Securing your pistol at night, in reach

[jonathon]

What do you guys think is the best way to keep a pistol "within reach" of your bed? I'm thinking hard, and having a block..

Not sure I like the idea of it being "loose" on or in my night stand, the way I move at night and such mainly.

I already keep a shotgun rested against my desk on the other side of my bed, and that does have a round in the chamber and 6 more 3 inchers in the tube.

Might just keep a mag loaded, but not one chambered....

[2fast2curious]

I know a guy who keeps his beretta under his pillow when sleeping. What if he accidently pulls the trigger when turning from one side to other?
I don't have a need to keep a loaded gun withing my proximity while asleep. But if I had an urge I would put it under the matress or in the draw by the bed. In this case it would have the quickest way in to my hands(2-3 seconds) The only concern is to not forget it's there and make sure no kids will have access to it. However, I read in the tactical shooting book that when the burglers get in to the house the first things they do is checking the bedside and jewerly drawers for the weapons. So don't leave it there unattended while gone.

[mikikanazawa]

I saw something in a magazine that looked like a good idea. It's a holster that is held by a flap you insert between your mattress and box spring. It also has a ring for your Mag-Lite and a pocket for a phone.

Those are three things I have next to my bed, except lying on the floor.

I know some people prefer to keep their firearm a ways from the bed, so they have to be "up" before getting hold of a weapon.

[Glock19Fan]

I usually keep my Glock 19 under the mattress, right under much chest so I know where to get it.

You could keep it under your pillow, but just make sure not to have a round chambered. I dont keep it there, since I usually move a lot during the night, and wouldnt want it knocked out, and if SHTF, I wouldnt want it laying on the floor while im searching under my pillow.

I was thinking about attaching some sort of pouch to the bedsheets at the head of my bed where I could keep a gun. Maybe a path of denim attached with safety pins? Im not sure, but I think it would be much more accessable than if it were under the bed or in my nightstand (which is where I also keep a .22 magnum revolver).

I wouldnt want to keep it in the open though, becuase that last think I would want it an unarmed burglar to become armed with my own weapon.

[thumperfbc]

the little shack i rent out is all of 250 sqaure feet so i know whats going on everywhere at any given time... When I am home, the 220 is sitting on the computer desk where i spend most of my home time (homework, reading, computer, tv)... When I am home and sleeping, it sits on the computer desk chair which is within reach of the couch I sleep on, but not really able to be bumped away if I toss and turn. Its kept with 8 in the mag and 1 in the chamber, decoked, obviously. also on the desk chair is a cell phone, Benchmade folder, and a flashlight.

When I leave and it doesn't come with me (most of the time... no CCW here) it gets unloaded and locked up safe and sound.

[Greenfurniture]

Close enough to grab, far enough away not to shoot while sleeping.

[STEVE M]

I keep it in it's duty holster on my belt next to the bed. It's withing reach,

I'll have to be awake to work the safety strap to realease it. If I need to

search the house, I have a Surefire light, spare ammo and a cell phone pouch

on the belt ready to go.

[stevelyn]

Down on the floor next to the phone by the bed.
No, I don't sleep soundly or well enough to answer the Glock when the phone rings.

[jonathon]

I'm thinking the floor sounds like a good idea.. until I make a holster I can strap/bolt to my nightstand

Maybe a flap holster with a single snap..

[USP45usp]

I have a night side that has a second self on the side (toward me) and that is where I keep mine. It's "in sight" but out of sight at the same time to others.

I don't know where to get one in the stores, I found this at a garage sale and it looks like it was built especially for this purpose.

The trouble that I see with some of the ways that people place their weapons, even if it's in one of those "quick open" safes, is that you need to know your sleep patterns.

Me, when I first go to sleep I am a DEEP sleeper. It also takes me a few seconds to realize what is going on. That is for the first 4 to 5 hours. The next 2 to 4 hours I am in a very light sleep and will realize and react allot faster.

So the way that I set up is what I feel will work best for me.

Wayne

[Malamute]

At home, under the pillow at the edge of the bed. Rifle (30-30 or 45-70) leans against the wall between the bed and the nitestand. Surefire on the nightstand. Ruger 45 Colt SA on nightstand.

On the road in motels, under the next pillow with a surefire with it, another sure fire on the bedside table, model 12 Winchester against the wall by the bed.

In the hills, pistol under pillow, or in hand if prime grizzly country, rifle on groundcloth, under the edge of the sleeping bag.

I gave up on 1911's under the pillow, woke up several times with a cocked unlocked pistol. DA or SA revolvers only for me.

[wayneinFL]

How about one of those combination safes with the keypad shaped like a hand?

http://www.gunvault.com/

you could screw it down to the boxspring, floor, etc. and have it handy enough to get to it, hearing a "bump in the night", although it may not be an option if you woke up with someone already on top of you. In the latter case, it may be too late already.

[BillCA]

Jonathan,

How about getting an inexpensive nylon holster and using velcro to attach it to the side of the nightstand? Use adhesive velcro on the nightstand and just "stick" the holster on it firmly before dropping the gun into it.

[Dwight55]

Our night time HD is predicated on 1 ea 1911 in .45 ACP and 1 ea .38 special, 6 shooter for my wife. We will defend the bedroom and master bath while on the phone to LEO is plan #1.

