Hmmm... Should you carry a gun in your own home...???

[AJMD429]

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Well I think maybe so - - - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/st ... r-AA1MPTs9

[4t5]

Food for thought.

[Scott Tschirhart]

If my pants are on, I’m packing.

[JimT]

Always.
If you have to go get it ... it's too late.

[Bryan Austin]

No, you should never keep a gun close by in your home. This allows the intruder to easily enter and rob/harm you and your family without fear of being harmed or killed.

[Bill in Oregon]

This will come to some as sacrilege and brand me an apostate and heretic, but I really struggle with this. The Boy Scout in me says "Be prepared," and being prepared to defend life from those who would wrongfully take it makes tremendous sense. There is a 12-gauge pump, loaded, in the closet.
The Christian in me says my life is worth exactly the same as every other life; my soul is as precious to God as the murderer's. When I do carry concealed, I frame it in my mind as having a tool to defend the lives of others -- to make the 30-yard shot in the dairy aisle at Walmart against a crazy with an AR if I should encounter such a desperate scenario.
To me, the burden of maintaining the constant mindset that I am swimming in a pool of sharks 24/7 is a much larger burden than packing 30 ounces of Smith & Wesson. So, some days, yes and some days no.
I will now don my flame-proof suit and hide behind the couch!
And yes, I am an Eagle Scout, an NRA life member and former NRA-certified pistol instructor and range safety officer.

[marlinman93]

I rarely carry at home, but I'm always at arm's length from my weapon at home. And have loaded weapons in various places stashed in case I ever had to retreat to another location and make a stand. Handguns first, then an AR based 12 ga. with 3" shells, and finally a AR15 as a last resort. I'm not paranoid, just don't want to be a victim.

[1972RedNeck]

This will come to some as sacrilege and brand me an apostate and heretic, but I really struggle with this. The Boy Scout in me says "Be prepared," and being prepared to defend life from those who would wrongfully take it makes tremendous sense. There is a 12-gauge pump, loaded, in the closet.
The Christian in me says my life is worth exactly the same as every other life; my soul is as precious to God as the murderer's. When I do carry concealed, I frame it in my mind as having a tool to defend the lives of others -- to make the 30-yard shot in the dairy aisle at Walmart against a crazy with an AR if I should encounter such a desperate scenario.
To me, the burden of maintaining the constant mindset that I am swimming in a pool of sharks 24/7 is a much larger burden than packing 30 ounces of Smith & Wesson. So, some days, yes and some days no.
I will now don my flame-proof suit and hide behind the couch!
And yes, I am an Eagle Scout, an NRA life member and former NRA-certified pistol instructor and range safety officer.

I have similar thoughts. At this point in my life, I'm not sure I would want live with killing someone to protect myself.

But to protect a loved one? No questions asked.

[Eddie Southgate]

I do 100 % of the time . I'm out in the sticks surrounded by mostly trailer trash so you never know who might knock on your door . One of the guys at the closest trailer has done time for manufacturing meth and murder. Seems like a nice enough guy just to speak to him on the street but with his record I doubt I would ever trust him. I carry all the time , home or not . I'm old , have broke my back three times , got a new heart valve and have COPD , I'm not fighting anyone any more so it's straight to the shooting if any trouble starts.

[Eddie Southgate]

If my pants are on, I’m packing.

I got a couple that carry easy when I just have my bath robe on with no pants . Actually have one in the shower in a plastic bag incase someone comes in while I'm getting clean . Fits perfectly in a soap dish and will be enough to get me to a real gun if anything more is needed.

[Mike S]

I rarely carry at home, but I'm always at arm's length from my weapon at home. And have loaded weapons in various places stashed in case I ever had to retreat to another location and make a stand. Handguns first, then an AR based 12 ga. with 3" shells, and finally a AR15 as a last resort. I'm not paranoid, just don't want to be a victim.

This one!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I will now don my flame-proof suit and hide behind the couch!
And yes, I am an Eagle Scout, an NRA life member and former NRA-certified pistol instructor and range safety officer.

My friend, you will get no flame from me. Taking another man’s life is a very heavy thing and nobody should take it lightly.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I got a couple that carry easy when I just have my bath robe on with no pants . Actually have one in the shower in a plastic bag incase someone comes in while I'm getting clean . Fits perfectly in a soap dish and will be enough to get me to a real gun if anything more is needed.
[/quote]

I don’t do this. And I don’t sleep with a handgun unless I’m under the stars.

[.45colt]

When I had a constant threat nearby I carried at home and had three loaded shotguns in the house and one in the garage. now that He went "away" I have eased up a bit. dealing with someone on big drugs is a full time threat. Keith said "when You need a Gun You need it badly ".

[AJMD429]

I have similar thoughts. At this point in my life, I'm not sure I would want live with killing someone to protect myself.

But to protect a loved one? No questions asked.

However - - - if you think you might ever want/need to protect loved ones next week or next month or next year, then you give up that ability if you let yourself needlessly be killed this week. So I'd say YES - protect YOURSELF too, so you can continue to be around to protect those others in the future.

