M1 cabine vs ARs

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Here is an episode that I didn't fully think through at the time. When I lived in California I was burglarized during the day in 2007 when at work. The police said they couldn't get into your safe and most likely would be back. They were correct, eight days later, again at work I was burglarized. The policeman who came was the same guy as the first time and told me to carry a weapon when home, but make sure I didn't take it off my property. I didn't tell him I already did. I asked the wife to go see her cousin for a week. I keep only one light on and no TV or noise. On the third night I heard someone trying the front door knob. I quickly opened the door to the face of a young 16/17 year old black kid. If he had advanced on me through the door way, I would have fired. He saw my 45 acp and his eyes widened, turned yelled to his friends who were going around the side, and they took off. I didn't fire, I didn't chase them, there was no need. Called the policeman who had come before and they were caught a few blocks away. He heard them talking about a crazy guy with a gun.
Hindsight, that was stupid of me. If it were an adult breakin with multiple intruders I might not have been able to take them all on. I should have been the fifteen feet back at the stairway with my shotgun and pistol at my side. But for our last seven years there, we had no more issues.