Originally Posted by
Sean M
I didn't bother to "harden" my entry points, so I keep the pistol within arms reach at all times. This is not my forever home, and while "hardened" entry points may appeal to some, it can also freak out potential buyers, and keep them from making an offer, citing security concerns in the neighborhood. Once that type of set up has been seen, it can't be un-seen, and no amount of explaining will change most people's minds. I watched just such a transaction not play out due to the security system and features we installed at a friends house. It took months to get the house sold, at the peak of the market, and ultimately, he had to dismantle a good deal of the features installed, essentially wasting that money.......or rather not getting any return on his investment.
And having countless times on the other side of the door, with my primary job being to get them open quickly, I don't put a lot of faith in deadbolts, metal doors, and other "hardening" techniques. In order to actually make the target door difficult to breach, it would take more hardware, money, design and architectual changes than I am willing to invest. T-Bars, grates, outward opening doors, don't make sense to me. I don't want to build a fortress that does a better job of keeping me in than it does of keeping a determined adversary out. Sure, it may buy me a few extra seconds to run and get my gun, but I prefer just grabbing it from the holster or nightstand, and leave the house/doors/windows the way they are. With a pistol in hand, or on the belt/nightstand and a spare mag, I can hold my own in just about any room in my house.