Another way to look at that is if one of your loved ones feels the same - as in they would use potentially lethal self-defense to protect you - then I don't think they would want you to sacrifice yourself and die if for whatever reason they weren't there or weren't able to protect you themself.

I have had similar issues whenever someone threatens to kill me (as a primary care physician it happens sometimes - perhaps we dismiss a patient because cocaine or some other illicit substance shows up in a urine drug screen, or we get blamed for a bad outcome); the question is "Am I so important that I should be willing to defend my self to the point of even killing someone, when my whole 'calling' seems to be to PROTECT life...?" However, since I have to be alive to protect my other patients from disease and other health threats, it would be unkind to my other patients to just passively allow some psychopathic person with a grudge to take me out.

So my vote is that ALL people should defend their own life. If God truly thinks the assailant's life is more important than yours, most likely He can arrange things so you lose the gunfight. Let God decide who lives and who dies. Failure to defent yourself against an attacker is no different than suicide - a terrible insult to the life and body God gave you.

Stay alive.

[Tycer]

I’m with Scott. Pants on carry.

[450 Fuller]

Considering the divisive crime-ridden state of our current society-at least have something reliable nearby.
That said, an old unloaded M-12 Winchester is near the back door. It is not wise to engage a home invader unless he is properly unarmed
with a dangerous unloaded weapon.

As a retired Special Agent/Army officer, also have another M-12 riot shotgun fully loaded, backed up by 1911 Colts.
You never know, with the US full of un- wanted violent illegal migrant criminal aliens. Make preparations in advance.

"Speed is fine, but accuracy is final."- Bill Jordan-"No Second Place Winner".

[Steve in MO]

If my pants are on, I’m packing.

Same.

[marlinman93]

I got a couple that carry easy when I just have my bath robe on with no pants . Actually have one in the shower in a plastic bag incase someone comes in while I'm getting clean . Fits perfectly in a soap dish and will be enough to get me to a real gun if anything more is needed.

I don’t do this. And I don’t sleep with a handgun unless I’m under the stars.
[/quote]

I actually do sleep with a handgun, and my wife has one under her side of the mattress also. My 1964 Colt .45 is under my pillow every night in it's Purdy Gear holster for easy access should I ever need it. I've had a few nights where noises woke me up, and my first reaction is to grab my Colt, then put my robe on before checking outside to see what the noise was.

[AJMD429]

Actually have one in the shower in a plastic bag incase someone comes in while I'm getting clean . Fits perfectly in a soap dish and will be enough to get me to a real gun if anything more is needed.

One of my female patients was walking home from her fast-food job while in college in the 90's, and was grabbed and kept in a 'hidden room' basement for several days until she escaped. Her medical injuries were pretty severe, as were the mental ones. Now some 30 years or so later, her husband a casualty of the covid vaccine, she lives alone, but is determined to stay safe.

She keeps a Shorty AR in her bathroom in a plastic bag.

I told her she might want to either put a suppressor on it, or get an upper in 50 Beowulf (ideally a 'pistol' one and 'SBR' the gun so everything is legal).

[1972RedNeck]

I have similar thoughts. At this point in my life, I'm not sure I would want live with killing someone to protect myself.

But to protect a loved one? No questions asked.

However - - - if you think you might ever want/need to protect loved ones next week or next month or next year, then you give up that ability if you let yourself needlessly be killed this week. So I'd say YES - protect YOURSELF too, so you can continue to be around to protect those others in the future.

Another way to look at that is if one of your loved ones feels the same - as in they would use potentially lethal self-defense to protect you - then I don't think they would want you to sacrifice yourself and die if for whatever reason they weren't there or weren't able to protect you themself.

I have had similar issues whenever someone threatens to kill me (as a primary care physician it happens sometimes - perhaps we dismiss a patient because cocaine or some other illicit substance shows up in a urine drug screen, or we get blamed for a bad outcome); the question is "Am I so important that I should be willing to defend my self to the point of even killing someone, when my whole 'calling' seems to be to PROTECT life...?" However, since I have to be alive to protect my other patients from disease and other health threats, it would be unkind to my other patients to just passively allow some psychopathic person with a grudge to take me out.

So my vote is that ALL people should defend their own life. If God truly thinks the assailant's life is more important than yours, most likely He can arrange things so you lose the gunfight. Let God decide who lives and who dies. Failure to defent yourself against an attacker is no different than suicide - a terrible insult to the life and body God gave you.

Stay alive.

You're not wrong. And I am decently equipped to defend myself. And I definitely have the "fight" instinct over the "flight" instinct.

I have a different view of death than some. A view that is shared by a lot of people I rub shoulders with on the fire department. When it's my time to go, there's nothing I can do to stop it. As long as I am living my life in a way that is pleasing to God, there is nothing that can take my life prematurely. Death in and of itself is not bad. It is simply a part of life that leads to the next chapter of our eternal progression.

