Bed side gun

[krav51]

Curious what you guys are using for your primary home defense pistol. And has that evolved as the threat has evolved ? In the Philly area we are seeing more and more home invasions with multiple bad guys. Given time and the right circumstance I would prefer to grab my Tavor but i don't feel under armed with this set up.

[Beat Trash]

For the few years, my bedside pistol is a stock Glock 45 9mm with Ameriglo nightsights. I keep a white light on the gun. The weapon light was a Streamlight TLR-7A, but that got pulled for another project. It’s currently my old Surefire X300U.

I use the standard 17 rd magazine. I keep the chamber empty on my bedside gun. I prefer to take the extra couple of seconds to full wake up while grabbing this pistol. The empty chamber for my bed side gun is a carryover from when my kids were little. They’re long since grown and gone, but old habits die hard.

I also keep a hand held light next to the pistol.

I currently live in a nicer apartment that’s more like an Air B&B. Low threat environment. If/when I move and the perceived threat is a bit higher then a long gun would get added to what’s available bedside.

[CraigS]

Beretta 92 w/ Crimson Trace laser grips, 20 rnd mags, and after doing two idpa night matches w/ a weapon mounted light, the bedroom guns (one for each of us) both got lights.

[WobblyPossum]

My bedside handgun is just my carry/duty gun: G19.5 MOS with RMR and TLR-7A in the same JMCK holster I carry it in. I just swap the flush fitting 15 round mag for a 24 round mag. When the gun is on bedside duty, I dim the brightness of the RMR by one or two clicks since the sun has either set or is close to setting and even with lights on inside the house the dot is clearly visible at setting 5 of 8.

Quite often, there’s also a Beretta 1301 next to the bed as well. It’s loaded with 4 rounds of buck in the tube with 1 on the lifter and a sidesaddle containing 6 more rounds of buck. It’s got a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted while I figure out a better WML option.

[claymore504]

Mine has evolved over the years. For right now it is an Elite LTT 92 with TLR-1HL at bedside. My wife has an M&P M2.0 9mm. Then in the safe I have a CZ Scorpion staged.

[blues]

For the few years, my bedside pistol is a stock Glock 45 9mm with Ameriglo nightsights. I keep a white light on the gun. The weapon light was a Streamlight TLR-7A, but that got pulled for another project. It’s currently my old Surefire X300U.

I use the standard 17 rd magazine. I keep the chamber empty on my bedside gun. I prefer to take the extra couple of seconds to full wake up while grabbing this pistol. The empty chamber for my bed side gun is a carryover from when my kids were little. They’re long since grown and gone, but old habits die hard.

I also keep a hand held light next to the pistol.

I currently live in a nicer apartment that’s more like an Air B&B. Low threat environment. If/when I move and the perceived threat is a bit higher then a long gun would get added to what’s available bedside.

Almost exactly the same. G17, (chambered round), with Triicon HD and Streamlight. (In a rig that covers the trigger, but which it slips out of easily.) Handheld light alongside.

Long guns remain locked up, but in ready condition.

[LockedBreech]

17 Gen 5 MOS. While usually I've used it with a TLR-1HL, in the last year or so I've come to appreciate the value of a flashlight independent of the gun so lately I have it with no attachments and a Surefire 6PX Tactical next to it. Prior 3-4 year was 17 Gen 4. Been using 147-grain standard pressure HST for about 6 years now. I do keep it chambered but it's in a leather thumb-snap holster to prevent any sleepy fumbling accidents.

I've got my Daniel Defense AR and Mossberg 590A1 if I have some decent amount of forewarning, but the 17 is what I shoot most and best so that's the default low-warning pistol. My old nightstand 17 Gen 4 is my office pistol now, again for that familiarity.

I will probably eventually put a Holosun 508/509 or Trijicon RMR on the Gen 5 MOS.

[Noah]

Lately, just my carry gun (PX4CC with the stock Ameriglos or PX4 full size with adjustable fiber optic) and my Streanlight handheld. That's right on the nightstand, with an AR in a bedroom safe across the room. I shoot pistol far more often than rifle.

[Sig_Fiend]

VP9 OR w/ ACRO P-1, Aimpoint plate (because steel), 20rd mag (plus several spares), and a TLR-1 HL. I'm working on my P30 at the moment, and since they use the same mags, the VP9 works for now. Not really a fan of the TLR-1 switchology though, so probably switching back to a u-boat. Also have an 11-87 (1301 for the poors) nearby with Hornady 00 (#86240). Also a set of Peltor Tactical Sport electronic muffs nearby if there's time and opportunity.

97250

[gato naranja]

Beretta 92X RDO Full Size FR/TLR-1HL combo.

A photo of Mas Ayoob's 92 with the weapon light and extended barrel actually planted the seed a long time ago.

[Noah]

VP9 OR w/ ACRO P-1, Aimpoint plate (because steel), 20rd mag (plus several spares), and a TLR-1 HL. I'm working on my P30 at the moment, and since they use the same mags, the VP9 works for now. Not really a fan of the TLR-1 switchology though, so probably switching back to a u-boat. Also have an 11-87 (1301 for the poors) nearby with Hornady 00 (#86240). Also a set of Peltor Tactical Sport electronic muffs nearby if there's time and opportunity.

97250

Yep I have Peltors in the safe with the AR. I have the pistol on the nightstand to just grab and for general bumps in the night but if I have time I grabbing electronic ear pro and the rifle.

[BWT]

Glock 34 Gen 5, Surefire X300U, and Aimpoint ACRO P2.

ETA: Just curious - what is that thumb device you have there to the right of the slide stop?

Is that a thumb safety?

[GJM]

My "bedside" gun is the same one I carry all day, and is in the holster next to the pants I took off and left on the floor next to the bed. If I wanted something bigger, it would have a 12 on its side, or a mag of 5.56 in it.

[BWT]

My "bedside" gun is the same one I carry all day, and is in the holster next to the pants I took off and left on the floor next to the bed. If I wanted something bigger, it would have a 12 on its side, or a mag of 5.56 in it.

This is the same for me. It goes out of a holster into a bedside safe. Comes out of the safe, goes into the holster, rinse, repeat, etc.

Batteries on everything are replaced at 90 day intervals.

[krav51]

Glock 34 Gen 5, Surefire X300U, and Aimpoint ACRO P2.

ETA: Just curious - what is that thumb device you have there to the right of the slide stop?

Is that a thumb safety?

Yes,it's a Cominolli manual safety. Im a fan of safety's on guns i might have to grab in the middle of the night....in the dark:)

[1Rangemaster]

Usually what I’ve been carrying that day: a 19MOS with ACRO and TLR8G mounted, standard 15 round mag. Not traveling as much these years, but if I’m in a rented room, I usually clear the chamber but have full mag inserted. If I were to dedicate a gun to the bedroom, it would probably be a G19 or G45 with an optic and a high lumen light(2 batteries, laser if available=TLR2). I like the idea of the larger mag, and a immediate release safe.
During the summer of mostly peaceful protests, a Colt 6920 with a dot and light was in the corner, chamber empty, 28 rounds in mag. But a pistol, loaded, was at hand.

[Mercworx]

Mine is an HK P30 V1 (LEM) with 124gr Golden Saber


Picked a P30 up after learning a little bit on here. I live in a very low crime area and feel comfortable with this set up. I do not have a weapon mounted light and instead have a Fenix PD35 on the nightstand as well.

