Training with your current nightstand weapon(s).

[el Godfather]

Dear THR:
What is your current nightstand weapon setup? What are your considerations when choosing a handgun for nightstand specifically with reference to platform, caliber and configuration?

I am more concerned to hear from those who have children in the house. With children arround we need further precautions and care. How do you manage your loaded with live round nightstand weapon?

If you have more than one weapon on or near nightstand please also share your tactics for that.

I know many people who use same weapon for EDC and nightstand. They claim that their training on one platform enhances there ability to use one weapon more efficiently. Do you agree?

How do you practice with your nightstand weapon and how do you train to improve your response to a situation? I am asking this because when we get up from a deep sleep it 'sometimes' takes a while for the optimum coordination between all body parts. Sometimes, ones hands are not as responsive due to the way/position in you have probably slept. How do you improve your readiness? This is also where I think live round is a must at nightstand- but many have disagreed with me stating that it can cause accidents because there is a good possibility that the weapon may not be properly handled once your are suddenly awoken by a noise etc, or have fully grasped the situation.


Thanks

 

[Trent]

I keep my carry piece on the nightstand. It comes out of my belt still in the holster and goes on the night stand (still chambered).

You should sleep with your bedroom door shut (that's a fire safety thing), and if you have young (read as: "untrained") children, you should also lock it. Then you don't have to worry about locking the gun up separate.

Back at our old house I didn't HAVE a bedroom door that locked, and our children were younger. So the gun went on a shelf in the bedroom, way out of reach of children, but still close enough for me to get to with a bump in the night.

 

[MedWheeler]

Due to differing schedules and sleep habits, my wife and I rarely sleep the whole night in the same room.

I sleep with a Ruger 10/22 leaning in a corner next to the bed (in my room), and a pistol on top of a lockbox that is on the high hutch of the office desk next to the bed. I will have to actually physically get out of the bed and onto my feet before I can reach it. This helps to insure a more ready-alert status. Our six-year old daughter will not be able to reach it without climbing onto me first, and probably still would not be able to.

If it's my carry piece up there, it goes back on me when I get up. At the same time, the 25-round magazine comes out of the rifle and gets put in the lockbox the pistol sits on.

If the pistol is not my carry piece, then it means my carry piece is in that lockbox. In that event, that gun comes out, goes on my person, and is replaced by the one that was doing nightstand duty (locked in the box with the Ruger's magazine.)

If I am sleeping with Mama, my guns gets shoved under the mattress on my side of the bed. There is no "high-platform" option there. However, it's rare I spend the entire night there, as one of us invariably will keep the other awake. When the time comes for me to make my departure, I'm wide-awake, and easily able to remember to take the three things I came in with (pistol, flashlight, and cellphone.)

I have several different guns that are sometimes carried, though 90 percent or greater of my carry time is with one specific gun. Those not in "active carry rotation" are kept in the safe.

My daughter has been familiarized with basic gun safety rules, is periodically "tested" with prop guns, and has shot a small AirSoft pistol.

I've trained with both autoloaders and revolvers, and am not concerned with differences in the MOA of them in my applications.

 

[Jenrick]

I don't have kids, so I don't have the same concerns.

With that said, my duty pistol sits on top of my night stand with the light attached in my normal carry holster. On the shelf below it sits my EDC pistol in it's normal holster. If things went bump in the night, my duty weapon would be option one as it has a light, and a larger magazine.

I don't think that you loose too much by swapping between different pistols so long as you stay proficient with the different ones as needed. Your night stand gun is a TDA, and your EDC is a SAO, well you might need to spend some range time or dry fire time with your night stand gun in DA to make sure that first round is a hit. If however you night stand gun is a Glock, and your EDC is a XD I don't think you're going to run into much of a problem swapping between them.

-Jenrick

 

[RustyShackelford]

Guns, kids-untrained adults.....

