Deadly force ?

[DougE]

I fail to see any logic in having a firearm on a nightstand with a trigger lock. Who are you trying to keep from using it? It's certainly not going to benefit you in the event you are the one that needs to use it. If someone breaks in and gets close enough to you to pick up the gun ...... lock or no lock, it's already too late. If the gun is unlocked they'll shoot you with it and if it's locked, they'll likely use it as a club and warm your head up with it.

 

[dacoontz]

Here in Utah just make sure if you shoot them that it is in the front and not the back. I always say that if someone breaks into my house and doesn't run away after he hears me chamber my 10 mm then he is probably going to get shot. No jury will ever convict someone for negligent manslaughter in those circumstances because most people will understand the feeling of being threatened if a trespasser is walking towards you in your own house. Especially after they have been given a chance to leave unharmed.

 

[zercool]

Dave...not everyone is going to take the CCDW course and eat live and breath the issues of hauling a gun around all the time...at least not me. I have been trained in gun safty and self defence in the army... I am good. When some jerk breaks in the house I'm not going to think to hard about it. I may yell out from the back room or put a round through the floor and stay put...I may try my luck at sneaking up on him. We will see how it feels at the time it is happening. But I will be armed and ready.

There's some good advice from posters before me, but your paragraph here gives me pause.

Yell out from the back room - ok, you've given warning, that's good.
Put a round through the floor? How do you know what you're going to hit?
Sneaking up? A prosecutor is going to have a field day with that one. "If you could sneak up on Mr. Jones, you obviously were not in fear for your life or grievous bodily harm - so why DID you shoot him?"

A lot of these things will be covered in a CCW class. They're not terribly expensive and they give you a good background to start from for your own research. And, as mentioned, taking the class doesn't mean you have to carry. (But I bet you'll choose to!)

 

[Gun-runner]

I fail to see any logic in having a firearm on a nightstand with a trigger lock. Who are you trying to keep from using it? It's certainly not going to benefit you in the event you are the one that needs to use it. If someone breaks in and gets close enough to you to pick up the gun ...... lock or no lock, it's already too late. If the gun is unlocked they'll shoot you with it and if it's locked, they'll likely use it as a club and warm your head up with it.

+1
It's you and your wife. If there are no kids involved you're fine. It would be like taking the gas out of your chainsaw because you were worried you or you wife would get hurt with it "sitting in ready mode". It makes no sense.

 

[7shooter]

I heard a MN prosecutor ( now a judge ) tell a carry permit class on the use of deadly force that deadly force is justified " If you are afraid you will not see your next birthday ". It's more complicated than that but there is a lot truth in his statement. I agree with all the other posters that taking a good carry permit course with an emphasis on the law would be very helpful. I sit through four classes a year taught by a criminal prosecutor and feel it is time well spent. Also, I agree with those who say it is a mistake to use the trigger lock as you do. Guns do not fire themselves but they also have to be ready to fire instantly when you really need it . Have your wife stand by the closed door to your bedroom while you are lying on the bed. On your signal have her open the door and run to touch you while you are trying to unlock your ( UNLOADED ) gun. She will win every time. Google "Tueller drill " for research on this topic.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

If you're really worried and want to sleep peacefully,

Australian Cattle Dogs, AKA Velcro Dog, sticks close to their family, can get very protective when they have to and capable of crippling 1500 pound Australian Outback cattle.

Believe us, if anyone is Stupid enough to break in, they'll give you plenty of warning and time to do what Needs to be done.

Plus, if you let them, they'll keep you warm at night in bed.

Make sure your property has a minimum of 6 foot fence or wall around it. Do not lean anything the dog can climb next to the wall. Yep, I saw my male looking at a ladder against the wall and I could tell what he was thinking..... They have cognative reasoning and will train you......

Just another layer in your defense

 

[windjammer]

I have an electronic pistol safe next to my bed. The door is spring loaded. A light comes on for a few seconds when the door opens. I have the safe because of neighbors kids....I know how kids are.

When I go to bed, I open the safe. When I get up I close it. I know many do not trust anything electronic. I've used it for years with no problems. Change the batteries when Daylight Savings time changes..works for me.

 

[dryrider]

I live in a two bedroom one bath rambler and we have a family room and washer and dryer in the basement. We sleep in the same room...who would be in the basement? Not anyone I would worry about hitting. Loaded guns laying around are not my style. I understand some of you are "really ready" and I am only half ready. The doors on the house lock from the inside...you can not unlock the house from the out side when we are in it. You would need to break glass or a door down...thats the time I'm counting on to be ready. I hear glass or something breaking and I am unlocking the trigger ready to rock. This is not for everyone but it works for me. Yes this will disappoint the die hard personal defense person. But I think my plan is personal and it works for me, not everyone has the same plan, some are better than others...I'm good here.

 

[BUCKAWHO]

Deadly?

If you are not comfortable with a loaded gun on your nightstand, then take the weapon to a range and practice, and practice, and practice with it until you ARE comfortable with it. Unfamiliarity with your gun is almost as dangerous as being unarmed, IMHO ! BT

 

[dryrider]

Hey Buckawho...I am very comfortable will my skill level. This is not about my skill level it's about leaving a loaded gun on the bed stand. I have a "expert marksmanship" from the army and went though gun safety as a kid. I just want to contemplate the safest way for me to have a gun in the house as ready as "I" am comfortable with...not your comfort level. I would love to see the statistics of how many loaded guns left unattended by accident, killed. I am looking at what that means to me personally and what level I want to risk that happening. That's a very smart thing for me to consider!

