When you go to bed...

[Diode]

I was pondering where to keep my handgun while I sleep and how quick can I get to it. I do not have a shotgun yet so my carry gun is also my home def. gun. What do you guys do?


Do you keep you handgun whithin reach when you go to bed?

What weapon and where do you keep it?

[KinnyLee]

I've zip tied a nylon holster into the carrying strap of my mattress. It is big enough for one of my Glocks. Usually it is my G19.

You should come check out the shotguns tonight with Boma.

[Diode]

I've zip tied a nylon holster into the carrying strap of my mattress. It is big enough for one of my Glocks. Usually it is my G19.

You should come check out the shotguns tonight with Boma.

You guys going tonight? cool! Maybe next trip, got a few chores to knock out tonight. You guys have fun! Good idea with the zip tie!

[WNallG30]

Small electronic gunvault between the night stand and the head of my bed. The only thing I don't like is it's about 12" or so deep and I've got it sitting on it's end so the gun sits at the bottom. I'm thinking about making a little wood stand to go in there with an oval hole to act like a holster and cover it with felt or something to put the gun in a better position.

[KinnyLee]

You guys going tonight? cool! Maybe next trip, got a few chores to knock out tonight. You guys have fun! Good idea with the zip tie!

That we are. Maybe next time.

[JLaw]

I keep my revolver in the top drawer of my nightstand, which is about 4 1/2 feet tall. The revolver get's unlocked (cable lock behind trigger) when crawling in bed, then gets locked up in the morning. A flashlight is in the drawer also, with a full speedloader hidden by the bedroom door. My son's only 6, and can only get to the "gun drawer" by crawling on top of the bed and reaching over, and since I'm laying in the bed when the guns unlocked, I believe I'd know if he was trying to get in there! Of course when he gets a little taller I'll have to change my game plan.

JLaw

[HighVelocity]

I keep a handgun within reach. However, it is always in a holster that covers the trigger. When I'm dreaming about hoards of zombies attacking my neighborhood and the alarm clock sounds, I don't want to take a swing at it and get a handful of Glock trigger instead.

[longtooth]

Off my belt at lay down time. On the top of the chest of drawers. When my feet hit the floor my hand goes on the grip.

[spud]

I use my paddle holster and wedge it between the headboard and the matress. Works for me. I sleep a little hard and having it not covered up bothers me. If someone sneeks in, then they just found a gun and im still asleep.

[Venus Pax]

dh keeps a .38 special under his side of the mattress. I keep a .380 (my carry gun) in the top drawer of my night stand with an extra magazine.

I will be tutoring in my home soon, so I will be purchasing a finger-push combination box for when I have students here. I keep my carry gun on me, but I don't want them getting into anything else while they're waiting.

I, too, keep all guns loaded.

[txinvestigator]

I don't like discussing that specfically, but I will explain my thinking a little bit.

A handgun (or any gun for that matter) is not good as the only means of security for your home. Lights, alarms, dogs, good locks, etc, are the first line of defense. You want to be able to fully wake up before you would need to access your weapon. I can tell you any horror stories of a droggy homeowner shooting a friendly.

A plan for you and your family is critical. Have it and practice it. Include your family in the practice.

How will you communicate with the authorities, each other?

Do you know that tactically it takes at least 2 people to clear a house? 2 is the minimum, 4 is better. Taking off through your house after a potential intruder is dangerous for you and your family. Depending on the layout of your home, you may have kids you have to go to.

How is your house set up? If you fire in any direction, even up (for those of you in 2-stories) where will the bullet go if you miss or over-penetrate?

Do you have a light? Have you practiced how to handle a gun AND a light? Is your light weapon mounted? If so, remember that to illuminate anyone, including a family member, you will be covering them with the muzzle.

Security vs accessability for the weapon is also an issue. NEVER trust that your kids cannot get to the weapon without waking you. One of our LEO's still has a bullet in his head from thinking such. Never trust that they won't get to the weapon.

Below is a posting I made on another site in 2004 regarding



intruder at 4am

Or so I thought. The alarm was set to instant, the German shepherd was in the backyard, and we were all peacefully asleep when suddenly, the burglar alarm began to squeal. We have a plan for this, we have practiced the plan.

I grabbed the Kimber .45 and Surefire flashlight. My wife jumped up and went to the alarm keypad. As I put on my glasses, I told her to disarm the alarm.

I began down the hall to clear a path to my daughter’s bedroom upstairs. I noticed my wife following me down the hall and said to her; “no, like we practiced� She replied, “got it, ok, ok� then went into the bedroom and locked the door.

We have windows only on the front and rear of the house, so I quickly made a visual scan of the front windows, no apparent Point of Entry (POE). I made my way to the stairway, where I could see the den windows and the back door, but not the garage door. Again no apparent POE, and the dog was not barking.

Stairways are a tactical challenge, but I made my way to the top. I scanned across the playroom. There are 2 windows upstairs that are accessible from the roof without using a big ladder. One of those is my daughter's, and that window is alarmed.

I could see her bed from the top of the stairs. It was empty….She has been instructed in the case of an alarm to get into the closet and wait for Daddy or the police. I made a beeline for her room while covering the non-cleared areas of the upstairs. Once in her room I called for her and gave the pre-arranged password. She came out of the closet rubbing her eyes, complaining that it was to late to practice. She then saw the gun and asked what was going on.