[LukeNCMX]

Beretta 1301 Tactical with a light and 00 buck

[JonInWA]

While I generally use what I'm carrying at the time (and this year's concentration is on my Ruger P89 and Glock G19 with Leupold's DeltaPoint Micro), my recommendation to most is to use not only what you're comfortable and competent with, but with what works with you before you're at full alertness. Accordingly, I'm more inclined towards a DA/SA, double action revolver, DAO or LEM than SFA.

Combinations that I have are my Beretta 92D with Trijicon night sights (green front, yellow tritiums rear), HK P30L LEM with Meprolight green/green tritiums, Ruger Security Six and a cocked-and-locked 1911.

I always have a tactical flashlight independent of the gun on the nightstand, and a tanker-style holster, giving me a holster to easily don and secure the pistol with jammies. A stable and easily donned set of sandals is on the floor, and cell phone nearby so I can access quickly. Keys are also nearby, if needed to pass to responders.

I also have a second gun handy to pass to my wife if necessary-one that is simple to operate.

Best, Jon

[Ichiban]

The two German shepherds sleeping in the bedroom have some influence on what I have on the night stand.

I usually have my EDC (a 1911 of some flavor) on the night stand along with a handheld light.
There is an AR in the safe with an empty chamber but a magazine inserted.

[luckyman]

My nightstand gun forever has been a Glock 17 with a red dot, standard mag, and a light.

However now that I’m mainly carrying and practicing with a 365xl instead of a Glock I’m finding I’m having problems sometimes throwing the first shot or two due to the difference in grip angle whenever I switch from whatever I practiced last, to the alternate. So I put the Glock back in the main safe, and am now just switching to the 17 round macro mag on my xl, and for now am going without a light.

I actually got a jmck light bearing aiwb holster to try out having a light all the time and it’s not bad; but inertia, the desire to keep things simple, and a tiny bit more comfort have kept me without the light so far.

[Stephanie B]

S&W M65, 3" with CT grips.

[Robinson]

Springfield Operator 45 with a TLR-1 HL mounted. A hand-held light sits next to it, along with electronic muffs.

[breakingtime91]

Glock 19 with a tlr7a and 509t. This is my carry gun if I don't need a smaller footprint (g26). Bcm 16 inch is near by in a quick access safe

[willie]

Hk P-30L V1 lem, loaded chamber, attached Streamlight. Hand held light next to it. Behind door is a Stoeger 3000 12ga stoked with Federal buckshot. Chamber empty.

[mcgivro]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

[Utm]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

So you don't want a way to pid a threat? A handheld light could "give away" your position as well. That's not a very good argument

[RevolverRob]

Kimber TLE/RL II - Streamlight TLR1, 10-round mag stuffed in it.

Remington 870 loaded with buckshot, a sling is attached along with a Cloud Defensive OWL.

Hand held lights on each nightstand.

[TheNewbie]

Kimber TLE/RL II - Streamlight TLR1, 10-round mag stuffed in it.

Remington 870 loaded with buckshot, a sling is attached along with a Cloud Defensive OWL.

Hand held lights on each nightstand.


Has your Kimber been pretty reliable? What kind of round count do you have on it?

There is something I like about the TLE guns, but I keep thinking "Kimber, don't do it". Would love to be wrong.

[Wonder9]

G45
TLR1HL
17 mag of 147gr HST
Ameriglo Protectors

[Hemiram]

SAR Combat Master Gen 2 with a center mass laser on it. Yeah, it's the cheapest full sized 9mm I own, but like all my other SAR guns, it's been pretty much flawless, accurate and has had no misfires whatsoever. Besides, it has one of the great grips of all time, IMHO. I have a truly blindingly bright flashlight held under my bedside table with a magnet on it, right next to the CM9. I took a hunk of steel from some box of junk I had and expoxied it to the flashlight, so the gun magnet can hold it up and I know it's not going anywhere. I have the CM9 loaded with a frangible self defense ammo, I can't remember what brand it was, it's 6am, and I've been sleeping badly lately.

[krav51]

So you don't want a way to pid a threat? A handheld light could "give away" your position as well. That's not a very good argument

there's always one combat genius . "A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead." It's stupid comments like this that really make me not want to even engage with the " gun community" Luckily they are the exception not the rule here.

[TheNewbie]

krav51

Who installed your safety, or did you do it yourself?

[Kirk]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

I think you’ll find it best to listen to the SMEs here and post opinions like this less.

[krav51]

krav51

Who installed your safety, or did you do it yourself?

https://tenring.com/

Great work ,just inquire about parts availability. The supply of the safety components is erratic at times.

[trajiiic]

Beretta APX A1 w/ TLR-1 HL and 507c has finally replaced the Beretta 92A1 w/ TLR-1 HL. 147gr HST in 17rnd mags for both.

I also have a 1301 shotgun if I want to redecorate.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

A Glock 9mm with night sights, nearby Surefire, back up revolver in the same case. A Glock knife, in case attacked by Amazon packaging (major use).

The specific Glock - depends. NO reason for varying them. Thinking about the SRO equipped 17, haven't decided. Long guns available but not immediately. Have to go get them from the locked den of iniquity. Carbine and shotgun. The latter in case the local black bears decide to make the 8 mile hike and for whatever reason decide to rumble (yes, this is ridiculous).

[Totem Polar]

Whatever I’m taking to the range. Right now, I’m in a revolver phase for the weekly USPSA fun shoot, so it’s just a bare-bones DAO 64 K-frame, with 6 rounds of 135 GDHP +P and two extra speedloaders full of the same. I’d get kilt in da streetz for sure, if I was out in them.

Handheld lights, surefire with Malkoff heads—one with a NHshooter lanyard. There’s a phone and some hole-patching kit laying around the room too.

Oh, and a tomahawk. I almost forgot about that… gotta have one of those at hand.

:)

[1More]

Interesting thread.
226 Legion SAO, 20 Round Mag, TLR-1 in a Philster Floodlight Holster. Second mag is in the safe and goes in a pocket. (Sometimes the gun is a G34, G17, or DA/SA 226.)

Pistol is in a rapid open safe (children in the house). Key for me is the Philster - it secures the trigger from a fumbled grab, and leaves my hands free if / when I do not need to actively present the weapon.

(secondary primary weapon is Daisy Red Ryder - good for getting midnight critters to go away and letting me get back to sleep without noise and blood shed - I've got neighbors and i don't live in the wide open country. Funny note - we have foxes that someone in the neighborhood is feeding. They have a low fear of people, and while they don't attack my cat (he's vicious), one of the foxes had gotten in the habit of sitting in the street at 1am and barking at the cat (cat likes to sit my front step in the middle of the night). After a a few nights of this it started to get old. Throwing a tennis ball or stick hadn't ended it and the fox wouldn't go too far. So, I figured, the fox just needed to learn his lesson. I didn't want to blind him or hurt him permanently - just wanted him to realize 'that one's not nice' and run off like a normal fox (or at least what I was used to growing up). Went out with a Gen5 G34 MOS loaded up with a 33 round mag and smoked him like a burnt piece of toast...actually no...went with a handheld taclight and the Daisy and those little BBs worked like a charm. He stared at me when I missed on the first shot. The second connected...and he took off like a shot from a gun. That fox doesn't like me now. I almost never see him now, and when I do, the second he gets a visual, audio, or smell cue that it's me...he's gone.)

