Learning Experience - - Need your suggestions!

[mfrobert]

Hi guys - - I wanted to take the time to share 2 recent situations that really tested my situational awareness and preparedness. The first situation was the Richmond Hills explosion in Greenwood only a couple of miles down the road, followed up by someone repeatedly pounding on my door and ringing the door bell in the middle of the night a couple of days ago.

Most importantly out of all of this I realized that I MUST have my tools in the same spot at all times. When I was awakened in the middle of the night, I had to first find my glasses, then get dressed, grab my firearm, then search for my flashlight in a drawer. I quickly realized that I wasn't prepared at all and was relying way too much on what I thought I had in place.

Do any of you have suggestions for keeping your firearm and flashlight in a place that is very instinctual and easy to grab in a moments notice? Additionally what about those of you who rely on glasses, how do you ensure you can always find your glasses within a sec or two?

Matt

 

[rockhopper46038]

No kids, so arms reach bedside works for me. I realize others may not have this luxury. Glasses would be in the same spot every night - although LASIK has gotten inexpensive enough that you might want to consider that route. However if you have an alarm clock bedside that puts out a fair amount of glowing light, putting the glasses right in front of it would probably allow you to find them most quickly.

 

[JetGirl]

someone repeatedly pounding on my door and ringing the door bell in the middle of the night a couple of days ago.

So what did they want? Just curious.

 

[mfrobert]

So what did they want? Just curious.

Turned out to be one of my girlfriends drunk a$$ friends being stupid. We chose not to answer the door and just ride it out. I don't think he would have been happy to meet my bright LED light shining in his eyes

 

[rockhopper46038]

Off topic, but methinks a girlfriend's male friend that thinks it's okay to bang on your door and ring the doorbell repeatedly in the middle of the night while drunk portends some additional threads coming from this OP in the near future. Good luck, sir!

 

[HavokCycle]

Off topic, but methinks a girlfriend's male friend that thinks it's okay to bang on your door and ring the doorbell repeatedly in the middle of the night while drunk portends some additional threads coming from this OP in the near future. Good luck, sir!

if someone knocks on my door i respond to it as a threat. in this day in age there's no reason to NOT advise someone they're coming over.

 

[JetGirl]

Turned out to be one of my girlfriends drunk a$$ friends being stupid. We chose not to answer the door and just ride it out. I don't think he would have been happy to meet my bright LED light shining in his eyes

Wow! And...

Off topic, but methinks a girlfriend's male friend that thinks it's okay to bang on your door and ring the doorbell repeatedly in the middle of the night while drunk portends some additional threads coming from this OP in the near future. Good luck, sir!

...Probably that ^!
Holy moly.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I have a $10 pocket holster that I glued velcro to, then stuck velcro to the rail of my bed. When I'm sleeping, the gun is in that holster. I keep a flashlight on my nightstand. I got lasik 11 years ago, but always used to keep my glasses on the nightstand. Heck, for probably the first 6 months after getting lasik, I would still reach for my glasses when I woke up. Took a LONG time to break that habit.

 

[Rookie]

My flashlight is mounted to my AR-15, so I don't need to search for it. Laser surgery cured the need for glasses.

 

[TR1032]

I keep my glasses in a nightstand drawer that is left open at night. In that same drawer is a cell phone, on top of the nightstand is at least one flashlight, and the gun is in a safe (unlocked at night) next to that. Seems to work well.

 

[GlockPaperScissors]

If you have a nightstand, I suggest keeping everything there. Glasses on top. If you need the weapon out of sight, just use the top drawer for your flashlight, pistol, and magazines.

My flashlight is mounted to my AR-15, so I don't need to search for it. Laser surgery cured the need for glasses.

Or ^^^^^ works, too.

 

[Markedup]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...lf_defense/162266-nightstand_concealment.html

Here are some thoughts from last year

Originally Posted by lrahm
"You need to place you weapon in sich a place that you have to physically do an act that will make you think that about what you are doing in order to wake youself up. Weather it is reaching into a night stand (like the original post) or to tak a step to retrive the weapon three feey away. "

I agree with you for myself.
I have my alarm clock positioned so that I have
to get out of bed, stand up and walk four steps
to turn it off, or hit the snooze. By the time I get
to it, I am usually awake enough to make a conscious
decision. Like "stay up dummy", you have to go to work
or Church.Having a hand gun within my reach while I am sleeping,
would be a unconscionable risk for me to subject my wife. My
gun is several steps away from where we sleep. I know I
am making the gun less available in a desperate situation.
I have not walked in my sleep for fifty years.

I remember sleeping with an M14 in basic training.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Raskolnikov]

I also got lasik done (and love it!). I have everything right where I need it by my bed. In an emergency, I can use the flashlight on my iPhone (which works very well), and I have a myriad of guns within close reach. A shotgun and a .45 are within arm's reach. I have a crucifix over hanging over my bed for added protection.

 

[MbMinx]

I've kept my glasses on top of the alarm clock for years. Years, I tell ya! But they're always in the same spot every time so I can always find them. I'm so blind without them that I can't see well enough to find them if they AREN'T in a known location. Flashlight on the next shelf down.

 

[addictedhealer]

I have a headboard that has shelves and drawers on it. I keep my revolver and a nice led flashlight in the same corner every night. I get my gun and flashlight out every night. Then when my alarm goes off in the morning they go back in. If I had glasses they would be with the gun and light.

I also have a 12 gauge ready in my closet. I have two dogs that hear everything so I have a little more of a notice. Although I would probably just use the revolver due to having dogs, shotgun could catch them in the crossfire.

 

[Concerned Citizen]

1. My EDC piece is ALWAYS in the same spot at night, in the nightstand drawer next to me.
2. Dedicated flashlight is ALWAYS in the same spot at night, in the nightstand drawer next to me. Make sure it is at least 180 lumens, and has a quick on-off function, so you can temporarily blind someone, but not stay on for extended period.
3. Don't sleep naked or in just underwear, that way if you need to go to the door, you are prepared.
4. I instruct my wife & kids to never answer the door after hours, but to come get me if I don't hear door. (my kids are teens & blackbelts, but rule still stands).
5. Get a dog. My dog is not a 'guard dog', but he sleeps next to my side of the bed, and if there's any action in the house, he gets up to investigate.
6. Practice regularly. Not only shooting at range, but make dry-runs of you getting up in middle of night to investigate a possible threat. If, in the middle of the night you have to use the toilet, run a "clear the house" drill before you go.
7. If you aren't carrying while inside, between work & bedtime, place a piece someplace you can access it BEFORE answering the door. Make sure you make a habit of grabbing a pistol and placing it in your belt or pocket before answering the door, EVERYTIME.

 

[XDLover]

When I was young my grandfather always preached to me about keeping my stuff in the same place when not used. From my wallet to my cell to my glasses.
I keep my gun in the same location and a flashlight on the nightstand.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

3. Don't sleep naked or in just underwear, that way if you need to go to the door, you are prepared.

You can carry your firearm and flashlight in your hands. Why do you need pants?

These people seem prepared

 

[Concerned Citizen]

You just HAD to cross the line, didn't you? Couldn't stop with just 3 pictures?

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

You can carry your firearm and flashlight in your hands. Why do you need pants?

I too sleep in my birthday suit .... I can shoot naked JUST FINE !!!

NO kids, light and gun in arms reach