I told her to stay with me, and we made it back to the bedroom. The phone rang while I was clearing the house, and I assumed it was the alarm company. I gave the password to my wife, and she let us in the bedroom. She was still on the phone with the alarm company. (not planned, but good thinking) She told the alarm company that all was well, and hung up.

We then turned on all of the lights and did a more thorough check. There was no indication or evidence of an attempted break-in. It had been raining, and there was no indication anyone had been outside near any window or door. Just a False Alarm.

[jbirds1210]

I agree with the alarm....It is always a good idea to get a good jolt to wake up by if someone cracks a window.

Tx, you mentioned two people to clear the house...I agree that it would be tough to do it with one. My situation is a bit unique because everyone that has access to my house is sleeping in my bedroom...no kids. I have worked out some of the obvious shot paths and had talks with my neighbors about them.

My plans (part of them) is to voice a loud verbal command while using a portion of my room as a safety zone. I plan on making my plans very clear to someone violating my house. I have already made my decisions about the actions should that safety zone be violated, which is part of the plan my wife and I have worked out. This portion of the plan involves target identification. I have a Glock or revolver constantly available to me and it should get me a couple of feet to my shotgun. My wife also has her gun immediately available.

Another very important plan is to have a cell phone! The action that set off your house alarm might be someone cutting your phone line. Along with a good weapon and light...I believe that a cell phone to alert authorities is vital.
Jason

[txinvestigator]

I agree with the alarm....It is always a good idea to get a good jolt to wake up by if someone cracks a window.

Tx, you mentioned two people to clear the house...I agree that it would be tough to do it with one. My situation is a bit unique because everyone that has access to my house is sleeping in my bedroom...no kids. I have worked out some of the obvious shot paths and had talks with my neighbors about them.

My plans (part of them) is to voice a loud verbal command while using a portion of my room as a safety zone. I plan on making my plans very clear to someone violating my house. I have already made my decisions about the actions should that safety zone be violated, which is part of the plan my wife and I have worked out. This portion of the plan involves target identification. I have a Glock or revolver constantly available to me and it should get me a couple of feet to my shotgun. My wife also has her gun immediately available.

Another very important plan is to have a cell phone! The action that set off your house alarm might be someone cutting your phone line. Along with a good weapon and light...I believe that a cell phone to alert authorities is vital.
Jason

Great point, I forgot to mention WHY I said it was dangerous to clear a house alone if you don't have to. You should stay put. You are much safer and tactically superior if you maintain a position you already control.

[JLaw]

1)A handgun (or any gun for that matter) is not good as the only means of security for your home.

2)A plan for you and your family is critical.

3)Do you know that tactically it takes at least 2 people to clear a house? 2 is the minimum, 4 is better. Taking off through your house after a potential intruder is dangerous for you and your family. Depending on the layout of your home, you may have kids you have to go to.

4)How is your house set up? If you fire in any direction, even up (for those of you in 2-stories) where will the bullet go if you miss or over-penetrate?

5)Do you have a light? Have you practiced how to handle a gun AND a light?

6)Security vs accessability for the weapon is also an issue. NEVER trust that your kids cannot get to the weapon without waking you.

txinvestigator's post edited for specific talking points, please forgive...

Comments:

1) Odd you mention it, I've been convicted here lately about the quality of locks on my doors and windows. The front door does have a good deadbolt, the back sliding door only has the cheap lever lock and the pin through the frame, but the windows have no "real" security built into them. The family dog, although small, is very protective and LOUD. We've been awakened many times for nothing more than a stray cat prancing through the yard!

2) A very valid point about having a plan, and practicing it. I like your idea of passwords.

3) I'm not qualified to clear my house, I'll let the sherrif's dept. do that when they get here, see #4.

4) I'm lucky here, the way my house is set up I can crouch in my bedroom doorway and cover myself and my wife, and also my son's room, I'm within 8 feet of either bed. I can see him and his window, and anyone coming down the hallway towards us at the same time (this I have practiced late at night). I can successfully assume a defensive position without having to go on the offensive. Overpenetration or a bad shot is no biggie, many layers of sheetrock and brick in between myself and the neighbors house.

5) Lights always on in the living room and kitchen, that illuminates the hallway also. But still, a flashlight is nesseccary, and although I do practice my flashlight hold technique at the range every so often, it's problably not enough.

6) Another valid point. I am very open to suggestions on this point. In all honesty I'm concerned with the time required to fumble through the keys for the right key to unlock the firearm, which could waste prescious seconds in a burglary/home invasion. Of course no amount of time wasted is worth a child gaining access to a loaded firearm, and that's why I...like Diode...are anxious to hear further methods of "conditions of ready" while asleep.

txinvestigator, thank you for your good discussion points here. You brought some things to light for me. I'm anxious to hear some more responses...

JLaw

[TxFire]

intruder at 4am

The alarm was set to instant, the German shepherd was in the backyard, and we were all peacefully asleep when suddenly, the burglar alarm began to squeal. .

German Shepherd in the BACK YARD ! My two would cringe at the thought of sleeping outside. They are ALWAYS with the family. But they are spoiled rotten too.