Have a Pistol Under Your Pillow?

[CannibalCrowley]

I'm not sure if anyone here sleeps with a pistol under his pillow, but a man in Washington used to. He was sleeping with a revolver and shot himself in the chest. Luckily for him it was only a .22 and he was able to call for help.

So, does anyone here actually sleep with a gun under his pillow? If so, how do you prevent from causing it to fire in the middle of the night?

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040403-081011-8588r.htm

 

[Mr. Clark]

I don't, it is on the night stand, it would probably end up on the floor sometime during the night if I kept in under the pillow.

But keeping it in a holster should do the trick. I can't imagine the time it takes to unholster it would be the difference between life and death.

 

[Preacherman]

One of those self-aware, morally competent, highly motivated guns again...

 

[Smoke]

There is another thread here where a member admits to sleeping with a 12ga on the bed.

If you won't handle firearms when you have been drinking why would you dare put one on your bed when you're unconsious?

Foolishness. There are better places to put your gun that are equally accessable.

Smoke

 

[Ben Shepherd]

My "always" gun is just that.

There are ways of sleeping with one on safely with no discomfort, if you think about it.

 

[sturmruger]

I can see a single man keeping a gun in bed with him, but I think if I wanted to sleep with my gun I would be doing it on the couch. My wife wouldnt care if I had 10 guns in the room with us, but she would have a fit if I wanted to have a gun under my pillow. It would definetly make good sense to put a pistol in a holster.

 

[Waitone]

<Spelling alert on>Sleep myaclonis is involuntary jerking as one moves through the various stages of sleep. I have it so bad that at times I will wake myself up.

No!!!!!

 

[Jacobus Rex]

I'm a firm believer that all firearms should be secured. I've got an electronic lock box mounted in the closet by my bed. It takes 3 seconds in the dark to enter the combination on the keypad.

If you don't have that much time then you have other security problems that need to be addressed.

It is a bad idea to sleep with any weapon. I know of a number of cases were people got killed/injured or killed a family member because of sleeping with a gun.

Also, you have the sleep walking factor. Most people do it to some degree and are not even aware of it. People do a lot of "sleep walking" while not even getting out of bed. That is the most common form.

I know a little about the sleep walking thing because I used to have a big sleep walking problem. I've done very complex things in my sleep. I've driven a truck, taken a shower, talked on the phone, etc. all while sleep walking. Luckly, I only drove the truck a few feet! Thankfully, I no longer do the more complex sleep walking. It stopped in my late 20's.

James

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I've never been that much in fear for my life -- if I was nervous enough to keep the gun close by -- it'd be in my night table. I tried sleeping with my Katana once when my teacher told me that would make it part of my soul....gave it up at one in the morning -- so I guess it's only part of my soul...

The main difference of course is that the sword was kept in it's case obviously. Although I've got Berettas which have a manual safety -- I don't think I could sleep with the added bulk under my pillow...not exactly a comfortable head rest either....

Laura

 

[Okiecruffler]

I've got a revolver on the nightstand and a shotgun in the corner, but I tend to sleep with one hand under my pillow. Could be one heck of a way to wake up, if you were lucky enough to wake up.

 

[a random jerk]

Under the bed. I have long arms.

I live in a small, 1-story house on a tiny piece of property. If I need my gun, I'm not going to have time to get it out of an electronic lockbox.

 

[Stand_Watie]

When I was in an Air Force Tech school there was a rumor/story making the rounds about an airman who shot herself in the mouth with a .38 she mistook for her inhaler in the middle of the night. Don't recall if it was under her pillow or not.

An Army MP friend had told me that some US army troops in hostile locales sleep with their weapon under or in their rack and in hand. I couldn't swear whether he was jerking my chain or not - I'll bet there are a number of board members who can verify or dispute that one.

 

[Renegade]

I have a holster attached to the headboard. When I go to bed the .45 gets slipped in the holster.

Later,

Dave

 

[Jacobus Rex]

Hey, Stand_Watie

Where are you in East Texas?

James

 

[foghornl]

Used to keep the Ruger Super Blackhawk under the pillow (MANY years back) with all 6 chambers filled with Rem 240-Gr SJHP's

Untill the morning I was spreading up the bed, moved the pilow, and the Super Blackhawk was cocked!

 

[BHPshooter]

Here's how I do it.

The firearm is always pointing up (in relation to you laying in the bed) just under the pillow. It is also in condition 3 (full mag, nothing in chamber).

With the gun oriented the way it is, you can toss and turn all you want. As long as your head is near the middle of the pillow, you'll never feel the gun. Also, with the grip oriented the way it is, it is always withing perfect reach of one of your hands whether you sleep on your back or on your stomach.

Wes

 

[cosmos7]

I do the same. Condition 3, pointed upwards...

 

[ninjaj448]

All my stuff is unloaded with trigger/cable locks and locked in a safe! The keys for the locks are locked in a different safe. All the ammo is securely locked away in yet another safe! So I'm safe. I learned how to store my firearms from the good folks at the Brady Bunch and Million Mommies. They also told me all I have to do is call 911 and everything will be alright. So I have 911 set for speed dial on my phone....Right!

Yup. I keep one under the mattress at night, easy to get at when I roll off in the 'safe room' where the bed/mattress acts as cover and the phone handy as well. At non-night times, it's on my hip or in my pocket. I don't leave anything around when I not home.

 

[cidirkona]

Holstered, hammer down, saftey on, first shot DA, pointed towards the wall and a whole 4 inches from my face.

-Colin

 

[Stand_Watie]

About halfway between Dallas and Tyler, Jacobus

and to keep this semi-related, I don't have one under the pillow, but I do keep a weapon within easy reach - and I have the convenience of a rural plot and a couple of barky dogs, so I hope to get a little more warning than some people might.

 

[harpethriver]

Sturmruger is correct-being single does make it easier to keep one under the pillow. The AR and my 870 were a little too obtrusive so I settled on my Para Ordnance P-14 Ltd. with Trijicon night sights, 14 rounds of .45 in the mag, unchambered, and a Streamlight Scorpion. Just in case there's time I actually have hearing protection within reach. I don't keep the Para under the pillow I'm using, rather the unused one. I keep the Para unchambered because sometimes the cat sleeps with me and although he's not as smart as Preacherman's cat, I would hate my obituary to read that I died in my own bed killed by my cat rather than that euphamism for a cat.

 

[rich2u]

3" above my head on the headboard in the holster. No way anyone is getting into my house without my dogs going nuts, including my wife who works nights:banghead: D_m dogs...

 

[mdsteele]

Nope, too dangerous.

 

[Mil Novecientos Once]

Have a Pistol Under Your Pillow?

NO WAY! Mine its inside the closet, just 4 feet from me. I leave the sliding door opended in order to see the tritium sights.

 

[SapperLeader]

I have a wilderness safepacker that does double duty when Im at home as a bedside holster. I keep my carry gun of the day there when I go to sleep, and its there ready to go, but still secured. I also have my 870 hd sitting in the closet 3 feet away cruiser ready, and a dog sleeping beside the bed.