If somebody kicks in the flimsy locked door to my bed room, that is an ample warning sign that it's not a loved one and gives me license to fire everything I've got into the opening.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

What's with the resurrection of all these old threads

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Home invasions aren't always done to people involved in drugs. Maybe most are, but there are plenty that are senseless except for the thrill of scaring, hurting or even killing other people. I know people that have suffered this. I also know of a kid (20's) who was so hopped up on drugs that he and another guy drove to someone's house because the guy 'thought that he stole jewelry from his sister.' The homeowner ended up dead and the kid that we know was an accessory and is now doing 30 years. His parents are fine people we went to church with for years, but the kid got into drugs. I guess what I'm saying is that there doesn't have to be a good reason to commit a home invasion and kill somebody. I don't know if the guy in the house did anything or not, but he's dead all the same. Sometimes it's just for the hell of it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Years ago I had a girlfriend who was a bartender. She had a key and from time to time, would let herself in after work, around 2 or 3 AM. She said, "I don't know why you keep that pistol on the nightstand. Burglars could steal the bed out from under you."

There's a lot to be said for a reliable sentry, two legs or four. Not all means of gain entry to a residence involve making enough noise to alert the occupants, so the alarm is useful.

For humane reasons there is a weapon light on the shotgun. Blinding them ensures that the last thing they see before leaving this vale of tears won't be me, naked, in the hallway.

Although this thread is four years old and has been discussed ad nauseum, I'll throw in my two cents. First of all, an intruder should never be able to enter your home without you being alerted in advance. If you don't have an outer layer of defense, get one. There are motion detecting outdoor light systems and audible alarms to give you an early warning of someone attempting a breakin. A good dog will also let you know if someone is trying to enter your home. Along with remote activated lights, most bad guys will likely retreat when a commotion destroys their element of surprise. It also gives you time to shake off sleep and prepare yourself to use necessary force to repel invaders who are not discouraged by lights and uproar. I keep a tactical flashlight equipped Glock 19 in my bedside table drawer. Along with the early warning system, acquiring it gives me a little time to shake the cobwebs out of my brain and get myself into a tactical mindset. The last part is have a pre-plan if you have a family and guests, to help insure their safety.

I don't know about "all", but relevance of the topic caused me to resurrect this one.

Why start a new thread on the same topic?

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Stay protected my friends.

Holstered 45 on the night stand. I've had a knife under my saddle blanket or pillow since I was young. Now it's my old Randall Made Model #1.

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Riding, Shooting, and Truth

That's fine. I just noticed that in the last few days a lot of old threads have been coming up

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Tough to beat a sucker punch when you are asleep. Do what you like, but I wouldn't personally be leaving my guns out on the night stand for some creeper to decide whether to use on me before I wake up. If you are that concerned, keep it under the pillow with a secured trigger area maybe or in one of those holsters that mount to the box springs. Heck, at least put it in one of those book safes that look like the King James if you really need it laying out in plain view.

Many moons ago a rancher friend had a problem with an old bear mauling
his cows and killed one. He asked me to eliminate the problem. I took a
friend along because he had a "bear hound" old Mabel. We staked out
the dead carcass. At the first crack of light, I saw the bear scooping up
maggots from the carcass. Opened my car door, ever so gently, and got
out with my Winchester model 70 with Weaver K4. The bear stood
upright, sniffed the air and took off. I caught up with him with a 180-Gr.
Winchester silver tip. (1 shot) Chased him over a ridge. Caught up with
him because he was paralyzed in the lower half. My one shot got him
right under his tail. One more neck shot finished him off. We gutted
him and drug him back to the car. Old Mabel was still asleep in the
back seat. So much for dogs as an early warning system.

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In Omnia Paratus

We've got very good locking hardware on the doors and two dogs -- one of which will bark her head off if I so much as fart in the hallway. Unlikely that a burglar will get in undetected. In any case, once they made it to your bedroom, it's probably too late to reach fer your shootin iron. I keep mine in a sock drawer about 5 feet away from the bed. Alarm systems are cheap these days. Would be a good investment of $$. Just something that makes a racket if motion is detected within your residence -- or can warn you discretely.