 

[TNDixieGirl]

Leaving a loaded gun unattended by accident is not a rational comparison to leaving one on the bedstand on purpose. How can a loaded gun kill anyone if the trigger isn't pulled?

If I understand correctly, it's just you and the wife in the home. If thats the case, unless you guys start playing with it like a toy, there's no way it could go off on it's own.

I'm definitely not following your logic on why it makes you uncomfortable, but I do agree that if it's outside your comfort zone, don't leave it there.

 

[dryrider]

I have an electronic pistol safe next to my bed. The door is spring loaded. A light comes on for a few seconds when the door opens. I have the safe because of neighbors kids....I know how kids are.

When I go to bed, I open the safe. When I get up I close it. I know many do not trust anything electronic. I've used it for years with no problems. Change the batteries when Daylight Savings time changes..works for me.

This sounds like a great idea...and I like it. I just have to think about my comfort level around that ...what if I forget...or get called away in the night and forget to close it. What if? Those kinds of things...is it worth it to me? Some nephew stops over and what... bang. I just want to make smart choices for myself.

 

[Dennis The B]

Dryrider, you show a certain amount of naivety when it comes to defending your home. Just being in the Army doesn't prepare you for home defense.

A handgun loaded, with a lock, or in a safe, is very little protection at all. At 3:00AM, you will not be roused from a sound sleep and be prepared to defend yourself or your wife. If someone has entered your home, and they can be almost noiseless, and no matter how you think, they can be on top of you before you know it. Any intruder who is closer than 21 feet will be on top of you before you can open a lock or a bedside safe.

Unattended guns do not go off by themselves. You, or your wife, have an inordinate fear of a loaded gun. You may as well have an unloaded gun, as to have one with a trigger lock, or put in a bedside safe.

Your marksmanship badge only means that you can hit a target at 75 meters-plus with an M16, or a Beretta M9 at about 10 meters. Hardly the measure of hitting a target in dim light, when you're scared, your heartbeat is running at 180bpm, and the adrenaline is flowing like water through your veins.

Firing warning rounds, as others have mentioned is not to be done. If you've had basic infantry training, you have undoubtedly learned not to give away your location needlessly. Warning rounds do that. And a warning shot will probably go through your water heater.

Perfect practice makes perfect. You can't leave the gun by the bedside and expect to protect yourself. The real world doesn't work that way.

 

[dryrider]

Gosh Dennis...I wish I was as smart as you. Protecting your home comes in all sizes. Not everyone that ownes a gun is going to be as ready as the next...I understand that! Does everyone on this forum have a loaded unlocked gun on the bed stand?

 

[WC145]

If you think that we're all leaving loaded guns sitting around unattended when there's a chance someone could find it, you're wrong and I think this is the flaw in your thinking. I have a loaded handgun on my nightstand every night, when I go to bed I carry it upstairs with me and put it on the nightstand with a flashlight. In the morning when I get up I take it downstairs with me, holster it and, if the kids are home, I put it in the kitchen cabinet, if they're not it goes on the kitchen counter. When I leave for work, if I'm not carrying that gun it gets put away in the safe for the day. BUT, I never leave a gun sitting by the bed all day long, it goes with me. Why can't you just take yours and put it away in the morning?

 

[dryrider]

Because I'm naive and lack training and discipline.

 

[CordWood]

Dryrider, you asked for information, gave a reason for the information, and then commented on the reasons in following posts. Then you get somewhat defensive and short with the posters.
This IS a gun board that the members cherishes their right to carry. In a backhand way you insulted the ones who do carry, keep a firearm handy at home, etc. While I appreciate your military service, a large number of these fellows served, most all of them opted for more firearm training.
I think you need to reread these posts and maybe consider some of the advice, most is good, and consider obtaining a carry permit. Just my opinion.
Butch

 

[WC145]

Because I'm naive and lack training and discipline.

Seriously. The lock is just going to get in your way, I don't care how much you practice. If your concern is the gun sitting out all day when your not around, put it out when you go to bed, put it away when you get up. Problem solved.

 

[Cyrano]

My loaded, unlocked gun isn't on the bedstand, it's in a holster that has an arm that goes between the mattress and box spring. I've used it about a year. It seems the perfect setup for a gun in the bedroom. The piece in question is a Colt Series 70 45, with one in the chamber and the safety on.

 

[Dennis The B]

Gosh Dennis...I wish I was as smart as you. Protecting your home comes in all sizes. Not everyone that ownes a gun is going to be as ready as the next...I understand that! Does everyone on this forum have a loaded unlocked gun on the bed stand?

Yes, I have a Colt Combat Commander in condition one, right beside the bed; along with a flashlight, telephone land line, and my cell phone. I also have loaded handguns in several other places, since I may not be in our bedroom if someone decides to break in. I also have a couple of Remington 870's, loaded with #4 buckshot.

Home defense is not just having a gun by the bedside. It's systemic thinking, a state of mind, and a way of life. No, I'm not paranoid. Just prepared.