Loaded gun within reach of bed. Bad idea?

[TailGator]

It seems to me that the OP is thoughtfully adapting his self defense plan to his own situation and needs. I wake quickly and am not subject to vivid dreams or sleep walking. Those who know themselves to be otherwise are acknowledging that they are not safe in those situations, and they are wise to take reasonable precautions for the safety of themselves and others in the house. To argue that they should take keep firearms available to themselves at a time when they consider themselves to be in an unsafe condition, through no fault of their own, is not a responsible position, IMO.

[flintlock.50]

I don't often dream of threats, but it has happened. It's just that my dreams can be very realistic and they are always in color. Last night I dreamt I was buying shot shells for a dove hunt. (Unfortunately I awoke before the hunt started.) Man you should have seen the stuff that was on sale too!

If I sit up or get out of bed, I'm awake. If I DO need a gun, I want to be sure I'm awake. The poster who found his revolver cocked when he woke up in the morning or the guy who put a bullet through his bedroom door are cases in point. Putting my Glock where I'll have to get up ensures I won't do something like that. Just wondered how others dealt with the issue.

It's been a good discussion.

[Bentonville]

Pax, thanks for the link. What a chilling account!!!! I say keep the gun nearby and just say no to drugs.

[Seaman]

Heavy sleeper here. Preferred pillow gun is a 1911, Makarov, or 44 spl revolver. These guns have good safetys (or are revolvers) are low pressure, and do not penetrate walls (endangering others) the way 9mm para, 7.62x25mm, 40 cal, or .357 Mag do.

Never had a vivid dream that crossed over into real life... if I ever do, I will be making an appointment with a sleep specialist (psycholgist/psychiatrist).

Amazing how many perps make it to the bedroom, scary.

[Dwight55]

1911 on the nightstand, . . . AR next to the night stand, . . . others readily available.

The only vivid dream I ever had involved me and Jesus Christ, . . . so I don't really worry about the dreams.

At least 2 totally never solved murders within the local community convinced me that the sheriff does not always get his man.

I'll take care of me if I have to.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Pilot]

allaroundhunter,

Nice looking GSP! They will definitely let you know if something is amiss. It maybe an uncommon noise, a different vibration, etc., but they are great alarms, pets, and hunting dogs.

[allaroundhunter]

Originally Posted by Pilot

allaroundhunter,

Nice looking GSP! They will definitely let you know if something is amiss. It maybe an uncommon noise, a different vibration, etc., but they are great alarms, pets, and hunting dogs.

They certainly are all of the above. She is an amazing hunter, a great watch dog, and an even better friend!

She has her own levels of alarm. Ears going to alert, low growl, or full on bark. It is easy to get to know your dog and understand what each of their alert levels indicate.

[FireForged]

I guess if a person has physically acted out and performed complex functions while asleep or sleepwalking, it may be a bad idea but I think most people do not physically act out dreams. There is actually a brain function that normally prohibits it,.. but its been along time since school and I cant remember what its called.

I knew a guy in my neighborhood would go outside at 3 in the morning and start his leaf blower.. he wouldn't even use it, he just started it and went back to bed. He claimed he never knew he did it and once another neighbor walked up to him while he was doing it and stated that he was zombielike and didn't respond to him. I guess maybe a person like that shouldn't have a firearm beside the bed but I know I do.

[FairWarning]

I sleep like a baby. Part of the reason for this may be the fact that I have a deadly combo of 12 GA and 9mm within arm's reach from my sleeping position.

[dakota.potts]

Fireforged, this is called sleep paralysis in layman's terms. Really scary stuff when you go into sleep paralysis while you're still conscious! Very vivid hallucinations that are the result of DMT in your brain.

Anyways, Pax, I don't know what to say to that article. I doubt she could have reached to her bedside or the perpetrator might have seen the firearm and used it against her. However, I don't know how, in good conscience, I could recommend a practice that puts people in a direct violation of one of the four firearms safety rules. At some point during your sleep that gun is going to point at something. Safeties fail. I sleep with my hand under my pillow. I don't think that's a good situation.

I could even see a safe or holster in a recess in the wall behind your bed that you could slide your hand into but the idea just doesn't sit right with me. On the other hand, I don't know what else that woman in your story could have done otherwise.

[Pilot]

She has her own levels of alarm. Ears going to alert, low growl, or full on bark.

Mine is EXACTLY the same, and as he isn't much of a barker normally, when he DOES bark, I know it means something. The low growl usually wakes me up well before he gets to the barking stage.

If people are a little uncertain about keeping a loaded gun at bedside, I usually recommend one of those small safes where a code must be entered to retrieve the firearm. The extra step of entering a code, makes it doubly sure you are awake, and cognizant.

[4runnerman]

next to the bed,floor level. I am like Dakota pott's. I boot up asap. Open eye's and i am good to go. Never have bad dreams that I can remember any how.