I live in a area where I now use my Glock 21 gen 04 .45acp. I load it with 5 rounds of MagSafe SWAT. I also have a few 13rd Glock magazines(fully loaded) with Winchester Ranger T/T Series 230gr JHP +P.
I had a M&P Compact(no thumb safety/no magazine safety) .45acp with a Glock 65lum white-light(a free add-on from the local gun shop). I no longer own the M&P Compact but liked the idea of adding a bright white-light.
The Surefire, www.Surefire.com X300 is nice but it's not cheap.
If I had young children or any untrained adults in my home or near my guns, I might either get a pistol with a mag safety & leave the weapon unloaded(no round in the chamber or mag well) or keep a round loaded with just the loaded magazine out.
Gun safes or containers like from Hornady can allow you to quickly release the door/latch with a code & grab the firearm. That's a choice you can look into.
Loading a pistol quickly isn't complex or stressful. A small child may not be able to do it but I would only do that at night or when you know the access will be limited.
Teaching your kids about gun safety & having safety/emergency plans is smart too. A home invasion or break in is not the time-place to do it.
Keep your gun(s) clean & check them often to make sure they function too.
Id advise only using factory rounds of LE grade or well made for home security. No hand-loads or reloads.

 

[el Godfather]

Rusty....
For the first time magazine makes sense. Good post.

 

[allaroundhunter]

My Nightstand gun is my M&P9 with a TLR-1s. I chose it because it has the same manual of arms as my carry gun, a Glock 19. I keep it in a Microvault on the nightstand every night. I want to have it in the lockbox because I want to be sure that I am coherent when I am accessing it. I don't want to be half-awake and grab my gun when I am actually trying to grab a glass of water.

 

[FAS1]

I have been woken up from a deep sleep by gunshots across the street and for me it was like a light switch and I was instantly wide awake. The adrenaline kicks in and I was not groggy at all. I am not a "morning person" by nature and I usually need my coffee in the mornings. I have no concern of not being awake enough to properly handle my gun.

I keep a G17 loaded/chambered in a handgun safe bolted to my bed frame. The gun sits in a holster with the trigger covered so I won't be able to grab the gun by the trigger in the dark. It is presented to me in the same exact place and orientation every time.

My CCW is a G26 so practicing with one or the other is similar. My kids are grown and gone, but my HD gun still remains in the handgun safe. I don't worry when we have guests of children of friends around and my gun is easily accessed one handed. It doesn't slow me down much. if any over it being in my nightstand drawer. Also keeps my gun out of the hands of any service people like housekeeping, pest control, plumbers, etc.

 

[mavracer]

I have a small lock box on my nightstand that I open when I get in bed and close when I get out of bed, I also have a 70 lb boxer that eliminates suprise visitors.

 

[Warp]

I have two (carry) Glocks loaded in holsters in a quick access safe.

And also a 5.56 carbine in a separate quick access safe.

I'm not worried about improper handling. I sleep light, I wake up multiple times every night, and the proverbial 'bump in the night' wakes me up completely in an instant (with multiple dogs and cats, they happen sometimes). Also with the guns in quick access safes there is a specific, coordinated act required to get to them. Then the handguns need to be pulled from their holster, and the rifle needs to have the charging handle operated to chamber a round (I always and have always keep long guns in that condition)

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I keep my HK USPf9 (with an Inforce APL light attached) on the shelf at the headboard of my bed. It's got an empty chamber and a loaded mag so I would have to rack the slide to charge the gun before it can be fired. I sleep behind several locked doors including one on my bedroom door, so I should have plenty of time for that. Since I have a lot of interesting/vivid dreams I don't want a gun that's completely gassed up and ready to go within armed reach.

But if there's trouble and I have time to get out of bed I won't be going for the USP, I'll be reaching for my Beretta Storm 9mm carbine. It's got a HOLSUN dot sight on it that wakes when it's moved (totally reliable so far), mag is loaded with 18 rounds of 147gr HST but the chamber is empty. It's got a high lumen light on it, too, and a single point sling. The idea is that I can sling the gun to move around the house while keeping it ready.

