Which Weapon Should be used for Home Defence? by Zaid Hamid

[Ali Sinan]

We have minimum of 6 inch thick brick walls in all our homes (both interior and exterior) and there is zero chance of any handgun bullet ever crossing to next room or house.

In Pakistan 90% homes build with walls more then 8 inches thick and rest 10% have more thick walls.
But what was your point?

 

[Thorough Pro]

his analysis and recommendations are laughable........please don't do what you don't know about.

LOL ... read the post I replied to and please don't exaggerate. A cinder block is 12" X 6" X 4" and it's the 4" side that makes up the thickness with about an inch of plaster on both sides. In very rare cases people use 6" side as the thickness.

In Pakistan 90% homes build with walls more then 8 inches thick and rest 10% have more thick walls.
But what was your point?

 

[Ali Sinan]

The best self defense weapon for home is Revolver and shotgun....no need much safety less complex and just fire at the time of need.

If bullet miss fires in pistol it waste lots of precious seconds but revolver just keep pressing the trigger next bullet must fire....same case with shotgun either double barrel or pump action...

 

[Daghalodi]

This used to be my every day carry gun it was a caracal F but I sold it and bought a canik tp9 . I still miss it had the sweetest trigger I can imagine other than Walter ppq ofcourse

• 

Wanted to buy a Cz but they are just too expensive nowadays

 

[Tuchha]

Few things Prohibited Bore in India, means that any caliber used by security forces (military/law enforcement) are prohibited for civilian use. i.e 9mm (Luger i.e. 9x19mm) is prohibited but not 9x18mm makarov, or 0.380acp (i.e. 9.02 x17.30 mm).

I am not sure about the 1987 rule you mentioned, I don't recall seeing anything like that in NAGRI, AFAIK As long as you have a license and a dealer who is willing to import you can import a new gun.

Please be updated, all bores (except .32 S&W long and .32 ACP) have been discontinued. Now there is a de facto curb on all other bores other then mentioned one.Its almost impossible to get a weapon on your licence which is 0.30, 0.380 acp etc. There is huge shortage of ammo for these bores and prices have gone rocket high due to limited stock with dealers. Those who own such weapons are liquidating with any amount offered. Present cost of 0.380 is 1200-1400 INR per cartridge.

A dealer can import new weapon in sports quota only for a national level registered shooter. But dealers have found an interesting way, they smuggle new weapon and morph the serial number of same with any old existing scrapped weapon of similar category. So the serial number remains with legal record, but the weapon is brand new. You cant even import a blank firing or Co2 gun, but in grey market its available in 70000 to 100000 INR, with cost of per blank cartridge@ 200-250 INR.

So Gun ownership in India is a very very costly affair and full of hassles...Chow!!

 

[marbella]

not just self defence he is also advising people to take Gun and Assault Gun training and also hard exercises and be prepared for war. That is the part I agree with him these days he is speaking sectarian crap that is the problem.

Civilians prepare for war?

 

[Zarvan]

Civilians prepare for war?

War against India and than Israel

 

[marbella]

 

[Zarvan]

his analysis and recommendations are laughable........please don't do what you don't know about.






LOL ... read the post I replied to and please don't exaggerate. A cinder block is 12" X 6" X 4" and it's the 4" side that makes up the thickness with about an inch of plaster on both sides. In very rare cases people use 6" side as the thickness.

I have serious disagreements with him these days but he has handled and extensively used all kind of firearms

 

[marbella]

Most ppl want Pakistan to be like UAE. The others want it be like Syria.

 

[SSGcommandoPAK]

 

[jha]

We have an old double barrel shot gun bought in early 50's. Getting license renewed for this also is very tasking. Climbing Himalayas will be easier than getting license for a new one.

 

[Mentee]

Having maids/servants for house and kids is a trend. Having a guard isnt a trend as such.



