i am a very heavy sleeper. so, by nature, i would probably not hear it if a BG were to break into our house. my wife is s very light sleeper, and by nature she can hear a pin drop on the other side of the house. this being the case. if a BG were to break in, i know my wife would hear it. she is just now, after 7 years, coming around to the idea that having a gun in the house is a good idea. she will not, however, go to the range, talk about guns longer than 20 minutes, and most of al, ever shoot a gun - her words. this leads me to my dilemna; being such a heavy sleeper, i am sure to have the intruder get the drop on me, and then even if i had my gun under my pillow, which i would never do, i would still be at a huge disadvantage. i am absolutely not in any way negating the need for a gun, but if i am unconscious, how is the gun useful? the way our house is situated, there is no good way to maneuver around a corner and order the BG to the ground without leaving yourself in the open, exposed to possible gunfire. i was thinking about velcroing a holster to the head of the mattress, rightup against the wall, so i could slip my hand into it and grab the gun right away, but our daughter is old enough to climb up onto the mattress now, so that idea is out. do any other heavy sleepers with familes starting out like me, have any advice?
for us heavy sleepers
- Thread starter Flyerman
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belus
Member
For your daughter: http://www.gunvault.com/
It's fast, and I'm not sure you want to be groggy when handling a firearm. The four seconds it takes me to get out of bed, open the safe, and get the gun is welcome because I get a chance to wake up and become more aware.
SO's often appreciate it being locked up as well.
It's fast, and I'm not sure you want to be groggy when handling a firearm. The four seconds it takes me to get out of bed, open the safe, and get the gun is welcome because I get a chance to wake up and become more aware.
SO's often appreciate it being locked up as well.
As to how to secure it, gotta agree with belus. Quick to access, and yet safe from your daughter. I Too am a heavy sleeper, and my wife is the same as yours. If a Gnat farts in the kitchen, I have to get up and go check out the noise. 
She has no problem getting me awake though, and when she does, I usually go to wide awake immediately. Mainly because each time a gnat does fart in the kitchen, she is slapping me like there are air raid sirens going off and bombs hitting the bathroom.
She has no problem getting me awake though, and when she does, I usually go to wide awake immediately. Mainly because each time a gnat does fart in the kitchen, she is slapping me like there are air raid sirens going off and bombs hitting the bathroom. LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
Member
I need a girlfriend/wife like that.
Bullet Bob
Member
Get a dog. Big, small, doesn't matter. They will wake you up, you can take it from there.
Ditto for me, sleep like the dead, "she who must be obeyed" has ears of a bat....
Mine is holstered overnighted in the drawer by my head, round chambered, hammer down each night. cleared and locked away each morning.
Suggestion, I invested in a good house alarm, the sound will wake you come what may and I got a break on household insurance as well.
Mine is holstered overnighted in the drawer by my head, round chambered, hammer down each night. cleared and locked away each morning.
Suggestion, I invested in a good house alarm, the sound will wake you come what may and I got a break on household insurance as well.
bogie
Member
Our own Monkeyleg is a dealer for the darn things - I'm going to be calling him to buy one shortly... After we figure out where to bolt it.
http://www.gunshopfinder.com/online_store.html
http://www.gunshopfinder.com/online_store.html
ZeSpectre
Member
well, this is what an alarm system is for, to wake you up and alert you that there is a problem. Then you can take appropriate action.
Electronic alarms run the gamut from cheap wal-mart stuff (some of which is pretty good actually) to whole house systems.
Dogs (as mentioned) but that's a lot of work and committment
Kids toys strewn up and down the hall and stairs can be pretty effective too
Electronic alarms run the gamut from cheap wal-mart stuff (some of which is pretty good actually) to whole house systems.
Dogs (as mentioned) but that's a lot of work and committment
Kids toys strewn up and down the hall and stairs can be pretty effective too
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
+1 dog.
jrfoxx
Member
They'll work fine too, but an alarm system is probly cheaper in the long run, less hassle, and smells better.
LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
Member
I'm liking the toy idea, haha.
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
I use an alarm and the dog, and motion lights. The dog is very useful in scaring away all sorts of stuff.
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Member
Alarm means literally "to arms". You need something to alert you that you need to be armed.
I think it is sad that anti buy alarms so they think they don't need a gun. The purpose of an alarm isn't to stop or prevent an invasion it is to alert you to the threat.
A good alarm system (even one not hooked to central monitoring company) is a good investment for anyone looking to defend their property.
Don't buy ADT or Brinks though. You don't own the system and their monitoring fees are very high. You can find local companies that will install a system w/ no contract. If you want at that point you can sign up w/ a monitoring company for a low cost.
Monitoring can be useful for times when you are not home but even an un monitored system will do a good job alerting you to a threat.
I think it is sad that anti buy alarms so they think they don't need a gun. The purpose of an alarm isn't to stop or prevent an invasion it is to alert you to the threat.
A good alarm system (even one not hooked to central monitoring company) is a good investment for anyone looking to defend their property.
Don't buy ADT or Brinks though. You don't own the system and their monitoring fees are very high. You can find local companies that will install a system w/ no contract. If you want at that point you can sign up w/ a monitoring company for a low cost.