The Storm has a very short OAL, making it almost handgun handy for maneuvering around the house. I practice with it with the light to stay familiar with how it works.

 

[herrwalther]

Nightstand weapon is whatever my carry weapon is during the day. Carry weapon keeps a laser/light combo on it with batteries changed out regularly. My EDC flashlight comes out of my jean pocket and sits on my nightstand as a backup. HD firearm sits in a rapid access safe when it isn't on me.

Too much thought goes into manual of arms for firearms. Aside from some outlying examples, firearm mechanics are the same across the board. You have a trigger and you might have a thumb safety depending on the model. Trigger pull weight is the only real difference you have among firearms, you might have a DA trigger of 12 pounds on one and 8 on another.

 

[Plan2Live]

Alarm, alarm, alarm. Having an alarm and always arming it when you are home should give you a few extra precious seconds. Aside from that, you must have a primary plan and a backup plan and rehearse them regularly. Everyone's plan will be different but everyone needs to have that plan in place well in advance of an incident.

 

[19-3Ben]

My kid is only 5 months old and not yet mobile, nor coordinated enough to grab something as heavy as a gun, so my perspective is a little bit different, but I still treat it very similarly to if he were mobile.

We simply lock our bedroom door at night. I actually bought a cheap holster for my Security Six for all of $5 (I LOVE the old-random-holster-box at the LGS), and i looped it through a cut out section of a retired carry belt, and screwed it to the side of my nightstand, so my nightstand actually has a belt holster mounted to the side in between the stand and the bed. The gun literally just needs to be pulled right out of its holster and it is in the same exact place every time. I can draw one handed, rather than having the holstered gun sitting on top of the night stand. We have a "tacvault" in the bedroom where the nightstand guns go during the day. It gets unlocked and left with the door open at night, for easy access.

 

[guyfromohio]

Night stand weapon is my only attempt at tacti-cool. It's an XDm 3.8 with a 19 rnd mag and a light on the bottom. I shot it once for function verification. It sleeps soundly in the gun vault. I'm quite certain it will function if needed and hit where it needs to hit.

 

[herrwalther]

My kid is only 5 months old and not yet mobile, nor coordinated enough to grab something as heavy as a gun, so my perspective is a little bit different, but I still treat it very similarly to if he were mobile.

I had the same thinking when my son was about that age. My bedside safe died and I kept a 12ga behind the door, chamber empty. At 9 months he crawled for all about 2 days, then popped up and started walking. He is 16 months old now and figured out he could climb over the dog gate I used to keep him/dogs out of my reloading room but still see. Had to put in a higher one.

 

[ACP]

gunvault on the bedroom closet shelf

S&W 686 (simple, reliable under stress) w/speedloaders, headlamp and second chance ballistic vest w/trauma plate.

also bedside: Mossberg 590 with a surefire fore end and a 6-round buttcuff.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I keep an FEG hi-power in a holster attached to the side of a heavy dresser.(15 shot magazine full of 115 gr Winchester silver tips). I usually leave the magazine full, the chamber empty. I have competed with it extensively and trust it. I keep a 120 lumens flashlight and a pouch with a spare magazine next to my cell phone.

When my brothers kids are over I put my piece in a lock box and depend more on my dogs. (I currently have 4 dogs, 2 big ones, 2 little ones) I want those extra few seconds to 'clear my head' before opting for a firearm when kids are around. If I leave I put my gun back in my safe.

My safe has a touch pad and its only 20 or so feet from my bed. There is a loaded 20 rd magazine of M193 on the top shelf and a Colt 6920 in the first slot. if I ever need the rifle, and lets hope that's never, I think I can get it into operation in a hurry. I practice and compete with it regularly.

I will sometimes opt for a .357 or a 1911 instead of my 9mm. But I use my FEG the most, and I trust that even distracted/confused I could operate and reload it.

