Home Defense Rig

[Fred Fuller]

What do you think of the red lens cap for a light?

I don't bother with them. My EDC flashlight (a Streamlight ProTac 1AA LED) has a low power setting (full power and strobe too), and I want a weapon light at full brightness if it's needed.

 

[Loosedhorse]

I was thinkin about a gun-mounted flashlight yesterday.

A went through a week-long defensive rifle class a while back. One day we did an evening/night exercise. Me, my hand-held flashlight, and my .308 rifle. Tactical reloads in the dark behind cover and concealment. Finding the threat and determining shoot/no-shoot before firing. Firing off-hand while pointing the flashlight at the target. I made it through, no misses, no no-shoots. But it sure took some time.

Got home, and ordered a mounted light for the rifle the same day. What a joy it is! Not perfect, but way better than a hand-held light with a rifle or shotgun--and way better than no light.

 

[03Shadowbob]

over / under sawed off 12ga and light real close to the bed, Mossberg 590 close by. dogs in house.

 

[ACP]

I like a lot of the answers here, esp. Lee Lapin's and LoosedHorse.

A shotgun with a light and a ballistic vest are all I feel I need --along with a fully-charged cell phone on the bedside table.

But there's also a bandolier of 12-gauge ammo and a .357 Magnum nearby.

If I hear a distinct "window smash" or "door kick" in the night, I don't plan on investigating. I plan on dialing 9-1-1, donning armor, and positioning my shotgun at the top of the stairs to deny entry to the sleeping areas.

To Lee Lapin's point, my hope is most opportunity burglars will be put off by motion lights, trimmed shrubbery, redundant window and door locks, and two large, alert, barking dogs who don't like strangers.

EDIT: And some Howard Leight electronic ear muffs.

 

[M2 Carbine]

No "rig" as such. Just a lot of guns, lights and lasers.

Primary HD gun is a M4 Bushmaster equipped with a Red Dot sight and Streamlight TLR-2 laser/light.

Secondary guns, on the night stand are a Streamlight TLR-2 equipped CZ 40P 40 S&W with hi cap magazine and a Streamlight TLR-2 equipped Beretta PX4 9mm with hi cap magazine.

Close by is a Streamlight TLR-2 equipped FN FNP9 9mm.

There's also a Streamlight TLR-2 Winchester 12 ga pump handy.

Scattered around are some more Crimson Trace laser equipped handguns and some more pump shotguns and M4 AR rifles.

 

[sidheshooter]

I forgot to mention the ears in my last post: also leight impacts. Good bang for the buck.

 

[CTGunner]

Glock 17 with night sights and a weapon mounted Streamlight. Right beside the Glock is a Surefire E2D Led Defender. I have a spare magazine handy as well. I am a very serious proponent of a 'good' hand held light with the firearm.

Before I became interested in firearms and had the opportunity to shoot many different guns my HD 'rig' included a Smith & Wesson 686 6 shot revolver and a Mossberg 500 (Sears Model) 12 gauge that I picked up used for $99.

IMO simple, basic, and reliable are key considerations.

 

[ACP]

+1 CTGunner.

There will be enough adrenaline pumping for me to figure out anything with more than one step.

 

[SniperStraz]

So no one has a vest or chest rig setup for "bump in the night" duty?

 

[CTGunner]

+1 CTGunner.

There will be enough adrenaline pumping for me to figure out anything with more than one step.

Thanks. This realization doesn't come easily for most people. It didn't for me.

So no one has a vest or chest rig setup for "bump in the night" duty?

Not me. The only thing I will be worried about getting on are my glasses. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just not practical IMO.

 

[Loosedhorse]

So no one has a vest or chest rig setup for "bump in the night" duty?

I do, but it's not for bump in the night duty.

Bump in the night duty (that is, investigating a sound I'm pretty sure is nothing) for me does not involve a vest. If I suspect or know someone has invaded the house, then we do the whole scramble: 911, everyone into the master bedroom, etc. Vest will be part of that.

 

[th1229]

Three Great Danes, A Boxer, a Chihuahua, Rem870, Ruger SR9c. No problems at this house.

 

[JohnKSa]

I have a few different pairs of them. One big issue is that they make it difficult to tell where the noise is originating from since the wearer just hears it coming out of a speaker right next to his or her ear.

Good quality electronic hearing protection will provide binaural hearing which will allow the user to normally locate sounds.

 

[mgregg85]

BCM M4gery with a Eotech 512 and a surefire 60rd mag, I need to get a weapon light.

