Worst night of your life
I use the idea that this will be the worst night possible, very dark and the power will be out. I will have been woken from a deep sleep and be groggy and slightly disoriented.
I want a gun I have used a lot and is simple to operate. That is large enough to keep recoil to a minimum and has lots of rounds in the magazine (think extended 20 round magazine). It also has to mount a light rail and night sights and be absolutley reliable.
For that reason, my night stand gun is usually a 9m.m. BERETTA 92D or BERETTA 92D Compact. They both have night sights, identical, medium weight triggers, no manuel safety and a LED light mounted on them.
I carried a .40 S&W BERETTA 96D for 8 years and am very familiar with it.
I keep a light in my living room on timer. It comes on in the evening and goes off at at about 4 am, when a different light comes on.
If it is dark in my house, something MAY BE WRONG. Having a light on the gun and night sights allows me to check the house with the gun light (I live alone) and if necessary, fire without a light using the tritium nights sights.
I used to use +P+ in my BERETTA'S, but now use standard velocity ammo. LESS FLASH AND NOISE which can disorient you. They can also illuminate you to an intruder and reduce your night vision.
My usual ammo is 124 grain HYDRA SHOK or standard FEDERAL 115 grain hollow point.
Both rounds have been proven in many gun fights by FEDERAL LEO'S and state police.
I have done night qualifications for my agency and consider ALL THE GUN-FLASHLIGHT grips to be a poor subsistute for a gun rail light.
If you do better with one, that is fine, but not for me. I find the chance of missing a target to be too great with a non-attached light.
Just my experience,
Jim