside and it was ONE thud. Usually those sounds repeat if it's environmental. So I grab the XD and surefire and off I go. I have no idea what it was, but I certainly wasn't going to call 9-1-1 over a bump in the night.

The boy who cried wolf ring any bells people?

Thats a far cry from hearing a crash and voices.

There will ALWAYS need to clear your home... unless you want to call the cops a couple times a month.

The question then becomes, what is the best way to clear your home. The answer will be different for everyone. I could clear my house with a fixed stock shotgun. The downstairs is open concept and the basement is a strait stairwell with an easy enough to negotiate landing.

I don't because I have children. Little children and I need a free hand to grab them with and still have full control of my firearm. A XD9 w/ mounted light fits the bill perfectly IMO.

In short at SOME POINT you WILL have to clear your house. Acquire the knowledge. Practice. The book by Gabe Suarez called Tactical Advantage [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Advantage-Definitive-Personal-Small-Arms/dp/0873649753]Amazon.com: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study Of Personal Small-Arms Tactics (9780873649759): Gabriel Suarez: Books[/ame] is great and has several chapters (including diagrams) of room clearings.

It's not that we want to clear houses (those of us who truly understand the risks, even more so), we realize there are times when we will HAVE to.

Lighting... you are in your house. You should know ever square inch of it. Dark corners should have the ultra low light night lights. Your surefire should only come on for a split second when you need it and immediately back off. MOVE the second it goes off. You should never clear anything with the light always on. It's your turf. You should only need it to see a BG. Not whats in front of you.

Setting aside all that. How pathetic is it that so many people are so DEPENDENT on the government to protect them and to clear their house due to the slightest bump in the night? Seriously... WTH? smaller government? You can't even take care of yourself in your own home... sheesh. I also have to wonder... how are you going to get to the door to unlock it for them?

Personal responsibility. Take some.

 

[Jay]

Personal responsibility. Take some.

Wow, you must be in a position of expertise that I never knew existed. You speak for you, but don't profess to browbeat anyone else because you seem to have ultimate search and destroy abilities. Your opinions are just that, not edicts to be fired at those who don't share your opinion.... or your home layout.... or the number of children..... or the age..... or the history.

Deal with it, but don't blow yourself up so far that you simply blow up.

 

[csm47362]

Don't mean to thread jack but...My wife and I bought a older 2 story a few years ago as a fixer upper. After the fact I realized it has issues. I have 4 entry doors to our home not counting our several large windows. After few bump in the night things we decided it was worth the money to invest in an alarm. We now have sensors on all the doors and it motion detectors that cover our basement, and ground floor and the stairs leading to the second floor. We put a pad in the bedroom 2 down stairs at the back and front door. It cost a few bucks but it has been well worth the money (side note just 2 months after we had it installed we had a CO2 leak in our furnace, the alarm tripped when just my 70 yr old grandmother and my 1 yr old were home alone. They were out of the house within a min and I knew what was going on in about the same time frame.). We still hear the bump in the nights but I know that after a few seconds that If that pad does not start plinking I am back to sleep.