To me this sounds like the better plan. Maybe that's because I have the same setup right down to the brand of knife. Only difference is the 120lb German Shepherd the perp needs to get past first. My pistol though is an unsophisticated Ruger P89. Not a Smith, but I am positive it will go bang 100 out of 100 times. The Ruger P89 was engineered to be a military arm and is built like a friggin tank. Not a perfect carry pistol, but a superb combat weapon in close quarters.

+1 Many years ago, a Dr. (MD) friend of my former employer, had his home invaded in broad daylight. The Dr. also happened to be a reserve deputy sheriff. 3 guys burst in the front door and first accosted the Dr's wife. Dr. hears the commotion and comes out of his den and starts blasting away. In the end two bad guys dead, 3rd bad guy wounded and Dr. killed in the exchange of gunfire with the intruders. Very sad situation. So yes, it can happen to just about anyone -- but generally a rare occurrence in most neighborhoods. Dr. was well off and lived in a very upscale area.

I keep a holstered/chambered handgun right next to my pillow, but it's also relatively secured and accessible to only me or my wife. It's always in the exact same place making it very quick, even in the dark.

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Glenn
FAS1 SAFE

Old Mabel seems pretty smart . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

More people maybe newer to the realization that you can and probably should be prepared to protect yourselves.


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Pass it on.
Mark

We've had some new threads about similar topics, and I think people are hitting the "similar thread" links at the bottom. Interestingly, I've noted almost identical comments from posters about four years later . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

I don't have any guns at all, I deplore violence of any type, BUT, I guy I know very well keeps a Glock 41 loaded with 185 grain +P Remington Golden Sabers in his nightstand, a spare magazine, a surefire light, and an Ontario Bagwell Bowie on his side of the bed (and a large sleeping collie, to act as a stumbling block for any intruder, 'cause he sure as H--L wouldn't wake up...).
I believe he mentioned that his wife, a short tempered, excellent shot, only keeps an S&W M&Pc with a full sized magazine full of +P JHPs and a spare, and a Laser Devices Operative light. Both with light/laser combos and night sights. I think he also mentioned a smaller collie that is a loud, alert little dog that would serve as a trip wire, and the alarm, and the Mossberg M590A1 full of OOO Magnum, and...

As for me, I have a cordless phone with 911 on speed dial, that's really all I need...

That's funny. Where I live we'd have time to play a game of Monopoly with an intruder before the cops showed up.




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Pass it on.
Mark

+1. My guns are the last line of defense. The first line of defense in the house are our three dogs - each one is 90+ pounds of noise, and one is 90+ pounds of noise and fury. Rico is 1/2 German Shepherd and 1/2 Rot. He's big, he's loud, and he takes his home defense duties seriously. The other two are hobos, but they make a lot of noise and they look intimidating.

Get a good dog, if you can. They'll alert you before an intruder ever gets to the door or window.

70 series 1911 fully loaded with 2 eight shot mags by the bed all the time. Winchester M12 12ga with #7.5 shot for first 2 rounds with the rest being buck leaning against the wall between the nightstand and bed. Loaded 1911 in the kitchen and a .44 special in the livingroom. My kids are grown now but I taught them early on that all my guns are to be considered loaded at all times and showed them what a bullet can do. Never caught them ( or suspected them ) touching one without my permission and presence. I don't think loaded guns are dangerous but am more scared of a supposedly unloaded one.

Eddie

Look at it from the "perps" perspective,when they break into a home they know there's a good possibility that they will get shot. Its our responsibility as home owners not to disapoint them.

Boy! All the talk on this thread is enough to give one PTSD, for those who don't already have it!

Glenn Now that is a Bed Side Safe I really like What brand is it? Is it a Bio one? Thanks


Rich

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9mm Shield

Mine's loaded, very nearby, but definitely not on the nightstand for situations like dreams, or just reaching for the nearby cup of water or phone in the middle of the night, as well as for the rare situation someone else finds it first. Also, I doubt my wife would be comfortable seeing it sitting there.

lol

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Glenn
FAS1 SAFE

Smith in 45 colt hanging in holster attached to back of head board.

