Home Invasions

[Bigfoot]

With all the home invasions happening in the Communist state of Ohio, I'm starting to wonder where the best place is for my 12ga can of zombie spray.

Right now its in the safe and the only gun that stays out is my J-frame but with little fingers starting to crawl soon....that has to be secured as well.

What did you guys do (Gary if you cannot remember back *that* far, its ok, I understand!! )

[Gunworks]

Many small inexpensive safes out there.
Check Winchesters website or Dicks sporting goods.

[slade797]

Guy I know has a Mossberg 500 mounted right over his front door. His theory is that he can throw his hands up, like a good victim, and come down with a FISTFUL O' THUNDAH!

Dunno how well it would work in the real world, but it keeps the gun away from his rugrats. Well, until they become ambulatory and ....uh, climbulatory.

[Gary Stevens]

Shotguns are not the best primary home defense weapon due to the length of the gun. It is an excellent fall back weapon.

If you were to store the shotgun as stated above (over an inside door) you would have it ready but yet out of reach of small children. Using a pump gun with the chamber empty will also help prevent any unwanted accidents.

Having your primary weapon, apparently the J frame, readily available at all times is the key element in a home defense scenario. Most bad guys don't like the sound of gunfire and bullets whizzing past their head. Use the J frame to buy time to move to your secondary weapon the shotgun.

You could also draw an outline of a body on the front porch which might also deter bad guys, and perhaps most everyone else.

FWIW.

[Hairy78]

The best place I can think of for storing a Remington 870 21" is on Lowe's rubber coated hooks mounted inside a closet, over the door. Especially if you have dual doors for the closet that open outwards.

[Bigfoot]

I suppose one of those mini GunVault boxes mounted on something would be alright.

There was another B&E about 3 blocks down and 2 over so the shit is getting close. Some friends out in the county has had their farm broken into twice, copper pipe was stolen from the church's A/C unit as well as trying to break into a semi-truck garage!

Probably looking into something a bit more manageable for a first-line home defense gun. The wife won't even shoot the J-frame...too much recoil. I guess its time for another XD to battle my way to the safe to grab the AR.

[Wlktheduk]

"little fingers starting to crawl soon"

Back when my girls were that little, She Who Must Be Obeyed decided that my revolver(s) were not such a good idea for the home defence role. We had a lockable drawer to store the gun inside, which was good. But if you can lock it, curious kids can unlock it. Trust me on this.

She noted that the small grip was ideal for little hands, and that the exposed hammer ("J" frame Model 60, at that time) was VERY easy to cock, which made the trigger pull just too easy. And SWMBO did not like shooting the "J", even with target loads.

However, SWMBO liked shooting the Colt Gold Cup/National Match .45 auto that she was using in PPC matches. Stored in Condition 3 (loaded magazine, chamber empty, hammer down) it is not easy for little hands to load, if they got the drawer open. She was much happier with that system, for a primary home defence pistol. And since she was happy, so was I.

Since you favor the XD system, you might want to consider using an XD stored in Condition 3, inside a lock box. If the "little fingers" get the box open, they still have to chamber a round.

As for the 12 gauge zombie spray can. I favored storing ammo on either a shell cuff mounted on the stock, or a side saddle ammo carrier. The shotgun magazine was empty, action locked on an empty chamber, safety ON. If needed, rack the action open. Take a round from the ammo carrier and insert it into the chamber, close action. Load magazine. Safety stays on, until needed.

[Hairy78]

Just had my first experience with a 13 month old wandering around the Casa. I tried to police the house before they came over by putting everything up above my head level. This worked very well, but I can see some issues once the child can get innovative enough to use chairs as tools for elevating themselves.

If I was in your shoes, I think I would carry whatever pistol I left out for home defense on my body or within close enough range that I could remain in control of it at all times. When I left the house it would go with me. Same for the wife, we would both utilize the same carry guidelines we already do for daily carry outside of the home, but in the home.

In my logic, you will be always armed, and the gun will never be outside of your control, the only concern I have is what to do when sleeping? Can you place a hidden holster behind your nightstand? That is what I was thinking I would do if I was in your shoes.

Also, when I was young, I grew up in a very firearm oriented house, and guns were always out and I knew better than to touch them. My parents let me shoot enough in controlled environments that the fascination of guns was not that big of a deal. Not too mention they made me pick up brass after their marathon practice sessions, so I was generally sick of guns most of my youth.

[S Lance]

I think you gave good advice in your post. I just have to point out the irony of you making the below statement.

the fascination of guns was not that big of a deal

[Hairy78]

I think you gave good advice in your post. I just have to point out the irony of you making the below statement.

Yeah, I grew into it again after being away for school. No, wait, I hate guns, please ship me all that you have and I will make sure they get disposed of properly.