Misidentification of the threat

[cmshoot]

I’ve mentioned numerous times before on this forum how I do not keep a firearm where I can reach it from my bed. I have to get out of the bed, cross the bedroom, and get a firearm from the closet.

Why?

Because when I’m startled awake, I am not always in a solid frame of mind, nor have I always read the situation correctly. Not a good idea to have the brain operating in that manner while you have access to a firearm.

What’s the worst that could happen? You could shoot and kill a loved one, and I can’t come up with anything worse than that.

Here’s an example, and I’m only using it because it’s the most recent one. http://www.fox5atlanta.com/national...s-and-kills-wife-thinking-she-was-an-intruder

The bedrooms are upstairs, we have 2 large dogs (and 1 small one), and a home alarm. We have plenty of warning systems in place that I don’t need to be able to draw a firearm in 1.5 seconds while I’m lying in bed.

Another factor in nearly every misidentification instance I’ve read about is that a light was not used. Either a flashlight, or simply flipping on the lights, would have positively ID’ed the subject before rounds were fired.

We’ll talk about subjects like these, and much more, during my Home & Personal Security seminar at TruPrep in Marietta this Saturday. https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/t...-seminar-truprep-in-marietta-july-20.1992383/

Semper Fi!

 

[elmosdad]

I am of the same mind set, was taught long ago not to have a weapon within reach from your bed.

My home defense piece is on the top shelf of my closet along with my light, I too have to get up and go to the closet to arm my self, after 50 years it is second nature..........

 

[robster31316]

I too agree with this, but I would also caveat that said firearm should not be in the direction of the entrance of your room. (where my closet is) The last thing i want while waking up is a hand to hand engagement with an intruder, armed or not.

 

[Trailrider]

Another point to bring up for those of us with young kids, is sometimes they enter the room unexpectedly in the middle of the night. I have to be careful with not only myself misidentifying them, but them being able to reach the firearm. I have a large(100 lb) dog in the bedroom with us. He knows when it's them coming in so he stays quiet. I keep mine in the closet too. Been trained to go in there and get it for years now.

 

[cmshoot]

I too agree with this, but I would also caveat that said firearm should not be in the direction of the entrance of your room. (where my closet is) The last thing i want while waking up is a hand to hand engagement with an intruder, armed or not.

My closet door is beside the bedroom door, so I have to go towards the door.

Like I said before, I’m on the second floor, have a home alarm system, and a GSD and GSD/husky mix are in the bedroom with me. I’ve got more than enough warning, and backup, to safely access the closet.

Of course, this plan won’t work for everyone’s setup, so YMMV.

 

[Deleted member 79987]

That's a really sad news story, and they have a 2 & 4 year old I think the article said. Looking forward to the seminar a lot, plus some future live fire courses!

 

[Ken Ford]

My closet door is beside the bedroom door, so I have to go towards the door.

Like I said before, I’m on the second floor, have a home alarm system, and a GSD and GSD/husky mix are in the bedroom with me. I’ve got more than enough warning, and backup, to safely access the closet.

Of course, this plan won’t work for everyone’s setup, so YMMV.

I rarely disagree with you but I do here, at least somewhat.
Of course everyone must know their weakness, more so than their strengths.
I keep a gun within easy reach, and yet I have never been startled awake and reach for any weapon first. I don’t know that is a best option for everyone. One must make an honest evaluation of their own weakness.
I’m not worried about a punk stealing my stuff. Rarely does a thief enter a residence at night and almost never if there is a even small possibility of inhabitants present.
So if there is someone entering my home in the night, I must assume it is a determined individual that means to do me or harm.
Animals (I have three large dogs and an ankle biter) are easy enough to neutralize, and commercial alarms are a joke. Some one with little knowledge can render them inoperative little effort.
I consider either like locks, to keep honest people honest...

I also don’t think a gun that isn’t with you or locked away, is secure. So a gun unsecured in the closet is not an option in my opinion. Or locked in one either, for that matter.

