Nightstand Gun?

[Quarterbore]

I highly recommend dogs in and outside. They wake you up for false alarms every few days, but that's ok.
Overall I try not to get too paranoid, gimme a plain gun and a dog to hear everything when I am snoring. That's all I personally need.
Flashlights and strobes and video monitors and flashlights on guns and every outlet, that is for rich folk.
I'm just a gun and a dog. Hopefully I will live. :wink:

Just remember you have to be prepared before the need occurs. Sure, you may not need a security system, you may not need a CCTV system, you may not need a weapon light, laser, or night sights, you may not need a weapon...

The problem is, if you don't evaluate your risks before hand it is too late to second guess your decision once you have been attacked and possibly killed. There are cheap options upto expensive options for everything and everybody needs to decide for themself if they are not going to invest anything or quite a bit into the systems they put in place.

You can buy a CCTV system for as cheap as $80 these days and a home security system that is not monitored can be bought for about $100. Battery backup nightlights will cost you about $10 to $15/each and you can add say one or two in a hall outside a bedroom as a minimum. From that starting point you can add or upgrade as your budget allows.

There is just no do-overs in a home invasion and if you live in an area where these happen you would be foolish not to evaluate and prepare accordingly. The technology and cost of these things has really dropped making them available to everyone and you can always upgrade a basic system over time.

Good Luck again...

 

[toysoldier]

I just purchased a Crimson Trace laser for my LCP. It came with an excellent DVD that covers how and why to use it. Also covered is the use of a hand-held light in conjunction with a laser-equipped pistol. The DVD is available from Crimson Trace, and I recommend viewing it.

 

[sicboy13]

-9mm, for a higher capacity
-Something that I can mount a flashlight to, an underside picatinny rail?
-Something that can accept a laser in either a laser grip or guide rod preferably, rather not mount it to the flashlight as it will add more bulk.

My KP95PR15 has 2 of the 3 above criteria...
-15 shot mag
- Picatinny rail for mounting

 

[Swampbilly]

Ruger KP345 45 ACP - excellent nightstand companion. Except myself, I prefer to keep it in quick reach, but not so conspicuous as the nighstand drawer.


Regards,

MD


PS : Great tip about those emergency backup lights...I'm planning to add three of them in key places in the house as well.

 

[aWoods]

My personal opinion is forget the flash light and lazer idea.. Especially the flash light.

I was taught that you never ever point a gun at anyone or anything you don't plan to shoot. Walking around your home after something goes bump in the middle of the night pointing a gun with a light at anything is not my idea of safe.

With that said... Ruger P95.

Unfortunately there has to be a compromise, in life and death situations at night.

 

[MountainGator]

(K)P95-15 8)

 

[Mandan]

I use a double-action revolver. I use this because if I am awakened in the middle of the night I don't want to have to think about safeties, FTF because I am half asleep and "limp-weisting" or any other reason. With a double action revolver I point and shoot. I pull trigger it go boom. If it don't go boom I pull trigger again and it will go boom. Don't have rack the slide to eject the one that didn't go boom. Revolver is a lot closer to 100% reliable than any semi-auto. I own and shoot both. At 3am I don't want to have to think. I want to aim and go boom. Period.

 

[slippingaway]

Another thing that's handy in addition to those power failure lights -

AT&T makes a cordless phone that is bluetooth capable. I just picked one up from Target tonight, Wal-mart has the same model (my WM was out tonight). You pair the base with your cell phone, and then you can use any of the cordless handsets to make and receive calls either through the home landline or the paired cell phone (you can pair 2 cells). Not only is this really handy for us since long distance is free on our cell phones, but this means that if our phone lines are cut, we have not only 2 cell phones, but 3 cordless phones that can all still be used to call through the cell.

For the base with answering machine, and 3 cordless handsets it's $80 at Walmart, $90 at Target.