[krav51]

Interesting thread.
226 Legion SAO, 20 Round Mag, TLR-1 in a Philster Floodlight Holster. Second mag is in the safe and goes in a pocket. (Sometimes the gun is a G34, G17, or DA/SA 226.)

Pistol is in a rapid open safe (children in the house). Key for me is the Philster - it secures the trigger from a fumbled grab, and leaves my hands free if / when I do not need to actively present the weapon.

(secondary primary weapon is Daisy Red Ryder - good for getting midnight critters to go away and letting me get back to sleep without noise and blood shed - I've got neighbors and i don't live in the wide open country. Funny note - we have foxes that someone in the neighborhood is feeding. They have a low fear of people, and while they don't attack my cat (he's vicious), one of the foxes had gotten in the habit of sitting in the street at 1am and barking at the cat (cat likes to sit my front step in the middle of the night). After a a few nights of this it started to get old. Throwing a tennis ball or stick hadn't ended it and the fox wouldn't go too far. So, I figured, the fox just needed to learn his lesson. I didn't want to blind him or hurt him permanently - just wanted him to realize 'that one's not nice' and run off like a normal fox (or at least what I was used to growing up). Went out with a Gen5 G34 MOS loaded up with a 33 round mag and smoked him like a burnt piece of toast...actually no...went with a handheld taclight and the Daisy and those little BBs worked like a charm. He stared at me when I missed on the first shot. The second connected...and he took off like a shot from a gun. That fox doesn't like me now. I almost never see him now, and when I do, the second he gets a visual, audio, or smell cue that it's me...he's gone.)

I was running the P226 sao as well, but prefer a dot and the version i had could not be milled. Great gun!

[BillSWPA]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

So you would rather not have a way to ensure that you have not mistaken your son or daughter for a burglar before you shoot?

Any reasonable light will have more than enough spill to identify someone without pointing the gun and light directly at them.

Unless you practice walking on rice paper, you are probably making noise, which will also give away your position.

[Rick R]

70# Norwegian Elkhound, they bark at everything, fear nothing.
+
Pistol d’jour, recently it’s been my 10mm SR1911 with a Novak front night sight and a Powertac E5 handheld.
I read somewhere that your pants are your primary “bug out” so yesterday’s pants with keys, wallet, spare ammo and holster always lay within reach of the launchpad.
+
21” Remington 870, XS front night sight, Olight Valkyrie Pro mounted on the 7 round magazine at 9:00, 6 rounds of Hornady 00 in the magazine, 4 more 00 and 2 Winchester slugs on a shell card. “Cruiser Ready” condition.

FWIW, My nearest/only neighbor is over 100 yards away and I can only see the top of their roof due to terrain.

[HCM]

krav51

Who installed your safety, or did you do it yourself?


https://tenring.com/

Great work ,just inquire about parts availability. The supply of the safety components is erratic at times.

While I’m not a fan of any of the available manual safeties for Glocks, I just wanted to say TenRing Precision has worked on several of my guns and they do excellent work.

[LockedBreech]

So you would rather not have a way to ensure that you have not mistaken your son or daughter for a burglar before you shoot?

Any reasonable light will have more than enough spill to identify someone without pointing the gun and light directly at them.

Unless you practice walking on rice paper, you are probably making noise, which will also give away your position.

I think a lot of opinions are unfortunately formed by movies. Something we're all a little guilty of in various ways. The image of a pitch black night with two adversaries stalking one another in silence. The reality, as we've learned from studying real life situations, is that uses of lethal force are going to be quick, sloppy, and loud. While I prefer an offhand light, I fully agree that it's more than worth any sort of "tactical disadvantage" to avoid another tragic news story of a dad who shot his kid who was sneaking in. I'd honestly rather a bad guy take me out than be responsible for a bad shoot.


Whatever I’m taking to the range. Right now, I’m in a revolver phase for the weekly USPSA fun shoot, so it’s just a bare-bones DAO 64 K-frame, with 6 rounds of 135 GDHP +P and two extra speedloaders full of the same. I’d get kilt in da streetz for sure, if I was out in them.

Handheld lights, surefire with Malkoff heads—one with a NHshooter lanyard. There’s a phone and some hole-patching kit laying around the room too.

Oh, and a tomahawk. I almost forgot about that… gotta have one of those at hand.

:)

This made me laugh because I also keep this awesome Cold Steel tanto my fiancee bought me last Christmas on one of the lower shelves of the night table. Odds of actual use? Basically 0. But it's rad.

I also enjoy your setup because it shows we all (me too) overthink it. The fact of the matter is a revolver you practice and compete with would probably do just as well as all of our tacticool setups in 99% of situations.

[RevolverRob]

Has your Kimber been pretty reliable? What kind of round count do you have on it?

There is something I like about the TLE guns, but I keep thinking "Kimber, don't do it". Would love to be wrong.

Yes it's been reliable overall. Actual round count unknown it's an old PD trade-in. I have about 1000 rounds through it. Passes the 10-8 extractor test and my only reliability issues have been with my reloads that were too long on OAL. A quick run back through with the seating die to a length that matches an HST and that solved my problems.

When I got it, I swapped all the springs out and I ditched the FLGR for a proper GI plug setup. I also replaced all the hex head fittings (grip screws, mag release lock) with appropriate slotted fittings, because hex head is a slight against Moses.

Barrel fitment isn't amazing, it stands on the feet a bit more than it should, but I paid like $550 for the gun, so I'm sort of 'whatever'. I should fit another extractor to it to have a spare.

[titsonritz]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

Such a tired and false argument against WML. These are no longer the old 90 lumen lights hose-clapped to ours barrels. Being smashed in the face with a Modlite OKW produces a wall of white light that will deny sight to anyone on the other end. Not to mention it gives the ability to determine that "bump in the night" is your son or daughter or some drug addled nudist with a hammer looking for Nancy.

[willie]

Hk P-30L V1 lem, loaded chamber, attached Streamlight. Hand held light next to it. Behind door is a Stoeger 3000 12ga stoked with Federal buckshot. Chamber empty.

I can't refute your argument because if I did, I would be parroting what I read on the internet. I'm old as dirt, have poor eyesight, and don't hear well. Before I shoot another person, I wish to verify that he's not the neighbor's stupid teenager, or the dude across the street who has developmental problems, or my alcoholic brother in law. Further, I have zero intent of searching my house. The police will do that for me. The HK lives in a neat range bag. This rig stays with me when in the den and accompanies me to the bedroom when I retire. I would use the weapon light in the den in the event that an intruder appeared. Safeguards would alert me if someone broke into my house after having gone to bed. I would shut and lock the steel bedroom door and then dial 911. Usually I have a handgun somewhere in my pants anyway. Did you know that I'm an expert? Well, I am. I ain't bragging but I bet I've shot more rocks, dirt clods, stumps, and tin cans than anybody here. My knowledge is pure and uncluttered. You see, I never have taken a training class.:confused:

[Oldherkpilot]

Whatever I’m taking to the range. Right now, I’m in a revolver phase for the weekly USPSA fun shoot, so it’s just a bare-bones DAO 64 K-frame, with 6 rounds of 135 GDHP +P and two extra speedloaders full of the same. I’d get kilt in da streetz for sure, if I was out in them.

