Last night was a false alarm, but I'm not now going to sell my .40 M&P, which was my bedside gun.

I've had a full-size M&P in my nightstand for a year or so. It's got nice bright night sights, a rail (with a flashlight attached) and the previous owner had a full Apex kit installed. It's a real good gun, perfect for when aroused suddenly from sleep.

But I was thinking of selling it (my only striker-fired firearm) and replacing it with a 4566TSW that's in the safe. Thought about using the money for something Colt revolverish as a range toy.

But last night, after our motion-activated lights went on around 2:45 am, I reached into the drawer, picked out the .40, and went to cautiously look to see what was happening.

Nothing. The motion light over the front door never came on, the other lights went dim, and there was nothing stirring. Must have been a smallish animal that set them off.

But then at 3:15ish they went on again. So back into the drawer, another cautious look around, and the little critter (a bunny, bobcat [have one in the neighborhood], or restless raccoon ?) must have been going "home" from a half-hour earlier.

And as I was waiting and watching to see if anything was moving, I realized just how "perfect" that M&P was: striker-fired for an easier first shot than my DA/SAs; nice bright night sights, a flashlight attached if I want it, plenty of bullets (extra mag is very handy if I need it), plenty of firepower, and it feels good in my hand. And yes, the 4566 is almost as good, but I'd need new sights and I think the advantage of a striker-fired gun, at 3 am, makes it a better choice if you're suddenly rousted out of bed.

My primary carry guns are DA/SA (Beretta PX4 40 compact; 4013TSW and 4513TSW), but for some reason I have more confidence in them during daylight, when I'm awake and alert.

There's no real point to this little tale, except to say that it sure makes me feel a whole bunch more secure knowing that if something untoward had happened, I would have been at least modestly prepared.

There is definitely something to be said about comfort in s self/home defense weapon. I have a number of them and I've outfitted them all with the accessories that make me feel comfortable in such a situation as you've described. You've got practically the same additions that I have on all my handguns (night sights, weapon light, and trigger upgrade). I think you've made a wise choice in keeping the pistol.

My carry guns are mostly lightweight NON-Gov't sized 1911s.
My home defense guns include two full-size M&P40s.

For what 'used' .40 cal. M&Ps generally sell for...
I would just keep it,
as it is well suited for a simple utilitarian (but important) purpose.

My bedside 9mm is a Cx4, 30 round magazine.

My bedside gun is an S&W Sigma 9mm, with an Apex spring kit and a rail mounted light. It's easy to shoot well, and the grip frame angle is the same as the 1911, making it one of the best naturally pointing guns around.

My bedside gun is a SW 4006TSW (CHP) fitted with a TRL7 light. My tactical 12 gauge pump with a l light on it is easily picked up on my way out of the bedroom should I think I need it. I only own 2 striker fired poly guns. I could see one of them being used to replace the 4006 but it would need upgrades.

__________________
John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

My Bedside Gun is my Hk USP Compact 40 S&W
I LIKE that the trigger is DA/SA & keep a good flashlight right next to it
This pistol has a safety too, There are no "children" around my house..
Well there is but they are 29 & 38 years old..
My youngest works 3rd shift & should be rolling in any time as the sun comes up.. It's 6:30am now..

Attached Images

HK USPc40ss I.jpg (85.9 KB, 137 views)

__________________
MightShowYouHisSmith&Wesson

I wouldnt be selling any weapon at this time.

you guys are making me feel like a piker with a measly model 60 in the nightstand....and with all due respect to Univibe, if I felt the need for a 30 rd mag in my nightstand, I'd be looking to move to a new neighborhood.

But you have got me thinking about a laser sight....

__________________
Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I’m the other way around. For roused from sleep and grabbing a gun I don’t want a striker with a light trigger. My bed side gun is a 5906 with a flashlight next to it. I have an M&P 2.0 Compact but it’s a range gun and maybe a carry gun if the situation calls for it.

