Am finishing up a third level armed citizen class this week. Second level and higher, we add long guns to the handguns. My own view is that if I can only have one firearm for home defense, I want it to be a handgun for reasons of versatility, but if possible I’d rather have one handgun and one long gun readily available to each person in the household who’s likely to be using deadly force to protect self and family.

I teach the handgun as “infantry,” the long gun as “artillery.” If I have to go mobile, I want a hand free to work communications, illumination, doorknobs, etc. If I have to scoop a little kid and carry same to a safer position, a handgun will be more workable. Same if I have to answer an insistent 3 AM pounding at the door…which might just be a cop, who won’t take it well if I open the door holding a 12-gauge or a .223 rifle. But if the whole family is barricaded in the safe room and criminals are kicking down the door, it’s probably shooting time, and a .223 class autoloading rifle or a fast-firing shotgun gives way more power and hit potential on multiple targets in unforgiving circumstances.

For a very long time, the shotgun has been the traditional choice of long gun for defense inside the house. In recent years, though, .223 rifles such as the AR15 have become hugely popular for this function. In this week’s class, two thirds of the students are using shotguns, and one third, autoloading rifles.

Symposium time: readers, what are your choices of home defense firearms? Handgun, or long gun, or both? And if there’s a long gun in the defense plan, did you choose shotgun, rifle, or both?

And – most important, and most interesting – why did you choose as you did?

1 COMMENT

  1. I suppose the reason why I choose a shotgun over an M4 is probably economics…I can buy shells cheaper then 5.56. as for my chosen sideams, the guns I use for everyday carry are the ones I’d rely on for home defense. Simplicity. There is one more pistol I’d like to own for carry/home defense: the Five-seveN. Super light weight and a 20 round stock mag? whats not to love? Have you shot this pistol yet Massad? Whats your opinion on it?

  3. My initial go-to weapon(s) are an XD-45 with TRL-1 by the bed; M&P 45 with TRL-1 in the TV room; Ruger GP100 near the front door (greeting assistant if needed); Mossberg 930 with Streamlight in main bathroom. The 930 is for the wife to bunker in the bedroom, not clearing the house. I also have active hearing that helps immensely because it allows me to hear sounds I can’t normally hear and will protect if there is a need to use the techniques I learned in my MAG-40 class. I have a 16″ AR with Streamlight and double mag coupler that I will use if I need to go outside for any reason. I have been trained and have practiced clearing the house with the AR. I was taught clearing by a USMC MOUT instructor who stressed keeping the AR tucked in tight so wherever the head moves to look, the AR is one with me and it will point there. I truly feel better with the AR with sling now and would probably grab it if the time comes.

  4. If one is using a carbine inside a house, would it not cause permanent hearing damage to everyone in the room? A shotgun might be better in that regard.

  5. – Jacob Morgan; Any firearm discharged in a confined space can and will cause hearing damage. Having said that, for some reason, whether it is adrenaline or some other bodily reaction, in an extreme stress situation you will barely be aware of the muzzle blast. The muzzle flash is another thing. Muzzle flash is not only a surprise but disconcerting every time. Practice low or no light live fire to help alleviate the effects.

  6. I have a Glock 21 with a light attached as my primary HD firearm. Backup would be a 16″ collapsible stocked AR15, also with a light attached. Years ago, I abandoned the 12 ga. pump shotgun for home defense. The AR15 offers precision shooting for targets near and far, plus 30 rnds. of ammunition before a reload is needed.

  7. Handgun for the reasons you stated, but there was a reason sawed-off shotguns were popular. Can’t go wrong with 00 buck.

  8. Bedside is a 1911 cocked/locked with 2 extra mags, next step is a 870 20gauge with 00 buck. Living in a poorly built condo means I have to worry about overpenetration….but being aware of my “shooting lanes” cuts down on the worry. If things get really hairy, I can pull out the AR.

    I also have my mom setup similarily, except with a J-frame with +p’s instead of the 1911. She also has 180lbs of dogs as early warning… Don’t mess with mamma!

  9. I’m with Ron Liebman, my 1911A1 & .30 M1 Carbine.

    1911 .45 because I’ve owned and shot them since I was a young teen. It’s what I’m most comfortable with and can keep an acceptable group @ 50yds.

    My M1 .30 Carbine which I have stocked up on M2 magazines for because it hits hard enough to drop a White Tail or a yegg.
    Carbine is usable by a person after losing use of an arm.

    Way back when the 1911 & Carbine were very inexpensive. The two of them combined cost less than half of what a cheap AR costs, waaay back when.
    If I need to haul out the Carbine then something very bad happened.

