Scafool and MedB make very good points about being judicious in choosing to use a weapon and at whom to point it. My personal credo is to kill only what is necessary and when it's necessary. I don't hunt or fish for sport, and harmless bugs get put outside. So I am very mindful of the words of wisdom offered here. However, like everyone who regularly reads this site, I have a strong biological imperative to live, therefore I take steps to ensure my continued existence.

I live with only one other person and no (known) critters. The current plan when something goes bump in the night is to yell for the other person to run into my bedroom, close the door, turn on the lights, grab the phone and call the police. I will prep the weapon, and once she’s safely behind me and out of harm's way, will take a firing position. Hopefully, any intruder entering the room will have a momentary adjustment to the light, delaying him (or her, I shouldn't be sexist here) in pinpointing my position. That hesitation should allow me to identify a law enforcement uniform. No uniform, I fire. I have no intention of sweeping for the intruder(s), so I don’t think a mounted flashlight will be necessary.

I welcome comments and criticisms of the plan.