we did not move to the country for this

I believe you are wrong on this one. I'm a firearms instructor through the International Hunter Education Assoc. and a .410 with what ever shot you wish, at the distances of home invasions is lethal. It will not penetrate a wall and kill someone on the otherside, which is safe for all in the home. A 30' and closer, it will take any man off his feet. It will spread about 16" so you don't miss, unlike a pistol. Shooting slugs is a no no in a home.

Telling people you are armed and a good shot seems to do little good. Go out and practice at least once a week. The noise of gun shots on a regular basis are remembered.

The thing is, you never really know who might be keeping tabs on your place, or how close they are. The whole crazy lady routine is for the people who just might be lurking in the woods. Or who just might be listening. It's obvious someone is keeping tabs on your coming and going, and it only takes one person to notice you out there shooting to get the word out.

For the record, I was after a coyote who was chasing down the guineas. I was still in my nightgown because I had a bout of food poisoning and didn't see the point of getting dressed just to hang out in and around the bathroom all day. Yes, I got the coyote.

**The suggestion of getting a dog is pretty useless unless you just want a dog. The good o'l boys will feed your dog. A pound of hamburger will make him happy, two times of this and he will be friendly, and the third time that they feed him he will become an accomplice.**

My nearest neighbor had this happen (someone fed her dogs, then cleaned out her house) I definately agree about the dogs becoming accomplices, lol.
I have 2 dogs and that has worked wonderfully for me, but just by sheer luck, not by any training, etc.
I have one dog that does not like tresspassers and is VERY intimidating, so I keep him chained up during the day in case of visitors and he runs the property loose at night. My other is the noisiest dog I have ever met when it comes to announcing people, he barks equally at friend or, well, friend (he has never met someone he didn't like), so he alerts me during the day and is allowed to run loose. I have never (knocking on wood) had anything stolen, while all my neighbors have. They are the perfect pair working security. Both showed up in my yard, at different times, as starving strays. They also do a good job at keeping deer out of the garden in spite of the overpopulation we seem to have. Haven't (knocking on wood again) lost any thing to deer yet.
The neighbor has since installed an ADT system- that seems to work at keeping intruders away too, but for now all I can afford are the dogs, but I have considered getting the ADT sign for show, just to be on the safe side.

Our neighbor (actually I think his girlfriend was the culprit) was doing stuff to us. One time I was marking off our 2 acres with metal stakes (even went in 6" toward our property), and s/he threw away the stakes that divided our property from their's. Another time our mailbox was smashed. I was able to verify that it was his wrecker truck that left the tracks, but I didn't do anything out of fear that they would do something to our dogs. It's also kind of strange that we've had at LEAST 5 flat tires in the less than 2 years we've been living here (2 acres + trailer in the country), and all of them after our neighbor moved in spring of 2005.

I have. I had some *gentlemen* up to no good visit my place, looking for *borrowables*, not knowing I lived way in the back... When they discovered someone was home, they ran, I fired shots, they ran faster. I got in the truck and chased em ten miles at 100mph+, which is fast for two one tons... to the nearest town... they got out and ran into the all night filling station, and when I walked in right behind em, they begged me to not shoot them... I said in a low voice, don't worry I'm not going to shoot you...HERE!!! O by the way, I destroyed their rear bumper and tail gate from ramming them repeatedly while they were trying to escape down my narrow dirt road... this was 2 years ago.

3 years ago, had some nighthunters drive again, right up to my house, and when they tried to escape, gave em the option of stopping or being ran over, and 1 tons trump 20 yr old 2wheel drive toyotas... Showed them my .44 and politely told em that I hated to waste bullets, but if they ever came back, I would... and at that time, I looked like a cross between grizzly adams and charlie m.

6 years ago, had the .44 pulled and cocked, under a *gentlemens* throat, and told him if he really thought he should be on my place, threatening me with violence, that he should go and ahead and take his best punch... The look in my eye I think convinced him, that the hair trigger WOULD go off if he flinched... the word got out, that mans a krazymammerjammer... and it was amazing, two days later, all the Krazies and wannabe wiseguys started driving off in the other ditch when I drove by...

