Who needs to sleep with a gun by the bed?

TFred · Mar 25, 2012

Pretty much everyone, I'd say! My concern is someone breaking in unheard... in this case they were heard before they got in... it's tragic to not have a home-defense weapon at the ready!

In spite of hearing the attacker before he got in, and excellent response time by the local police, the victim was shot and they both could have easily been killed.

TFred

Police say Colonial Beach robber shot homeowner

A Colonial Beach man is in custody after breaking into a Colonial Beach house and shooting its owner early Saturday morning, police said.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Colonial Beach police received a call from a woman who said that someone was trying to break into her and her husband’s house on Wakefield Avenue, said Chief Kenny Blevins.

By the time officers got to the house, three minutes later, Daniel Dwayne Hill, 18, had entered the home and shot the woman’s husband in the shoulder with a handgun, Blevins said.

[...]

va_tazdad · Mar 25, 2012

Best defense is a good offence

That is a philosophy I have lived by for years.

Locked, cocked and ready to rock. I have no children in my house and the neighborhood is not what it was 30 years ago.

None the less, I love the home my wife made for my family and will defend us and it against all invaders.

To quote a famous person, "I pity the fool" that messes with my wife if she has to shoot. She has awesome training and experience from her time in the US Army.

I do not look for trouble, but I am prepared for it should it find me.

peter nap · Mar 25, 2012

That's an important point TFred.
I've always had a gun near the bed, and in the den, and the bathroom (During the Mau Mau Revolt, most of the people killed were in the Loo

), and other parts of the house, cars and motorcycle.

The exception was when my Son was a teenager and started violating curfew . He figured he could sneak in when I was asleep. I did stop keeping one easily grabbed because I was afraid he would sneak in and wake me up.

Thankfully, he survived those years, went away to College, then got a job, married and doesn't sneak in MY house anymore. I don't know if his wife sleeps with a gun under her pillow or not.

half_life1052 · Mar 25, 2012

There have been 400+ burglaries in Lynchburg in the last year. 15 of which have been very close to me. I don't have exact figures but some of those have been home invasions. I now keep a firearm close at hand most of the time. When I sleep there is a handgun close to reach all of the time.

Uber_Olafsun · Mar 25, 2012

I keep mine secured in a safe in the bedroom when sleeping and if someone was trying to break in I can easily get it and be ready. Heaven forbid they get by me then they have to worry about my wife with hers. When money allows to expand the collection to rifles, shotguns etc I want to get a safe to handle them but I will always have one ready at a moments notice to be used. I just try to think what is the best place to be if I have to retreat and have a good defense and my bedroom is the best choice. For some it could be the attic basement or elsewhere based on floor plan evac routes etc.

sawah · Mar 26, 2012

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I wonder if any of you 'cowboys' (and I use that term affectionately) have ever simulated the action and timing needed to use your 'bedside' weaponry against a threat. IOW, use an airsoft gun, have someone barge into your room at night, light in the face, noisy, you're sound asleep and see if you have the wherewithal to deploy and target the threat?

To me, it's all just a bunch of hogwash. If you don't actively do SOMETHING to train yourself up, or you don't have layers of defensive protection (i.e. dog, alarm, motion-sensors, several locked doors that are noisy to burst through, a cell phone with 911 on speed dial, and an armed and trained up partner), you're just fooling yourself.

Now, I'm not talking about being a Mall Ninja, but I am talking about trying to ascertain just how facile you are at 3am from deep sleep.

My buddy says he has a big knife under the pillow. Yeah, right. He couldn't stab me with it if he was sitting next to me, he's so fumble fingered. In fact I think he'd probably cut his fingers trying to get a grip on the handle. And if someone is on top of him, how is he going to go all 'mr stabby'? Maybe it's possible. But IMO, if you haven't trained it at least once, if you don't have layers of defense that will allow you to wake up and get ready, you might as well lock that firearm in the safe and throw away the combination.

peter nap · Mar 26, 2012

sawah said:
Not to put too fine a point on it, but I wonder if any of you 'cowboys' (and I use that term affectionately) have ever simulated the action and timing needed to use your 'bedside' weaponry against a threat. IOW, use an airsoft gun, have someone barge into your room at night, light in the face, noisy, you're sound asleep and see if you have the wherewithal to deploy and target the threat?

To me, it's all just a bunch of hogwash. If you don't actively do SOMETHING to train yourself up, or you don't have layers of defensive protection (i.e. dog, alarm, motion-sensors, several locked doors that are noisy to burst through, a cell phone with 911 on speed dial, and an armed and trained up partner), you're just fooling yourself.

Now, I'm not talking about being a Mall Ninja, but I am talking about trying to ascertain just how facile you are at 3am from deep sleep.

My buddy says he has a big knife under the pillow. Yeah, right. He couldn't stab me with it if he was sitting next to me, he's so fumble fingered. In fact I think he'd probably cut his fingers trying to get a grip on the handle. And if someone is on top of him, how is he going to go all 'mr stabby'? Maybe it's possible. But IMO, if you haven't trained it at least once, if you don't have layers of defense that will allow you to wake up and get ready, you might as well lock that firearm in the safe and throw away the combination.

I count on the night guard to give me a little advance warning. :lol:

sawah · Mar 26, 2012

peter nap said:
I count on the night guard to give me a little advance warning. :lol:

Ever dream about choking to death in a pool of Great Dane dog-slobber, lol. J/K, he's magnificent.

