Far too many home invasions have one thing in common: The attack starts as one of the exterior doors is breached and only then do the residents realize they are under attack. This is when the dreaded “Run-For-Your-Life” begins, when one of the homeowners takes off down the hall, running for the bedroom to retrieve their stored home-defense gun. Then, amid the chaos, they have to dig it out of the night stand or the bedroom closet. And, after all of that, they sometimes even have to load it. It is amazing that some folks actually survive after all of that and, sadly, some people don’t.
Given the fact that people spend very few of their waking hours in the bedroom, it would seem the bedroom is not a logical place to keep your home-defense gun. There is just bound to be a better way. Let’s look at some options that are far more practical.
Keeping in mind that a home invasion will go down very quickly, the best place for a defense gun is on your person, just like it is when you are out on the street. Simply put, no other method allows for the homeowner to respond quicker to an attack. A quick draw stroke may put an end to the encounter simply because the crook realizes that he or she has hit the wrong house and suddenly becomes intent on beating feet. If not, well, you are certainly ready to deal with the problem in a more forceful manner.
In addition, we are all obligated to keep firearms away from untrained and unauthorized persons. Having the gun on you gives you about the best control of the firearm you could ever have. Since you are in your own home, you can keep it concealed or not, as you see fit. Regardless, you have control over the firearm and can make the quickest response to violence you are able. And, at the end of the day, the gun goes in the quick-access safe, still ready for near-instant use.
Almost as quick as having the gun on you is to have several guns strategically located throughout the house in the areas where you spend the most time. The kitchen, the TV room and your office would be good locations and, given your particular situation, you will think of others (like your workspace out in the garage or shop). Simply look at the places in your home where you spend your time, and those are the locations to have a defensive firearm.
The key is to have the guns readily available, but out of sight. When security is of greater concern, such as when and/or where children may be present, one might consider a number of secure gun boxes that have become available. Many of these are de-signed to be very quick opening for the person who knows how to operate them. One that especially interests me looks like a small shelf like one that you might put a couple of photographs on, or maybe a flower arrangement, but the bottom of it pops open to expose the defensive handgun. Such a device might be just the thing to install near the front door. The fact is that there are plenty of secure options available if one will just do a bit of searching. However, keep in mind that, if you have friends over to visit, you may want to move them to a more secure location. This is especially true if children are visiting. We are concerned with security, but we must never forget safety is our responsibility, too.
One acquaintance of mine, a shooter, was concerned that his wife would not keep her gun on in the house. She could shoot her K-frame .38 Spl. quite well, but she just wasn’t into the shooting sports. So, looking through his gun safe, my friend found that he had several Smith & Wesson K-frame revolvers, some chambered in .38 Spl. and some in .357 Mag. Regardless, he loaded them all with the same .38 Spl. +P hollowpoints and stashed these in various locations around the house. This way, his wife could get her hands on a gun that she understood in very short order. And, all the time, he had a gun on his hip.
The thing to keep in mind about home invasions is that they happen in an almighty hurry. One will almost certainly not have time to go into another room to arm him or herself. For that reason, it is imperative to keep a gun on your person or very close by. And, it is important to study the layout of your house, consider your own personal situation and determine the best way to respond to this sort of quick attack. Talk it over with family members, do some study and planning and make yourselves a harder target. You won’t regret such a proactive decision.
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