Handheld lights, surefire with Malkoff heads—one with a NHshooter lanyard. There’s a phone and some hole-patching kit laying around the room too.

Oh, and a tomahawk. I almost forgot about that… gotta have one of those at hand.

:)

Well, as Martin Riggs pointed out, "A lot of old-timers use those."😁

[Leroy Suggs]

In order of what I will reach for.

1. 18" gauge with wml loaded with 6 FC 00.
2. G48 147 HST in its' carry holster.
3. G43 loaded with BH 115 Tac-XP +p in my pants pocket I pulled off.

[Lost River]

I think a lot of opinions are unfortunately formed by movies. Something we're all a little guilty of in various ways. The image of a pitch black night with two adversaries stalking one another in silence. The reality, as we've learned from studying real life situations, is that uses of lethal force are going to be quick, sloppy, and loud. While I prefer an offhand light, I fully agree that it's more than worth any sort of "tactical disadvantage" to avoid another tragic news story of a dad who shot his kid who was sneaking in. I'd honestly rather a bad guy take me out than be responsible for a bad shoot.



This made me laugh because I also keep this awesome Cold Steel tanto my fiancee bought me last Christmas on one of the lower shelves of the night table. Odds of actual use? Basically 0. But it's rad.

I also enjoy your setup because it shows we all (me too) overthink it. The fact of the matter is a revolver you practice and compete with would probably do just as well as all of our tacticool setups in 99% of situations.


Hey why not!

I came home one day many years ago to find an extremely pushy "salesman" supposedly selling home cleaning supplies in my garage, (the door was open) talking to my brother in law and trying his best to work his way into my house. Him and his crew had been in the area for a couple days and I had seen them earlier hitting up the gullible housewives in the neighborhood. They looked like they were casing homes to come back and burglarize.

Long story short this super fast talking guy who was also doing the "God Loves You" routine kept saying he was just going to talk to the lady of the house and trying to go in through the garage. I had gone into the house and while I had my pistol on me I felt it might be a bit much, so I grabbed my lead filled sap.

It was one I carried overseas when less lethal means were appropriate:

https://i.imgur.com/pBMObDB.jpg

I convinced him to not only get out of my garage, and off my property, but followed him a couple houses down the street. He started to go up to a friend/neighbor's house. He was another cop who was not home, and his wife was a stay-at-home mom that would be a total pushover and let the guy in, in a matter of seconds. I suggested that the guy find another neighborhood.

So maybe one day your Cold Steel Tanto may come in handy. Not every problem requires shooting to solve. :)

Heck those little Cold Steel Shovels are multi-tools as far as I am concerned!

[Tuefelhunden]

USP Tactical 9mm with Tac light. Need to get a standard rail Tac light then it will be my 5" M&P 9mm 2.0. It is stupid accurate and easy to shoot making it a better middle of the night option once I get it set up. More serious options near by in the safe.

[gato naranja]

Beretta 92X RDO Full Size FR/TLR-1HL combo.

A photo of Mas Ayoob's 92 with the weapon light and extended barrel actually planted the seed a long time ago.

"The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, 6th Edition," page 193.

Mr. Ayoob, you influence more people than you might realize... and sometimes those people can be pretty slow on the uptake.

[coN]

G17 G4 housed in MCK2 with PA Microdot
TLR HL
HST 147

SD9VE with Apex Trigger Kit
TLR HL
HST 147

If i have time, out comes the rifle with some Peltor ears.
MCK turns the Glock into a nice, compact, maneuverable PDW. With the new charging handle, (not the shitty plastic one they used to use) it has been 100% with over 2300+ rounds. I just don't look forward to cleaning it afterwards... 😑

[Noah]

G17 G4 housed in MCK2 with PA Microdot
TLR HL
HST 147

SD9VE with Apex Trigger Kit
TLR HL
HST 147

If i have time, out comes the rifle with some Peltor ears.
MCK turns the Glock into a nice, compact, maneuverable PDW. With the new charging handle, (not the shitty plastic one they used to use) it has been 100% with over 2300+ rounds. I just don't look forward to cleaning it afterwards... 😑

I had a latest gen MCK with a Glock in it for my wife for a few months a year or two ago before I just ditched braced stuff altogether. I found the zero shifted significantly upon disassembly, the charging handle broke twice, but it was handy...

[revchuck38]

M&P40 1.0 with TLR-1 and loaded with 180-grain HST. I've also got a Surefire 6P with a Malkoff head next to it. I have lamps with low-wattage bulbs in the rooms with outside doors in them, and the lamps stay on all night. That's plenty of light to establish that it's not my daughter or grandson, and the TLR-1 provides plenty of "bounce" from low ready anywhere else in my small house for PID.

[coN]

I had a latest gen MCK with a Glock in it for my wife for a few months a year or two ago before I just ditched braced stuff altogether. I found the zero shifted significantly upon disassembly, the charging handle broke twice, but it was handy...
Yeah, the one they used to use which had "teeth" to engage the serrations on the slide would wear down after about 100 rounds and the reliability went to shit. The new charging handle utilizes the backplate slot that's easy to remove as it's spring loaded. I just hate cleaning the damn thing cause it gets FILTHY after firing. Apparently the MCK3 corrected that.

I use a 3 moa PA red dot because of the shift. With the dot, it's still plenty accurate and there is no noticeable shift that I can see/feel. With BUIS on the other hand, while the shift isn't bad it was def noticeable.

[RevolverRob]

"The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, 6th Edition," page 193.

Mr. Ayoob, you influence more people than you might realize... and sometimes those people can be pretty slow on the uptake.

See mine was, "The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, 4th Edition" by Chuck Taylor. Mr. Taylor's preference for the 1911 influenced me. In particular a Series 70 wearing an early Surefire weaponlight on page 139. And then all the great holsters towards the end of the book.

That really was a great book and as a 13-year old kid, I learned A LOT from it. It included some valuable bits and bobs on things like seeking proper training and improvisation.

[LockedBreech]

M&P40 1.0 with TLR-1 and loaded with 180-grain HST. I've also got a Surefire 6P with a Malkoff head next to it. I have lamps with low-wattage bulbs in the rooms with outside doors in them, and the lamps stay on all night. That's plenty of light to establish that it's not my daughter or grandson, and the TLR-1 provides plenty of "bounce" from low ready anywhere else in my small house for PID.

The first Gen M&P40 always surprises me with how good it is when I take it out to shoot. They got that caliber M&P right on the first pass.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[revchuck38]

The first Gen M&P40 always surprises me with how good it is when I take it out to shoot. They got that caliber M&P right on the first pass.

...and the .45. :)

[SwampDweller]

I keep an HK USP .45 full size by the bed loaded with 230gr std pressure HST's, with a Polish FB Radom Beryl AK in 5.56 loaded with 20 rounds of Speer Gold Dot 62gr .223 nearby in case I have enough time to get to it. I may be switching to a Daniel Defense M4v9 for that role if it passes the vetting process, but I do love that Beryl so much I got a second one. NATO AKs are just fun.

