During a pandemic, systems like the police, fire stations, and EMS can quickly become overwhelmed. In a time of crisis, people are on their own, and it’s up to you to figure out how you’re going to protect yourself and those you love in the event you have to fight. Fighting Back can be an imporant skill!
When an intruder gets into your home during a pandemic, you have no choice but to fight back if you want to make sure you keep the supplies you’ll need. The first line of defense is a firearm.
Self-Defense: Fighting Back During a Pandemic
There are several different ways you can protect yourself – let’s check it out:
Firearms
Most intruders will run away or back down the moment they see a firearm. They count on cooperation and being the oppressor; they’re not usually looking for a fight. Those who are will be prepared to use lethal force – which means that you’ll have to be ready to do the same.
There are so many options, it may be a little scary at first. If this is your first time ever getting a gun, you should get a .22lr rifle to start with.
Some people want to dive right in to the larger calibers, like .50AE Desert Eagles. However, this is a bad idea. You should start off on something simple, inexpensive, and trustworthy.
One of the best options for this is a Ruger 10/22 rifle. They’re extremely common, and only about $300. You can pick one up at any sporting goods store…don’t think you can just pick one up on Amazon. You CAN get things like cases, sites, and more on Amazon though. You would want to take this to the range, practice, and maybe even buy some lessons.
Ammo for .22lr is also very cheap. Once you have some experience with guns, you’re going to want to make your next purchase. For home defense, a shotgun is an extremely good purchase.
A solid 12 gauge like the Mossberg 590 will run you anywhere from $400 to $450. The reason that shotguns are good for home defense is that they have spread, are easy to use, and are versatile.
When you hear a break-in during the night, you’re going to have adrenaline rushing. A handgun, while effective, may be harder to aim and land a shot when you’re shaking and panicked.
With a shotgun, you will have an easier time hitting your target, because the pellets will spread out. Some may be put off by the lower ammo capacity of a shotgun, but consider that each shell contains what is essentially eight bullets.
There are even some revolvers out there that will shoot .410 shotgun shells, such as the Taurus Judge or the Smith and Wesson Governor – though those will be more expensive.
Handguns are also a good option for home defense. You can get a variety of 9mm handguns, but you want to make sure they’re from a trusted brand, such as Glock, Smith and Wesson, Beretta, H&K (even though they’re a bit more expensive), etc.
You’re going to want to check around online and see what others have said about companies you don’t recognize, such as Bryco, Cobra, Rohm, etc. because they may be prone to failure, and the last thing you want is your gun failing on you when you need it.
All of these guns are great, but they can be really dangerous while defending your home without using proper ammunition. If you’re using high penetration 9mm, there’s a good chance it will exit the criminal and go through your walls, possibly hurting people you don’t want it to.
You can purchase low recoil 12 gauge ammo for $0.34 a round, which is a very nice price. The low recoil means it also has lower velocity, and once it penetrates the criminal, it will have lost most of its speed and will not penetrate the wall behind them.
Keep in mind that those are just MY thoughts. You can use a pistol, revolver, or any handgun to protect your family. Make sure you keep it where you can quickly get to it the second you know someone is coming into your home.
No matter which weapon you choose, keep it stored safely until you actually need it. We love this company:
Other weapons
If you can’t get to your gun or you don’t have one, then fighting back using whatever it is that you have within reach should work. Quick weapons can be items like baseball bats, fireplace pokers, kitchen knives, or hammers.
Slowing down an intruder can also work in your favor. By slowing someone down, you can often get the upper hand and take them to the ground. You can slow down an intruder by using things like pepper spray or a Taser.
Personal Skills
If you’re outside your home and someone is determined to get past you to get in, grabbing a handful of dirt or gravel and throwing it toward their eyes can also be a handy deterrent.
A thief can’t fight if he can’t see. It might come down to you having to use hand to hand combat to take down the thief. If that’s the case, remember always to disable whatever weapon he has first if he does have one.
You want to take that out of the equation. Remember that your thief is as determined to get what he wants as you are to stop him. You’re going to have to either injure him or he’s going to harm you. That is the sad truth about fighting back.
Use whatever you have to use during a fight to render him helpless. Then you’ll need to secure him until you can turn him over to the authorities. If the pandemic has hit you and your family and you’re too weak to fight back, you’ll need a particular room in your home that you can all enter into that’s fortified and safe against an intruder.
This room should have supplies as well as a lethal force weapon in case the intruder can break into this safe room. Remember, with someone searching for medical supplies during a pandemic; they’ll be desperate – so there’s no telling what they’re capable of, even if they wouldn’t normally act that way in the real world without a health crisis.
