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In your opinion, which of these security systems would best protect you and/or your family, in the event of a home invasion?

Now, before you discount the BB sentry-gun, just remember: BB-guns at close quarters draw blood, so, can you imagine breaking into somebody's house only to find yourself getting pelted by dozens of BB's every second? That would hurt like hell! Seriously, if I could build a sentry-gun BB-gun, I would break into somebody's house just to install it and a camera, so that I can watch their reactions to getting pelted in the morning.

Prevention is key. So the Mini Gun. The man can't break in if he died/got hurt really bad trying. So technically the turret since it stops break ins rather then lets them happen and then attempts to fix the situation.

If it can prevent the break in it will always do a better job than the thing designed to activate after a break in.

So sentry gun wins.

No sword/battleaxe option? It's like a baseball bat, but scarier.

While id like to say a gun. id rather not have to use it.

So a good loud as feth alarm system that everyone in my town house can hear it. (with all the stickers to boot)

that and good house management (make sure you lock the gak, keep the house clean and dont let things of value be in open view, as well as camras in complexes, gates and what not.)

AKA the best security is pure deterrence because no petty criminal will ever bother if it isnt an easy job.

though targeted ones is a different story

A foot is all I need. You aim for the caboose and off they go. The best part is that if you knock them out first with the foot you can take their foot as a trophy to keep on the cycle and expand your collection. Think of General Grievous except with a belt of feet rather than lightsabers. (One of every skin colour!)

The best security system is one that is most effective as a deterrent. i.e. something that reduces the chances of anyone attempting to break in the first place. So out of your choices I picked alarm system which often includes signage to post around your house. Not to mention the panic that a loud/light flashing system is likely to induce thus causing the assailant(s) to "run away...run away" (in my best Monty Python voice)

Another one is a dog (along with a beware of dog sign). Again because of the deterrent factor. While my dog if confronted would retreat, that give off a great alarm bark that would cause anyone to hesitate.

I fully support an individuals right to use whatever means is necessary to safeguard their life and the life of their loved ones if threatened on their property (Castle doctrine), however if the bad guys don't know you have any of the other things listed, they can't be effective deterrents. Also weapons may pose a special risk since it is not safe to keep a firearm loaded, especially in a home with children. I guess you could always post a sign saying "Beaware of gun owner" but that might make you more of a target, not less, since firearms are one of the most often sought after items during a break in.

 Lord of Deeds wrote:
The best security system is one that is most effective as a deterrent. i.e. something that reduces the chances of anyone attempting to break in the first place. So out of your choices I picked alarm system which often includes signage to post around your house. Not to mention the panic that a loud/light flashing system is likely to induce thus causing the assailant(s) to "run away...run away" (in my best Monty Python voice)

Another one is a dog (along with a beware of dog sign). Again because of the deterrent factor. While my dog if confronted would retreat, that give off a great alarm bark that would cause anyone to hesitate.

I fully support an individuals right to use whatever means is necessary to safeguard their life and the life of their loved ones if threatened on their property (Castle doctrine), however if the bad guys don't know you have any of the other things listed, they can't be effective deterrents. Also weapons may pose a special risk since it is not safe to keep a firearm loaded, especially in a home with children. I guess you could always post a sign saying "Beaware of gun owner" but that might make you more of a target, not less, since firearms are one of the most often sought after items during a break in.

Hence the minigun, just leave it in front of every glass door you have with a warning it will shoot when opened.

Prevention is key.

 dusara217 wrote:
In your opinion, which of these security systems would best protect you and/or your family, in the event of a home invasion?

Now, before you discount the BB sentry-gun, just remember: BB-guns at close quarters draw blood, so, can you imagine breaking into somebody's house only to find yourself getting pelted by dozens of BB's every second? That would hurt like hell! Seriously, if I could build a sentry-gun BB-gun, I would break into somebody's house just to install it and a camera, so that I can watch their reactions to getting pelted in the morning.

Do you mean legally? I don't think any of them.
However a pack of pigs have been know to eat a man bones and all in under an hour...