(Plan #2 is get up and get the shotgun out of the open safe, . . . but I don't think we will ever get to that situation, . . . though we are prepared for it)

Said all that to say this, . . . 1911 is half an arm's length away, laying so left side is down, barrel away from me, cell phone just on the other side of the muzzle. They go in the safe just before I go to work, . . . come out as soon as I come in for the evening.

In a home invasion or home burglary, . . . silence is advantageous to the home owner (have cell phone turned on, and authorization code punched in, maybe even have LEO on pre-planned dial number, . . . ours is 911 and is coded to the LEO so they know who and where we are), . . . also have round in chamber (none of that goofy "I'll scare em off racking my 870" stuff).

Someone entering our bedroom will hear three sounds in succession, . . . flashlight going on to ID bg, . . . safety going off on 1911, . . . and the first of however many 1911 boom/bangs necessary to negate the threat.

Key to being able to be ready for this type of threat, . . . ALWAYS put pistol in same place, same way, under same circumstances, . . . don't wake up and try to remember where what is and in what status. You need to know!

May God bless,
Dwight

[jonathon]

How about getting an inexpensive nylon holster and using velcro to attach it to the side of the nightstand? Use adhesive velcro on the nightstand and just "stick" the holster on it firmly before dropping the gun into it.

Ahh, sounds good. But then I don't have an excuse to make anything That, and my stand is a wire frame deal, so I coudl easily strap anything onto it.

I was thinking of making a "Shoulder strap" holster that would sling over the left shoulder anyways....

For now, it goes on the floor in easy reach(my maglite is already down there..)

[Relayer]

I keep my P-01 on a high shelf in my closet about 20 feet from my bed.

I've practiced quite a bit (at night, lights out) to feel confident that I can get to it efficiently and quickly. Should I hear the alarm or someone coming in downstairs.

[Corolla]

On bed Next to me in holsters that don't let the safety be moved and by the time i un holster it im wide awake and alert( have shepard for prewarning tried and tested he works great).

[Guy B. Meredith]

The revolver has been in my bedstand drawer, empty with several moonclips nearby. I will be trading this for the Mossberg Persuader as soon as I feel competent with it. We have a water bed with no headboard so I am thinking of putting a rack on the bed frame at the top of the bed, Mossberg aimed at safe 'target' and loaded. Maybe the Mossberg lock box for extended stays.

[cosmolinelover]

You guys ever hear of the Darwin awards? Well, they claim a guy was reaching for his ringing phone in the middle of the night and grabbed his .38 instead... raising the gun to his ear as if it was the headset... and blowin his brains out. Oops.

http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-10.html

It sounds possible to make that mistake while asleep... I mean... if you thought it was the phone... it would "make sense" to squeeze the trigger to "turn it on." Maybe. ..... err... I dunno... anything is possible i guess though

[Arc Angel]

I've always felt extremely uncomfortable leaving a pistol on the nightstand next to the bed. (Who's to say that you're going to be the first one to pick it up?) Loved that comment about, 'answering the Glock when the phone rings! Sleepy people do make mistakes.

Sure you need a nighttime, 'fallback position' along with additional hardware; but, for an immediate response, I simply take my front left pocket backup gun and its well designed pocket holster, and place them under my pillow. Been doing this for more than 10 years, now. Personally I leave the pistol's safety off because the 8 1/2# long-throw trigger and pocket holster have always prevented the gun from firing. (As an extra precaution I keep the muzzle pointed at the wall and away from myself.)

Nevertheless, I recognize that this isn't a perfect solution for everybody - so, YMMV!

[cpileri]

I am with Arcangel.
Put it in a closed holster that covers the trigger and has a positive retention device (snap or whatever) so it cant fall out. Then put it under your pillow if you want.
If you can sleep on a lump, no problem.
C-

[Doug.38PR]

Instead of in the drawer (where I can't get to it as quick) or on the bedside table (where I might knock it off ) or under my pillow (where it has disaster written all over it) I hang my .38 in my belt with hip holster or shoulder holster on the bedpost at the head of the bed where it is tucked away where I can't touch it unless I am specifically reaching for it. I can get to it just as easy as if it were on the table. (and no I don't have any children in the house ever so no need to worry about that)

[wayneinFL]

There was a guy staying in a condo on the beach out here last year. He went to bed after watching some movie or documentary about the Andrea Doria. He got up in the middle of the night, thinking he was on a sinking ship, ran out to the 5th floor (or was it 8th?) balcony and jumped off the "ship". Rude awakening.

If I was this guy, I definitely wouldn't keep a pistol too accessible next to the bed.

[Limeyfellow]

I tend to have a shotgun and rifle on the wall, covered out the way and a revolver in the draw and a knife, extra rounds and so on, so I pretty much have anything I need fairly close by. It also lets me have a second or two to come to my senses and not be on automatic control.

I wouldn't dream of putting a pistol under the pillow. There are just too many incidents of people knocking it off the bed or it being set off by accident, especially since I have a dog in the room as well as my wife. Thats just causing for an accident to happen.

My mother in law has a compartment built into her headboard that stores a .38 snub within grabbing distance.

[powderedonuts]

James Nichols sleeps with a revolver under his pillow..........

I guess if I want to be a true gun maniac I should do the same??