(Online pic but set up about like this)
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[Dov]

I think a lot of opinions are unfortunately formed by movies. Something we're all a little guilty of in various ways. The image of a pitch black night with two adversaries stalking one another in silence. The reality, as we've learned from studying real life situations, is that uses of lethal force are going to be quick, sloppy, and loud. While I prefer an offhand light, I fully agree that it's more than worth any sort of "tactical disadvantage" to avoid another tragic news story of a dad who shot his kid who was sneaking in. I'd honestly rather a bad guy take me out than be responsible for a bad shoot.



This made me laugh because I also keep this awesome Cold Steel tanto my fiancee bought me last Christmas on one of the lower shelves of the night table. Odds of actual use? Basically 0. But it's rad.

I also enjoy your setup because it shows we all (me too) overthink it. The fact of the matter is a revolver you practice and compete with would probably do just as well as all of our tacticool setups in 99% of situations.


We could probably use some input from Fire Fighters on the forum about this, but IMHO I think having something to break and rake window if needed for fire escape would be a very practical reason for having something like a Tomahawk or Car Glass breaker in the bedroom. I live in the Midwest and in winter you might not be able to open a window because of ice/snow freezing it shut.

AFAIK fire is far more likely to be an issue statistically, so having an egress tool and old cell phone (will still allow one to call 911 without sim card) easily accessible from floor by bed (floor is safer from smoke inhalation and incoming enemy fire) would actually make a lot of sense.

Speaking of fire, I think most if not all smoke/fire detectors are really only good for about 7 years then they should be replaced, entire unit not just battery, because at least some of them if not all rely on a small amount of radioactive material streaming radiation at sensor that gets blocked by smoke particles to work. Though my technical understanding of that might be lacking.

I did have coworker who's family (his wife and kids) only survive house fire when smoke alarms with good batteries failed to alarm but family dogs woke them up in time to evacuated and call fire department.

[Dov]

See mine was, "The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, 4th Edition" by Chuck Taylor. Mr. Taylor's preference for the 1911 influenced me. In particular a Series 70 wearing an early Surefire weaponlight on page 139. And then all the great holsters towards the end of the book.

That really was a great book and as a 13-year old kid, I learned A LOT from it. It included some valuable bits and bobs on things like seeking proper training and improvisation.

Reason I tried Glock 26 originally was because both Mas & Chuck Taylor seemed impressed with it, and while I believe they both had respect for each other they certainly strongly disagreed about some things. Figured anything they agreed on had to be a rock solid choice.

They had similar agreement about utility J frame or other small snubby revolvers which I had found to be the smallest really usable, though with effort, everyday CCW gun. So I tried G26 and it was so much easier to shoot the first time than the J frame I'd spent low thousands of rounds and endless hours of dryfire practice shooting that the G26 became my primary with J frame BUG whenever I could conceal the G26.

Eventually went to pair of G26's and J frame became only when needed something smaller, with 12 round Glock mag the G26 works better for me than G19 and with 10 round flush mag it is concealable for me in ways G19 isn't.

[gato naranja]

I may be switching to a Daniel Defense M4v9 for that role if it passes the vetting process

Seriously? I thought I was the only vertebrate on the planet with a v9. With an LPVO added, it has some bulk.


Heck those little Cold Steel Shovels are multi-tools as far as I am concerned!

They aren't the the cutter a Woodman's Pal is, but I use one for various yard tasks now that it and I are no longer involved with ES. As an axe it lacks power, and as a machete it has a damn small sweet spot, but I'd hate to get the edge of it upside my head.

[LockedBreech]

Reason I tried Glock 26 originally was because both Mas & Chuck Taylor seemed impressed with it, and while I believe they both had respect for each other they certainly strongly disagreed about some things. Figured anything they agreed on had to be a rock solid choice.

They had similar agreement about utility J frame or other small snubby revolvers which I had found to be the smallest really usable, though with effort, everyday CCW gun. So I tried G26 and it was so much easier to shoot the first time than the J frame I'd spent low thousands of rounds and endless hours of dryfire practice shooting that the G26 became my primary with J frame BUG whenever I could conceal the G26.

Eventually went to pair of G26's and J frame became only when needed something smaller, with 12 round Glock mag the G26 works better for me than G19 and with 10 round flush mag it is concealable for me in ways G19 isn't.

That...is a pretty great point. The tanto is very robust and heavily built too, and long enough to keep my hand clear of glass. It would definitely work for that. I feel downright responsible now.


I keep an HK USP .45 full size by the bed loaded with 230gr std pressure HST's, with a Polish FB Radom Beryl AK in 5.56 loaded with 20 rounds of Speer Gold Dot 62gr .223 nearby in case I have enough time to get to it. I may be switching to a Daniel Defense M4v9 for that role if it passes the vetting process, but I do love that Beryl so much I got a second one. NATO AKs are just fun.

(Online pic but set up about like this)
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Rad.

[pangloss]

I have a Glock 17 with a Surefire light on it and a 19-round mag loaded with Gold Dots. Tritium sights need to be replaced as they are rather dim now. Handheld Surefire is also kept at bedside. This is a dedicated bedside pistol and almost never carried.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[Sero Sed Serio]

SIG P226 DAK with Surefire X300 and a Mec Gar 18 rd. mag w/147 gr. HSTs in a Fort Knox simplex pistol box. I also keep a Surefire G2Z with a lanyard in the mini safe.

[RevolverRob]

Rad(om).

FIFY.

[gruntjim]

M&P9 2.0, with an empty chamber and light.

Full magazine of RA9T, with an AR in the closet.

[SwampDweller]

Seriously? I thought I was the only vertebrate on the planet with a v9. With an LPVO added, it has some bulk.


Now I guess there's two of us. I just like the overbuilt robustness of a quad rail, it doesn't seem to heat up as fast, and it's just plain comfortable for me partly because it's what I know. It was between the DD4 RIS III (16" midlength gas with ambi lower and M-lok version of the RIS II), or the DD M4A1 RIS II (14.5" carbine gas pinned/welded). I decided I'd like the midlength gas system and 16" barrel (I want to put a 3 prong Surefire flash hider on there), but I still am stuck in the past and desired a quad rail, so that's what I ordered through the gun shop I work at. Employee pricing combined with trading in a beat up old Arsenal AK that I paid little for (and I have many copies of the same Arsenal), I'm only paying a few hundred dollars for it.

Maybe I'm against the grain but I actually prefer not to have an ambi lower. Maybe I'd come around to it if I shot it more but the safety lever on the right side bothers my trigger finger, and I don't like additional small parts hanging on both sides of the receiver when a normal lower's controls will get me through anything I might encounter. Just seems like more small parts to go wrong.

What LVPO do you have on it? I'm between just a red dot like an Aimpoint of some sort, or an LVPO, but I don't know much about what the good ones are.


...On the other hand, I think I'm the only vertebrate who keeps a Polish AK74(ish) variant in 5.56 by my bed for home defense. Huh.

[gato naranja]

What LVPO do you have on it? I'm between just a red dot like an Aimpoint of some sort, or an LVPO, but I don't know much about what the good ones are.

I got a Vortex Viper PST gen II 1-6x24 for it about the time they hit the retailers, and while it may not be considered a "good one" at this time/place, I have been quite happy with it. I consider it good kit that punches above what I paid for it; to be honest, anything over 6X is going to be overkill for me at this point.

[Oldherkpilot]

Hey why not!