 

[psyopspec]

What is your current nightstand weapon setup?

My EDC - currently a Glock 26 as I live in a restricted state at the moment. At night it resides in its kydex holster, round chambered, but with a larger 15-round preban Glock 19 magazine. My 870 is nearby. When I move away from MA, I'll go back to using an AR. When I moved here I left most of my collection out of state so I wouldn't have to neuter my guns or worry about felonies from vague laws. I digress.

What are your considerations when choosing a handgun for nightstand specifically with reference to platform, caliber and configuration?

Familiarity, familiarity, and familiarity. Not just for handguns, but for any weapon serving an HD role, the person operating it needs to be able to manipulate it safely and fire accurately while in the dark and having just awoken. That's why an AR is my first choice; prior military service means it fulfills these requirements.

 

[Chuck R.]

My current nightstand pistol is a S&W M&P-9 5" Pro with SureFire X400 laser with DG switch. It's loaded with 147grn Speer Gold Dots and resides in a V-Line pistol vault with spare mag and handheld SureFire 6P LED:

I switched to the 9mm from a SIG220 when I realized there's a significant chance my wife would be the one that has to use it instead of me. Getting her to train on the DA/SA SIG was a PITA, and she really didn't like the .45ACP. She shoots the M&P pretty well and due the lack of a safety can employ it with minimal fumbling. I bought a 2nd S&W M&P-9 5" Pro for range use, so we only shoot the house gun sparingly. I have a range out back, so I can get her out about monthly.

I mounted the laser because there's a good chance that when "the bump in the night" comes, I'll leave my glasses on the nightstand.....

 

[ADRskew]

I have a XDm . 40 with a streamlite TLR-1s. The indoor range I go to lets me shoot in the dark if no else is on the line. Doing shoot/no shoot drill in full dark is a good experience.

 

[George Dickel]

I keep a 1911 in the nightstand and my carry gun in a drawer in the kitchen. I don't shoot the .45 as often as my carry gun but I do shoot it frequently. I carried a 1911 as a Military Policeman in the Army for a number of years and it feels quite familiar in my hand.

 

[wow6599]

M&P 45 FS with an Apex DCAEK, Trijicons, 14 rd mag and TLR-1s.

100% reliable and scary accurate. It's always within arms reach at night.
I take it to the range almost every time I go, and put a mag or two through it with the light attached. Gotta remember to keep things like extended mags and lights on it while practicing if that's how it would be used.

 

[orionengnr]

My nightstand gun is whatever I carried all day.
In the past, that has been an S&W K or N-frame...or a 1911 of some sort.

Approaching 60 years old and three back surgeries later, it is a Kahr PM9 (summer) or P45 (other three seasons).

 

[henschman]

I can't do a nightstand gun... had too many instances of sleep walking/bad dreams where I would go for the gun when there was nothing wrong... once I did it when the old lady was coming back from the bathroom, and that was the end of that. I switched to a long gun just inside the bedroom closet. Currently it is an AR-15 lightweight middy with Aimpoint, light and sling, loaded with safety on, spare mag next to it. I try to do a little training every month, and sometimes use it in cross country Run 'n Gun competitions.

I don't have kids. If I did, I would have to vary things somewhat when they are at that awkward stage when they are smart enough to find things and screw with them but are too young to learn proper gun handling. Maybe store it on a high shelf, go chamber empty, go mag out bolt locked back, maybe look into one of those quick-access safes. You know, even my standard gun safe with numeric keypad is pretty quick to get into... I could probably do fine just having a smaller safe in the bedroom closet, and leaving a rifle loaded and ready to go inside. My bedroom is upstairs, at the other end of the house from the staircase. I figure even if the BG heads straight for my room, I will have a bit of warning between the door armor, the alarm, the wiener dogs, and the distance he will have to travel. My primary plan is to post up at the top of the stairs, if they haven't made it upstairs by the time I get armed. Backup is to cover the hall from the bedroom doorway.