This is an ancient dream that I had when a child, and it is not one I will likely ever forget. (But I wish I could.) I was sleeping upstairs and my parents were sleeping in their room, when all of a sudden there was a loud noise from down stairs. My Dad got a strong pole from the closet and I got my light .22 rifle and he led the way down the stairs. When we got to the baesment, I heard loud shots and I saw most of my Dad's head explode and there was blood flying everywhere. What was left of him hit the floor and I was just starting to sob at what I saw. The robber as I suppose he was, was standing there and laughing in complete and utter glee, but he didn't seem to see me. He was laughing just like he was an insane lunatic which I am sure was exactly what he was. As I sobbed, I aimed the .22 at him and fired again and again and again. After several rounds hit him...he was no longer laughing and he also hit the floor, adding to the blood and gore. I was glad he was done, but it didn't help me when I saw my Dad there again, and wondered what my Mom would do. Then I woke up, but I still remember.
How did you have a rifle, and know how to use it, when you were a child? I know it was only a dream but you said it was your light .22 rifle, as if it was something you had in waking life.
I was an older child, and I did know how to use such a rifle if I had owned one like that then. Later I did own such a rifle, as well as a more powerful one, but thank the Lord I have never had to aim one at anyone. My Dad once did have to take up such a pole when investigating a noise in the night, but he found nothing, and lived to be very old, dying just a few years ago.
It sounds like you might have been hearing stories about burglaries or other crimes and it affected you in your dreams. Since you depend on your parents so much when you are a child, it could also have been a fear of what might happen if you didn't have your father to care for you.