Deadly force ?

Does everyone on this forum have a loaded unlocked gun on the bed stand?

No. I don't have a bedside table so I keep mine within reach on the bookcase headboard of my bed.:D
 
Does everyone on this forum have a loaded unlocked gun on the bed stand?

In the bed stand's drawer in my case. My holster comes off my belt when I go to bed and into the drawer. There's always a 642 loaded with +P HydraShoks within reach. It sits next to the Surefire light and the phone, and a couple speed strips of extra ammo.

When I first owned guns, I asked a lot of the same questions you are now, although most of my questions revolved around carrying my 1911 with an empty chamber. There were lots of polite replies suggesting I train and practice and get used to carrying cocked'n'locked, and a few more strident ones suggesting the same thing. It boiled down to confidence in myself and trust in my tools.

Now I carry either a DA revolver or a cocked'n'locked 1911.

You do what makes you feel good, but don't be offended when people first try to answer your questions politely, and then a bit more harshly when you get cranky with them.
 
Cordwood...I guess I reacted poorly when Dennis said "Dryrider, you show a certain amount of naivety when it comes to defending your home." I did not intend to insult the board...my apologies to those I offended!
 
You may not be comfortable carrying but since you have a military background I fail to see the issue there, besides do you really want to be caught in a defensive situation away from the home and think, oh man I wish I had my gun with me? If you have a gun for protection how can it protect if it isn't with you. I'm so comfortable with my carry gun I feel naked if I don't have it. When I sleep it stays in a bedside holster. No one can touch it but me. That's a lot safer than leaving it behind in more ways than one. The rest of my guns stay locked up until I go to the range.
 
My advice would be to take a CCW course. A real one taught by an LEO or very experienced instructor that offers range time. Forget the two hour deal at the local gun show. You don't have to get your permit if you don't want to but you will still increase your comfort level.

Do not, repeat, do not try to read the law in MN and profess to understand it because you won't. Let somebody with real world experience explain it to you in the class and answer any questions.

Were it me, I'd ask wifey to join me. She has a right to protect herself when you're not around. And two guns are better than one when you are around.

Bob
 
Dryrider-in addition to some very good advice others have given, you over rate the delay that your doors/windows will give you until an intruder is close enough to strike.

Depending upon house layout and where you happen to be at the time of entry, an intruder may be as close as 3 seconds to you. If you watched the Supreme Court proceedings on the DC weapons law, you saw/heard Chief Justice Roberts go through the procedure under DC law: hear noise, sit up in bed, turn on the lamp, get the reading glasses to see the lock.......... If the Supreme Court felt that requiring a defensive firearm to be locked up was unreasonable, that's a clue!

You do, however, have a point. A ready weapon must always, invariably be safely secured if it's out of your immediate control. This is why many carry the weapon within the home.
 
When I took the class a couple of years ago you could only defend yourself. If a guy picked up your tv and was walking out the door you had to let him go. I'd recommend taking the class even if you don't plan to carry. It will give you a whole different perspective on what might happen to you if you do shoot, even in self defense.
 
Huh? Some pretty crazy stuff posted here.

I can count at least seven guns located around my house (not talking about my safe here) and you damn well better believe they are unlocked and completely ready to be fired.

I would submit that someone that is uncomfortable with a loaded and ready to fire gun in their house will be in no position..mentally, to kill someone in that split second that you may have to decide.

Nothing wrong with that at all. Perhaps getting a guard dog or a good alarm system just might scare off the bad guys. Who knows?

Oh, and for those that are relying on a noise such as breaking glass, etc., to give you fair warning to open up your safe or lock box, good luck. You had better hope that the intruder is someone strung out on drugs or an amateur. But how do you know?
 
Worrying about a nephew playing with a loaded gun and shooting a bad guy in the face are to different things.
 
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