[AJMD429]

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I agree about the God/destiny thing. However I do feel He expects me to do my part to the extent I can. I should have the parachute, but He may decide if it opens or not. I should look for the stoplight or oncoming vehicle, but He will decide if the oncoming vehicle jumps to my side at the last minute.

I will CCW and keep my home set up as safely as I am able, but He will decide if I (or the bad guy) hits the target, or whose gun jams.

[AJMD429]

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Actually this is somewhat of a hit-home topic at this point - I recently had (another - probably the sixth or seventh in 40 years of being a physician) death threat . Usually it is a drug-addict who doesn't get screened out as a new patient, so then they are all of a sudden 'my patient' (at least in their mind), and if I don't want to give them opioids after finding out they were arrested last week for dealing meth, and our drug screen showed cocaine in their system, they feel like somehow threatening me will get me to become eager to risk my license by just prescribing whatever they want for themself and their friends.

When we dismiss them, or at a minimum refuse to prescribe opioids (which is essentially required by law under that situation), they get angry and vengeful, and the only thing I can 'bargain' with is to tell them that I won't report them to law enforcement if they go away and stay away (there really wouldn't be much I could report other than an 'attempt' to get a controlled substance by deception, which they'd not likely get much punishment for in our society). Fortunately most of them have short attention spans, and move on to find someone else to provide their fix. Plenty of 'pill presses' in basements out there and plenty of fentanyl powder the amateur pharmaceutical manufacturers can fulfill their dreams with. They sometimes are dreams ending in death though.

Other times, physicians will have a patient who blames a bad-outcome on them (and occasionally justified, I suppose). This time is is someone with a terminal condition caused by their misbehavior long before I even met them, but a terminal person with brain mets can be angry and unpredictable, and lose the fear of being caught or killed, if they are, or believe they are, truly 'terminal'. It is sad that our health care system is so messed up that even when we do try to provide legitimate care and compassion, it often is not perceived by the patient, who feels like a pinball in a machine, bouncing from dinger to dinger, racking up hospital and specialist dollars at every bump.

Anyway, another threat came up a few weeks ago.

So sadly, it brings a lower level of enjoyment, and a higher level of concern, to gong-shooting, which is my normal brief way to relieve stress a few times a week. For one thing, you focus on your CCW firearm instead of a variety of different firearms you own, determined by weather, mood, which friend may be visiting to shoot with, or which 'action movie' you recently watched.

I must confess that I do get kind of bored just shooting my CCW firearm over and over and over and over, but for a 'break' I will slip in a different handgun or rifle, because I most enjoy < don't act surprised, now . . . > LEVERGUNS...!

But today I slipped in an underappreciated revolver - a 40 year old Ruger Blackhawk in 357 Mag. After all, it isn't as powerful as my 44 Mag or 45 Colt revolvers, and not as 'nostalgic' as my 32-20 Buckeye Conversion. So I rarely shoot it.

It was yet another in the 'under-appreciated gun' category (like my 'truck gun' post elsewhere here)...

The cool thing was that either using both hands, or just my dominant hand, I can really nail the 'self-defense' gong (an 8" gong at 7 to 10 paces, angled to reduce ricochet) on the first shot. I'm not gonna claim I'm very fast, and my non-dominant hand shooting with the single-action is downright dangerous (...for bystanders...anyone in the broadside-of-the-barn area might be safe... ), but I was pleasantly surprised.

[AJMD429]

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On the other hand….with some of the new-generation of cops, it may be too dangerous to have a gun, even in your OWN HOME…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at3gUcvHzLM

…and…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2RjB-TT7DU

[Eddie Southgate]

I got a couple that carry easy when I just have my bath robe on with no pants . Actually have one in the shower in a plastic bag incase someone comes in while I'm getting clean . Fits perfectly in a soap dish and will be enough to get me to a real gun if anything more is needed.

I don’t do this. And I don’t sleep with a handgun unless I’m under the stars.

I actually do sleep with a handgun, and my wife has one under her side of the mattress also. My 1964 Colt .45 is under my pillow every night in it's Purdy Gear holster for easy access should I ever need it. I've had a few nights where noises woke me up, and my first reaction is to grab my Colt, then put my robe on before checking outside to see what the noise was.
[/quote]

I tried sleeping with one under my pillow once , lasted about three days until I was awakened by the sound of it hitting the floor behind the bed . I keep one where I can grab it without getting out of bed but not in the bed. Robe ? If anything wakes me and the wife is still in bed next to me I don't stop to worry about the robe , my second line of defense is scaring the burglar to death when an angry naked man with a gun and aircraft landing light is heading toward him .

[jeepnik]

Nope, no great big aiming point for me. I've been in this house since 1979. I know every square inch of it.
Read my sig line.

[marlinman93]

Never had my handgun fall out or come out from under the pillow in many decades of one being there. Maybe it's because it's in a holster? Or maybe because I use two pillows, not just one? It never moves even a little, but I have occasionally slid my hand under the pillow and felt it there accidentally. Just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, and makes me go back to sleep easier.