If I got up every time my motion lights went on I’d never sleep. I have the Ring doorbell and floodlight cam. I review it every morning. Looks like the set of Bambi out there.

That was a good read . I keep a Glock with night sights close at night , also a old Rem 870 18 in 12 ga .

Redcoat I'm glad all is well around your homestead.

My home stuff usually is just whatever I was carrying that day. The last few days it has been my Beretta 96G Brigadier Elite II. Prior to that it was my 92FS Centurion. Before that, my HK USP Compact and before that it was my S&W WVSP contact 4566TSW. Tomorrow it'll probably be my GLOCK 17 Gen 4. I wear guns like my wife wears purses.

Even the long guns rotate. Right now the FN SLP is doing home duty. Previously it was a MSAR E4 AUG. Maybe for Turkey Day I'll mix it up and use my .50.Cal Hawken BP rifle and .44 Cal Colt 1851.

That was a good story.

Glad it was really nothing, but I'd keep the gun too.

Mine is a Shield .40 with night sights a flashlight right next to it.

Because that's pretty much all I have right now except a single shot .22.

Beats a stick IMO.

12 GA Remington 870 for me.

I prefer not to automatically carry a flashlight, aka target for BG to shoot at. My remote has two buttons and with that I can light up the entire exterior of my property (~3-5,000w). That way the BG has no clue where the homeowner is, other than inside looking out.

That being said, I do not want to make a mistake when protecting my castle. I have 24/7/365 Security cams on every entrance to every building, plus the open areas. In other words, the LPD will have everything they need to convict either party if/when needed. Be careful out there and think way ahead of what could go wrong...

And yes, I have a striker fired pistol as my go to.

Striker fired here too, though not an M&P.

__________________
Sure you did

I was trained to NEVER use a light period, it a super easy target for evil people to shoot at, IR ok, not a visible light. As to the remarks above about the Mdl 60.... I carried a Mdl 36 for 20 years and NEVER was out gunned.

My bedside protector was a service revolver, Model 10 snub square butt w/a grip adapter. In the drawer are four speed loaders & a flashlight. I realize the limitations of a six shot revolver but I shoot this gun better than anything else I own, it’s the only weapon I ever shot a perfect qual score with during my career AND my wife knows how to handle it (serious RA means she can’t handle an auto loader).

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

no striker for bump in the night for me.. DA/SA or DAO..
my bedside companions are SIG P226 & P250

Well, FWIW, my "nightstand" gun is my daily carry in the little safe bolted into the headboard shelf of my bed (I keep the door to it unlocked at night).

I keep an extra mag and a bright little flashlight in there right next to it.

I like the K.I.S.S. principle and the familiarity of using the same gun for groggy, middle of the night scenarios that I carry every day when I'm wide awake appeals to me.

__________________
Send lawyers, guns & money...

I keep a .357 on my bedside "table" with a light next to it. I like a DA trigger if I'm suddenly awakened. The Mossberg 500 is in a nearby corner leaning against the wall.

My bedside gun is a 3" Model 65, loaded with 125-gr. SJHP .38+P, and with two additional speedloaders just in case. My Surefire Defender flashlight is right next to it.

While this is a very personal decision, and I respect everyone's choices, I would never feel comfortable with a striker-fired pistol as a bedside gun.

I agree with those here who express a preference for a DA trigger for a bedside gun. I keep my 629 (loaded with .44 Special) next to my bed and the hammer is down, so it takes quite a bit of deliberate effort to get the first shot off or to pull it back for a SA shot. If I have to grab it at night from a dead sleep I want my head to clear fully before I have a light trigger.

My 4046TSW is a former Brinks gun and is DAO. I can see the company's logic for that choice as they want the extra deliberate effort to get a shot off as a buffer against accidental discharges. I'm not saying that I'm any better or worse than your average Brinks security guard; I'm just saying that all bets are off for the first few moments after I'm roused from a deep sleep.

