Thoughts on "nightstand" guns

For me reliability, night sights, capacity and simplicity.

My "bedside" gun is a SAIGA 20 guage. Think of it as a .25 caliber shooting 18 round bursts 10 times.

(yes, it one of those dreaded high capacity "clips")

Worst night of your life

I use the idea that this will be the worst night possible, very dark and the power will be out. I will have been woken from a deep sleep and be groggy and slightly disoriented.
I want a gun I have used a lot and is simple to operate. That is large enough to keep recoil to a minimum and has lots of rounds in the magazine (think extended 20 round magazine). It also has to mount a light rail and night sights and be absolutley reliable.

For that reason, my night stand gun is usually a 9m.m. BERETTA 92D or BERETTA 92D Compact. They both have night sights, identical, medium weight triggers, no manuel safety and a LED light mounted on them.

I carried a .40 S&W BERETTA 96D for 8 years and am very familiar with it.

I keep a light in my living room on timer. It comes on in the evening and goes off at at about 4 am, when a different light comes on.

If it is dark in my house, something MAY BE WRONG. Having a light on the gun and night sights allows me to check the house with the gun light (I live alone) and if necessary, fire without a light using the tritium nights sights.

I used to use +P+ in my BERETTA'S, but now use standard velocity ammo. LESS FLASH AND NOISE which can disorient you. They can also illuminate you to an intruder and reduce your night vision.

My usual ammo is 124 grain HYDRA SHOK or standard FEDERAL 115 grain hollow point.

Both rounds have been proven in many gun fights by FEDERAL LEO'S and state police.

I have done night qualifications for my agency and consider ALL THE GUN-FLASHLIGHT grips to be a poor subsistute for a gun rail light.
If you do better with one, that is fine, but not for me. I find the chance of missing a target to be too great with a non-attached light.

Just my experience,

Jim

I do not have a nightsand gun as of now, but if I did I would choose a 1911 because if it is going to being staying out in the open instead of locked up, it had at least have a safety. I would not want to nighstand a Glock due to their point and shoot behavior.
Tritium Combat-style Three dot sights are also a must.

If I'm using it as a backup to my 12 gauge, I use a clip draw S&W 340pd clipped onto my "tactical chonies" If I don't have the 12 gauge bedside, like when I'm at a motel, then it's the S&W 627 eight shot .357

"tactical chonies" ???

chonies = briefs/boxers

Simple to use, no safety. Point, shoot. I like a 38/357 revolver or a Glock. Behind it a short barreled 12 gauge with 00 buck.

Mine is a Springfield XD compact 45 ACP, 10 + 1 of 230 grain JHP, with Tru Glo TFO night sights, a strobe capable rail light, and a 13 round mag as backup.

Reliability, no manual safety and ease of use. You want to make sure you are extremely comfortable firing it.

sig 229r in .40. i bought it specifically as a night stand gun. i now have a glock 21 SF that may take its place. surefire x300.


if i need more, i grab the A5

All this "to sleepy and disoriented to operate a manual safety" stuff is silly.
If you choose to rely on something with a manual safety? You should train with it until it's instinctive to use. A life or death experience can be disorientating.
I suspect people dismissing manual safeties either; don't use one in the first place or, really need to get some more training time on that platform?

I suspect people dismissing manual safeties either; don't use one in the first place or, really need to get some more training time on that platform?

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I use to think the same, but after using them for 45 years (plenty of training), I have gravitated to the DA/SA pistols as being a better option (for me). My first pistol that had a decocker on it was in 2004 a Ruger P-97DC. A little strange not having a safety on the gun, but you get use to it with a little practice.

Too many times when rushing to get the first shot off, in an IDPA match did I find myself forgetting to take the safety off before trying to fire (not always but too many times did I lose a second or two on the first shot).

The longer and stiffer trigger pull on the first shot is not a problem once you have practiced with the pistol. I consider it a safety factor and never carry cocked and locked anymore (not really needed unless caring a SA only pistol).

But back to the question, I use a CZ 75 P-01 (9 mm) with 14 +1 on the night stand, because I can thread the eye of a nettle with it. If I need to do a head shot around a hostage (wife or kid) I would not have an issue using it, I am not that confident with the 45 ACP that goes with me every time I go out. So the CZ sits on my night stand with a gun light attached.

Jim

Generally my cell phone is also sitting right there, and slips into a pajama pocket easily enough.

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Suuuuuure I believe ya... Judging by that alarm clock. Your cell has to be a brick, circa 92ish...

night stand gun

Glock G22 with light. 12 gauge nearby also. Those of you that don't like rail mounted lights, it is so bright that it will make you turn away even in daylight. If your pupils are adjusted for dark it is very painful to get hit with the light. It also adds just enough weight to tame the recoil nicely, better if my wife needs to use it.

I was worried about using the Glocks. I think a round should be chambered. But had to consider how I might really react to someone
breaking into the house. House is small and a single story. So wouldn't take the bad guy(s) long to get at us. So being woken up groggy,
in the dark and scared, I was concerned fumbling for the gun in a hurry, I might hit the trigger unintentionally and set it off. And was not
happy with the low capacity of the revolvers. So opted for a couple Taurus 24/7 OSS pistols. 9mm on wife's side & 45 ACP on mine.
Her's holds 19+1 and there is the 2nd mag. Have green laser on her's (she's a terrible shot ). Mine holds 15+1 and there's the 2nd mag.
Can chamber a round and decock. Leave safety off, and it's much like a double action revolver on the 1st shot, followed with easy single
action pulls after that.

Tuckerdog1

Currently: Armscor Gov't 1911 with 7+1 Golden Sabers and a front night sight. For many many years though, it was an FNH FNP-9. I'd trust my life to both of them.

My criteria for a nightstand gun:
1) Reliable
2) Accurate
3) Has a light
4) Shoots fast if needed
5) Manual safety or DA trigger

My AR pistol currently fills that role, until I get the rifle zeroed. I can ping steel at 200 yards with the pistol, I think I can hit somebody within 15 yards even easier.
I've used my USP 45 for that role in the past, as it features a light and laser. The AR pistol is just faster to use.

ETA: #5. I don't like to put nightstand guns in a holster.

Last night I discovered another criteria I hadn't considered, but now will. If you keep your gun ON the nightstand, and not in a drawer or anything, and you have a cat, you need to make sure it can withstand cat puke.

I discovered my FNP-45 sitting in it's normal postion, with a healthy dose of half digested cat food sitting on the grip. Happily, it was just on the grip, and not in the action.

I guess Leonard wasn't feeling to good while I was at work yesterday. I'm glad I noticed it when I didn't need the gun, rather than when I heard a bump in the night.

My cats are NOT allowed in my bedroom. End of cat worries.

Big bore, reliable, DA first shot. My beside gun is a Sig P220 with one in the chamber (decocked for DA first shot) and 8 in the mag. Currently loaded with Hornady 200 gr +P JHP's.

I need it close, loaded and easy to use with either hand. A J-frame revolver.