I came home one day many years ago to find an extremely pushy "salesman" supposedly selling home cleaning supplies in my garage, (the door was open) talking to my brother in law and trying his best to work his way into my house. Him and his crew had been in the area for a couple days and I had seen them earlier hitting up the gullible housewives in the neighborhood. They looked like they were casing homes to come back and burglarize.

Long story short this super fast talking guy who was also doing the "God Loves You" routine kept saying he was just going to talk to the lady of the house and trying to go in through the garage. I had gone into the house and while I had my pistol on me I felt it might be a bit much, so I grabbed my lead filled sap.

It was one I carried overseas when less lethal means were appropriate:

https://i.imgur.com/pBMObDB.jpg

I convinced him to not only get out of my garage, and off my property, but followed him a couple houses down the street. He started to go up to a friend/neighbor's house. He was another cop who was not home, and his wife was a stay-at-home mom that would be a total pushover and let the guy in, in a matter of seconds. I suggested that the guy find another neighborhood.

So maybe one day your Cold Steel Tanto may come in handy. Not every problem requires shooting to solve. :)

Heck those little Cold Steel Shovels are multi-tools as far as I am concerned!

When you mentioned Cold Steel earlier in the thread, that shovel was the first thing I thought of. Do them in, section them into manageable portions and bury them properly. Like you say, multi tool extraordinaire.

[BN]

I have a Joe Biden Special. It's a double barrel 12 Ga coach gun, chambers empty, with some double OO buck in an elastic butt cuff. I'd thought about loading it with blanks for the 2 blasts in the air.

I also have a Glock 17, Ameriglo night sights, TLR-1 light on the rail and CT laser grips. Gun is empty with a couple loaded mags with it in the night stand drawer.

I keep my guns a couple motions from usable in case I'm coming out of a deep sleep.

[Vista461]

A shotgun.

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

Ummm, they will already know where you are unless you’re a movie ninja with night vision and no squeaks at all in your floor.

You don’t have to point you’re gun at someone with a weaponlight if it’s more than 2 candela. I’ve cleared a lot of houses and buildings, you can see plenty with the spill at low ready if you have a decent WML.

[Nephrology]

Glock, light

[RevolverRob]

This thread has sent me looking for a Surefire 310R, because I stared at this picture a lot:

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[SoCalDep]

For me this is a developing thing.

Right now I’m splitting time between living alone at work in an RV and living at home very far away with my family.

Situation 1 is RV living. It’s a gated community with armed security. If you know me and my situation you understand the truth and humor behind that statement. I have so many damn guns and lights and a damn helmet with a PVS-14 sitting next to the plate carrier that’s across from the M4 and pistol with passive optic and IR Illuminator/Laser that if a bad guy gets on property and past things in place and then gets into my place without me knowing... they beat the game... good for them.

If the poop really hit the fan right now I’d grab my Staccato P because that’s my current carry/HD gun. It’s stupid reliable and stupider accurate. HD gets a Surefire X300 Turbo though when out and about I don’t carry the light because a) I don’t have a holster.. and b) It seems like it would suck. I always have a hand-held which for the past couple years has been a Surefire Stiletto.

In the more reality of situation 2, I’m with my family. I’d like to think I’m in an overall better area of living. The things here will be there eventually because I have them, but right now I have a Glock 45 with an ACRO and TLR-7A. When I go out there next month I’ll be bringing an extra bigger gun along with a few carry guns of the 1911 and 2011 flavor. Maybe one or two others as well. Based on what I’m planning to bring the other guns will be for carry, but the G45 will be the dedicated home defense gun in a quick access safe in our bedroom. In the near future (while the young kids are still young) I’ll still have my carry gun accessible in a high shelf in the closet. That will probably be the Staccato C/EPS Carry, but maybe even an iron sight 1911 depending on my mood.

[Elwin]

I’m in the “carry gun on nightstand” crowd. For me that’s a 9mm Commander, loaded in its JMCK holster just like when I was carrying it earlier in the day. The Surefire EDCL-1T I carry is there as well.

My spare carry mags are nearby, as is an 870 with five rounds of Flite Control in the tube and five in a side saddle. Med gear, a spare flashlight, and more ammo (as if I’d ever need it) are also nearby in a little Patagonia satchel (basically the size of a fanny pack but it goes across your chest). The 870 can be subbed out for an AR if for some reason that seems prudent.

It’s an arrangement I’m pretty happy with so far.

[UpDok]

I've been engaging in a slow and entertaining evolution of nightstand guns. For years it was an HK P30 I modified with the 4.1 LEM, then I putted along with a striker-fired VP9, now I'm doing the Česká zbrojovka TDA finger exercises with my new CZ P01. The CZ has a different aesthetic than the more tactical looking HKs

The standard OEM CZ double-action is also comfortable to carry in my JM Custom 2.5 AIWB holster that I use almost every day. Striker fired pistols make me nervous to point at my family jewels

The Lok grips are thin dark red/black full-checkered, Meprolight hyper bright night-sights, loaded with 147gr HST in 10 round mags to appease the Governor

The background is a T shirt with an image of van Gogh's "Mulberry Tree, 1889"

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[Isaac]

Mine is my carry G26 in lockbox in closet (kids).

I sold my G19 years ago bc I never carried it. Now that the finger grooves are gone i've seriously been thinking about a G19 or G45 MOS to have a pistol with dot. I have so many G19 mags, a G19 just makes more sense... even if the G45 feels better.

[Wise_A]

Same 365XL that I just switched to carrying with. Previously a G26. I shoot it a lot and I'm capped at 10 rounds anyway.

Familiarity trumps performance in all reasonable comparisons.


We could probably use some input from Fire Fighters on the forum about this, but IMHO I think having something to break and rake window if needed for fire escape would be a very practical reason for having something like a Tomahawk or Car Glass breaker in the bedroom. I live in the Midwest and in winter you might not be able to open a window because of ice/snow freezing it shut.

You already have the tools necessary. House glass is not as tough as auto glass, and any bedroom should have plenty of blankets, sheets, and spare clothes available to pad the bottom of the frame, and to wrap around your arm to clear glass. If I was going to make sure I had anything in the bedroom for fire preparedness, it would be a pair of shoes, a cell phone, and a winter coat.

Some stuff:

*Panic injures more people than anything else. I am frankly shocked at just how shitty the average person is at making decisions in even non-life-threatening emergencies.

*EVERY serious injury I have ever seen in a residential structure fire has been from people attempting to fight the fire. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

*The hidden danger of any fire exposure is inhaling hot air. I've had a couple people now with relatively minor exterior burns die shortly thereafter because they inhaled hot air from the fire. The most common mechanism was falling into a campfire, one was the aforementioned woman attempting to fight a fire.

If you're concerned about fire, make sure your detectors work. Dial 911 and evacuate at the first sign of trouble.

[G19Fan]

I use whatever I ccw

Previously G19 with 509T.

Now p365xl macro with a eps carry

Enigma goes bedside

[CraigS]

Because in general it is difficult to find a place where you can shoot in the dark I urge all of you to try to get that experience. We have had lasers on our HD guns for a long time. But my first night idpa match w/ the laser/light combination was an eye opener.

[Rex G]

Bed-side gun? Well, lately, no semi-auto pistols, but, whatever revolving pistols I carried earlier, during the day, and, more importantly, a Benelli M2. There is loaded Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 1911 available, and a G17, but it is neither is beside the bed, or beside the recliner, where I am likely to be, at night.

