The logic of "A gun on/in my nightstand"

[Jonah71]

Under the pillow next to me. But chances are I'm gonna be awake before anyone gets that far. I keep a lock on the gate just outside my bedroom window. Both doors into the house are locked. My bedroom door is locked. The neighbors dog barks the minute anyone exits a car in front of my house. My neighbor is also a very curious (kinda on the nosey side) person. Plus I am a light sleeper. The slightest noise wakes me...which kinda sucks at times. And a LEO lives 3 doors east on the other side of the street. He's also on the curious side. Now that I think about it.....why do I even NEED a gun under the pillow next to me? lol.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I have a spare holster for my carry Makarov velcroed to the bedpost. a nite lite is just a foot away so it's got some light on it. for that matter my back-up to it is a SXS 'Coach' 12ga Mag leaned in the corner right by the lite.
my little terrier is in his bunk just outside my bedroom door, he's a barking fool. suspicious of any out-of-ordinary noises.
while I love big dogs I'll never own another, my Lab I kept for many years litterally ate me out of house and home. weighed 87 lbs.

 

[Guillermo]

spurs, you gotta have spurs

and the girlfriend will DEFINATELY like that!!!

 

[blkbrd666]

I keep the same 92FS with me all the time...from my nightstand to my laptop bag to my desk at the office. I stays loaded and chambered with the safety on at all times. There's no way even a Ninja could get to it on my nightstand without one of the dogs going off...the little 10 pounder is so evil he even bites me...he's backed up by a Cocker Spaniel that will lick an intruder to death, then pee on him...he's backed up by a black wolf dog that vibrates the walls just growling. Chances are pretty good I wouldn't even get a chance to use the pistol at home if I did have a break in.

 

[Guillermo]

blkbrd666 needs a visit from the Dog Whisperer

 

[blkbrd666]

blkbrd666 needs a visit from the Dog Whisperer

LOL...my wife has already been talking about sending in a video, but the the little evil 10 pounder would be making a trip out to CA long term, without a doubt. The big dog actually thinks he's funny, which is probably good or he would have already eaten him. He plays Whack-A-Mole with him, then rolls back his lips and grins.

 

[Dan M.]

As with others, there's lots of stuff on my night stand. I don't have the mad ninja skills to wake up sharp and frosty at a pin drop to reach for and grab in the dark a pistol first time amongst the key ring, wallet, iPod, clock radio, cell phone, and other goodies. I like my night gun to be by itself.

 

[Jonah71]

I'll probably keep my Mossberg Persuader next to me for a few nights of bonding lol. It can keep the 9mm company for awhile.

 

[TonyDedo]

I'm happy with my handgun, loaded mag, empty chamber, tucked between the mattress and box spring - it's very easy to access and fairly well concealed. No kids, wife or roommate, so I don't need to worry about 'unauthorized access.' There's also a flashlight and cell phone on the nightstand, and a remove switch to the lights attached to my headboard.

I live in a loft, so it simplifies the placement of my firearms. When I come home, the carry gun goes into the safe and the house gun goes into the bed. When I leave in the morning, I switch them back out. There's also a shotgun readily accessible, and a .357 in my bug-out-bag.

I don’t trust under the pillow storage, and I think between-the-mattress is actually easier and quicker than in the nightstand drawer.

 

[9MMare]

If someone has gotten into your house, and the only security you have around your gun on your nightstand is a sleeping you, you might be in for a very rude awakening (pun intended)... Thats all I'm really getting at....

This may be the same point I'm trying to make...except that IMO, your security is overall lacking IF someone can get into your bedroom without you knowing about it.

And that means addressing doors, windows, lighting, etc inside and outside other parts of your house. And maybe 'alert' dogs or alarms.

Because if a BG wakes you up in your bedroom....whether or not he finds your gun/valuables or not....you have huge problems whether you get to your gun first or not.

My bedroom is my designated 'safe room'....and no one should ever get that far without me in there, gun in hand, and 911 dispatcher on the phone. (Lord willing...that's the plan anyway)

 

[RoostRider]

This may be the same point I'm trying to make...except that IMO, your security is overall lacking IF someone can get into your bedroom without you knowing about it.

Yes indeed.... but everyones security probably lacks somewhere that an intruder could exploit... and frankly, the average Joes security lacks in so many places that an intruder could pick and choose....

I lock my windows and doors, I have alarm signs outside and stickers on the windows (despite not having the alarm), I have a big dog (got unlucky in the 'watchdog' area though), I sleep light, I investigate oddities (instead of rolling over and saying "it's probably nothing")....

but I still can't say it can't happen...

