You get home from a hard day’s work, running errands, or basically living your life. Part of your routine may be placing your keys or other pocket items in their proper places, maybe changing clothes, and taking your gun off. Or do you do that last one?
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Better to have a gun…
I’m pretty sure you can finish that statement. It applies just as much at home as it does at the movie theater, grocery store, your car, or anywhere else you are. Home invasions are rare but not unknown. If your gun isn’t on you do you have time to get to one?
I have heard of a couple different approaches to this problem.
- “I’m never more than 10 feet from a gun in my house.” Meaning there are some stashed around.
- “I carry at home.” So a gun on your person at all times.
I like the second option, with maybe a dash of the first for seasoning.
In a larger sense you’re going to need a home defense plan. Where your guns are is part of that plan; either on you or easily accessible to you but not others. What kind of warning you’re going to receive before an attack is also part of it. That could include strong doors, electronic systems like cameras, or four legged systems like dogs. I’ve never really known a cat to be a good alarm unless you step on it but maybe yours is different. The point is that early warning = more prep time which means that your gun can be farther away and still be good enough.
Within the past few years I have started seeing ads and reviews for furniture that is designed to conceal a firearm and open easily, usually with some sort of magnet. Put the magnet in one place it opens. Anywhere else it’s closed.
I think those things are great. You need furniture anyway, right? Why not spend a little more and get something that does double duty? The only caveat I would offer is that they do rely primarily on concealment for their security. I was in a gun show a few months ago and a vendor was selling those. His “pitch” was mainly walking around moving magnets to open and close the containers. Which means that anyone who saw him has a pretty good idea what those pieces look like and how they work. Depending on how many you have I suppose you could just put the magnet in your pocket. It would still be faster than a key or combination.
What kind of home defense gun do you have?
I am willing to downgrade a bit at home from what I want out in the world. I have a minimum of 7 .380 rounds when I’m out. I will also sometimes carry my Pico at home. Normally, though, I usually just carry this. (Update, 5/11/2022. I still carry the NAA at times, but for the most part my home carry has been upgraded to this: S&W 360 PD.
It’s a .22 magnum version. To be clear, I don’t really consider five .22 magnum rounds out of 1.175″ barrel to be a great defensive tool. I do think it’s sufficient to use while I retreat 20 feet to my bedroom where the 9mm, .40, and .45 caliber guns are located. If the fire from my little revolver is sufficient to also cause any criminals to retreat then that’s just great.
This plan works for me since my bedroom is so close. Would I make the same decision of the other guns were 40 or 50 feet away? Maybe and maybe not.
It could also be that you just don’t take your gun off when you get home. I do that sometimes, especially if I may be going out again later.
Who else will be around?
Do you have kids? How old are they? Do you have a toddler that likes to cling to you? If so then you need to consider that when carrying on your body.
If your kids are older then what part do they play in your home defense plan? Are they old enough to help with a gun? Or maybe just old enough to call 911 while you’re busy?
You need to consider any guests or vendors that may come around. If you’re like me then most guests you have will bring their own guns and don’t really need yours. What about the person fixing the refrigerator? You don’t know him or her at all so some extra caution regarding guns stashed around the house is a good idea.
How is your house laid out?
As I said before, I’m willing to carry my little magnum since my place is very small. The longest open place I have is around 21 feet. That is within the range that I can hit a torso with the NAA. I may not run fast but I’m pretty sure I can move that distance before I run out of rounds in my revolver.
If your house is longer than mine then you may need something else. How is it laid out? Remember, you’re the one who knows your house. An invader won’t. Which means you can use things like corners and lights to your advantage.
What about a burglary?
While I’m mainly talking about carrying, or where your guns are when you’re home, there is also the possibility of someone breaking in when you’re not home.
I mentioned the furniture designed to hide your firearms. Remember my caveat from above: their security is based entirely on knowledge of the simple act of moving a magnet to a particular spot. As time goes on and these become more popular then I think you can expect the criminals to become more aware of them. And moving a magnet around isn’t really difficult, is it? Or, if you’re a burglar, how hard is it to add a magnet to your little tool kit?
You can also assume any kids who are there regularly know how to work the thing, too. You’ve hopefully given your kids the training and instruction they need to be safe. Can the same be said for all of their friends? Peer pressure is a thing.
Your call, of course
I prefer to have a gun on me at home. Yes, it’s a small one and yes, the “real” ones are 20 feet away. I still prefer that to the “never more than 10 feet from a gun in my house” philosophy.
That’s what works for me in my situation. What works for you in yours? Only you can decide that.
