Airsoft gun for home defence

[Pricey-1991]

But of a random topic here but what are all of your feeling on using an airsoft gun whether it be a rifle pistol or shotgun as home defence? I only ask this as I was talking to a guy from work today whos friend had had their house broken into while he and his family were in bed, he woke up when he heard a noise downstairs and as an airsofter had his weapon in his room out of reach of his kids. Long story short he went downstairs scared the living s*** out of the kids who had broken in and managed to get them to sit and wait while the police were on the way as they didn't know it was only a RIF, police turned up and told the guy he couldn't use it as a home defence and seized the gun. To me a mans home is his castle and if he has a family with young children in the house he should use reasonable force to defend it. His gun wasn't loaded might I add he only had it to intimidate and scare the burglars.

[Sacarathe]

Using a RIF in the event of a break in

 

Summary:

 

You point RIF at person, person kills you and has reasonably valid claim to self defence, fearing their death. OR They get away with it and you're dead solely because they thought it was real.

 

Note, if you point a gun at someone and they jump from a window to escape, or die some other way - that's murder/manslaughter.

[albawarrior]

Welcome to the UK where if some one breaks Into your house and you so much as breath on them you are the one breaking the law.... Bend over take it up the arse and pay your taxes to the evil govt!!

 

He's lucky all they did was seize the RIF as they could nail him with false imprisonment etc!

 

Personally my nine iron would accidently fall multiple times on anyone stupid enough to enter my house as I cant imagine most would believe you had a real gun in the UK.

[ALee91]

I can't imagine it's a great idea, like the police said your not allowed to use a RIF for home defence i'd follow that advice, to be fair i don't think your allowed to use any weapon for home defence as your likely get someone try to prosecute you for just waving one around let alone using it.

 

Best bet would be if you hear someone in the house make some noise and tell them to get out, most burglars are opportunity criminals and don't want confrontation. Spend the money instead on home insurance to cover the theft and let them take what they want.

 

Also take every step to make sure your valuables and sentimental items and car keys are in your room with you at night.

[Sacarathe]

Also take every step to make sure your valuables and sentimental items and car keys are in your room with you at night.

 

... in the safe, under the floorboards, under the carpet, under the rug, under the bed, under you. Personally I'd rather a burglar being flummoxed by the safe downstairs than motivated come upstairs.

[Jedi_Master]

Also take every step to make sure your valuables and sentimental items and car keys are in your room with you at night.

 

I would have to disagree about keeping your car keys upstairs in your room. If they want your car the last thing you want in the night is the criminals upstairs with you and your wife/girlfriend/teddybear.

 

My sister-in-law had a brand new car which was targetted by a criminal gang. They broke into the house and just took her handbag from the hall to get the keys and stole the car. Upsetting but much less so than them threatening you in your bed for the keys.

[djben9]

hasn't this been in the papers recently?, the father of a burglar tried to sue the person whose house he broke into, think he got hurt or something...and failed in court.....cant remember full facts as its sunday night and have the wife faffing about getting stuff ready for tomorrow so cant look

 

then there was the Mr Martin case where he shot the pikey who broke in in the back.....

 

if someone breaks into your house and gets hurt, it should be on them as they shouldn't have been there in the first place, you can use 'reasonable force', but like said, we are in the UK where you are more likely to get a bigger telling off than the numpty in the first place so be careful......id send the wife down, her with no makeup will scare them enough!!

 

anyway ask the police say...

 

https://www.askthe.police.uk/Content/Q85.htm

[AJWest]

I personally think it's not a good idea, what if they call your bluff? then you're stood there with what is effectively a toy and someone who may want to do you harm and no time to go and fetch something else

[Pricey-1991]

Personally I believe you should be able to use reasonable force to defend your home I think that you should be able to detain someone who has broken into your house and if it were me in that situation id do anything to keep my family safe from harm. The problem with the country at the moment is that criminals seem to have more rights than the law abiding citizen like you say djben if they get hurt while in your home it should be on them as they are the ones who have broken the law

[Bottledtorment]

You're better off hitting them with something like a plug. It doesn't class as a motivated weapon, it is not an offensive weapon and you can tell the fuzz that you were on laptop at the time and he came at you.

