Thoughts on Ladysmith for bedstand gun?

[thunderhead]

So my wife and young kids and i recently moved into a house in a nice neighborhood we have been here 2 months and I haven't bothered to bring my guns over yet I only have my one revolver that I bought incase I ever get a CCW anyways 2 nights ago the neighbor was out of town and someone kicked in his back door and robbed his house. We live in a small town and this stuff rarely happens needless to say my wife and myself are a little paranoid.

Just curious about the thoughts of this 5 round .38 revolver as a nightstand weapon vs something like one of my others like my colt 1911 or my S&W MP40 I also have a larger 6in S&W .375


I understand the safety issues of a loaded weapon with kids in the house. It will be loaded when I go to bed and unloaded when I leave.

Been looking into getting one of them fireprints safes vs something else like a combination safe but honestly if you wake up with a bad guy in the house you might not have the time to open a safe.

 

[murphydog]

This topic is a common one. All the guns you mentioned will work fine and you have thought out the security issues already.

But how about other home issues - alarm system, lights, surveillance cameras, secure doors/windows/locks? If you do a good job with all those, the chances of having to use the gun probably decrease.

 

[Buford57]

An option to the load/unload routine is to secure the gun in a safe in or by the nightstand when the kids are up and about and unlocking it before you retire.

As murphydog noted, the gun is a last resort and any of the handguns you mentioned should be adequate unless you have reason to expect the local chapter of the Hell's Angels have a contract out on you.

A 642 is my EDC. When it is on the nightstand I don't bother unlocking the safe in the nightstand that holds a .45.

 

[Semper Praesidio]

Ok, first off this statement is a completely foreign concept to me....

So my wife and young kids and i recently moved into a house in a nice neighborhood we have been here 2 months and I haven't bothered to bring my guns over yet

When we moved a few months ago, the GunVault got set up well before almost everything in the house. You must have a lot more guns than I do.

I would agree that all the options mentioned are good options.

Semper Praesidio - "Always On Guard"

 

[rwsmith]

With kids around.....

I would definitely have one of the quick open cases by or under my bed. I won't keep guns anywhere a kid could get at them and that means just about everywhere.

PS: Any of those guns will work.

Kids = consider over penetration in your ammo choice

 

[Mister X]

I often use a 642 as my 24/7 go to gun, but at home I like one of my Glocks to be not that far out of reach with at least one usually kept in condition 3. Still, odds are in favor that a 5 round snub is enough and if that's all I owned, I wouldn't really feel under armed unless I lived in a really bad neighborhood, which I don't, and if I did, I would move.

 

[MattO]

Ok, first off this statement is a completely foreign concept to me....



When we moved a few months ago, the GunVault got set up well before almost everything in the house. You must have a lot more guns than I do.

I would agree that all the options mentioned are good options.

Semper Praesidio - "Always On Guard"

Me as well. I always have at least one carry gun with me. And if I moved, the first thing to a new house/neighborhood would be my family, then my guns.

 

[CTI1USNRET]

A house gun doesn't need to be small, light, and concealable like a 5-shot 38 Spl.

You can go full size, heavy, controllable, double stack, gazillion-shot semi-auto. There's no reason not to.

 

[Maddog 521]

If their kicking in doors I would consider a shotgun. Real close and safe form the kids with a family plan in case they start on your doors.

 

[hangnoose]

THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN GONE OVER MANY TIMES BEFORE.

But is still a worthy subject. Kids in the house and a neighbors house broken into, are some serious issues IMO and wouldn't rank your new home as being in an idyllic location. Yes it can happen anywhere. I believe home security should be an overlapping layer of systems/practices that are known to all & well rehearsed and it starts WAY before reaching for a gun. Go back & read a few of the many threads on this same topic, lot's of good advice. I don't want to write a novel so in a nutshell: make your home a less desirable looking target, don't advertise you have guns/items/drugs/cash/jewelry a thief would want, try not to pattern yourself coming & going as able. Nothing is 100% foolproof, the largest safe is of little use if a gun is held to a family members head. Insure your material items, they can be replaced, safety comes first, let them take it, if it comes to a choice over your tv or risking a shot in your home & legal fees later. Security systems have come a long way from simple motion detectors and flood lights. Different types of chimes when someone enters your driveway, property, home = different security levels. Don't believe that a kid can't find a gun you hide! Even a simple inexpensive gun locker put in a good spot (hard to get it out of) with say shelves all around it & bolted to both wall & floors will buy time, if not be impenetrable.
Are your guns safe where they are now? I had a couple stolen from where I used to live, while moving elsewhere. A lot can be done for little cost like trimming trees/bushes so nosey neighbors can see who is coming/going from your house, they can be a good thing. MUCH to consider, good luck. To get back to the original topic of the Ladysmith, a fine gun if that is what you like and I believe S&W really lost quite a lot of potential male buyers with that name.