Monitoring can be useful for times when you are not home but even an un monitored system will do a good job alerting you to a threat.
Being the one who wakes up if a squirrel is on the roof, or the refrigerator in the kitchen makes a strange noise, I still say the alarm is the best idea. Even if one's Dear Significant Other sleeps soundly, an alarm will alert him to danger with a jolt that won't happen when his sweetheart says, "Something isn't right, dear." I always ask mine to be prepared for possible danger and to pack accordingly, esp. when we travel. More and more women are coming to understand that guns at home, and away, are a good idea! I wouldn't mind a dog outside, but am one of those women who doesn't want any animals in the house. DSO agrees about the animals. One vote for the alarm system here.
jayrod1980
Member
If you are able to care for one and can afford it, I would say dog as well. My little Jack Russel does not bark much at all... but hates loud droning noises. If she weren't around to bark in my ear and howl at my alarm clock, I'd be AWOL from work often!
I'm running into a problem with the heavy sleep thing as well. My wife sleeps lightly and is well trained in firearms... and enjoys them as well. However, just from experience with her, she often freezes up at being startled awake. I've scared her by mistake coming home from night shift and she thought I was a burgler, and didn't even bother pointing her gun at me... lucky me! I would probably sleep through an intruder and my own death. I'm looking to get a protection trained dog as soon as I move from my current residence. A good dog (dobbie, german shepeard, belgian malinois) breed used to this kind of training needs to be very stable mentally. The dog and training can be very expensive. I'm lucky to have some contacts with retired military dog handlers that do this stuff for a living, so I think it's worth it having that extra step in defending your family. I know if the dog can at least stall the attacker and make enough noise for me to wake up enough to handle the shotgun, I should be able to make a good attempt at defending my family.
Alarm systems seem an easier option, but having that extra bit of force is important to me.
I'm running into a problem with the heavy sleep thing as well. My wife sleeps lightly and is well trained in firearms... and enjoys them as well. However, just from experience with her, she often freezes up at being startled awake. I've scared her by mistake coming home from night shift and she thought I was a burgler, and didn't even bother pointing her gun at me... lucky me! I would probably sleep through an intruder and my own death. I'm looking to get a protection trained dog as soon as I move from my current residence. A good dog (dobbie, german shepeard, belgian malinois) breed used to this kind of training needs to be very stable mentally. The dog and training can be very expensive. I'm lucky to have some contacts with retired military dog handlers that do this stuff for a living, so I think it's worth it having that extra step in defending your family. I know if the dog can at least stall the attacker and make enough noise for me to wake up enough to handle the shotgun, I should be able to make a good attempt at defending my family.
Alarm systems seem an easier option, but having that extra bit of force is important to me.
ZeSpectre
Member
Speaking of all of this we just got a dog a few weeks ago (pure dogpound MUTT!)
We've discovered that he really is a great watchdog, but definitely NOT a GUARDdog <grin>.
Meet Donny aka "the blockhead" 51 lbs of pure love and play!
We've discovered that he really is a great watchdog, but definitely NOT a GUARDdog <grin>.
Meet Donny aka "the blockhead" 51 lbs of pure love and play!
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
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Don't worry - her job is just to wake you up, and she'll doubtless do that when/if the time comes and she's scared.
Another cheap warning system is a baby monitor. They amplify noise, so you can hear a baby sigh from across the room. A baby monitor in the garage, or the other end of the house offers a good way to hear a bad guy breaking and entering while he is still in the breaking stage. That is a huge advantage over meeting him after he has entered!
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
+15 what 545 said. I never really thought about that. My kiddo has a baby monitor in his room (he's 4, but I still want to know when he's up) and I can hear my AC kick on from outside his room where the unit is.
Brilliant. Buy two, put them on the same channel, put the xmitters near opposite entry points and the receiver near your bedpost. The white noise will sing you softly to sleep, and any racket will alert you promptly. If the dog barks across the house, you'll pick it up right there.
>$30 solution, I like it.
The big plus, your baby monitor won't eat xbox controllers and drag blankets around, and tear into your pantry while your out, like my sentry will.
Brilliant. Buy two, put them on the same channel, put the xmitters near opposite entry points and the receiver near your bedpost. The white noise will sing you softly to sleep, and any racket will alert you promptly. If the dog barks across the house, you'll pick it up right there.
>$30 solution, I like it.
The big plus, your baby monitor won't eat xbox controllers and drag blankets around, and tear into your pantry while your out, like my sentry will.
Phonetic Diabetic
Member
Ditto on the dog. We have a Chihuahua, and while he may not be a guard dog per se, he will ALWAYS be a great alert dog.
Nathanael_Greene
Member
I used to be a very heavy sleeper. Then I was in two building fires and an attempted break-in.
I'm not a heavy sleeper anymore.
The slightest smell of smoke, or one unusual noise, and I'm wide awake.
I'm not a heavy sleeper anymore.
The slightest smell of smoke, or one unusual noise, and I'm wide awake.
Gamer
Member
+ 1 on the alarm. I sleep pretty sound myself but mine would wake the dead As mentioned, I used a local company to install it versus ADT etc and they monitor for about $20 a month.
As mentioned, I used a local company to install it versus ADT etc and they monitor for about $20 a month.- Status