If driving a car:
1. lock all doors
2. keep an eye if being followed by a suspicious bike or car for a certain distance, try changing route to be sure.
3. choose roads wisely knowing the amount of traffic at certain times of the day
4. stop the car at red light with distance of one car from next car (and pray the bikers dont fit in that gap isntantly)
5. better to have a second seater
6. Install DASH CAM (best for insurance purposes and law cases involving accidents)
7. Dont park car in isolated places. park car near banks or shops with security cameras.
8. better to have an accompanying friend or relative if possible.
9. Go out of house only if necessary.
10. Avoid ATM's at places notorious for mugging. Better to use cheque in bank timings or in emergency ask a friend for cash at hand.
11. Make all business transactions or private (like selling car/house etc) inside the bank
12. Use familiar roads and tell family truthfully where you are off to before you leave home.
13. Dont draw down windows of car to beggars.
14. If a stranger approaches car and wants to talk, dont pull down window, dont unlock car.
15. Dont give hails.
16. Report suspicious activity or accidents to police. dont make car an ambulance and carry off injured people. call an ambulance. The paramedics and ambulance are paid by state to do their jobs. you are not.
17. Dont listen to songs loudly that distract your concentration.
18. make use of high beam where necessary in darkness or to check something/someone at a distance.
19. Dont smoke as you may need to open windows.
20. Be courteous and polite following road rules but firm.
21. Avoid Road Rage. Road belongs to everyone. Dont instigate a situation.

Acha Ami g

These are the two most common and widely possessed small arms by Indian licence holder, and its not easy to get licence for these too.

You folks definition of fire arms is pretty hilarious
@Doordie @RealNapster @friendly_troll96 @tps77 @Hell hound

 

[RealNapster]

You folks definition of fire arms is pretty hilarious
@Doordie @RealNapster @friendly_troll96 @tps77 @Hell hound

I wish i could share pictures of our "home defence " weapon. which Obviously is not any pistol but Russian made Ak-47. but Unfortunately all of you are aware of my (formatting partition's by mistake) blunder.

BTW we do have 2 9mm Pistols.

War against India and than Israel

and then Alien's. and then Angels.

 

[RescueRanger]

LONG POST WARNING!

Say whatever you want about ZZH, I don't agree with him on points. But when it comes to weapon handling and shooting, the man is good. Personally, I prefer pistols but if you don't have enough experience handling a pistol and just need a good all-around home defense weapon, my money will always be on a pump-action/auto/semi auto shotgun.

This is one subject I am very passionate about so I would like to add my two cents if I may! Home defense like personal safety and security is down to common sense. It's all down to situational awareness, to begin with, followed by impact factors and your capacity and ability to respond to the threat.

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of areas left in our world where you are immune to threats to your personal safety. With increases in crime such as theft, rape, terrorism and assault, it is in our best interest to pay attention.

This post is not covering the entire subject of self-defense, it may give you some food for thought.

It is also important to mention that whilst however no one is totally immune from possibly becoming a victim of a crime, learning how to be more alert and aware of your surroundings and keeping an eye out for signs of trouble is a good start.

As any good self-defense trainer will tell you, the best self-defense is to avoid the situation entirely. So let's get started, first, we are going to look at how the mind of criminal works and then compare this to the thought process of the victim:

The mental process of a criminal are broken into three simple steps:

1. First, a target is selected
2. A plan is made
3. The crime is committed

A victim is at a disadvantage because they have to go through a four step process:

1. They have to be aware of their surroundings
2. They have to evaluate the situation
3. They have to think of a counter plan
4. Finally, take action on the plan.

As a potential victim goes through these four steps, they are running through the phases of the “personal safety spectrum”. This system is a simplified version of the “Cooper Colour Code” which is named after the person who developed it, Colonel Jeff Cooper of the United States Marine Corps, the colour code was designed to teach US Marines about maintaining mental readiness and how to respond to threats based on severity and exposure.

The personal safety spectrum, which is what I am going to be talking about is a more simplified version designed for personal safety awareness:

Here is the list of the conditions “phases” of the personal safety spectrum:

1. Condition Grey: In a safe place such as your home, and are not concerned with your surroundings.

2. Condition Yellow: When you are outside driving or walking down the street, you should be in Yellow condition. You should be taking in information, assessing risks. The reason you upgrade from condition gray to yellow is because you have left the comfort of a controlled environment, such as your “home” and as such have a greater need to pay attention to the environment around you.

For example:

You are proceeding down a sidewalk, a person approaches and asks “what time is it”? At this point, most people will look at their watch, this is actually a common distraction technique used to cause inattention to your surroundings.

3. Condition Red: In this condition you should be ALERT, look at the person/threat and decide what you will do and your decision, the act upon that decision. Once you are ready to act, you upgrade to Condition Green.

4. Condition Green: When you see an individual approaching you and decide you don’t wish contact, change your direction by moving away from the individual.

5. Condition White: This is a state of panic and you don’t know what to do.

So you can see, that it pays to be alert and aware of your surroundings as you may never know what may be around the corner. For example, if somebody approaches you, there are four things you need to be thinking about:

1. Hands: Where are their hands and what are they doing with their hands. 55% of our communication is through body language, for example: if someone makes a fist, chances are they are going to hit someone with it. But if they don’t have anything in their hands, then you should start looking for the second thing which is weapons.