 

TLDR: Don't use an airsoft gun, you'll get yourself hurt or have it taken. Use something unmotivate (could be anything from a pan to a piano) just need to be able to justify it.

[ALee91]

 

... in the safe, under the floorboards, under the carpet, under the rug, under the bed, under you. Personally I'd rather a burglar being flummoxed by the safe downstairs than motivated come upstairs.

Surely if he were the type of person to be motivated to come upstairs in the first place without a safe, knowing you have a safe surely it would give them another reason to confront you?

 

 

 

I would have to disagree about keeping your car keys upstairs in your room. If they want your car the last thing you want in the night is the criminals upstairs with you and your wife/girlfriend/teddybear.

 

My sister-in-law had a brand new car which was targetted by a criminal gang. They broke into the house and just took her handbag from the hall to get the keys and stole the car. Upsetting but much less so than them threatening you in your bed for the keys.

True, but of course all this varies and don't know any of the crime stats on what sort of burglaries are happening, to what extenet and for what reason. The least you should do though is keep your keys out of view and not by your front door. Atleast eliminate the opportunistic criminals from taking your stuff.

 

When your talking about organised gangs they're a different kettle of fish.

 

 

I personally think it's not a good idea, what if they call your bluff? then you're stood there with what is effectively a toy and someone who may want to do you harm and no time to go and fetch something else

 

So what your saying is buy full metal for good pistol whipping action?

[Sacarathe]

Surely if he were the type of person to be motivated to come upstairs in the first place without a safe, knowing you have a safe surely it would give them another reason to confront you?

 

I'm not sure what your point is:

 

(A) would happen if (B ) was true but (A) would happen if (B ) was false?

 

 

 

I suppose we should just leave our keys in our cars by your logic?

[Jedi_Master]

The least you should do though is keep your keys out of view and not by your front door. Atleast eliminate the opportunistic criminals from taking your stuff.

 

Yes, definately keep them out of sight

[AJWest]

So what your saying is buy full metal for good pistol whipping action?

That made me chuckle, just don't bother using your RIF's and use something nondescript but to hand such as deodorant in the eyes or anything heavy but swingable you have about, keeping your distance is generally better with these types, you never know what they're carrying

[ALee91]

 

I'm not sure what your point is:

 

(A) would happen if (B ) was true but (A) would happen if (B ) was false?

 

I suppose we should just leave our keys in our cars by your logic?

 

Course not but that's what i was trying to understand from your post, i don't think any burglar would spend his time trying to crack a safe let alone would that be a way to stop that person coming upstairs and meeting you face to face.

[Sacarathe]

Course not but that's what i was trying to understand from your post, i don't think any burglar would spend his time trying to crack a safe let alone would that be a way to stop that person coming upstairs and meeting you face to face.

 

Ah, I was not suggesting they would try and crack it. Better to go next door and see if they don't have a safe. I'm glad to see this thread is completely derailed from airsoft, I approve.

 

Mod rename thread to "would burglar be more or less likely to wake home/car owner if keys cannot be located?"

[Mos]

Mod rename thread to "would burglar be more or less likely to wake home/car owner if keys cannot be located?"

Yes, the way things are going here, it seems perfectly fine for said burglar to ask this home owner, politely, "where are your keys?"

And for this caring home owner to kindly reply "Downstairs, hallway"

 

Infact, if I was a burglar in the UK, I'd just ask the home owner if I could come in. If they say no, there probably some way I can prosecute them for not letting me in... :/

[ALee91]

 

Ah, I was not suggesting they would try and crack it. Better to go next door and see if they don't have a safe. I'm glad to see this thread is completely derailed from airsoft, I approve.

 

Mod rename thread to "would burglar be more or less likely to wake home/car owner if keys cannot be located?"

Keep all key's in your gun case with all your other airsoft paraphernalia. Even better, rig a blank firing grenade to go off when lifted.