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A dog with a deep bark is statistically your best security system. Burglars, potential rapists, etc. tend to steer clear. Back up with a shotgun. if they are coming through a dog they are motivated so you will have to put them down.

At least thats what a police sergeant told me.

Guns are never the answer...

My Springfield XD9 with a full magazine of hollow point bullets is my prepared option.


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SGTPozy wrote:
Guns are never the answer...

Well, it's mine... so I guess that means you're wrong.

SGTPozy wrote:
Guns are never the answer...

No he's right. 00 buckshot however is. Shotguns are just the means to deliver the answer.

Im surprised you completely left dogs out of the equation. Several high profile security companies such as ADT have even admitted that their system teamed with a large dog is the best solution.

None of the above. A protective dog is the best security system.

My lab hound mix has ears like a bat, a nose of a hound, and will absolutely rip the fething face off of anything that tries to get to me, my girl, or my kid unless if i give her the cease and desist command (in deutch! ).

46 pounds of mother fething fury ; she's fought off bull mastiffs four times her size before that charged our kid in a park.

She barks if a mouse farts anywhere on the property and patrols the house all night long. Her bark too, is deep and one of the more menacing barks i've ever heard for a medium dog - its that kind of snarling "oh please, just let me at 'em" kinda snapping snarling bark. She's also pretty much silent even at a full run because we keep her nails clipped.


Best part ? She absolutely adores the three of us, and our best friends that we've acclimated her to.



Back the dog up with a Camera System (not so much for deterrence, but evidenciary value), an alarm system, and a firearm in the hands of a well trained and disciplined user, and yeah, you've got yourself some secure ass premises.

Yeah, I'm getting on the dog bandwagon here. Dogs bite.

SGTPozy wrote:
Guns are never the answer...

I must agree. Too big, expensive to feed. Crew is expensive too.
Stick with small arms.......

Had a neighbor who hated the family free roam dog. Dog passed and his house was broken into. He stopped in to tell us we were welcome to let the new dog roam his property.

Keep in mind that "traps" such as an automated BB gun are illegal almost everywhere, same thing with tying string to a doorknob and a shotgun trigger.

Honestly, the best home defense is simply being inconvenient. Being on the 4th floor of an open apartment complex? Nobody is going to bother robbing that. First floor right on the street with an open patio? Expect to get robbed like once a week.

 Haight wrote:
None of the above. A protective dog is the best security system.

My lab hound mix has ears like a bat, a nose of a hound, and will absolutely rip the fething face off of anything that tries to get to me, my girl, or my kid unless if i give her the cease and desist command (in deutch! ).

Is your dog Schutzhund trained? We had a rescue dog who was Schutzhund trained, but for some reason, he had been trained with slightly different words, such as something that sounded like "pock 'em" for bite. He had also been trained to poop in bushes, probably so his previous owners would not have to clean it up.

We've found it pretty useful to train our current dog that way, although he needs a lot more calming down and socialization before we teach him the more aggressive commands. He is really, really fond of "such", but surprisingly bad at it.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:

 Haight wrote:
None of the above. A protective dog is the best security system.

My lab hound mix has ears like a bat, a nose of a hound, and will absolutely rip the fething face off of anything that tries to get to me, my girl, or my kid unless if i give her the cease and desist command (in deutch! ).

Is your dog Schutzhund trained? We had a rescue dog who was Schutzhund trained, but for some reason, he had been trained with slightly different words, such as something that sounded like "pock 'em" for bite. He had also been trained to poop in bushes, probably so his previous owners would not have to clean it up.

We've found it pretty useful to train our current dog that way, although he needs a lot more calming down and socialization before we teach him the more aggressive commands. He is really, really fond of "such", but surprisingly bad at it.

No, not Schutzhund trained. Just trained by a VERY good trainer. We chose German because i know a smidgen of it, and the commands are easily teachable to family members / friends, but when an intruder is under duress, he's not likely to revert to Deutch when trying to get a dog to back off.

Security is in the mundane, not the badass weapons systems.