2. Weapons: Guns, Knives or anything within that person's reach that can be used against you. Also known as a weapon of opportunity.

3. Friends and Associates: Is the person alone or is he in a group? Remember that many crimes are committed in pairs.

4. Escape: Finally consider your options to escape, where are you going to run to, are you boxed in, are you blocking the exit of the suspect? Remember that cornered criminals are more likely to use violence, so keep this in mind when considering an escape route.

REMEMBER: If the Criminal is looking to make a run for it, sometimes it's better not to back them into a corner! Look out for your own safety!

Guard your personal space, When approached by someone whom you do not trust always try to keep him/her outside of what is referred to as your “Intimate space”, simply put, keep strangers who approach you and you don’t trust at an arms length. There are three kinds of Spaces you need to be concerned with when it comes to personal safety:

1. Intimate Space: 0-1.5 Feet (The only people you should allow into your intimate space are people you trust such as your friends and family).

2. Personal Space: 1.5 Feet – 4 Feet (This is the ideal range to deal with strangers, it makes it difficult for someone to try and grab your clothing, or throw a punch. You should always try to maintain a distance out of “arms reach” when dealing with strangers you may feel are a threat. This space should allow you enough of a gap to quickly run through the four steps to be able to protect yourself.

3. Social Space and public space: 4 Feet – 12 Feet ( This is the distance you should aim to keep from people in public, remember that even at 4 Feet, you are still maintaining the “Arms length” distance from a potential threat.

Observation: This is a very important skill to learn and develop, not only will help keep you safe, it can also help when completing a FIR and if you notice anything out of the ordinary during your day to day activities such as a suspicious car or package, or even an unusual smell coming from something unexpected you can report it to the authorities.

https://www.samaa.tv/editor-s-choice/2017/02/cctv-footage-of-gun-attack-on-police-van/

Remember if it doesn't look right or if it doesn't sound or smell right, report it! When observing your surroundings, use the look, scent, listen method.

Start from head and go to toes, clothing information such as shirts, pants, shoes, accessories, and then consider the physical characteristics of the individual such as:

1. Body shape
2. Skin colour/ Eye Colour
3. Hair [colour and length]
4. Height
5. Gender
6. Age
7. Distinguishing features including voice, accent, strange smells such as “Charred hands, or smelling like chemicals etc.”
8. Finally record the direction of travel: Which way were they going.

Three simple rules:

1. Stay Alert: Referred to as Situational Awareness
2. Avoid Risky Situations: No need to be a Hero
3. Trust Your Instincts: If it does not feel right…avoid it

Safety at work:

• Keep your work area organized and secure
• Lock pocketbooks in desk drawer or locker
• When entering or exiting the building look for suspicious activity
• Always travel in groups
• Report all suspicious vehicles and people
• Know the location of the nearest exit

Safety in public places:

• Go in groups
• Walk in well-lighted areas
• Be alert to suspicious activity
• Never carry more items than necessary
• Provide route to friend or family member
• Carry pocketbooks and briefcases securely
• Always carry identification
• Never carry more money than you are willing to lose
• Carry money, credit cards, and ID in trouser pocket…separate from pocketbook
• Stay alert at ATM machines
• Carry a fully-charged cell phone
• Avoid uncomfortable situations (remember the three rules)

Example: You are in a busy marketplace, there have been a number of operations against militant groups in Pakistan recently and the militants have vowed retribution, you notice something suspicious near a market.

Do you:

• inspect it?
• call for help?

Remember that unlike the movies it takes lengthy training and use of correct PPE and tools such as x-ray, hook, and line etc to safely dispose of an IED. If you cannot identify something, you CANNOT handle it! Simple as that.

• Vacate the area and inform security/police
• Do Not use cell phones or CB radios in close proximity to the device
• Evacuate the area minimum 2000feet, try to get behind a solid building away from any glass or falling hazards and do not return until the police have made the area safe. Terrorists are known to use primary explosions to stage an assault or gather a crowd before detonating a secondary IED.

