Over-penetration in an Apartment?

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So this is something that has really been worrying me for a while, even after doing some research on the subject. Say someone breaks into my apartment in the middle of the night, and I am forced to shoot the person. Say it over penetrates the wall and (God forbid) hurts my neighbor next door. Would I be charged with manslaughter? Based on what I have read, yes. It seems just about everything will penetrate a wall, even bird shot. Could anyone occur any insight? Thanks!
 
Ive heard in the past that the person instigating would be culpable... ie whoever was in your home requiring you to defend yourself. Not sure if there is a legal term for this.

Obviously you dont want to hurt your neighbors though.

Mike

Sent from my cell phone with a tiny keyboard and large thumbs...
 
S&W Governor with #9 Bird shot.

Unless you're less than a foot from the wall, I don't see penetrating both you and your neighbors sheetrock.



Maybe I'll test that theory after we close today. I've got my Governor @ work today and plenty of sheetrock.
 
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Frangible ammo. Specifically the sintered kind. After passing thru 2 spaced drywall barriers I doubt there is a whole lot of lethal power left.

However I would determine some safer fields of fire within your apt (If possible) and start doing dry fire drills. Your zones will start to become second nature...
 
Anything that will not penetrate a wall, will not have enough power to stop an intruder. Worry about hits and the shoot being good rather planning for "magic bullets" should you miss.
 
Ive heard in the past that the person instigating would be culpable... ie whoever was in your home requiring you to defend yourself. Not sure if there is a legal term for this.

Obviously you dont want to hurt your neighbors though.

Mike

Sent from my cell phone with a tiny keyboard and large thumbs...

Are you thinking of the felony murder rule? Whether felony murder would apply in any particular situation would probably be up to a judge. If someone is only injured and not killed, I don't know if a similar rule would apply.

As Mike-Mike said though, any effective ammo will penetrate walls. In the highly unlikely event that you are involved in a self-defense shooting in your home, the remote chance of an overpenetrating round actually hitting someone is the least of your concerns.
 
The way I see it, when you are in a life or death situation (which is the only situation were I would shot someone), I am going to be nervous, adrenaline would be pumping. Its very difficult to know the situation you will be in when that happens. Therefore, relying on not missing a shot isn't really a good strategy. Plan for the worst. I share a wall with my neighbor, I'd say 60% of it is cement, but 40% is simply drywall. So my question is, should I aim for a crouching position and aim upwards? Would that be safer? (I also have neighbors above me, and below).
 
Ambiguous thread title gives false hope.....

As Mike-Mike said, don't worry about magic bullets, worry about stopping the threat. If you're defense firearm is pointed at someone, you'll have enough thoughts to keep your brain occupied without cluttering the view. I personally like 'Belulah', my 12g pump loaded with 00 buck for bump in the night peace of mind.
 
S&W Governor with #9 Bird shot.

Unless you're less than a foot from the wall, I don't see penetrating both you and your neighbors sheetrock.



Maybe I'll test that theory after we close today. I've got my Governor @ work today and plenty of sheetrock.

I did the test today after work. I have one of those new "smart phones" and I had one of my guy's record it, but it won't let me send it to my computer. It says the file is to big and I need blue tooth. Most of my teeth are crowns, and somewhere I have a Spooky Tooth 45 of Hell or High Water but no blue tooth. Anyway, from 10' with #9 Bird Shot there was a little blow through of the first sheet of sheetrock, from 5' it went right through both sheets like a slug.

If I can get someone younger than me to figure out how to get this clip out of my damn phone, I'll post it.
 
Ambiguous thread title gives false hope.....

LOL

19c.jpeg
 
You will be liable. You can't justify killing or injuring an innocent person while defending yourself. This is why we teach that you have to always know what is behind your target! Using any gun in apartments is very risky.
 
You will be liable. You can't justify killing or injuring an innocent person while defending yourself. This is why we teach that you have to always know what is behind your target! Using any gun in apartments is very risky.

+1

I live in/around boston and have neighbors that I can hear through the walls.
My HD pistol has safety slugs in them.
 
Have you ever had a night time intruder? I have. It's not the perfect situation. It's a lot harder than being at the range with a stationary target.
I'd have to agree with this. Not only are you half asleep, but you are scared out of your mind. Few could say with a straight face they wouldn't be, its unrealistic not to be.
 
Anything that will not penetrate a wall, will not have enough power to stop an intruder. Worry about hits and the shoot being good rather planning for "magic bullets" should you miss.

This.

So my question is, should I aim for a crouching position and aim upwards? Would that be safer? (I also have neighbors above me, and below).

If you're shooting your gun at an intruder, it means you're in immediate danger of serious harm or death. You're shooting to stop the threat. That is priority number one. You should aim for the center of mass, and fire until the threat stops, or the gun goes click (in which case, reload and resume firing until the threat stops).

If you can arrange the layout of your home in such a way that it is more defensible, great.

Otherwise, don't fill your mind with extraneous worries or your gun with questionable ammunition.
 
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