 

[sicboy13]

Another thing that's handy in addition to those power failure lights -

AT&T makes a cordless phone that is bluetooth capable. I just picked one up from Target tonight, Wal-mart has the same model (my WM was out tonight). You pair the base with your cell phone, and then you can use any of the cordless handsets to make and receive calls either through the home landline or the paired cell phone (you can pair 2 cells). Not only is this really handy for us since long distance is free on our cell phones, but this means that if our phone lines are cut, we have not only 2 cell phones, but 3 cordless phones that can all still be used to call through the cell.

For the base with answering machine, and 3 cordless handsets it's $80 at Walmart, $90 at Target.

I have crap receiption in my basement, which is where my wife and I sleep... we have cell phones only.... hypothetically, do you think the bluetooth cordless phone would be of any benefit to me? My thoughts would be yes, however, the cell phone must be left upstairs in order to get a signal....

 

[LightningMan]

I'm not going to suggest which gun to get as you need to decide what works for you. What made me pick a Springfield XD .45 was that it is a hi-capacity 13+1 pistol and shoots big bullets of .45 cal. heavy 230grs. +P rounds. LM

 

[slippingaway]

Sicboy,

I think it would definitely benefit you. Leave one of the cell phones charging upstairs, with a cordless handset next to your bed. I'd actually even find a "discrete" area to charge that cell phone in, in case the bad guy is smart enough to snatch the cell phone. The bluetooth signal is surprisingly strong, I haven't checked to see exactly what the range is at my house, but with the charging base in the office (exact middle of the house) I can leave the cell phone anywhere in the house.

If nothing else, you can always try it out, and return it to Wal-mart if it doesn't meet your needs.

 

[sicboy13]

If nothing else, you can always try it out, and return it to Wal-mart if it doesn't meet your needs.

Sage advice! Thank you

 

[Mr_banjo2]

I keep my P95 on my headboard. If i hear somthing downstairs, (and ive only done this in a 'practice' type situation) I left the lights off as i know my own house and its never that dark (local business flood lights etc)

But i let my dogs come out with me, they charge downstairs and would locate someone for me, not to mention im sure it would scare em' they're big dogs who like to bark and jump up at people, not vicious but perps dont know that.

We have both our cell phones upstairs aswell, and noone could get upstairs without passing me.

 

[Jumping Frog]

Wow, we are on the 3rd page and no one has mentioned the obvious yet: I keep a shotgun handy, 8 rounds in the extended mag with more rounds in the sidesaddle. My AR is also kept loaded and close. After all, if the only point of a pistol is to fight your way to a battle rifle, why not just start with the battle rifle?

 

[cbzdel]

well i ended up picking up an SR9

 

[JeepVideo]

I just wanted to add a thought to the emergency light point brought up earlier. I just bought some 360 degree visibility LEDs from a web site that deals with super bright LEDs and wired them up for my son's Christmas tree display (interior lights for the buildings).

I was amazed at how bright the buggers were - I fed them with an old wall wart AC/DC supply that puts out 3.0 volts. They worked equally well with 3.0 volts DC from 2 batteries.

I'm no electrical engineer but I can't help but think that a simple circuit could be made that would allow someone handy to make their own emergency lights... and be much more versatile and discreet than the commercial stuff.

Just my thoughts... take 'em for what they're worth

 

[dacaur]

Wow, we are on the 3rd page and no one has mentioned the obvious yet: I keep a shotgun handy, 8 rounds in the extended mag with more rounds in the sidesaddle. My AR is also kept loaded and close. After all, if the only point of a pistol is to fight your way to a battle rifle, why not just start with the battle rifle?

Two reasons. #1, KIDS and #2, for those that dont have kids, If you are not at home when the bad guys get in, They now have your shotgun and your rifle, both loaded.... I keep a small single gun safe bolted to the floor under my bed. Its the type that you can open by feel. It takes less than 2 seconds to open (even in the dark while laying in my bed), I can keep a round in the chamber, safety off without worrying that my child is going to get a hold of it, and if the bad guys get in when I am not at home, they wont have a shiny new gun to play with....