Safety in your vehicle:

• Keep doors locked at all times
• Park in well-lighted area or potential for light
• Do not park between two full-size vehicles
• Scan the area before exiting the vehicle
• Remember where you parked
• Place valuables in trunk or take with you
• Park near the front of the business
• Scan parking lot before returning to vehicle
• Walk with others
• Have your keys out as you approach
• Look for signs of forced entry
• Scan interior of vehicle before you enter
• Quickly enter your vehicle and lock the doors
• Do not exit your vehicle for strangers

If you THINK you are being followed:

• Have your cell phone ready for use
• Look to see that you are not being followed, check your mirrors. To test if you have a tail, make a note of the vehicle and if you are on a highway reduce your speed gradually, as you do this other car will overtake you, the tail will try to match your speed. If you are off the highway in a commercial or residential area you can go around a few familiar busy streets a couple of times, if the same car is behind you, then you have a tail
• My favorite method is to use roundabouts if you are lucky enough to be near a roundabout, don't take the exit, go round the roundabout two or even three times, if, by the third time the car is still behind you, you have a tail on your backside.

• If you are being followed: There are many methods to losing a tail, but that is too complex for this post just use common sense.
• Keep moving in a busy area, stay on main roads.
• Change direction and return to the business
• Drive to a busy convenience store
• Call 15 or your local police helpline number from you cell phone - Apps are available which will send an alert SMS with your map location to your contacts at the push of the home button three times.
• Avoid driving to the police department after business hours, most stations close to the public in Pakistan after 23:00 HRS.
• DO NOT GO HOME

When approaching a check post, signal clearly that you have no harmful intentions:

• Slow down
• Avoid any brusque movements in the car, and keep your hands clearly up and visible.
• Stop the car a few yards from a barrier, but always keep the engine running unless ordered otherwise.
• If there is more than one vehicle, the next one keeps a certain distance
• Take off sunglasses so that people can see your face and eyes
• Put the window down; just about 2/3” enough for you to pass your id badge if needed.
• After dark, avoid using High-Beam headlights when approaching check posts
• After dark turn on the light inside the car cabin so that all passengers are clearly visible
• Be polite and comply with the officer's questions. No need to get offended and be an asshole!

If you get hit from behind whilst driving:

• Try to avoid becoming boxed-in, always try to keep 1 chevron/car length between you and the car ahead. ( Impossible in Lahore and Karachi, I have tested. Damn bikers and Rickshaw wala's).
• Avoid isolated areas, this is very IMPORTANT!
• If bumped from behind…remain in your vehicle
• Open car window on 1-2 inches
• Dial 15 to report the accident
• Do not exit your vehicle - some gangs will do a bumper hug as a tactic for you to get out so they can a)mug you or b) rob your car!
• Get the License Plate number of the other vehicle, if it leaves the scene
• Get a description of the driver, if possible
• Remain where you are until police arrive
• Do not resist an armed car-jacking. Remember that an average acceleration of a .32 is 335m/s, that's faster than your hands can react! The moment the enemy has a weapon against you and you are unarmed, you have lost the tactical advantage!

Safety at Home:

• Keep bushes and shrubbery trimmed to no more than 3 feet high
• Keep the lowest limb on trees to no lower than 6 ft from the ground
• Keep window and doors locked at all times
• If you have a dog, good they are the best friends you will have. If you don't like dogs too bad.
• Install auxiliary locks on your windows if the current locks are not sufficient
• Use solid core exterior doors [ Sold wood doors instead of hollow core doors]
• Use motion sensor lights on the exterior of your home or CCTV cameras, which can be purchased for as little as Rs. 4000
• If you are going away out of town for a vacation or the house will be unoccupied for a long period of time, either cancel or have neighbors or family/friends collect mail or newspapers when you are away.
• When leaving the house alone, keep some lights on and leave a radio or television on to give the appearance of an occupied home.
• Set up a neighborhood watch scheme in your area this is very active in Karachi.
• Keep Jewellery/money/valuables in no conspicuous location…in other words…not in the master bedroom
• Do not provide personal information over the phone unless you initiated the conversation
• If you list our phone number…use only your initials, not your full name
• Remove the nameplate from the front of your house! especially if yours says Brig (R), Gen(R), Adv IHC, CEO Blah, Blah, you get the picture!
• If you have staff in the house such as drivers, cooks, cleaners, drivers, chowkidars etc make sure you keep a copy of their CNIC, get it verified by SMS. Get the CNIC of the person and send the CNIC number (with or without dashes) to 8008. If the number is Genuine you should get a text back with all his family as well along with their CNIC numbers.
• Make sure you only hire staff that you can get references for, or they are happy to provide an up to date police character certificate and new biometric CNIC which you can verify! Never trust your children with the staff!
• Use Caller-ID to screen your calls
• Report Harassing Phone calls to PTCL or the correct telco
• Report threatening phone calls to the police and FIA
• Report threatening or Harassing social media posts to the FIA
• Avoid storing your home location in your phone navigation
• Avoid enabling geolocation for your camera on your smartphone

Home Security System:
Okay so if you have the money to splash out, there are many options. You can pay a company like Wackenhut Pakistan and they will install and monitor the alarm for you, sending out an armed QRF if the alarm or Panic button is pressed, but of course this costs LOTS of money.