Seriously though, I got a lot of good information from you guys about it... I'm glad all of you decided to respond (finally... lol... I was kinda beating my head on the wall there for a while).... mostly just what you pointed out, that security BEFORE they get to you needs to be of the utmost concern....

 

[iiibdsiil]

Before I had a little one in the house, I'd sleep with my gun on the nightstand on the side of the bed away from the door. My logic was when I hear my door open, I can roll off my bed that way and have some concealment. Then I could grab the gun either on my way down or once I was down. Not that it was a good plan, but anything short of the gun being taped to your hand while you are sleeping is short of perfect. I also depended on being able to hear something before than. Considering I wake up to many other regular noises I think I'd be okay.

Now, when I'm in the room, I keep it in this top section of my dresser. Where you would normally put pictures or whatever on top of an upright dresser on mine lifts up. It has a mirror on the lid and you can put jewelry or whatever under it. It's up high enough that my 2 year old niece isn't going to get in there, even though I secure it when I am not in the room. Again, working based on being able to hear the intruder. It's better than nothing.

I only time I sleep completely through the night is when I go to sleep completely drunk. Not just had a few drinks, but a New Years/4th of July type night. So I trust I'll hear something. I know the dog won't.

 

[CoRoMo]

The *Source* you linked to, neither backed up your claim that burglars go straight to, or exclusively burgle the nightstand, nor did it state that valuables are ever kept there. In fact, the word nightstand and bedside table aren't in that article at all. So what was it that you were citing? That burglars steel valuable items? Did I claim otherwise?

I think I was quite careful in the way I questioned the claims that you were making, and I notice that much of my questioning went untouched in your second post. I'm not rejecting your claims, just questioning them. Your methods obviously work for you.
Antagonism? That's probably what I'm known for.

 

[Girodin]

I sleep pretty light, but the facts are that few people regularily sleep so light that no one could sneak in their room at night... there are endless burglary reports where people woke up to find someone rifling through their nightstand..

If you are very worried about that you could take a few very simple precautions. Locking your bedroom door would be one. That would make it much harder to slip into your bedroom unnoticed you. If one needs to kick the door in they will probably make some noise.

I have an alarm system on my house. Could it be defeated? Sure but it makes it much harder for someone to get into the house undetected.

I also have a rather large canine that sleeps down stairs, the sight of which would deter many people. My dog rarely barks but if it does it wakes people in the house up and alerts me that something is truly causing her to bark.

Something like this does wonders in terms of giving you notice long before someone is in your room.

 

[waterhouse]

If the alarm and the (much more reliable) dog don't wake me up, someone rifling through my nightstand probably won't either. I'll keep mine in the nightstand until kids come along, and then I'll work on another solution.

I know criminals come in all levels of intelligence, but intentionally breaking into a house while knowing the owner is home and then walking into the only room in the house that has a person in it seems like it would be pretty low on the criminal IQ scale.

 

[dfunde01]

Check mistake #3:

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/01/12/7-mistakes-that-make-homeowners-targets-for-burglars/

 

[Erik M]

I keep my 92 and a surefire on my nightstand. There are other 'instruments' just a few away in the closet.

 

[RoostRider]

The *Source* you linked to, neither backed up your claim that burglars go straight to, or exclusively burgle the nightstand, nor did it state that valuables are ever kept there. In fact, the word nightstand and bedside table aren't in that article at all. So what was it that you were citing?

See, there is this issue in language called "context"... go look it up, and then read on....

I certainly don't know why a burglar would go right to a nightstand..... What are people keeping in the nightstand that is so valuable?

Lets just say, jewelry, watches, wallets, money, and, so it would seem, often guns.... oddly, many of the most burglarized items in the country is all....

*Source*

See, in this context the source is the reference to the most common burglarized items (the item contextually just previous to the source- hence the commonly assumed link between them).... It is not given as a source for all information ever portrayed in the entire thread.... I know it can be tough to follow context in threads like this, sorry about any lack of comprehension you had.

As to the reference of sources on burglarized nightstands.... yes, I covered that already.... I'm not doing it aside from my personal experience and the advice of the cops in that instance (maybe the cops lied about that being a common MO.... but I doubt it)... Google works for you (probably better than it does for me)...

Antagonism? That's probably what I'm known for.

Yes, and keep in mind that your reputation proceeds you whenever you talk. If I mistook your sarcastic, didn't read the whole thread, taken out of context comments, please excuse the error and accept my apology.

As to any of your other questions, they were either needless antagonism (that will eventually get me to request that this thread be closed), or they were all very very thoroughly covered already (you need to read the whole thing)... AND, lastly, I have no obligation to answer any of your questions... ever.... fair enough?

