The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 31, 2010, 10:33 PM   #1
Hook686
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2005
Location: USA The Great State of California
Posts: 2,090
How many of you sleep with a loaded gun ?

http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article..._lnk2%7C167627

A 69 year old woman sleeps with a handgun under her pillow. It seems to have saved her from serious injury. I have decided that a loaded gu near my bed is an unsafe practice, as I have been noted to pick up the gun in my sleep.

Do you sleep with a loaded gun ? Will it really save you time to grab it before you are fully awake and alert. Would it be better to have the loaded gun close by, but require you to wake up, get up and consciously retrieve the weapon before it could be used ?
__________________
Hook686

When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.
Hook686 is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:36 PM   #2
Jimmy10mm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2010
Location: Greenacres, FL
Posts: 933
Yes for more years than I can remember. I keep it within easy reach but not actually in the bed with me.
Jimmy10mm is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:38 PM   #3
abelacres
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 5, 2010
Location: Jackson County Florida
Posts: 207
Yep. I work out of town alot and always keep my .357 next to the bed in the hotel. My wife keeps her .22 on one side of the bed and a MAK 90 behind the door
__________________
If something seems too good to be true it's best to shoot at it just to be sure
abelacres is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:42 PM   #4
animal
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2000
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 705
Wife jokes aside …. I don’t care for a pistol in the bed. I do, however have a holster modified to hang on the side of the bed, still under the covers, with a loaded pistol in it… also a few other firearms in the room.
__________________
Keep smiling ... it'll just make 'em wonder what you're up to...
animal is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:46 PM   #5
SigP6Carry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 27, 2009
Posts: 1,086
Sig on the bed rail next to me, I won't sleep without it there.
__________________
-liberal gun nut = exception to the rule-
-1.24274238 miles, because Russians don't need scopes-
-Gun control was the Klan's favorite law, how can you advocate a set of laws designed to allow the denigration of a people?-
SigP6Carry is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:47 PM   #6
Sefner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 24, 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 769
My carry weapon sleeps on the nightstand next to me. Shotgun is under the bed. Would never sleep with it under the pillow, safety hazard and I think the deployment time of finding out where exactly the pistol is in the mess of sheets and pillows would not be good.
__________________
gtalk:renfes steamID: Sefner
Sefner is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:50 PM   #7
siggygirl
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 8, 2010
Posts: 236
I guess it's different for everyone. I have it close by and ready to go but with a few hurdles so I have to wake up fully. Having guns in my bed is bad for everyone in my neighborhood and probably the gun too. Who knows how I would treat that gun given the crazy stuff I do in my sleep. I might disassemble it and put the spring in backwards, or leave parts out. I may think it's a hammer and start hanging a picture with it. It might hog the covers and then I'd get angry and who knows what would happen after that.
siggygirl is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:51 PM   #8
rickyjames
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 5, 2009
Posts: 558
lol, usually more than 1. i have 2 carry guns that i rotate and 1 bedroom gun. they are either on or in the dresser every night.
__________________
ya only got 1 arm and ya carry 3 guns for Christs sake. Well I don't want to get killed for lack of shooting back.
rickyjames is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:52 PM   #9
pax
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 16, 2000
Location: In a state of flux
Posts: 7,520
I have been told that the reason many people like night sights is that they enjoy the comforting glow on the night stand beside the bed.

pax
__________________
Kathy Jackson
My personal website: Cornered Cat
pax is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:54 PM   #10
sakeneko
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 23, 2009
Location: Nevada
Posts: 644
I don't keep a gun by me when I sleep. 99% of the time, I wake up alert enough that it would be safe, but that other 1% of the time I wake up from a wild REM-state dream, and don't know where I am or *what* I am for a few seconds. So I leave the gun in the office, where I have to get to it and open a door.

If we had a nighttime invader, I'd probably go for the shotgun anyway; it's almost as close and a lot more effective.
sakeneko is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:56 PM   #11
hoytinak
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 5, 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,721
Quote:
I have been told that the reason many people like night sights is that they enjoy the comforting glow on the night stand beside the bed.

It's not the only reason I like them but one of the reasons.
hoytinak is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 10:58 PM   #12
Scout
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 9, 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 510
I have a loaded pistol on my night stand. I'm not very groggy when I wake and I wake quickly to unusual noises.
__________________
God bless the U.S. Cavalry
Scout is offline  
Old August 31, 2010, 11:41 PM   #13
Wolfeye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 29, 2008
Posts: 208
At home, I sleep with my handgun & my wife's shotgun in a quick-access safe near the bed. When I'm on a hike, I sleep with the guns just outside the door of the tent. I do this because, on occasion, I will have a very vivid dream and say weird things to my wife like "look! There's a cartoon crawling through the window!" ...and I'd rather just talk about the dream than shoot at it.
Wolfeye is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:08 AM   #14
Lokpyrite
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2009
Posts: 367
I sleep with 1 in easy reach, but not actually IN the bed.
__________________
The more people I meet the more I'm beginning to root for the zombies.
Lokpyrite is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:16 AM   #15
TylerD45ACP
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 16, 2010
Posts: 1,654
Right side bed rail my 1911 and LED fit perfect. So its not in the bed but I barely have to move to get it, its within arms reach.
TylerD45ACP is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:21 AM   #16
javabum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2009
Location: Californication
Posts: 264
I have one on the night stand every night....im in a decent area but one never knows.
__________________
Stupidity Should Hurt.....Immensely

