Critique my setup please

[kungfuhippie]

I had a situation a week ago that has left me reevaluating my home defense setup and strategies. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=275640
At 24 I'm the youngest person living here.
All my guns are locked up in a cabinet in my bedroom when I'm not home, I don't have a CCW license yet, so I can't concealed carry my pistol outside of home. I have a security screendoor infront of an oak door, all windows are locked when not open.

My standard is to have the keys in the cabinet if not the door open. The bedroom is 2nd floor so I'm not too worried about it being accessed by an intruder. When at home my pistol (9mm) is either cocked and locked on me or slide open with a mag in the well not locked in, so I can grab it and chamber the first round in one quick move (I've practiced alot) My second line of defense was (Is for 10 more days) my sks with softpoint rounds. It is kept at the front of my safe, bolt open and stripper clip resting in the guide. I bought a Mossberg 500 combo yesterday so It'll be at home soon it will repalce the sks and have the 18.5" barrel installed, I'll save the 28" barrel for range trips and hunting.

We live in a quiet suburban neighborhood. We keep our security screendoor double locked and the front door locked too. Deadbolted when no one is home.
At night my closet door and cabinet door are open so if need be I can grab my gun quick.

Any suggestions would be appreciated for things to improve my planning.

BTW: Dog and Alarm system are not an option at the moment-save you all the trouble. I'm planning to move by August and will have to re-evaluate then too.

 

[Lonestar49]

Some Suggestions

...

I may have missed it, but what type gun/s do you have that don't feel comfy with none in the chamber, but slide is open, with full mag, ready for slide release to mount up the first round?

If you have a DA/SA type gun with Hammer, you should not worry about one in the chamber, with hammer in DA (not cocked) mode. If it's still all new to ya, sure, your fear of making a mistake is good, but it also could, and I say this in the worst case scenario, cost you your only 2 sec lead on a BG.

You may want to try this, as I tell my wife, "if ever you see one of our guns in their holsters, it's chambered and rdy to go"..

Now, with respect, one should always assume a gun is loaded, but for dry-firing, point to aim practice, with any of my guns, that is my safe-guard, in that, if one is in its Uncle Mikes #15 IWB holster, then it's on-duty, period.

While my other gun (one at-a-time only) is not in a holster, and it's out, for practice of whatever and, even if I go outside, then come back in, and reach for the practice weapon, not in a holster, I still drop the mag, and verify that it has a snap-cap in it, and aim the first dry-fire shot at the ground. This safe-routine has never failed me.


Hope this helps, as time and practice, while handling your weapons, and setting up some sort of safe-guard, for a "working, loaded, gun" vs another gun out, for practice, unloaded, is what I would recommend, until you become "very familiar" with what you have.

Again, always remembering, touching any weapons, finger off, and out of the trigger guard, and assume it's loaded, and verify, and point at a place where it will be safe, if one were to fly out. It all adds up to good, safe, habits.

To be clear, I cannot speak for guns like Glocks, or 1911's, as their locked and cocked, with safety on, or needed to hold down, is not my cup of tea, only guns with DA/SA and hammers is my comfy zone, and knowledge.


Hope this helps



LS

 

[kungfuhippie]

Thanks for the 4 rules refresher. If I'm carrying my pistol it is in condition 1. I just don't want to leave loaded guns when I'm not home (locked up or not). I'm the only one here who has any knowledge of (or desire for knowledge of) firearms and I'm not pushing the issue. I prefer to leave my guns unloaded when I'm not in direct physical control of them, I fear the legal system of California and an unattended loaded gun (even though locked up is legal) might cause a big legal headache. (Lawyers ) I should start leaving the pistol in condition 1* when I'm home and not carrying it on my person** instead of condition 3. I have just left it in condition 3 (well almost condition 3) out of laziness. Thanks for the input.

*My pistol is unsafe in condition 2 so I only have two real choices for a ready gun...I'm looking to get a new gun or three in the next few months to remede my pistol setbacks. (If you're curious just google my name and star model B)
**Only not on my person at home when I'm asleep, showering, or looking at THR Sunday morning in my underwear

 

[Lonestar49]

Ok, Calif Moral Laws suck, but..

...

LOL, reading THR Sunday morning..

About leaving your guns unloaded while you're gone and in your "locked safe."

Two thoughts here:

1. Your Calif Law fears, ring true for me as well, here in So. Calif.

2. But, and I understand your stealth-mode about telling anyone about your ownership of guns, or that you have a safe, etc., is right-on IMO.

But, if you just came home, and were surprised, forced in, etc., and even made to open the "found safe".. they don't know what's in there, but you have, or would at least have, a fighting chance if they were close enough to you to open it, and "possibly" give them a rear kick to the berry's and pull out a "loaded gun" and contain the situation, as opposed to, not having enough time to load one up.

Besides, IF, someone broke into your home, broke open, or figured out the code, and took your unloaded guns, then somehow, shoot themselves, and then try and blame you, don't you think they would lie about that in a court of law, or their DF lawyer would make that part up.. ("People of the Jury, the defendant left his guns loaded in his safe, causing my clients injury, even though admitting my client was there to rob the defendant's safe of whatever he could find/take") ..even though, in truth, you had them "unloaded" in the event, to safeguard yourself from California's "liability-laws".