I have a mechanical attack cat. Now he doesn't do much but I figure while the bad guy is being creeped out or involuntarily petting it, I'll get the drop on 'im.

half_life1052 · Mar 26, 2012

My current model alarm is a Shih Tzu. It is small, portable, and loud. The previous model was a wolf hybrid. He wasn't so loud. I seriously doubt that the intruder will make it to my room without me being very aware of it.

paramedic · Mar 26, 2012

I too have a wonderful alarm system, a chiuaua/jack russel mix, and a Basset hound. Now granted once you make entry the only thing to fear is all the jumping they will do on you to get you to pet them, but at night when they are in our bed room with us, I mean when we are in their bed room on their bed, if someone comes near our front door they go nuts. They are even more protective of my wife whend I am on a 24hr shift, but of course she has a couple weapons next to her bed also.

Lawyer with a Gun · Mar 26, 2012

I use a layered approach, too. This includes a 15 lb Pekingese who has no earthly idea how small she is. She is insanely territorial when it comes to strangers, so she barks her lungs out whenever she sees or hears anyone outside.

Wolf_shadow · Mar 26, 2012

paramedic said:
I too have a wonderful alarm system, a chiuaua/jack russel mix, and a Basset hound. Now granted once you make entry the only thing to fear is all the jumping they will do on you to get you to pet them, but at night when they are in our bed room with us, I mean when we are in their bed room on their bed, if someone comes near our front door they go nuts. They are even more protective of my wife whend I am on a 24hr shift, but of course she has a couple weapons next to her bed also.

+1 I have a terrior mix, beagal and Husky. durring the daytime Atilla the Hun could come in, but at night even when my son and grand children come home for the weekend the racket would wake the dead.

Thndr · Mar 26, 2012

peter nap said:
I count on the night guard to give me a little advance warning. :lol:

It amazes my how much my male boxer looks like your night guard Zues, I believe that is what his name is.

He is a 100+ pounnd reverse brindle boxer with a 75lbs sister. They are one level of advanced warning at night. I am sure I have a neighbor that hates me as he cannot get into his side yard if my kids are out without my male letting the neighborhood know about it. If the kids and wife are home and I am late getting in even if they see me they still are on alert until I speak to them. They are very protective of my kids and I thank the Lord for that.

As for practice and plans I will leave it at my family is on the same page for emergencies like a fire, tornado, or home intrusion. They consider me a loon sometimes, but that is acceptable as that means nothing has happend.

Sawah I can see where you are going, but I am not sure if that style of preperation is better than a less intense repetition. I think it also depends on who all is involved i.e. with kids and wife I am not sure how well this would go althought I see the advantages it could offer. I take the drill approach with them kinda like a there fire drills and such at school.

Repeater · Mar 26, 2012

TFred said:
Pretty much everyone, I'd say! My concern is someone breaking in unheard... in this case they were heard before they got in... it's tragic to not have a home-defense weapon at the ready!

In spite of hearing the attacker before he got in, and excellent response time by the local police, the victim was shot and they both could have easily been killed.

TFred

Having a gun beside the bed helped save the life of Rayna Ross.

Mayhem · Mar 26, 2012

My safe is on the first floor but I have a handgun in the bedroom wall safe.

I have two warning systems in place in case someone decides to visit me during the hours of darkness. One is an alarm system and the other is a dog.

No need to visit the top floor of my home unless you want to steal my life. So stay down on the first floor while you attack my safe. I will come visit you!! Free replacement of the safe if anyone damages it while trying to break into it.

Professional burglars break into homes during the day while you are at work. The rookie burglar does it at night and quickly learns he should probably come during the day so he does not have to greet you.

IOW the chances of being home during a break in are rather small.

peter nap · Mar 26, 2012

You must have missed the headlines about the wave of home invasions in the last year!

Steeler-gal · Mar 26, 2012

peter nap said:
I count on the night guard to give me a little advance warning. :lol:
[\QUOTE]

Ditto here. If they get passed the beast at the gate without waking me then yeah I'm probably screwed.

==========================================
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
Looking for training by experienced staff?
We are the largest all female only firearms group on the East Coast offering firearms training courses and services provided by our experienced and certified female instructors.
http://www.shecanshoot.com/

B. Reddy · Mar 30, 2012

+1 on the value of a dog adding to a layered defense.

The "WOOF!" from a 75 lb. dog sure goes a long way towards convincing the bad guy that suddenly he needs to be anywhere else. :cuss:

Unfortunately, my wife won't watch "Justified" with me anymore. When someone magically appears outside of a house, I'm usually yelling: "COME ON! There should be dogs barking behind every other tree in rural Kentucky!"

MainelyGlock · Mar 30, 2012

va_tazdad said:
I do not look for trouble, but I am prepared for it should it find me.

Amen. I sleep with a loaded Glock 22 next to my bed. Equipped with a light/laser on the rail if I can't turn the lights on, and a 31-round extended magazine. Also a large knife on the other side in case I'm unable to get to my gun.

Grapeshot · Mar 30, 2012

Nice doggie...........nice doggie.

Is that the remnants of the dog hunter that didn't get away? :uhoh:

Who needs to sleep with a gun by the bed?

Regular Member

Regular Member

Accomplished Advocate

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Accomplished Advocate

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Activist Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Accomplished Advocate

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Legendary Warrior