NRA Life member
javabum is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:41 AM   #17
MonsterB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2010
Posts: 347
Mine sits on my dresser, which is right next to the bed, but about 1.5 feet above the mattress...enough so its very close by, but not where I would ever accidentaly do something with it while sleeping...
Up on that dresser are a Glock 23 loaded with 14 rounds of 40 cal hollowpoints, a Smith and Wesson 686 357 magnum with 7 rounds of 125 graiin 357 hollowpoints, and a lcp loaded with 7 rounds of crappy 380, just in case
MonsterB is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:42 AM   #18
Nnobby45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2004
Posts: 3,150
Quote:
Will it really save you time to grab it before you are fully awake and alert.
There's no yes or no answer to the question.

It has saved many people, the accurate number for which is unknown. Not all are saved while in bed, just as some aren't saved no matter where they happen to be armed.
Nnobby45 is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 12:57 AM   #19
Hoskins
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2010
Posts: 240
Glock 23 is above the bed on the headboard. It is in condition 3 (magazine inserted, no round in chamber)... that's the way I do it, I know some or maybe even most keep one in the chamber, but I don't.
Hoskins is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 03:55 AM   #20
Controlledpair
Member
 
Join Date: August 30, 2010
Posts: 27
I am with Hoskins on condition 3, but I keep mine across the room in the desk. I tend to wake pretty alert, Ive had jobs where it was necessary, and I havent been know to do funny things in my sleep. I'd keep it in the nightstand if I had one.
Controlledpair is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 04:24 AM   #21
hexidismal
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 19, 2006
Location: Ulster County, NY
Posts: 146
Not in the bed with me, but near me yes. Pistol safe within reach of my side of the bed gets unlocked when I lay down to sleep. Safe is still closed, but unlocked with the keys in it. Its actually a dual purpose system, as I always know where my keys are going to be when I wake up. I don't carry the same gun as I use for nightstand duty. The nightstand gun has a bulky weaponlight/laser attached. So when I'm getting ready to go out, the nightstand gun gets locked up instantly just by pulling my keys out for the day.

Quote:
Will it really save you time to grab it before you are fully awake and alert.
Maybe, maybe not. I'd rather have some chance than none.

Quote:
Would it be better to have the loaded gun close by, but require you to wake up, get up and consciously retrieve the weapon before it could be used ?
Again, maybe. I think it would depend particularly on the individual and their personal sleep habits. My aforementioned safe system works well for me. The gun isn't exposed without a very intentional pull on the keys to open the door and reach in to get it. It's still very fast to access when need be. No unlocking or keycode to fumble with. Another factor is that it's not completely obvious what the safe is or that it's even there, especially in the dark. I might worry that a gun sitting openly on the nightstand would more easily be arming a potential threat that may not have been so well armed till that point, if I don't happen to wake up easily enough that day.
hexidismal is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 06:23 AM   #22
LordTio3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 5, 2010
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Posts: 850
I keep my Glock 19 on a dresser about 4 feet from the bed. Far enough away that I need to stand up to reach it. I feel this aids in the "waking process".

It also has Mag loaded, none in the chamber, as all my weapons are when they aren't on my person. I can't be sure that I'll be the next person to pick it up so I don't take any chances.

~LT
__________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ- Greek:"Come and take them..." Meaning: Here we peaceably stand as armed and free men, willing to defend that peace, and ready to make war upon anyone who threatens that freedom.
LordTio3 is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 06:30 AM   #23
Don P
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 17, 2005
Location: Swamp dweller
Posts: 6,187
Only the ones that are shapely and smell good. Yes its on the night stand
__________________
NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer,
ICORE Range Officer,
,MAG 40 Graduate
As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.
Don P is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 07:02 AM   #24
TDR911
Member
 
Join Date: April 29, 2008
Location: Punta Gorda Florida
Posts: 43
Since I have no kids. I use a nylon holster that is screwed to the headboard below the matress line by about 8 to 10" . I positioned it so it is in a perfect radius for grabbing when I am in my normal sleeping position. If someone was already in the room they would not even see that you were ready to draw on them. Too much time involved to open a drawer and unholster.
The one pictured has a velcro piece that you attach to the headboard. The holster is made of the other side of the velcro so you can position it at any angle. I experimented with it untill I found the prefered angle and then ran 2 screws thru the inside to secure it permatly. Then covered the screw heads with silicone as to not scratch my gun.

__________________
He who " Hesitates " has LOST.

www.TDR911.com
TDR911 is offline  
Old September 1, 2010, 07:06 AM   #25
sserdlihc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2008
Location: S.C.
Posts: 1,454
Quote:
I sleep with 1 in easy reach, but not actually IN the bed.
I concur.
__________________
Familiarity breeds contempt, while rarity wins admiration. Aupleius
If someone doesn't like you, that's their problem! Milton Childress
sserdlihc is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11196 seconds with 8 queries