I know criminals come in all levels of intelligence, but intentionally breaking into a house while knowing the owner is home and then walking into the only room in the house that has a person in it seems like it would be pretty low on the criminal IQ scale.

Actually, as noted, I think this happens more than you are giving it credit for.... If you keep a gun at bedside at all it is because you believe a criminal might just be stupid enough to break into your house while you are in it.... but you refuse to believe they will go to the MOST LIKELY place for you to have your easiest to hock valuables?........ but hey, maybe it can't happen to you....

Check mistake #3

THANK YOU TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO GOOGLE..... lol

Hiding valuables in the bedroom. It’s the first place burglars look. We used to spend 15 minutes or less in each house that we robbed. More than half that time was spent in the bedroom, checking the usual hiding places. Hide valuables where burglars won’t think to look. Don’t hide all your valuables in one place.

 

[9MMare]

Giordin, she's gorgeous!

 

[Kentucky Windage]

Ok, the spurs thing was uncalled for, unless you're advising a waterbed owner, in which case it's truly funny...

Anyway... my system is this. Two dogs downstairs that bark their heads off at any intruder, awakening yours truly. A small, quick-opening hangun safe directly beneath me, tucked under the bed. Once conscious, I can roll off the bed and open it in just a couple of seconds. Did exactly that last night when the dogs went ballistic at 3 a.m. They got a whiff of some critter outside they didn't like. Probably coyotes. Having lots of coyote issues lately. Anyway, this system works for me. If I didn't have the dogs, I'd do things differently.

 

[waterhouse]

Actually, as noted, I think this happens more than you are giving it credit for.... If you keep a gun at bedside at all it is because you believe a criminal might just be stupid enough to break into your house while you are in it.... but you refuse to believe they will go to the MOST LIKELY place for you to have your easiest to hock valuables?........ but hey, maybe it can't happen to you.

No, I keep a gun by my bedside because, like my watch and wallet and cell phone, they come off my body when I go to bed and go back on when I wake up. The gun I keep bedside is not the gun I would choose if someone broke into my house. It would work if I needed it to, but I have better tools for the job that aren't in the nightstand.

THANK YOU TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO GOOGLE..... lol

Read all of the mistakes he linked. Almost half are related to the burglar showing up when you are not at home.

Sophisticated burglars watch neighborhoods and learn when residents go to work or run errands, and how long they are likely to be away. They’re ready to move the minute you leave.

Here is another page with some burglary information that I found using Google:
http://www.apartmentwiz.com/houston_apartments_information/when_a_burglary_will_occur.php

some quotes:

From the data we analyzed, we discovered that the vast majority of burglaries take place during the day.

Most burglaries actually took place between the hours of 7 and 10 in the morning.

“Most burglars will sit outside of a residence and wait until the occupants leave for work or school. They [burglars] wait until they are absolutely sure that no one is in the home,” says Laviage.

To be fair, there is apparently a rise in burglary occurring in the 6 p.m., as some criminals are following people home from work to rob them then.

Here is the FBI page talking about the same thing:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/offenses_reported/property_crime/burglary.html

of the burglaries for which the time could be established, most (62.2 percent) residential burglaries occurred during the day, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nonresidential structures were targeted more often at night with 58.0 percent of these offenses occurring from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In other words, criminals prefer to hit your house in the day when no one is there, and prefer to hit up the local businesses at night, when no one is there.

I fully agree with you that nightstands and jewelry boxes in the master bedroom are a prime place for valuables. I disagree that it is common that burglars come at night and intentionally walk into room right next to sleeping people. I'm not saying it never happens, but it is very far from the norm. I tried finding such cases, most involved perverts who broke in specifically to watch a sleeping person, not to take anything.

 

[CoRoMo]

keep in mind that your reputation proceeds you whenever you talk.

I'd have it no other way.

 

[Deanimator]

My "nightstand" gun is whatever CCW gun I had that day.

I live alone.

If you try to take my "nightstand" gun, I'll shoot you with it.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I keep a shotgun standing beside the Bed and a handgun on the Nightstand. My wife wakes up at everything from the Ice maker to the cats purring too loud. So I not too worried I have good neighbors 2 are home all the time. One is retired and has a at home daycare. We know each others schedule and if something doesn't look right we call or go check it out.

 

[Guns and more]

I bought a cheap Uncle mike's holster with the clip.
It clips to the bed rail, and the bed skirt (whatever you call it) covers the whole thing.
I added a clip on mag holder next to it.