No one side fits all for any defensive scenario. JMHO

 

[SOLGardener]

Somewhat recently, my wife and I were awoke by a fairly loud bang inside the house. We are there alone, aside from our 8# attack yorkiepoo. We were both in heavy sleep when the sound happened and it shook both of us and while we were waking at the same instant, her near panicked "BABY!" shook me like I was hit by a car! I do have an SBR and a pistol with light by the bed, and she does too. The disorientation was HUGE as I tried to stir myself to consciousness. I lunged out of bed taking all the covers with me which were wrapped around my legs for just long enough to hinder me. I grabbed the pistol, flicked on the light and proceeded towards the bedroom door. I bladed at 45 degrees, shined towards the kitchen and had to step into the family room to see what was inside. After a good clearing of the house and basement (and outside surroundings, I came to find that a pot that had been soaking in the sink had shifted and fell over in the sink.

The learning from this was pretty big as we were both now wide awake.

First, the bright 500 lumen light is too much when your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark. I cold only do the "quick flash and off" thing to get a mental picture for the first many seconds.

Second, when I got to the bedroom, I announced "All is clear! don't shoot me baby!" but she only heard garbles. Making sure that the re-entry is well announced and that she is calm and back at ready, not at fire is a really good idea.

Having a gun further away wouldn't have changed anything that night, but then having it close didn't do anything either as I was nearly to the closet before I was conscious enough to reach for anything.

 

[cmshoot]

I rarely disagree with you but I do here, at least somewhat.
Of course everyone must know their weakness, more so than their strengths.
I keep a gun within easy reach, and yet I have never been startled awake and reach for any weapon first. I don’t know that is a best option for everyone. One must make an honest evaluation of their own weakness.
I’m not worried about a punk stealing my stuff. Rarely does a thief enter a residence at night and almost never if there is a even small possibility of inhabitants present.
So if there is someone entering my home in the night, I must assume it is a determined individual that means to do me or harm.
Animals (I have three large dogs and an ankle biter) are easy enough to neutralize, and commercial alarms are a joke. Some one with little knowledge can render them inoperative little effort.
I consider either like locks, to keep honest people honest...

I also don’t think a gun that isn’t with you or locked away, is secure. So a gun unsecured in the closet is not an option in my opinion. Or locked in one either, for that matter.

No one side fits all for any defensive scenario. JMHO

I’ve attacked both my daughter and my wife when they startled me awake. I don’t need access to firearms in that condition. I was married to my wife for over 20 years before I did it for the first time, so if you think you’ll never do it, you could be very sadly mistaken. The really bad part is that if you make that mistake for the first time, it will be a loved one that pays for it.

I never said dogs can’t be neutralized. What I’m saying is that by the time you trip the alarm, find the bedroom upstairs, AND neutralize both dogs, I will use all that time those actions took to arm myself. The bedroom door is a solid core door, very sturdy, and locked with a manual bolt from the inside. I’ve kicked in more doors like that than I can count.......I know how long it takes to get through one AND the amount of noise that it makes. The dogs are waiting on the other side.

Who exactly do I need to secure my firearms from, in my own bedroom, while I’m in that same bedroom? My family is trained, so I don’t need to keep firearms away from them. They know where they are they may end up needing to use them. I don’t have the guns in the closet to secure them; I have them there to make me cross the room and open a door to get them.

 

[Ken Ford]

I’ve attacked both my daughter and my wife when they startled me awake. I don’t need access to firearms in that condition. I was married to my wife for over 20 years before I did it for the first time, so if you think you’ll never do it, you could be very sadly mistaken. The really bad part is that if you make that mistake for the first time, it will be a loved one that pays for it.

I never said dogs can’t be neutralized. What I’m saying is that by the time you trip the alarm, find the bedroom upstairs, AND neutralize both dogs, I will use all that time those actions took to arm myself. The bedroom door is a solid core door, very sturdy, and locked with a manual bolt from the inside. I’ve kicked in more doors like that than I can count.......I know how long it takes to get through one AND the amount of noise that it makes. The dogs are waiting on the other side.

Who exactly do I need to secure my firearms from, in my own bedroom, while I’m in that same bedroom? My family is trained, so I don’t need to keep firearms away from them. They know where they are they may end up needing to use them. I don’t have the guns in the closet to secure them; I have them there to make me cross the room and open a door to get them.

I understand what you are saying. I just don’t think that is good for all people.