Live in a mountain resort community with little to zero crime, so a 64 with +P SWHP's suffices for the nightstand, couple of speedloaders next to it. Wife's nightstand has a 3" .38 she is quite accurate with, loaded the same.
More importantly, we have an alert mutt with hyper hearing that turns on the air raid siren at the least suspicious sound.

I found the footage of the OP last night

I don’t shoot at movement in the brush when out deer hunting, or shoot at something in the dark knowing not what it is.

My cameras will alert me when there is movement outside with enough time to dial 911 and take cover in my bedroom.

I will not go looking for trouble, especially in the dark.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire.

My DAO striker P365 will suffice as it does always.

__________________
Sure you did

The M&P40 makes for an excellent bedside home defense firearm. Quick to deploy and with plenty of firepower.

The firearms that I actually keep right at my bedside are my Taurus Judge Magnum and a Mossberg 590 Shockwave, because nothing stops a fight faster than a dose of Buckshot.

__________________
Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Glad it was nothing.

For "bump in the night", mine is a DA/SA (SIG SP2022 and Beretta M9A1). Daytime mayhem will be my 320C and M&P CORE (both have red dots). All have "freedom week" mags loaded with 124g HSTs (all 9mm).

Lately have gone to Beretta 92 in the night stand. Have two Ram-Line 18 round magazines for it. Carried one on active duty for a while. If 36 rounds don't get the job done, maybe they will wake the Deputy that lives next door.

__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The striker fire isn’t for me. I prefer a Sig P226 9mm da/sa, short reset trigger, night sights, and a Streamlight tlr-2 HL light/laser for home use.

Just a couple observations:

I hate motion lights. Many false triggers. LED is cheap enough to be always on and I switched to that.
EDIT: $27 and 14 watts. Even turns itself on/off. When I was a kid we turned on 75-90 watt bulbs in every room, and you had to keep replacing bulbs. No wonder my Dad yelled!

Selling a gun right now...
Actually a perfect time to sell. Others need the guns and prices are high. Sure, don't sell your best/last gun, but plenty around here have many guns they don't need/like/use. Great time to sell!

Lights...
I like "always on" as mentioned above, but you need a gun light too. Turn it on at the end before firing. You need to know what you're shooting! But don't get tracked by the light.

Finally, these are all opinions. Feel free to form your own.

M&P 9 CORE with Trijicon for me. Striker all the way.

Not tellin what lies behind the brown locked door.

But it will be LOUD!!! VEWY VEWY LOUD!!!

Just won a bid on GB for a Kahr K9. I like the heft of an all steel pistol and like the stiffer pull of a DA trigger. The Kahr has a trigger akin to a fine S&W revolver. Some say finer. I do like the idea of the .40 S&W caliber but it is somewhat cost prohibitive in comparison to the 9mm. Or at least it was prior to the Covid Crazy.

__________________
otis

My home pistol and IWB is an SW M&P Shield .40, with night sights, and a laser sight.

I had a Kahr K9. Very nice gun. Shouldn’t have sold it. Nice smooth trigger. I just got a 3953 that is roughly the same size as the Kahr. Won’t be letting this one go.

Excellent thread!

We all have our preferences. My bedside companion is a 3" Model 686+ with an Ithaca Model 37 12 gauge in the closet if I have to get to to that. The revolver gives me the comfort that I need to fight to my long gun. I'm not interested in safety triggers or pistols that I have to think about although I readily admit that (1) I am really good with pistols and (2) I have a few scattered about the homestead, hidden but ready to serve.