Sturdy locks. Well-lit approaches. Even things as simple as thorny bushes to deter someone approaching too close.

And Vaktathi has it right. The best security is inconvenience to an intruder. The instant you make your home that much harder to get into than the neighbor's, your security dramatically increases.

 Frazzled wrote:

SGTPozy wrote:
Guns are never the answer...

No he's right. 00 buckshot however is. Shotguns are just the means to deliver the answer.

Preferably pump action. Nothing else makes would be burglars wish they wore their brown pants than the sound of a good, loud, pump action shotgun.

Anyway, my vote is for the alarm system, either technological or organic (dog). Deterring them from getting in, or scaring them away with alarms once they're in, is usually best. Otherwise, by the time they're actively in your house, it's possibly too late for you to get your gun.

 Vaktathi wrote:
Keep in mind that "traps" such as an automated BB gun are illegal almost everywhere, same thing with tying string to a doorknob and a shotgun trigger.

Honestly, the best home defense is simply being inconvenient. Being on the 4th floor of an open apartment complex? Nobody is going to bother robbing that. First floor right on the street with an open patio? Expect to get robbed like once a week.

In the US, non-lethal security systems are usually legal. I mean, an automated system with a firearm on it would be illegal, but not a BB-gun, or a nerf gun (lol, imagine breaking into somebody's house and having a few hundred nerf darts smack you in the face).

Given the rate of burglary is pretty low, even lower those that would happen when the owners are home, lower still those that would happen in the kind areas that people who can afford to support an internet-and-miniatures habit would live I'm just not worried about it. It doesn't register on my list of threats.

That said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Sturdy locks and a safe neighborhood are the way to go, though I probably couldn't be bothered with the former in the latter. At any rate I'm not particularly interested in violence, even less so using it to escalate it with an intruder who more than likely just wants to make off with my TV. The TV covered by my homeowners/renters insurance.

Like the Trenched-coated child abductor at the playground, pill-tampering factory worker, and devious person slipping razor blades into Halloween candy the spontaneous murder/rapist who kicks in the door of your suburban home is far more common in fiction than reality. I don't really have a plan for defending myself from escaped zoo animals either, but hey maybe that'll bite me in the ass someday.

A few years back when I was living off base we didn't have a fenced in backyard so I had to put my dogs on 50ft long steel cables that would allow them to run around outside without causing a nuisance. One beautiful summer day my 2 year old daughter was outside playing in a kiddy pool with my dog. the UPS guy tried to deliver a package to our home at this time and my usually friendly Red Tick Hound went berserk. Frothing at the mouth and straining at the steel cable holding her in place. I finally had to get the package from the man because he couldn't get close to our house. Afterwards my neighbor (Retired Cop) told me that the UPS guy was a convicted sex offender. My dog (bear) got a steak that night

A pack of Rabid Chihuahuas

Me
Just me
Armed with a 9mm, .45 cal, M4/Ar15, double barrel shotgun that I paid to have refurb'ed, night stick, golf clubs, baseball bat, assortment of bladed instruments, eight battery maglite, one cowardly greyhound who only barks, .22 cal rifle..........
Someone leaving my house in high rate of speed minus knee caps

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
A pack of Rabid Chihuahuas

That would make an awesome 80's movie.


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No one has mentioned that Kevin kid from Home Alone yet?

Of the options presented I voted for an alarm system. The police are trained extensively to handle a robber, I'm not. And an automatic alarm system that goes off like a melon-fether and alerts them automatically will frighten off 99% of criminals without me having to even leave my room.

Alarms also have the benefit of working when you're not there. A shotgun is nice and all, it's also completely fething useless if you're not there when the criminal is.

booby trap with gas?


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I dont believe BB toys can do anything harmful. Robbers dont fear of dogs, guns. Probably, alarm is better. But what if wil be disarmed somehow or will be triggered simulateously at many places?

A moat........with alligators.

As someone who owns firearms and has security cameras set up, I would vote "dog" since as already noted in this thread, dogs are a great deterrent to a burglary before it happens.