Once you decide to own a gun legally here, you have choices that come down to seconds in many instances, and your "life" is first, and foremost.

I suggest, keeping your best, favorite, most accurate gun loaded, chambered, rdy to go, in the safe at all times, as I do, and my little wall safe holds 4 guns, 2 of which are loaded, chambered, and that IMO, is a better game plan, vs the Calif Law moral crap, and would rather, if need be, reverse the lie, and say they where "unloaded, but the BG, who broke into my home, made me open it, etc., made me load them up, then somehow, shot himself, because it is evident that he did not know much about, if anything, about guns, as he couldn't load them, but made me load them, under the threat of the knife at my back, or at my throat." ~ movie time ~


One of my favorite Signatures lines from a Tank Simulator forum I used to be part of for 7yrs, said:

~ Learn or Burn ~


I agree with it..



LS

 

[kungfuhippie]

Thanks for the input loanstar49. I'll take that into consideration. I haven't come up with perfect solutions yet but think my shotgun (the one at Big5 for another 7 days) would serve as the always loaded gun (no jokes about how every gun is always loaded ) Anyway, I think I need to rethink my planning and see where the vulnerabilities are. One is when I'm in the shower, my pistol is locked up in the cabinet -Maybe I need a holster next to the soap

 

[Lonestar49]

...

As a matter of fact, even though we have a big German Shepherd that lives 95% of his life IN the house with us, or when we're gone for no more than 2 hrs, it has become a habit to take my gun with me where ever I go thru-out the house. Even when I shower, it's there, as I put it under the cloths I'm gonna put on, to keep it hidden from any eyes, or from getting water or moisture on it.

Like I said, and understand, you will form good habits, safe habits, and like you also, I have 2 shotguns, one upstairs in the master bedroom, chambered, loaded with 7 in the hole, safety-on, and the one downstairs, in the stairwell closet, loaded, not chambered, and safety-off.

Not sure what your time is with the pistols, but you should get into the comfy zone, in about 2-3 months, with range practice, home dry-firing practice and, if I mentioned it or not, my rule of thumb for my wife is.. 'if you see a gun anywhere, "in a holster".. it IS loaded, chambered, in DA mode, with a full mag, rdy to go for HD/SD".

If you see a gun anywhere, 'NOT in a holster, 'assume it's loaded' but verify by dropping the mag, and it should have a snap-cap in the mag, along with one in the chamber, and when in doubt, aim it at the ground, if you dry-fire it, the first time.

Enjoy


LS

 

[mbt2001]

You can pick up a motion sensing alarm unit for like $30.00 from radio shack, or perhaps even less. Basically it is a little unit that you can arm with a key fob. It is about 120 decibles. Put it in an area where an intruder would have to pass through and it would likely catch them. It isn't the same as a security system, but it might give you a few seconds warning if not scare the punk away.

put it in the stairwell or something like that.

 

[Eyesac]

I think (since you asked) that you should pour all your time and energy into getting a CCW. I don't know what county you live in, but I know that made a really big difference when I lived there...(or just move to NV).
But if you get a CCW, you can forget all the silly contingency plans and just carry a loaded pistol, out of sight and mind and reach of anybody but yourself.

 

[WolfMansDad]

What threat are you preparing for? Is your goal to be ready to defend your home or your self on short notice, or are you trying to secure your guns to keep them from getting stolen?

If you feel the need to have your gun ready on a moment's notice, you need to put more effort into your early warning system. Dogs may be out of the question for you, but you certainly can rig up some sort of alarm system. Heck, if nothing else you can stack empty cans just inside your doors and windows while you sleep. They make quite a noise when they fall.

Best suggestion about your early warning system, though, is to get to know your neighbors. Know their character, background, and habits, and know what's going on in the neighborhood. Form a neighborhood watch. Who knows, you might even be able to help each other out some day.

 

[Browning]

They've got pistol safes for less than a hundred bucks if you look around.

Buy one yourself, drill a couple of holes though your night table, desk or other large piece of furniture by your bed. Drill holes and then place bolts through the holes in the desk or other piece of furniture, place the wing nuts on the inside of the pistol safe so that thieves can't just unscrew them and then just stick your pistol in there. When you're there, leave the safe open with the pistol loaded with a round in the chamber fully loaded. When you leave the house close the safe, it locks automatically.

When you get home again, immediately unlock it.

 

[Kali Endgame]

My tip would be to be careful what you transport all that stuff in. Your neighbors will watch you entering and exiting your domicile. "Range" bags or obvious long gun cases are a nice marker for the watchers. I use to live accross the street from a house that had been raided, by the police, several times and I knew about it before I moved. They had very obvious drug dealings in the frontyard, as well. I had no choice, it was all I could afford. I rented a studio appartment in the back of a very nice couples house and the walk to the back was dark. While I was living there, I left my long guns with my Dad because I didn't want to chance anyone seeing what I had. I kept the 1911 in a super gay, bright colored laptop bag whenever I went to the range. As luck would have it, they broke into my truck two days before I moved out.

 

[kungfuhippie]

I transport long guns in a hardcase with a "yamaha" sticker on it...so neighbors probably think I've got a crappy keyboard, and that I play it a lot