I'm just always a wheelgun first kind of a guy. 7 rounds of high end/quality .38 Special does it for me. (No .357 Magnums in my urban neighborhood; too risky for over penetration.) YMMV

__________________
Come and take it!!

My bedside friend(s) are:
A S&W 9mmEZ with Federal HST 124gr jhp, and extra magazine.
A OLIGHT-M20 Warrior 320 luman flashlight (range 306 yards) with center focused light beam and front and rear striking bezels.
A Boker (Magnum) fighting knife (my backup)with a 6-1/4” blade - 1/8” thick full shank (you could shave with). I just like knives !
Have had many hours of CQC training with pistols & knives.
I sleep very well at night and above items give me 24hr/365day protection.

Be SAFE and Shoot Often !

Attached Images

20D86834-060F-4259-83C9-EEF879ECE03A.jpg (30.1 KB, 71 views)

Don't bring a knife to a gunfight..................I too, have been trained to fight with knives. Won't do it, just won't do it. Always thought an e-tool or a machete would be better if needed. But as long as there is a gun of some sorts available that is what I will use.

__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

all windows and doors have [major security company] security sensors. outside lights on at all times. plenty of firepower bedside and light on in several strategic rooms at all times. my weapon of choice has a TLR 4G light/laser. and i do keep a set of high quality electronic ear phones next to weapon. this area is not crime free, but most people would describe it as safe.

I keep a Glock 19 at my bedside in a fingerprint swipe safe with one in the chamber. My head has to clear enough to sit up and swipe it. It has a tactical light mounted to it, and a red dot sight. It's the one gun I own that has never failed to go bang when I pull the trigger, and has never jammed. If the 15 rounds isn't enough, there are two more mags right next to it. If I can't hit anything vital with 45 rounds, at least there's a chance the perp could die of lead poisoning.

__________________
What could possibly go wrong?

Night stand gun fire me is my 627 8 shot. I too won't do a Striker fired pistol for a"bump "in the night gun.

Y'all that are using small semis, or revolvers, might think again.

Sure, those few rounds will take care of most situations. But what about multiple home invaders? What about a drive-by out in the street? These things can and do happen.

I'd consider as a minimum, my M&P9. 18 rounds in a handgun.

But as noted above, my bedroom gun is my Beretta Cx4 with a 30 round magazine. And two more twenties in a DeSantis butt pouch.

When your revolver goes "click," I have 24 more rounds to go.

There's always someone to play the "one upsmanship " game and down the choices of others. Congratulations, you're the ultimate warrior. You win.

This is within easy reach. First two are 00 buck, then three slugs. If they come in the house, I intend to shoot them so they stay shot.

Attached Images

iac-982-shotgun1-1.jpg (14.2 KB, 48 views)

I own more Ruger firearms than any other brand. I own 3 LE trade in FS M&P 40's 1.0. One of those, or an SP-101, or a SD9, are on my bedside table.
Man, you're crazy if you get rid of your M&P. I actually like my 1.0's more than my 2.0's.

__________________
How many guns are too many?

In my night stand is a Ruger 1911 commander size with 2 mags, and a Streamlight laser / flashlight attachment.

AJ: I totally agree with your statement, but we are talking about bedside guns. My bedside gun is in a drawer about 3 feet from my bed. It is, for me, a safety issue so I can’t grab the gun if I’m half asleep. The knife and the flashlight are within easy reach in case I can’t get to my pistol.

Be SAFE and Shoot Often !

Many thanks to all who shared their perspectives on that time when something goes "bump" in the night. I guess I have sort of evolved in terms of bedside protection. I started with a Model 10-5 when that was all I had, worked into a Sig P6, then into a 226. Replaced that with a Beretta 96 (when I finally broke down and bought a .40) and then when someone asked to trade the Beretta for a Smith 625 (that had been professionally tuned for competition, man, is that gun slick) I did it in an heartbeat and put the M&P in the bedside safe (it gets locked when the grandkiddies come visit).

I do have some firepower in my desk drawer but haven't reached the point where I keep one in the head.

Y'all have given me a bit to think about with striker-fired versus something in .357, but for now I think I'll stick with the M&P. Again, much appreciate all the advice and comments.

Stay safe.