I respect yours, I expect you to respect mine... when you're on my place, respect is called for... I follow the golden rule, and if you don't, well....... on my place expect to be escorted off, 99 times out of a 100, with a firearm present... Also a chainsaw, or two, some sawzalls, numerous drills, hammers, axes, crowbars and dozens of other tools... point is a firearm is just another tool... I never travel anywhere without a couple, just like I never leave without enough tools to build a house from scratch.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

All those yard lights do is show thieves exactly where to go to steal and give them a nicely lit area to work in once they get there so they don't have to mess around and carry there own flashlights. What they excel at is wrecking the night sky and annoying your neighbors.

Motion activated lights aren't a bad idea however. Especially if you wire them with a buzzer or other alert inside the house.

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Respect The Cactus!

I have to disagree. The .410 loaded with whatever shot load does not deliver either the shot payload with enough mass or section density or the velocity to make a viable defensive weapon. It cannot produce either crush cavity or penetrate deep enough, with enough payload to get to the vital organs to quickly tear up vital organs to stop an opponent.

The .410 is fine for what it is, but a reliable self defense weapon it is not. Mossberg for instance did a grave disservice by ever offering it as such. The same goes for using bird shot as a self defense load. A myth that just doesn't work out when tested with ballistic gelatin and when subjected to actual well documented wounding research.

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Respect The Cactus!

I'd never set foot on YOUR property & touch nothing! Can't say I blame ya one bit tho!

I agree with the poster who said that most petty theives are cowards....we are light sleepers...
I was on bedrest several years ago and was sleeping on the couch because i couldn't climb the stair to our bedroom...
I was wakened one night by the sound of my dh bellowing with all his Bronx Italian outrage, "YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD! JILL! GET MY GUN!!!"
He came charging down the stairs and out the door and down the street!
I still didn't know what the heck was going on. He came back in all puffed up like an angry rooster, huffing and all testosteroned up.
Seems some kids had decided to try to steal some machines, tools, and sundry items from his truck and our yard...

They left them scattered all down the street as they took off at top speed...I bet they weeweeweed all the way home!

Like the way you do business, Texican!

Mon

There are a lot of good suggestions here. I have never tried putting anything in with gasoline so I'm not sure how well it would work. I have a couple suggestions that should work:

For your car; get a car alarm with a vibration detector and a alarm pager. Years ago I had a problem with someone that vandalized my truck by smearing paint stripper all over the truck. With the sensitivity set to its most sensitive, it would go off if a bird landed on it. Most times I set the alarm to only activate the pager so that I could catch them in the act if it ever happened again. In your situation, I would adjust it so that it is less sensitive but would still go off if someone opened your gas tank door.

For your mailbox; the people in the rural areas here have been building brick pedestals and encasing the mailbox with brick. A brick arch over the mailbox gives it a nice decorative touch. I have seen a few that were extended high enough (about 8 feet) to give them a good place to mount a video camera. They also set the box about 10 feet from the road and make a pull off area so that the mailman can get off the road to deliver the mail. It makes it a lot harder for someone to claim that they "accidentally" hit your mailbox and sue you for damages. You could post this sign above your mailbox:

REWARD: $100.00 FOR THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF ANYONE CAUGHT TAMPERING WITH THIS MAILBOX OR CONTENTS. TAMPERING WITH THE U.S. MAIL OR THE MAILBOX IS A FEDERAL CRIME.

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“When I think of what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think, there are no little things.” -Bruce Barton

On the .410 issue -- if a .410 is a bad deal, is a .45 long colt also a bad deal??
A .410 will drop anything man size close up -- if you believe otherwise, you cant believe any pistol will work! LOL A .410 with 300 grains of shot, at 1100 fps gives you about 860 ft pounds at muzzle. Thats more power than a 45 acp even with +p loads, and it is in range of a 44 magnum load.

