How do you store your ready-to-go handgun?

I place a loaded and chambered pistol in a holster that is attached to my bed before I turn in.
Prior to that it is in a gunvault quick access safe bolted down under a hidden compartment....

This is my bed side gun, so it does not enter my regular gun safe. I rotate the ammo every 6 months and the ammo chambered does not leave until that point or an idiot enters at night uninvited. Rechambering ammo repeatedly is not a good practice.

I usually have my carry gun sitting on the bed next to me, and the rifle rack is right next to the bed too.

I don't have children at home so I just leave my 4" 6 gun on my night stand at night.

If that bothers you, you can buy a small biometrics safe that can be opened by placing your fingers on the top. It opens in about a second or two and your gun is right there.

My carry gun goes into a GunVault Microvault next to my bed when I call it quits for the night.

I can access it in less than 5 seconds, and it gives me time to assess what is going on so I don't have a gun in my hand while I am completely disoriented.

Here’s my setup in a V-Line “Top Draw”, enough room for pistol, light and extra ammo. The 5 button simplex (no batteries) takes a couple seconds to open; the buttons protrude high enough that I can feel them in complete darkness:



For my Benelli:



I’ve got 3 V-lines all set with the same combination. We once ran an IDPA stage using a combination gun vault versus starting from a holster, and on average the first shot times were a second or two longer and that was with a combination (3 numbers) that no one but the owner was familiar with.

In my mind the vault is an extremely minor inconvenience when compared to the peace of mind they provide. I’d much rather do some additional training than worry about my gun ending up in the wrong hands or coming home to face a previously un-armed burglar that’s now armed himself with one of my loaded HD guns. In the case of my shotgun, the safe is actually quicker than trying to hide it and recover if needed.

Chuck

For those that leave them out in the open, do you not worry about an intruder seeing the gun and picking it up before you are aware of his presence?

For those that leave them out in the open, do you not worry about an intruder seeing the gun and picking it up before you are aware of his presence?

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If and intruder is INSIDE YOUR BEDROOM before you realize it, you've failed. I'm a really heavy sleeper, and rarely wake up for damn near anything, but I'd expect to wake up before someone was in my bedroom.

OP, before my daughter was walking, it was out in the open on my night stand. Now that she's scootin' around, I keep it in this: http://www.thesafeplace.com/handgun-safes/homak/pistol-box-hs10036685.html

It's big enough for 2 pistols, and bolts to my night stand. I've got an easy (for me and the wife) code, and takes me about a second to get into.

It's not to prevent theft, it's just to keep my little one out.

Any other time besides while I'm in bed, or not wearing pants, it's on my hip.

To me, an unloaded or inaccessible weapon is as useful as a toaster in an emergency. Our house no longer has little feet running around, so every gun in the house is loaded and ready to go. Tactical, cowboy, rifles and shotguns all loaded, and the wife has her revolver in the glove box of the car. When I work in the yard or garage there's a handgun on the washer hidden between two towels!

LD

I use a GunVault on my dresser. I have the HD 870 with buckshot in the corner. I have the safety on and locked. I keep that key where little ones can't reach.
I looked at the biometric safes. I didn't think they were worth the extra cost. I also like to be forced to think about and function simple tasks so that I can clear the cobwebs. With the finger grooves and a simple code it is very easy to access. 5 seconds from in bed to armed.

Hello Ladies and Gents I'm Rick a newbie here I found this to be an interesting question. I use the mega magnet and keep my daily driver up under the night stand secured to the metal rail under there it takes a good amount of force to remove it.
I went as far as to super glue the mount to the rail after a few practice grabs from various positions, when I would grab it quickly I found the magnet would some times stay on the pistol hindering functionality . Hopefully I will never have the need to go for it in the middle of the night or any time for that matter.
I seem to have developed this built in sensor that gives me an empty or naked like feeling if I'm ever more than 10' away from it. No kids here either or else it would be in the safe with the big guns.

Jumpa, if the magnet sticks to the gun, I'd seriously consider some other method.

Just curious, but why do you use that kind of method? It doesn't sound like you have kids to worry about finding it.

I also have 2 other mega mags one for under the kitchen table & one next to my Lazy boy I was thinking about putting one in the library A.K.A. Bathroom as most folks call it but... I haven't yet,

Now that I think about it that a very vulnerable area. Taking a shower, I usually keep it in between two towels on the throne

Right, but the magnet idea obviously isn't working, since it's sticking to the gun, hindering operation.

So why do you use this method? Why not just stick it in a drawer, or something?

Smalls Even though I'm a very light sleeper and wake up the instant some one is moving around inside the house "the wife" I cant just leave it on the night stand. I feel what if I'm sleeping deep and some one does break in and finds it sitting next to me before I wake up.chances of that happening are slim to none however, there is still that chance. I think that eliminates that chance..

Oh no Smalls it works fine now .. it just took a dab of super glue top fix that issue ..The wife and I have done many trial runs not one problem now

LockSafe biometric safe. I have two young kids.

I keep my Beretta PX4 with an attached Streamlight TLR-1 on a shelf next to my bed, chambered with an extra magazine for a total of 29 .40 S&W 180-grain Speer Gold Dots. I live alone, so I just keep it out in the open. I think the GunVaults are handy for family folks.

I have one of my cz75bd police in a GunVault bolted to the nightstand loaded full of 124+p t-series. Second mag in the vault is factory 26 round full of 124 +p bonded golden sabers. rotate ammo and mags every 6months.

1911 in lower drawer of nightstand. Mag in, no round chambered. 12 ga O/U in closet unloaded but 5 rounds 00 in elastic cuff on buttstock.
Downstairs I have a Rossi .38 in the drawer of the computer desk 1 foot from where I now sit. Factor in Morgan doors, Schlage locks, reinforced jambs, and an alarm sytem, I believe I'll be ready to greet uninvited guests.

i keep mine in a holster on my hip. when i go to bed, it sits on my nightstand by my clock.

A striker-fired semi-auto w/o external safety, with a round of .40S&W (165gr JHP) in the chamber and 21 more in the mag, rests in the nightstand drawer within 18" of my bed.

I don't have any children in my house.

Store? Unloaded, oiled and definitely not ready to go in the safe.

If it's on "guard duty", I keep it loaded in either a regular safe or in a small safe.

Ready to go?

On my hip in the holster, or in the holster right over there less than an arms length away.

Around the house I usually pocket carry a P3AT. My HD gun is in a FAS1 SAFE bolted to my bed.

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