[FAS1]

I keep my HD Handgun chambered and holstered (built in holster) in one of my handgun safes mounted to my bed frame next to my pillow. It presents my holstered handgun in the exact same place and orientation every time right next to my pillow. I toss and turn too much to think that a gun under my pillow would be easy to find if needed.
Many years ago and in a different neighborhood, there was a drive by shooting across the street at 4 am. The first shot woke me up, but I wasn't sure what I heard and then 4 more quick shots and I knew what that was! I am a heavy sleeper and it was like a light switch. I rarely remember dreaming at all, not to mention vivid dreams. I was instantly alert and there was no "fog" that people talk about for me. I prefer to have my weapon ready as soon as my hand reaches it. I would like to have my weak hand available for anything else I need like a phone, flashlight, or maybe fighting someone off.

[Patriot86]

I have a loaded P226 on my night stand and 4 extra magazines along with three flashlights and three knives. I live in a Condo, no way in hell unless Fat Albert is breaking in I would have time to get into any kind of safe or lock box.

I also don't have kids, if I had children i would have a very difficult decision to make but thankfully I don't need to do that yet.

It all really depends on your situation.

With really little kids, I can see where its a bad idea to have any sort of loaded firearm out. Once they are old enough to know "Don't touch" I see a night stand gun(so long as you put it away when you arn't in there) as less of an issue.

[pax]

dakota.potts ~

I agree with you about not knowing what to say / do about that story. A gun under the pillow seems like a foolish idea, and yet it did save that woman's life (does anyone here think the intruder would not have killed her when he was done, if she hadn't stopped him? I have no confidence that he wouldn't, given the violence of his approach).

My point in posting it was that it's sooo easy to say, "That never happens" or "That's always a bad idea..." But reality is often much more complicated than our ideals, and not nearly as cut and dried. The only way to live safely in a complex world is to weigh the risks vs the benefits of the things we do, and make your own decisions based on your own personal situation. For me, a solidly locked front door and a solid lock on my bedroom door, plus a few other little goodies, help me feel confident in where I keep my firearm at night. Others might not have the same luxuries, and thus might truly need a different overnight choice.

pax

[csmsss]

Not saying where I keep any firearms, but will say I don't have too far to reach for one.

[Bluestarlizzard]

Loaded xds within reach, along with spare mag and ear muffs.
Unfortunatly my early warning systems have been getting up in years and none of them seem intrested in waking up even when they do here something (the lazy little beggers ) but I love them anyway.

[Navy joe]

One afternoon I lay down to take a nap and I wake up to find someone over my bed choking and shaking me. Luckily I had my 1911 C&L on the nightstand. I quickly thumbed the safety off. About that time, I woke up. Gun pointed at the ceiling where the guy had been. My other hand? Still in a deathgrip around my own neck. 5 minutes after I had fallen asleep.

The dream had started with me needing to wake up since I never meant to sleep anyway and had to go out on the town and do stuff. In the dream someone was shaking me awake. That someone was apparently me. Dream progressed to me choking me somehow.

I keep loaded guns close by but I prefer condition 3 unless it is in a holster on me. I have kids about, further reason to do so. She knows the rule, but a mistake only needs to be made once.

[Switchblade]

It is important to develop a system that fits YOU and YOUR lifestyle. Living situations can differ dramatically from person to person.

I personally I am not a proponent of a visible nightstand gun. Even if you are the lightest of sleepers, there is no guarantee that a BG will make enough noise right away that will wake you up, and if they were to get to your unsecured gun before you, well therein lays the problem.

I prefer to keep a handgun under the bed or in the nightstand drawer, for me that tends to be a Taurus 941 .22WMR with a 2 inch barrel, because if I am in a position where I can't get to my shotgun, then there is a good chance it is going to get up close and personal, and "pistol-punching" tactics may come into play and I want a steel frame for that.

I also use that Taurus as my bedside gun because of it's trigger pull. 20 LB trigger pull, takes strength that little children most likely haven't developed yet. I still keep it locked up when I am not around, but I feel more comfortable with that gun by my bedside when I am visiting friends and family who have young children. But never in the open by my home bedside.

[allaroundhunter]

Switchblade... Have you actually measured the trigger pull on that gun?

[Valerko]

Not to put any of you down , but if alarm or guard dog is not enough , there might be a time to move.
Now , I do have a G35 loaded (not chambered ) and Benelli Super NOva (same )
In closed (2 steps from the bed ), hidden,but do not feel the need having loaded gun under the pillow or within the arms reach.
The way my house is payed out , it Ives me 3-4 seconds ( worst case scenario ) to go for gun , if opportunity presents itself.

[cjmmc]

u said 20 pound trigger pull switchblade?

[LelloBeetle]

We have no kids in the house. My M&P is loaded, clambered and locked on my nightstand. My husband doesn't want anything but a bat. We have two Chinese Shar Pei who are quite serious about people in their house.

[BigD_in_FL]

Due to this reason my 92fs is locked in a safe next to the bed and the loaded mag is sitting on the top shelf of my closet which is also right next to the bed.

??? If the gun is locked in a safe, why not have the mag inside and the gun loaded - it isn't like the kids can get into the safe

[csmsss]

Not to put any of you down , but if alarm or guard dog is not enough , there might be a time to move.

So your supposition is that criminal home invasions only happen in certain well-identified geographic areas?