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Len

Glen LOL love that Batman pic lol.. Thanks for the info . Book marked the link, And it has a good price Thanks

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9mm Shield

Hell, for the last 30 years, my revolver has been under my pillow....I guess I'm old school.

I agree with that. I have:

1. Slept with a loaded Model 19 4" in my nightstand for years (long ago)

2. Slept with a loaded Model 629 3" under my pillow for years and, after the divorce, and a literal change of the bed I was in, I kept that gun on the floor next to me for years. After I dumped it I switched to...

3. Slept with a loaded 2.5" Model 686+ on the floor next to my bed for years. Realized recently that it was harder to reach than I thought due to age and arthritis - I practice panic awakenings - so I moved it back under my pillow.

4. I still sleep with a loaded 3" Model 686+ under my pillow. I keep it in a gun rig to avoid feeling it through my excellent pillow - a revolver is easy to feel through a pillow but not so much when in a gun rug (unzipped).

I do not consider this unsafe. I do not have nightmares and even if I did grabbing that gun wouldn't be an issue - there's nobody else in the bed!

Sidebar - if that last statement is not correct (it can happen) the gun goes back on the floor.

So much hoopla about this being an unsafe practice. It is not. The gun needs to be reachable if some ghoul meanders into the bedroom. I'm not counting on my dogs - they're too sweet.

IMO, it just isn't the same for everybody. It isn't even the same for me. For many years, I slept with a Model 40 under my pillow. It was perfectly safe then, might be now, but I don't even care whether it is or isn't because I ain't gonna do it. My style of sleeping has changed, a couple of times, and for the last 25 years or so, my gun has been elsewhere.

I can figure out what is safe for myself. Call me unimaginative and presumptuous, but I reckon most of y'all can do likewise.

After reading all these posts I just feel blessed that I don't have worries of burglars or perps of any kind. At least not yet anyway. However, several years ago I had failed to lock an upstairs door accessible through the dog pen and into my 2nd story rec room. I heard a noise about 2:30 in the morning, got out of bed and found my dog laying on his back hoping the intruder would scratch his tummy. What I found was an almost half naked drunk college girl that was totally lost. She was going to head back out the way she came in but the steps on this 2nd story deck were getting rickety and I told her she'd have to leave by going downstairs and out the front door. She made it down the steps and out the door incredibly fast. The next day I found her jacket on the gate of the dog pen, found her driver's license, and through a little detective work was able to find out that she worked at the college where she attended. I contacted her and brought her jacket to her at the school and she apologized profusely. The only question I had for her was "what happened to your pants"? She had no idea. I still enjoy sharing this story but she is lucky she came into my house instead of someone's house that may have had a firearm handy willing to shoot first. She was a young gal that made a stupid mistake that could have had worse results. I think we both learned something from this.

Something is making a difference as we all know what the gun sales numbers have been in recent years. Quick access storage options? Parenting? Education? Maybe a combination of all.

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Glenn
FAS1 SAFE

Anyone who is subject to a house break in,, Needs to stop the threat! Less Lethal? How about no,, You go ahead with that and see how that works for ya.. I got the dog, the alarm and plenty of stopping power available to anyone who breaks in.. Less lethal? In this situation> It is just plain stupidity.

Here in Hartford, VT I keep a Glock 17 loaded and ready under my pillow. Intruders beware!

This thread has pretty much been exhausted and it shows one home defense strategy does not fit everyone. I don't recommend what I do to everybody but here it is. With that in mind, here is my first rule.

1. Keep your guns away from children. This needs no further explanation. Nothing good can come from a child having ready access to a weapon.

2. Never in any situation shoot a family member or friend. You hear stories of somebody waking up in a haze and firing off a round that kills somebody with friendly fire. How do I prevent this?