[Jedi_Master]

I have paint mines and shotgun blanks rigged to tripwires in my back garden. If that neighbours bloody cat craps on my lawn again I will ...

[Pricey-1991]

Yes, the way things are going here, it seems perfectly fine for said burglar to ask this home owner, politely, "where are your keys?"

And for this caring home owner to kindly reply "Downstairs, hallway"

 

Infact, if I was a burglar in the UK, I'd just ask the home owner if I could come in. If they say no, there probably some way I can prosecute them for not letting me in... :/

That's where I think the yanks have got it right if you break the law you break it and will do time for it (and will be your full sentence as well) end of where as over here if you break the law you'll get a slap on the wrist and told very sternly not to do it again and if you do get out behind bars as long as your well behaved and do what your told you'll do only serve half of your sentence and sometimes even less. Plus while you are inside you'll be given an education 3 hot meals a day a comfy cell with TV and sky the only thing you don't get inside that you would a free person is a mobile and you'd probably be able to get one of those if you get the right connections

[proffrink]

Rehabilitative prison in the UK is actually some of the worst in Europe - as are prison conditions. Also, lest we forget the US is the most incarcerated nation on Earth - jailing people is very, very expensive; It costs the UK taxpayer ~£40k per year to keep someone in prison, so probation and rehabilitation don't seem so bad. I'd rather have someone contributing to the economy and having to show up once a week to demonstrate that they're saying on the right side of the law than behind bars (at least on convictions where repeat offending is low).

 

Two notable things about the US legal system: Firstly, inmates can and do build home appliances, light goods and larger electronics at a rate of pay that genuinely makes them competitive when compared to China - it's a massive conflict of interest that private prisons are going to have to come to terms with over the next few years. Secondly, the 'three strikes' rule means you can get a mandatory minimum of 10 years for shoplifting or smoking naughty things.

 

Comparing ourselves to a country like the States on judicial systems is a silly one; look to northern Europe if you want to see hard proof of how rehabilitative incarceration can actually work both socially and economically.

 

On topic though: Buy a cricket bat or just invest in a decent alarm system.

[Pricey-1991]

It shouldn't cost the tax payer 40k a year to keep someone inside that money could be put to much better use like paying for extra police or teacher or nurses.

[proffrink]

Correct. So your point is that prison is too cushy, but what's your alternative?

[Jedi_Master]

Correct. So your point is that prison is too cushy, but what's your alternative?

 

Bring back the death sentence, for top 5-10% of heinous criminals. Swift justice not waiting on death row for years either. Cuts down on overcrowding in prison freeing up cells, saves the tax payer, and most importantly the criminal never re-offends

[proffrink]

There are a handful of very famous wrongful executions in the UK that did a great deal in bringing about our abolishment of the death penalty. I think Wikipedia has a short record of each and they're a rather good read. In the US 'at least 39 executions are claimed to have been carried out in the U.S. in the face of evidence of innocence or serious doubt about guilt'. The point of death row is for a long and drawn out appeals process where due diligence must be done at every level of court. Getting rid of that isn't an option at all with our current legal system, so you're still looking at a lot of litigation and possibly years of having that criminal in prison before they can be killed.

 

It's the old conundrum of do you let 9 guilt people go free to save 1 innocent? I'd say yes, but it's a moral dilemma more than a fiscal one. Fortunately it's one that's interwoven into many legal systems (including our own), where you do have the right to appeal to a higher court (and if you look to the US then you see this happening a lot).

 

It should also be noted that approximately half of any inmates at any one time are serving sentences of less than 6 months - that's where the real overcrowding happens in my opinion: We have ample resources to keep dangerous people behind bars, but putting people away for dumb things like shoplifting or petty theft? It's expensive, and there are proven studies done in Scandinavian countries that prove bringing rates of re-offending can be done pro-actively. These countries didn't get to be some of the safest on the planet through executing 10% of their prison population - they've been playing the long game and addressed causation rather than just reacting to short-term issues.