If and when I ever have to confront a burglar with a shotgun, I'll be making use of the end where the lead exits
A homeowner confronted a burglar this morning, smashing the intruder across the face with the butt end of a shotgun, St. Petersburg police said.
There's a more effective way to use that tool
The burglar, identified by police as Justin Masse, 22, at first fled, then turned around and started toward homeowner Michael Lowry, a U.S. Navy veteran, police said. That's when Lowry fired a shell in the ground, and Masse ran off, police said.
Aaaaand that's not it either. Folks, if you have to draw your weapon, you're already in SHTF territory. Don't waste ammo by firing warning shots.
A newspaper delivery person spotted Masse unconscious two blocks away in a front yard, police said. Masse received stitches and was eventually transported to the Pinellas County Jail on a charge of residential burglary, police said.
Well, at least there's a bit of happy news here.
The attempted break-in occurred about 4 a.m. at Lowry's home, in the 5000 block of Second Avenue South, police said. Lowry spotted Masse in his detached garage and confronted Masse with the 12-gauge shotgun. During a fight that followed, Masse was struck in the face with the butt of the weapon, apparently considered continuing the struggle and then ran off before falling unconscious, police said.
The attempted break-in occurred about 4 a.m. at Lowry's home, in the 5000 block of Second Avenue South, police said. Lowry spotted Masse in his detached garage and confronted Masse with the 12-gauge shotgun.
During a fight that followed, Masse was struck in the face with the butt of the weapon, apparently considered continuing the struggle and then ran off before falling unconscious, police said.
See, here's what I don't understand. If you're going to use a shotgun / rifle, you do so because it gives you an advantage because it allows you to keep your distance and still be a threat. You shouldn't get close enough to your adversary to allow a fight to break out.
Putting on my psychoanalyst hat and of course going off what little information I have, I'd say that Mr. Lowry didn't exactly have the wherewithal to use the shotgun properly and was hoping that simply having it was all the talisman he needed to ward off bad guys.
If your opponent knows you have a shotgun and comes back at you again, chances are he doesn't think you're going to use it or is very intent on causing you harm. Center mass is all the warning shot you need.