I have no children at home. They are adults now and gone. I only have my wife with me. I have a commercial alarm installed in the house. If a door or window gets broken all hell breaks lose noise wise. The alarm gets set at night. The motions are partially set in areas we don't go into at night. If one of us forgets and triggers an alarm, we are to immediately turn on the house lights. Before getting a gun, the other checks to see first if we are still together before arming up.

Immediately after turning on the lights, whoever triggered the alarm immediately turns it off and deals with the security call.

Motion detectors are on the porch and the perimeter of the house is not tied to the alarm company. If a motion detector goes off, I have a Wilson shotgun with a light next to the bed. I also have an FN 45 tactical in a bedside holster equipped with a laser. I wake up and rack a round and grab the 45 snd gun belt. I know since the porch is fully screened that something is going on. The tones on the local detectors are different so I know which one is triggered. I simply go to that area of the house and take cover. I know where my wife is and where she was told to stay.

If the primary house alarm goes off, I also know where the intruders are going to enter. When they physically breach an entry, I will be prepared to engage them.

If I have any children visiting, the guns all get locked up. The pistol goes in a bedside safe and the kids don't even know I have a gun.

My adult children know that if some crisis arises and they need us, they need to get me on the phone before entering. Or, come up to the door with the lights on their car and honk until the outside lights go on. Then they need to use their clicker to turn off the alarm or walk into the floodlights until one of us goes out to tell them to come in.

Not a perfect system but we are out in the county and it can take 20 minutes or so for the sheriff to arrive after a call is made. Most serious intrusions by then will be over.
Hopefully, the intruder will hear the local alarm tone snd make a hasty exit without even physically forcing entry. Finally, there are no trespassing signs all over the property to make it clear intruders are very unwelcome.



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Years ago my grandmother woke up in the morning as usual but this time the drawers on her bed headboard were open and her flashlight that was in the drawer was now sitting on top the headboard. So obviously there had been someone there right next to her while she slept.
There was a man that had no dogs or pets to alert him of an intruder. His home was broken into at night and the man was beaten. His house was basically the only house on the street without a dog.
As far as having a loaded gun on a nightstand you better hope you wake up to grab the gun before an intruder does. It has been said that often people end up at the end of their own gun in the hands of the BG.
If you don't have a dog then take empty soda cans and stack them next to the entry doors. When the door is opened the empty cans will make a loud racket more than likely waking you up before the intruder gets to you sleeping in your bed.
Another idea is use door stops shoved under entry doors. The lock might be picked but the door will still be hard to open without a lot of force causing a lot of noise which should wake you up.
I have a loaded gun within reach of me 24 hours a day. I live alone so I can do that safely. You can have a safe full of guns but if you can't get to them in a moments notice then you just as well not have any guns. That's about like having an empty fire extinguisher in the house.
I understand having children n the house complicates things so if that's the case then you better have some plan of action to obtain a gun that is safely tucked away.

I took a 6" x 24" piece of sheet metal, bent the last couple inches in an L shape and mounted a paddle holster on it, using the screws that used to hold the paddle to the holster. It sets between the mattress and box spring and keeps the revolver in a readily accessible location, but out of sight under the bed cover.

I've certainly heard the concerns about having a gun within arm's reach. The partial basis for this is the connection between pressure on the soles of your feet and increased cognitive activity. I short, standing up increases brain function and wakes you up much more so than if you're just sitting or laying down, so standing up and taking a few steps to your gun gives you a better chance of fully waking and making potentially better decisions.

However, I don't think it's a specific concern unless you're someone with a habit of sleep walking, or have PTSD issues.


This raises an excellent point.

Handgun bullets sizable enough to be used for self defense go through residential walls pretty much like a hot knife through butter. Consequently, in the event of a break in during the night, the whole family needs to know where they are supposed to be to ensure they are out of sight and under cover as much as possible and not in the line of fire.

Having a plan is important, and you can refine the specific details based on your own families specific situation and some basic common sense, but you need to have a plan.

8 to 10 feet? wow, to me that's unsafe. in the event the intruder is standing over your bed you weapon is no where near you. You may not have time and distance

If the guy is watching people sleep I wouldn't want him spotting my gun on the night stand. It would go under my pillow.

