What is by your bed?

[Edster]

True "bedside" is a j frame in a pocket holster. If I'm travelling, it's a Glock 9mm in a holster, still attached to the pants by the bed.

I originally had things laid out for the "somebody breaking down the door at 2am" scenario. However, a very minor happening one night caused me to re-think that.

I was awakened at about 4am by someone knocking on the door.

It turned out to be a family friend who lives in the neighborhood. His young adult son had not come home yet and he was seeing if he may have crashed at our house. Everything turned out fine -- he was at another friend's house.

But here are the things I realized from that.

1. Unless someone really is trying to break open the door, showing up with Glock, AR, or shotgun in hand is problematic. If it's a friend or acquaintance, I've probably established myself as overreacting or paranoid (if one cares about such things). If it is the police, I have started the conversation awkwardly.

2. On the other hand, going to the door empty-handed may be a bad idea, too. If someone is using the "my car broke down can I use your phone?" ploy, I'm at a disadvantage if the person starts trying to force in.

3. Ideally, I would have the usual holstered pistol with a cover shirt. I don't leave that setup right by the bed at home and it would take a few minutes to assemble it. Travelling is a different story.

4. Honestly, I don't think I can just ignore a knock at the door even (especially) early in the morning. This turned out to be a friend in need and that is the most likely thing for me.

The j frame in a pocket holster lets me put on athletic shorts and have a gun in my hand when I answer the door. It's probably ok if something bad starts face-to-face. If a "breaking down the door" problem starts, bigger stuff is available once I retreat back inside.

[Totem Polar]

@Edster, that's a bit of my thinking, too. We have, on occasion, entertained knocks on the door at odd hours from friends, neighbors, students, whathaveyou; no drug dealers or home invasions thus far. Part of why the night cobra makes sense currently.

I freely admit that this is situational. Some folks here are posting rigs that would be great choices for clearing an urban stairwell of tangos, and that's great. If I lived out in the rural sticks on the AZ border, I'd kit up with the heavy stuff too. For where I'm at, so long as it's got a good front sight and I can stuff it in a waistband if a bump at 0 dark:30 turns out to be benign, then the tool is good.

[Father of 3]

110 lb Cane Corso (on bed)
12 lb Pomeranian (under bed)
AR 15 w/ Aimpoint Pro (also under bed)
M&P 2.0 Compact (in computer bag beside bed)

[willie]

12 ga older 870. AR is back in safe
Glock 19 with night sights
J frame 442

These weapons can be easily reached but getting out of bed and standing up is required. I learned from an article MAS wrote more than 20 years ago that keeping pants and shoes nearby is a good idea. I have every since.

[Ed L]

2. On the other hand, going to the door empty-handed may be a bad idea, too. If someone is using the "my car broke down can I use your phone?" ploy, I'm at a disadvantage if the person starts trying to force in.

4. Honestly, I don't think I can just ignore a knock at the door even (especially) early in the morning. This turned out to be a friend in need and that is the most likely thing for me.

The j frame in a pocket holster lets me put on athletic shorts and have a gun in my hand when I answer the door. It's probably ok if something bad starts face-to-face. If a "breaking down the door" problem starts, bigger stuff is available once I retreat back inside.

1. Do not open the door for anyone you are not certain of. This is how many home invasions start. Talk to them through the door, or an intercom. View them through the peephole, a nearby window, or a cc camera with an intercom.

2. You can hold a hold a gun with your finger off the trigger behind your leg and have it hidden but ready to go into action. I would still not open the door for anyone I was uncertain of.

[11B10]

Colt railed Commander with TLR-1 HL loaded with 230gr HST plus an extra mag. Surefire P2X Fury Tactical hand-held light. Peltor ProTac electronic muffs.

So many of us forget about ear pro. I first read about doing this years ago from one of Mas Ayoob's prolific writings.

Thanks, Mas - very much appreciated.

[11B10]

12 ga older 870. AR is back in safe
Glock 19 with night sights
J frame 442

These weapons can be easily reached but getting out of bed and standing up is required. I learned from an article MAS wrote more than 20 years ago that keeping pants and shoes nearby is a good idea. I have every since.

Thanks, willie, I had forgotten about the shoes and pants. He also said we should have "something" on, which meant I had to give up a lifelong habit of sleeping without that "something." I know, TMI, right?

[Alpha Sierra]

I get it, having some clothes and shoes on is ideal. But let's look at it from another perspective.

1. Even sliding on a pair of short takes away seconds from your response.
2. I'm not going outside, at least not until after the deal is over. By then I'll have time to secure weapons, get something on, make phone calls.
3. Someone's trying to force their way into my house. What I look like when I go to deal with it is not something I care much about.

As for strangers knocking on the door, I don't open it. Period.

If they are solicitors, I simply tell them no thank you. I enunciate it slowly so that they can see me saying it through the sidelight. Once I know they saw me say it, I just leave and go about my business. They get the hint and leave.

If it's the "my car broke down/ran out of gas/I'm lost" BS, same as above but "sorry can't help you" plus a call to the cops to check them out.

Only once have I ever needed to get slightly confrontational with someone at the door. Saturday morning, hard knocks on the door. I come on out with a pistol behind my back. Driver wants to make a mattress delivery. Through the sidelight: Sorry wrong house. Are you sure? Yes I'm sure. Driver starts getting visibly annoyed and angry. I just simply tell him again that he has the wrong house except this time I let my right hand hang down, slide to the front, and let it tap the glass. He looks down says sorry and takes off. Good move? Bad move? I don't know, but it worked.

[blues]

Can't amend earlier post, but I actually have electronic ear pro for myself and the missus on hand and available on our nightstands...

...as well as a 55 lb, highly sensitive Boxer / Staffie early warning system on her bed located at the foot of ours.

[Eli]

My EDC is a Beretta 9mm (either a Brig-Tac or an LTT). When it comes out of my waistband it goes on my nightstand. This is my "someone is knocking on the door" gun. If I don't know who you are, I'm talking to you through the door. If I do know who you are, you won't mind waiting while I go back to put clothes on. If you decide to come through the door while we're talking, you're going to be fighting a fat naked guy with a 2.5lb 9mm...your call.

My "someone just kicked in the door" set-up is a Wilson Combat/Vang-Comp 870 loaded up with Federal 8-pellet Flite Control, with a Surefire Fury light, a set of MSA Sordin electronic ear-pro, and also, apparently, a shit-ton of lady bugs.