The Benelli M2 is not the only shotgun available, should things happen, but it is kept closest, because shotguns, when accurately fired, during real-world incidents, do tend to be permanently decisive. It is also the weapon with which I have the most-recent formal training class, a quite street-relevant tactical shotgun class. The firearms training unit, of the PD which employed me, taught a quite good elective Tactical Shotgun class, by the time I was nearing retirement.

I am aware of the conventional wisdom that a handgun is better for moving about, inside one’s home, if there was been a bump in the night.

Edited to add: I have NO weapons “on the nightstand.” That seems to be tactical faux pas, as I see it.

[Rex G]

Regarding my previous post, and why a weapon on the nightstand is a tactical faux pas, well, I investigated a long ton of burglaries, during 33+ years of big-city police patrol. Being so informed, should I decide to start doing burglaries as a post-retirement career, I know that I could arrive at a home unarmed, and after going to the kitchen to find the best kitchen knife, should check the closet nearest the front door, and the NIGHTSTAND, to find weapons.

[Rex G]

A 9mm vs. multiple bad guys = you’re dead.



True. Always load more than just one 9mm cartridge into one’s 9mm firearm.

[Rex G]

PS Weapon-mounted lights are a terrible idea, they give away your position and they also force you to point your gun at whatever you want illuminated. Could be your son or daughter.

With proper training and discipline, a WML is quite valid. A WML is not a substitute for a hand-held light.

[HCM]

With proper training and discipline, a WML is quite valid. A WML is not a substitute for a hand-held light.


True. Always load more than just one 9mm cartridge into one’s 9mm firearm.

The Mcgivro dude was called out for trolling in another thread, one can only presume he was doing the same in this one.

[WobblyPossum]

Regarding my previous post, and why a weapon on the nightstand is a tactical faux pas, well, I investigated a long ton of burglaries, during 33+ years of big-city police patrol. Being so informed, should I decide to start doing burglaries as a post-retirement career, I know that I could arrive at a home unarmed, and after going to the kitchen to find the best kitchen knife, should check the closet nearest the front door, and the NIGHTSTAND, to find weapons.

If a burglar can enter the home while the residents are sleeping and take control of the homeowner’s nightstand pistol before the homeowner can, it’s not the nightstand pistol that was the tactical faux pas, it’s everything else. My plan is for the alarm system and my dogs to alert me to intruders prior to the intruders making their way into my bedroom.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Because in general it is difficult to find a place where you can shoot in the dark I urge all of you to try to get that experience. We have had lasers on our HD guns for a long time. But my first night idpa match w/ the laser/light combination was an eye opener.

We decided to do an indoor carry gun or HD gun dark match (meaning no fancy pants USPSA guns, optics). Had to have some kind of light. I was worried about reloads using a hand held light and asked about it here. No WML lights. So I opted for a clip on light on a ball cap. That was allowed. I bought a high end one for the match. Discovery, here the beep and reach for the cap - can't find the button. Next time, hand held, probably wouldn't have a reload in play at home or wearing a cap anyway. The light was cool though.

Scariest night match. Used targets with the center cut out and a balloon inserted. That was so it was noticeable that you hit 'COM'. However, one guy missed the balloon but it fell out and he started to chase it with rounds at it bounced around. A thunderous NOOOOO was heard.

[CraigS]

The two clubs who have a night matches don't allow any head mounted lights. They always end up accidentally blinding someone. It is about evenly divided between weapon mounted and handheld lights. One fellow w/ a hand held showed me his light. Very short, maybe 3 inches overall. A couple of orings stretched around it at the butt end and then another pair to the front w/ space for his fingers to fit in between the bunches of orings. He holds it between fingers of his support hand. He says the short is the key so it doesn't have a bunch of weight way out beyond his fingers always causing it to sag downward. I have a $5 three AAA light ( you see them at the checkout at Lowes in a bunch of neon colors) on a neck lanyard hanging down a little. It isn't real powerful but just enough to illuminate where I am walking, or into my range bag, or the target I am pasting. At my turn to shoot I just throw it over my shoulder so it is hanging down behind me. One thing that has become obvious to me is you don't need a lot of light. My mounted light/laser is just 100 lumens and that is plenty. I have a couple of slightly more powerful lights w/ me but last Saturday the only one I used was the cheapie. Our stages are usually pretty simple because dealing w/ the dark is enough of a challenge.

[Totem Polar]

At the Halloween USPSA-ish fun shoot last month, I did three runs, using a stock G17 (well, stock plus gadget). The first two runs, I used a handheld, neck index, with finger lanyard to facilitate the one reload I had to do. Worked ok, I guess—although I wish I had a NHshooter wrist lanyard at the time. Wrist loop > finger loop. The third run was interesting. I decided that there was more than enough ambient light: coming in through the back bay windows; the spooky strobe across the room, etc. etc. to see the targets. I was right. Too bad that the Stock 17 didn’t have a front night sight. I still got some good hits; the flash from the first tap helped center the second on each target.

Anyways, I’m now a believer in a front night sight. And a wrist lanyard.

[Rex G]

If a burglar can enter the home while the residents are sleeping and take control of the homeowner’s nightstand pistol before the homeowner can, it’s not the nightstand pistol that was the tactical faux pas, it’s everything else. My plan is for the alarm system and my dogs to alert me to intruders prior to the intruders making their way into my bedroom.

True, and a very good point, but I was also meaning the nightstand pistols that tend to be left in the nightstand 24/7, just like the shotgun or baseball bat that is always in the closet nearest the front door.

[WobblyPossum]

True, and a very good point, but I was also meaning the nightstand pistols that tend to be left in the nightstand 24/7, just like the shotgun or baseball bat that is always in the closet nearest the front door.

Ah. I forget that sometimes people do really stupid things like that. It’s like a “truck gun” but in your nightstand drawer. If no one is in the residence to have control of them, all guns get secured. That’s how it should be in everyone’s house.

[Ed L]

If a burglar can enter the home while the residents are sleeping and take control of the homeowner’s nightstand pistol before the homeowner can, it’s not the nightstand pistol that was the tactical faux pas, it’s everything else. My plan is for the alarm system and my dogs to alert me to intruders prior to the intruders making their way into my bedroom.

A very important point. One should have good locks and strong doors and alarms to deter homebreakers if possible, and at least slow them down and cause them to make noise to alert you.

There are devices available that allow you to attach a holster to the side of your bed between the mattress and the box spring. This is not something that you would use if you have children in the house. Also, probably not a good idea to leave the gun there when you are not home or if there are any non-family people in the home. There are a number of these deals on Amazon that feature some type of cheap contraption like this with an elastic holster. They might be functional because you are not looking for something to wear on your person, but to hold the gun on a fixed position on an object. Here is a link to one that seems to be better than the cheaper ones listed: https://www.amazon.com/BLACKHAWK-40BH00BK-Bedside-Holster-Ambidextrous/dp/B007ZNU532

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Crossbreed holsters also has one available. I am generally not a fan of crossbreed holsters, but for this purpose I think it would be fine: https://www.crossbreedholsters.com/bedside-backup-bsbu.html

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[Dov]

Same 365XL that I just switched to carrying with. Previously a G26. I shoot it a lot and I'm capped at 10 rounds anyway.

Familiarity trumps performance in all reasonable comparisons.