Locked, Loaded, sitting on the nightstand in a kydex holster to keep the trigger covered.

In my opinion, a locked unloaded or hidden gun is a waste of time.

Disclaimer: I do not have children, I dont have night terrors, I have a dog. If I need to react I'm gonna need to react fast.

This happened TO ME. Back in the 1900s, mid 70s, at 3 AM my home was broken into by 3 20 some year olds. I held one for the police while the other 2 literally FLEW through a glass storm door. They were caught within 12 hours. I lived in town, in a neighborhood then. Today, we are behind good strong 5 1/2 foot fences with hardened gates. We are in the country and our salvation depends on US. So, while this may not work for you, it is what we have settled on. Our gates and fences are alarmed, driveway alarmed, house and all out buildings alarmed and with backup cellular alarms. Our shooting ranges after dark, as are all the grounds, a marked FREE FIRE ZONE. All entrances are marked thusly and in 14 years have NEVER had an intruder. As for bedside, on each side is a high cap Glock, on my side a Kalishnikov. We take our safety serious, with the history we have. I can say one thing..IF this happens to YOU..you will rethink a lot of your plans you have today. We do not depend on others for our safety at The Battery Oaks. It has been my experience that you are in it by yourself. All of this does NOT mean YOU should do any of this. It is our answer to this question. Good luck, prepare well, we have seen America at it's best.

to those who wonder about somebody getting into your house without you knowing...I have a friend who is a reformed criminal, who has broken into numerous homes with the occupants asleep and walked right out with whatever he wanted. He has stolen wallets off nightstands with people asleep in the bed.

and he was no cat burglar either.

We have two dogs as an early warning system, bolted doors and the wife and I both have .357's on our nightstands, have had for over 30 years. Loaded? Of course, I'm too old to throw it with enough force to do any good. Each to their own but I have never understood what good an unloaded gun would do.

I often sleep in bed wearing a holster. The G17 never falls out.

I cant believe some of the replies and reasoning here! Here's what I do. I have a loaded 45 with a round chambered ( Oh My) on the nightstand within easy reach. I have an alarm system( Simpli Safe) and 2 dogs.I My dogs are little guys but I only need their ears to alert me of a problem. I'll take it from there..

And just how "short" is your wife?

In a lockable drawer of my nightstand I keep a loaded revolver, .38 spl., and a 9mm pistol with full hi cap. mag but no round in the chamber. In an emergency the plan is to grab the revolver first, empty it then reach for the 9mm chamber it and carry on with it. If needed dash for the closet where shotguns and others are with the appropriate ammo next to each. We live in a clam rural area, but, who knows when trouble will rear it's ugly head.

I had a friend like that too. He worked hotel rooms in the 60s and 70s. He even had stories of going into hotel suites while people were watching TV in the other room wide awake. I don't know if he was best labeled a pyschopath or a sociopath, but the point to consider is that people like him don't think like us. They don't feel fear at danger. It only excites them and spurs them on. They are responding to compulsion on a level normal people don't understand. There was another career thief in my neighborhood years ago who broke into an apartment and killed the two people who were home. He then decided he was tired and went into the other room (it was must have been a small apartment) and took a nap. That's where he was caught and arrested. I thought I'd never see him again, but maybe 7 or 8 years later who do I see walking down the street? He's baaaaack! So, yes...there are people who can walk in to your house while you sleep, make themselves a sandwich, do evil things, and not think twice about it.

I have teenagers, so quick access safes are a necessity. We have 2 small yappy dogs that have ears like a sonarman. So far, the alarm has done a good job of keeping the teens from sneaking out, but I'm sure I could count on it as good outer defense. Our plan has the kids hitting the floor and staying low and quiet when the alarm is raised. That way, even with over penetration I won't hit them. The wife takes her firearm and goes to the back of the house where the kids are and I clear the house with my firearm that has a mounted light. Probably not perfect, but it's what we've practiced.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597