The cheaper alternative is, again if you have the cash to buy a CCTV system with DVR this should set you back about 20,000 PKR. Installation can be done yourself if you are reasonably technical. If not, the vendor will do the installation on average for an extra 5,000 plus 150 rupees for every meter of wiring used. When buying camera always opt for wide angle, Zero Lux cameras.

Home alarm systems that trigger an audio alarm if the window is broken or door is opened cost about 10,000 PKR on OLX.com and I have tested one, they work really well! Most alarms now have the ability to send an SMS or a call to up to three pre-stored numbers using an auto dialer and a pre-paid GSM sim. They even have a backup battery so should the UPS fail during a day of load shedding the alarm will run on backup battery for 24 hours.

Example: https://www.olx.com.pk/item/gsm-bas...plete-security-system-IDTMSVH.html#17212e15a1

Hired Guns:
Okay, so you have cash to spend and want to hire a security guard. Things to look out for when hiring a security guard.

1. ONLY hire from companies who are members of APSAA ( All Pakistan Security Agencies Association). www.apsaa.com.pk
2. Ask people in your office, workplace or neighborhood if they recommend a company.
3. Check the company website, and visit their office. Any decent company should have a file on each guard which should include the following:
1. CNIC
2. Character Certificate from Police and Special Branch
3. Copy of service book if ex-military
4. Training log: Most good companies keep one, in Islamabad and Punjab this training in mandatory.
5. License both for the company and the guard, company license is from IB and ISI in the shape of an NOC and from Home Department. The guard should have their own firearms license which should be up to date with full duty stamps.
6. The sign of professional security guard company is that they will refuse to give you 1 guard, they will offer a minimum of two on a rotation 12-hour shift basis with rest days in between.
7. Before the guard comes to your home, set some ground rules of do's and don't for your family/staff and him.
8. If he is armed, ask him to demonstrate safe loading, unloading, and handling of a firearm. Most guard companies provide their guards with a 12 gauge shotgun, they should have a minimum of 12 shells for each guard on site.

Responding to an Attack or Robbery:

Robbery:

• First, decide if you are being robbed or attacked
• If you are being robbed…do not resist
• Give the robber what he or she wants
• Remember…your goal is to avoid injury
• Do not carry anything of value that you are not willing to lose
• Second, if you are being attacked…decide
• NOW how you are going to respond: Safety in these situations is a personal choice, because only you can decide how to respond

Points to Consider if Being Attacked

• What is the intent of the suspect?
• Determine if a weapon is involved
• Is there one suspect or two?
• How do you normally respond to threats?
• What is your physical ability?
• Where is the suspect trying to take you?
• Do you really want to go

If you don't know any real self-defence and have never had any martial arts training I would strongly recommend looking into Tony Blauer's SPEAR system. It is a very good bridge skill and is taught to police all over the world:

Another good system is something called Krav Maga, although I cannot vouch for the quality of trainers in Pakistan.

JUST REMEMBER WHATEVER YOU DO, YOUR GOAL HERE IS SURVIVAL​

After an Attack or Robbery

• Do not feel guilty or embarrassed
• Go to a safe place to report the crime
• Preserve all physical evidence
• Call the police IMMEDIATELY
• Remember…you can do everything right and still become the victim of a crime

In Summary:
Remember that there are five color codes of mental awareness/response in the personal safety spectrum. It is very important that you keep in mind that awareness and avoidance are the best self-defense strategies. If you can avoid the risk, it is better than mitigating or managing the impact later on.

Maintain an awareness of your surroundings, “if it doesn't feel right” trust your instincts and do not hesitate. If you cannot avoid the situation, then mentally prepare, have a plan and execute with full conviction and purpose. Practice these skills on a day to day basis when traveling to and from work or going shopping, ultimately, the more aware you are, the more likely you will prevent an attack.

SECURITY is an eight letter word, but break it down and it and something interesting happens; SEC U R IT Y.

Remember that security starts with you.​