You already have the tools necessary. House glass is not as tough as auto glass, and any bedroom should have plenty of blankets, sheets, and spare clothes available to pad the bottom of the frame, and to wrap around your arm to clear glass. If I was going to make sure I had anything in the bedroom for fire preparedness, it would be a pair of shoes, a cell phone, and a winter coat.

Some stuff:

*Panic injures more people than anything else. I am frankly shocked at just how shitty the average person is at making decisions in even non-life-threatening emergencies.

*EVERY serious injury I have ever seen in a residential structure fire has been from people attempting to fight the fire. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

*The hidden danger of any fire exposure is inhaling hot air. I've had a couple people now with relatively minor exterior burns die shortly thereafter because they inhaled hot air from the fire. The most common mechanism was falling into a campfire, one was the aforementioned woman attempting to fight a fire.

If you're concerned about fire, make sure your detectors work. Dial 911 and evacuate at the first sign of trouble.

Shoes are very good point I wasn't thinking of! I should have, your mention jarred my memory about that specific issue I've seen mentioned in the past for fire, tornado, hurricane, etc. evacuation.

I'm going to slightly disagree with the wrapping your arm with blankets or something to clear glass. While on good days I can still do that, on bad day I might need a tool with my health issues.

And I know several specific people, like close friend of my gf who is a single short woman nearing retirement that is on blood thinners and has already on at least one occasion collapsed at work and was ambulanced to local level 4 Trauma Center before being transported to closest Level 1 Trauma Center that I wouldn't want to try and beak and clear glass with her hands if they had any kind of decent tool for the job.

I really appreciate and am putting in my notes your very good suggestion of padding the window frame with something, have to do some research but I'd think if allergies aren't an issue something like a wool blanket would be good choice to have planned for that use. Only times I've had need to enter or exit via window was able to open window and remove screen so don't have first hand experience with glass breaking house windows on purpose. Though have done bit of testing for breaking Auto glass since Uncle used to own a Glass business and I helped him at times, and he was kind enough to let me do bunch of experiments with windshields. His Auto Glass shop also was the place local glass manufacture used for installation various types of auto door glass and filming some video for ads about differences in auto door glass vs attacker with hammer/crowbar.

Slight tangent, I've been recommending to all friends, family, loved ones that have issues or concern about falling from Parkinson's, mobility issues, etc to get an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer because of the Fall Detection https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208944

Certainly don't need to pay for a new watch, thanks to Tam years ago I learned about Apple's Refurbished & Clearance department https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished which has saved me lots of money over the years. They even put new batteries in devices that have them, so they are generally even a better value than OWC, which I also use and recommend https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Apple_Systems/Used/Macs_and_Tablets

[Rex G]

Ah. I forget that sometimes people do really stupid things like that. It’s like a “truck gun” but in your nightstand drawer. If no one is in the residence to have control of them, all guns get secured. That’s how it should be in everyone’s house.

Yes, and, even if home, some folks will be in their garage, rec room, yard, or such, and so not in the bedroom, at the time something happens.

[JAD]

This is evolving a little bit for me. In general I use guns to counter threats out in the world — the chances of nefarious entry into my home have never seemed high enough to be particularly worried about. I carry a pistol around the house and am only unarmed while actually in bed.

My carry pistol goes in a safe in my dressing room, a flight of stairs from the bedroom (in the ‘wrong’ direction from egress). My other firearms are stored off property, a legacy of toddler years that I have little motivation to amend.

For a long time I kept a G17 with a handheld light in a lockbox in my nightstand drawer. Deployment takes about a minute. I moved the pistol when I went to Gunsite in August and have not replaced it.

However, the world is changing, and I like to waste money. A Black Friday deal at Wilson has a Haught Special on its way to me. I plan to buy a V-Line https://www.vlineind.com/shop/shotgun-case-home-defense-shotgun-safe/ and slide it under the bed after attaching a light to the m-lok forend. If the wife ever decides to train I might put an AR on her side, but that’s for another day. I intend to give my 12yo the code to the v-line. The securish storage is only intended to cope with visitors to the home.

[That Guy]

Since the topic of shooting in low light popped up, and since my tiny little training group does at least some shooting in... let's say diminished lightning conditions (whenever I say "low light" people for some reason immediately translate it as pitch black darkness) about four to six times a year, please allow me to share some of my experiences.


The two clubs who have a night matches don't allow any head mounted lights. They always end up accidentally blinding someone.

Head lights make very poor lights for shooting. Most of your light ends up splashing back from your arms and the rear of the weapon you are holding. Makes it really difficult to even see the target once you bring your weapon up.


One thing that has become obvious to me is you don't need a lot of light. My mounted light/laser is just 100 lumens and that is plenty.

The amount of light you need depends a lot on the conditions you are in. For example, I live in a rural area, and while I keep exterior lights on at dark a TLR-7A with its 500 lumen beam is a lot of light when used on my yard. On the other hand, a range we often shoot in has LED floodlights that give enough illumination to see the entire shooting bay, allowing one to see well enough for moving around and to see where people are. However, the targets at the end of the bay are rather poorly lit and especially with range props may end up in the shadows. While one can see fairly well in the provided light, actually getting a useable sight picture and seeing the target can be difficult at times especially with iron sights. In this environment that same 500 lumen light seems quite anemic when trying to light up a target.

(And if you combine pitch black darkness with a nice heavy thick fog, you get to experience the maximum amount of enjoyment at shooting in the dark... Especially if you try to shoot targets at any sort of distance. Sonuvabitch, I want some night vision gear for that shit. :p )

[CraigS]

...
The amount of light you need depends a lot on the conditions you are in. For example, I live in a rural area, and while I keep exterior lights on at dark a TLR-7A with its 500 lumen beam is a lot of light when used on my yard. On the other hand, a range we often shoot in has LED floodlights that give enough illumination to see the entire shooting bay, allowing one to see well enough for moving around and to see where people are. However, the targets at the end of the bay are rather poorly lit and especially with range props may end up in the shadows. While one can see fairly well in the provided light, actually getting a useable sight picture and seeing the target can be difficult at times especially with iron sights. In this environment that same 500 lumen light seems quite anemic when trying to light up a target.
(And if you combine pitch black darkness with a nice heavy thick fog, you get to experience the maximum amount of enjoyment at shooting in the dark... Especially if you try to shoot targets at any sort of distance. Sonuvabitch, I want some night vision gear for that shit. :p )
Fortunately for me I haven't had to deal with any of your situations. The matches are in full dark except for individual flashlights and one bulb under a roof maybe 100ft away. Our house has plenty of night lights. Since all our HD guns have lasers and lights and my idpa gun has a laser light combined unit, I don't have a problem w/ light splashing back off gun or arms.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Interesting conversation about ammo and night matches. Heard a guy say that he shot a night match and some folks used the very high lumen lights but they were shooting rather smokey ammo. The lights lit up the clouds of smoke enough to obscure the targets significantly.

We have fire extinguishers around house but fleeing comes first. One interesting thing in our area is that the outside hoses are shut off to avoid pipe freezing. You would have to run into the basement to turn them on if you thought you were a fireman.

When we had a two story house, we had a deployable ladder, although two old folks trying that might be something to see.

When we moved I had to give away to nice extinguishers as movers wouldn't take them and the car already overloaded.