Sleeping with a J Frame

[Shooting Padre]

The idea of keeping it in a holster in or on the bed appeals to me. I too keep my carry gun on the nightstand next to my head, no children in the house. But I do think of an intruder finding it if I don't awake and using it on my wife and I. thanks for the tip. I have a good holster for that purpose.

 

[StuperDan]

I have 3 boys under 10. Here's what I did. I purchased a GunVault Mini for under $100 ( Mini Gun Safe | GunVault ) and I mounted it through the pre-drilled holes onto a 2x10, which I used to replace a few of the slats holding up the box spring on the bed frame.

The combo on the gunvault can be comprised of any number of and combination of the four finger button. for example your code could be to depress index, then index and pinky, then ring, or any other combinations you can think of.

The result is, if I need my gun in bed, without getting up, I can reach under, wiggle my fingers and be armed faster than if I hid it in the night stand.

The keys to open it manually are in the safety deposit box at the bank.

my gun is ALWAYS in that safe or in my pants, since my wife has promised to use it on me if she ever finds the gun at home and not in one of those 2 places.

 

[617X10]

House or apartment? If I owned a house, I'd get the previously mentioned alarm system and motion detectors for the outside floodlamps. Possibly a dog since I like them anyways. But if I lived in an apartment, I'd be strapped. Probably not while I was in bed, but I'd have at least something near enough to me that I could get it into action without need for much thought. I lived in a really crappy apartment complex the first few years I was in the Air Force, and got to witness the other side of life many times. A neighbor going to jail for assaulting his wife. Another for drugs. One of the guys in my unit lived in the same complex, and his apartment was adjacent to a "drug deal gone wrong"/assassination of 4 different people. Me and my roommate were pretty much extroverts who got to know everyone around us one way or another. We were also those crazy white guys who carried assault rifles and pistols off to parts unknown on the weekend. If you want to turn some heads, holding an AK in full view of everybody while your friend is holding a guitar case that you know isn't holding a guitar will surely do it. I fully believe that being friendly and also letting it be known that we could handle our business prevented most of the robbery attempts against us. One guy had to try it though. Some crackhead tried to go through my roommate's window while he was sleeping. A German bayonet scared him off. A few weeks later, he tried my window. I cycled the action on my rifle and when I lifted the blind he was running to the parking lot. We never had any problems after that. Nowadays I find that my adventurous spirit has had it's fill of the ghetto life. I learned some lessons during those few years though...cheap rent comes at a high price, and the best thing you can do to prevent problems in a place like that is to act like you belong there. Those who prey on other people can smell your fear. Don't be intimidated.

 

[redlevel]

I sleep with my Glock Perfection.

Aren't you afraid you'll catch something penicillin won't cure?

 

[Loco Weed]

I keep a SIG 220 under my unused pillow (I'm single, thank God). Right within reach with no problems. Naturally there is one in the pipe ready for the double action to fire if the need arises. I think it's a good choice for a bedtime gun. I also have a Ruger LCP in my pants pocket next to the bed. Also a pistol each in my two bathrobe pockets. I don't keep firearms in my dresser or nightstand drawers because that is the first place a thief will look.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I've slept with guns for years. I never found a pocket holster comfortable. It would tend to move and poke me in places that I'd rather not be poked. It's also not an easy draw from a position of laying down or being under covers/sheets and such.

Shoulder holsters, particularly horizontal ones, and ankle rigs are the most comfortable things that I've found to sleep with. These also eliminate the need to wear pants to bed.

An ankle rig like the ankle glove (I think that is the name) with an allow revolver on at night is a fairly easy draw under the covers. Just pull your legs up slightly.

A bit of padding on the side of a synthetic shoulder rig makes it a bit more comfy. I slept with an Interarms PPK in a Bianchi Tuxedo shoulder holster for a year or so. Hardly knew it was there. That was replaced later with a 4" HB 64 in an inexpensive Uncle Mikes horizontal rig at one point. Still pretty comfy, but the width of the cylinder on a revolver can make it a bit "pokier". Now a 1911... that's a joy since it is nice and flat.

You can also, with practice, leave an M4 carbine or other long arm next to you or even cuddle it if you want. Just don't leave a round in the chamber. I even managed to get to sleep just fine with an old M1 Garand a few times, though that takes some doing. (See "Full Metal Jacket" and watch how the recruits used to sleep with their M14s, you do need to basically take that position to sleep with an M1.)

Another option is to sleep with a large stuffed animal and attach a holster to it. Nothing is as cozy as a gun-bear. (This actually works, btw.)