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don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- George W. Bush

Our mailbox shares space with another, is set back from the road more than ten feet, the person who demolished it got out of a stranded, falsly tagged car, walked to the mailbox (about 50 feet) left a set of single footprints in the snow, his tracks turned left up towards town. the deputy whom the neighbor we share the space with called, refused to look at any of this, talked shortly with the person which had stayed in the car and reported in that there was nothing. the snow and with it the evidence, melted by noon.

The .410 information is in theroy only and the shot is not hitting as a solid bullet and will not penatrate... I shoot hogs with the 45 colt and hammer them on the spot. Try a body shot on a charging wild boar with a .410 and see what happens.

oh I'm harmless.... just dont steal my gas.

A .410 makes a nasty flesh wound, not what you want to stop someone.... you want them dead, not wounded.
the best Ive ever seen with a .410 is at about 10 feet, and the patern is about as big as a silver dollar. oh and the CAT (mean and sick stray) took it in the head, and still ran about 20 feet.
personally I wouldnt wanna shoot a person with a 410 at any range. a 410 slug is about the same as a 38, but a 410's slug is bigger and slower.... which is better, if you hit a good spot.... if.
leave the 410 for plinking rats.
a .45's power is in one spot, not spread out over a 12 or 15 inch patern.
thats why a 410 slug can take a deer, and a 410 shotshell cant.

This is my 2 cents on the .410 pros and cons,pellets from a shot shell to the face or other areas in the 35' or closer range would leave the person on the recieving end think anout thing,however if I was to use a shotgun with shot, I would have to use a 12 gauge with full choke and 3 1/2" BB goose loads.These are very impressive I think at greater ranges as well as close up.I myself am not a pistol person,so of I was going for distance with knock down power the the ole Brittish 303 would be gun of choice.

But honestly go with the carmeras and getting to know the local law dogs would be the best bet.I have a couple watch opposums that work great too.Ever seen a P.Oed opposum?They are scary.Feed them raw meet with moonshine to drink and they won't even let me out of the house to get to the smashed mail box.

I have killed many deer, bobcat, and coyote with a 410. My father still has the gun and has used it on turkey and deer. A lot will depend on the quality of the gun and ammo.

My advice? a .410 is for children... and children only... until they've got enough mass, about 100lbs, to handle a .12 gauge. Practice with someone who knows what they're doing, and you'll be able to handle a .12 gauge. Practice with light loads, and keep heavy buckshot loaded for when you *need it*. No gun kicks when you're shooting at something. Target practice yes, but when it's something you want to kill, no, your adrenaline will take care of you.

You DO NOT want to wound anyone. You want to KILL them. Otherwise, you will be facing charges and lawsuits and either go to jail or lose your worldly possessions. I've been told that wounding a person, no matter how evil they are, is only inviting a world of trouble. If you have to pull a gun on someone you need to be ready to take them out. If you shoot, shoot to kill.

Harsh words, but harsh people demand harsh actions.

I would truly hate to shoot anyone, and would probably regret it the rest of my life, but if it comes down to it, I'd rather be the baddest maddest around, with all of the outlaws afraid of ME, instead of cowering to evil, and allowing evil to revisit me over and over at their convenience... I will not live in fear... Now I have a few folks that are in fear of me... of course, a couple of them are currently living at one Texas Premier Resorts, with catered meals, spa programs (watch out for the soap), and excellent recreational programs...and lots of security... steel/concrete/barbed wire... {penitentiary}

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

When asked, you were in immediate fear of grave bodily injury or death.

And when you fired, you were firing to STOP.

So I am told by CCW instructors, my own instructor, the likes of Col. Cooper, Massad Ayoob and all those other "big names". You shoot to STOP.

And should that STOPpage result in the perp's untimely demise, well, that's what it took to make him STOP.

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Gun-toting, church-going, homeschooling, right-wing conservative, happily married, stay-at-home mom of three living in the real United States of America!