I would like to get one of those US Palm defenders with the at mag pouches.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I've got a chest rig, but that's for camping, backpacking and wilderness survival. In a bump in the night, if I feel the need to investigate, I'm not wasting the time to strap on battle rattle to sweep the house.

A decent flashlight, some hearing protection (I sleep with earplugs, so that's covered) and my HD firearm of choice is all I grab when/ if I feel it is tactically sound to sweep the house at 2am.

 

[Hawthorne2k]

A Mossberg 500 loaded with #2 with an Insight light and a sidesaddle holster with mixed #2 shells and slugs.

A Blackhawk! lanyard ID holder with photocopies of my driver license and CCW permit that can also hold a small cellphone.

A Coleman LED flashlight that's 90% of a Surefire for 20% of the price.

 

[jojo200517]

I have a cheap vest with swen on mag pouches and also have a molle plate carrier (no plates yet). Neither really set up for home defense or ready for it as they are piled in the bottom of the closet.

I always keep my big coleman max led flashlight on my nightstand when i'm home. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Max-Bubba/13848697 Its pretty tough for plastic it has took a couple falls 3-4 feet onto cement garage floor with no more than a few small scratches. In the night stand I currently have a 5 inch .357 magnum and a taurus pt145. Speed loader for the .357 and a couple spare mags for the auto.

Shotgun by bedroom door has a led light clamped onto the mag tube. Spare ammo on side saddle on receiver and on buttstock. AK's in closet right behind bedroom door loaded and chambered and on safe. The bullpup one has a laser no light tho. Standard ak has railed forend but alas no lights, lasers, red dots, night vision scopes, can openers, or cheese graters (ok so the rail could serve for the last two in a pinch I guess) .308 saiga has no lights lasers and nothing to mount them to yet and a loaded mag is inserted but chamber is empty.

Gosh maybe I need to buy some weapon lights. Any suggestions, rail mountable, preferably all metal shell, led, BRIGHT, uses 2 AA batteries, and if its not too much trouble cost somewhere around 30-50 bucks.

Edit: darn I went way off topic, too much eggnog tonight I guess. Maybe I should ask someone to suggest me some AK mag pouches for the plate carrier. Black material please.

Edit2: I don't own any fancy muffs. My cheap standard ones are in my range bag in the trunk of my car. I do have a pair of the radians custom mold ear plugs atop my tv stand thingy by my wallet, change and other daily pocket stuff (I wear them at work). I doubt if there was a home invasion i'd remember them or have time tho.

 

[CTGunner]

A Coleman LED flashlight that's 90% of a Surefire for 20% of the price.

Which Coleman are you talking about? I would like to have a few extras around the house that don't cost a fortune.

 

[Hawthorne2k]

The non-adjustable version of this one

, bought form the local Wally World.

I used it in a four-hour night pistol training class last year, and it was easily up to the task. Plus I like the option of either AAA lithiums for long shelf life or regular AAA alkalines for availability.

 

[CTGunner]

Thanks for the quick response. I really like my Surefire E2D Defender but the coleman looks like a solid secondary in a small package. Good point on the batteries too.

 

[Chindo18Z]

For a recommended real deal weapon light that won't break the bank, Streamlight's TLR-1 is about the best bang for the buck. Uses CR123 Lithium batteries (available just about everywhere).

http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum6043.php

I've mounted them on everything from a CZ SP-01 to a shotgun to an AR to this spare East German AK I appropriated in Iraq...

You can find them for $100 - $115. Occasionally on sale for around $90+.

 

[Averageman]

I would like to get a master switch that turns every light in the house on at one stroke from my bedroom.
Suddenly illuminating the inside and outside of the house along with an ear splitting bell should cause all but the insane to leave the property.
I can sit in the bedroom an wait for the cops with a cell phone and an 870 or two.

 

[Fred Fuller]

There used to be a 'panic button' available from the X-10 home automation/remote control people, you might want to explore that option. Realistically, turning on a lamp or two and a radio by remote control would probably do all you want to get done...

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

if I feel the need to investigate, I'm not wasting the time to strap on battle rattle to sweep the house.

I just timed myself. It took me 4 seconds to put my plate carrier on from getting out of bed. Front and back plates, drops right over my head, 2 AR mags, 2 M&P9 mags, Surefire, pressure bandage and a place for my cellphone. I can have all of that on my person, plus the fact that now I have armor, in less than 5 seconds. Double, triple, or even quadruple that reaction time due to disorientation from sleep, and it's still pretty darn fast. Not much of a hassle and more than worth it if you ask me.

 

[jwgml]

good dog, 870, m&p9