I generally got into the habit of having a preference for autos and long arms kept condition three if I was sleeping with one on or near my person, even if holstered. Pump shotguns are very handy for this since the first reflex will be to chamber a round anyway.

 

[iLikeOldGunsIlikeNewGuns]

Another option is to sleep with a large stuffed animal and attach a holster to it. Nothing is as cozy as a gun-bear. (This actually works, btw.)

LOL

awesome

 

[feralmerril]

What was it mae west used to say? Ya might have your nights work cut out for ya!

 

[TommyW]

If you do your homework, you'll find that countless "accidental" shootings are a result of the so called "bedside gun". Too often, someone was awakened during the night thinking that a burglar was in the house, grabbed their trusty bedside gun, then shot their son or daughter.

At the very LEAST, keep the gun across the room. This way, you will give yourself a few seconds to "wake up", thus being able to identify your threat with a clear head.

I'm not saying that keeping a gun in your bedroom for safety is a bad idea, I'm just saying keep it in such a manner that will allow you to "wake up" before you pull the trigger.

 

[beach elvis]

If you feel the need to sleep with a loaded gun, the best option is moving to a better neighborhood.

Better to have it and not need it than...

I have a holster ziptied to the bedpost on my side of the bed with a cocked and locked 1911 riding in it. On the nightstand on my side is my Surefire Z3. My wife has her Ruger MKll and Surefire in the same fashion on her side. Round chambered and safety on. Within easy reach from the bed, I have an 870 HD and she has her Marlin Camp .45. Out here in the bush somebody could stay for days doing whatever they wanted. It's happened, not to me thankfully, but to others in a similar living scenario. If our guns are trained on an intruder, it means our German Shepherd and 4 black labs were incapacitated. We sleep very peacefully.

We have no kids but 7 grandkids, all currently too young to be able to manipulate a trigger let alone conceptualize snicking off a safety. When they get a bit older, there'll need to be some considerations made but for the moment...

Better to have it and not need it than...

 

[redlevel]

If you do your homework, you'll find that countless "accidental" shootings are a result of the so called "bedside gun". Too often, someone was awakened during the night thinking that a burglar was in the house, grabbed their trusty bedside gun, then shot their son or daughter.

At the very LEAST, keep the gun across the room. This way, you will give yourself a few seconds to "wake up", thus being able to identify your threat with a clear head.

I'm not saying that keeping a gun in your bedroom for safety is a bad idea, I'm just saying keep it in such a manner that will allow you to "wake up" before you pull the trigger.

Countless? I don't think so. I have heard of it happening a few times, but I don't believe "countless" would apply. Every time I have heard of it happening, I suspected that drugs or alcohol might have been involved.

If I need a gun in the middle of the night, I don't want to have to stumble across the room to get it.

 

[DeafSmith]

I pocket carry my 442 as much as I can. Anyone think that pocket carrying during the night would be OK? It would seem to offer a quicker response to a threat than opening up my gun safe. That's my only other option because I have a kid in the house. Any thoughts. Be kind.

Get sturdy doors, good locks, burglar alarm, and a Chihuahua or two and you will have plenty of time to access that roscoe.

I keep J Centennial in the bed ONLY when I'm travelling and end up in a motel (without my wife or the chihuahuas.)

 

[Big Cholla]

IMHO, a good place for a bedside gun is in a holder that hangs between the mattress and the box springs and is right at your natural arm dangle position. Commercial ones are available, but you can make two out of one old pair of large Levis. Go to Salvation Army or Goodwill and get the largest pair of Levis they have. Square cut the legs off at the crotch. Split the legs at the seam. Take the large end and fold it over about 8 inches and sew both sides to make a pouch. Put the flattened long portion between the mattress and the box springs to position the pouch at the spot that with only a slight effort you can reach. Put your handgun, an extra magazine/speed loader and a good flashlight in the pouch. I leave mine in place as the bed covers cover it all up very nicely. No one in our house has ever suspected that such a rig hangs on both side of our bed. My wife has a S&W Model 60, a SureFire light and a speed loader. I have a S&W Model 4006, a SureFire light, an extra magazine and my cell phone. The charger cord for the cell phone reaches easily from the wall convenience outlet. Her job is to hunker down and watch the bedroom window. My job is to watch the bedroom door and to call the situation into the local Police. There is no one else in our house. If I were to have to venture into the rest of the house I do so with a Rem 870 and a SureFire that lays on the floor under my side of the bed. I also have added a Peltor Tac 7 electronic headset laying on the floor. It is amazing how well one can hear with the volume turned all the way up. ........... Big Cholla

 

[feralmerril]

I just hang a "Do not disturb" sign.