  11. Weapons for home defense:

    Nightstand gun is my H&K USP .45 with a Streamlight tactical light – alternative is my Browning BDM 9mm

    Shotgun: CZ 712 12-gauge

    Carbine: Ruger Mini-30 7.62×39

  12. Excellent blog with excellent posts! Isn’t it great to live in a country where we have so many firearm and ammo choices?

    My choices for defense against unarmored targets would be buckshot, .357 Magnum and .45 Automatic Colt Pistol. For defense against armored targets I would choose slugs, 7.62 NATO Full Metal Jacket and .30-’06 Springfield. Jeff Cooper wrote that if you have to confront an armored target without armor-piercing ammo, then aim for the head of the goblin.

    Although I place guns on the nightstand, I have tried wearing a belly band with a pistol in it to bed, and I have found it to be comfortable. I also once lashed a holster to my bedpost and practiced drawing from it simply by reaching back with only my arm in motion. I could then shoot the bad guy without even getting out of bed. Hey, maybe he surprised me and I didn’t have time to get up, he simply appeared at the foot of my bed.

    I wouldn’t use slugs or rifle rounds because of over-penetration. But I would use them against body armor or in a counter-sniper mode. It would be odd to be attacked in one’s home by a sniper, but odder things have happened. If I remember correctly, the Padukah, Kentucky school shooting was sniping outdoors at children on the playground. Who knows what the future holds? Be prepared.

  13. I believe it was Jeff Cooper that said something like, “a handgun should be used for fighting your way back to your long gun…”

    Therefore for me its a G19 as my primary if i will need a freehand, and an 870 available if the situation has us barricaded in the saferoom. A snubbie for the wife, though she can operate the glock also, the snubbie is her preferance. She shot the 870 once…..once. We will have to work more on that one! Ha!

  14. I have 2 guns out at night, one on the nightstand, the second in the drawer. My closet has a 12 gauge and an AR in it, both are loaded.

  15. My old faithful S & W 6906.. 9mm has been by my side for years… 12+1 so it has plenty of capacity. My second go to is a Remington 870… 20 ga. W/00 buck…. the reason for a 20 over a 12 is so my wife (she doesn’t like 12ga) is capable of defending herself should anything happen to me.

  16. My bed gun is a SIG SP2022 9mm with 15 rounds of Federal 124 gr. HST. It has a Streamlight light / laser combo mounted, and I also keep a Streamlight Nightfigher flashlight with it.
    Next to the bed is a Rock River Entry Tactical AR-15 with an EOTech XPS2, SIG StopLite, and two 30-rd Magpuls clamped together loaded with Hornady TAP rounds.

    In the process of getting an AAC M4-2000 suppressor for the AR – I’d really hate to have to light that thing off in the house!

  17. 1911 on the night stand with taclite. Shorty Mossberg 500 with 7 rds next to the bed. MSAR STG556 in the closet if it gets ugly. At work (gunshop): 1911 on the hip, Taurus judge under the cash drawer, other unmentionables stashed around the workplace.

  18. Like I told my buddy. If someone is kicking in my door, I’m shooting my way to a long gun.

    It’s easy here since it’s only the two of us with no kids to worry about. STI 1911 .45 on the nightstand, Rem. 11-87 Police in the corner on the other side of the nightstand. Eight Federal LE buckshot loaded and a side saddle with six Federal LE slugs for backup. There may or may not be others stashed around the house such as a 10.5″ barrel AR pistol or an M4. 😉 A cranky old pit bull for first alert. Out here in the country it’s fend for yourself. Our county is larger than Rhode Island and only 2-3 deputies on duty at night. It could take them an hour to respond.

  19. Gee Mas I’m surprised that you would ask these questions. I am reluctant to give any information. I have read all 55 responses and I know what each has in the way of weapons. And when the UN comes to confiscate all our weapons they will have a list. My name won’t be on it.
    I may sound paranoid and maybe I am, but I lived 8 decades and thru several wars; oops pardon me, police actions, and I have seen many attempts by the gun grabbers to try and force confiscation. I don’t want to know what you have in your gun safe and I won’t tell what I have in mine in fact I don’t even have a gun safe. So obimbo and his troops will walk right by my house, I hope.
    Enjoy your blogs, but don’t ask personal questions; it ain’t none of your business.

  20. Glock 35 (.40 cal long slide ) with Streamlight TLR-3 white light, Crimson Trace. Shoulder holster with spare mag and 120 lumen compact light.

    A 16 inch light wt bbl Rock River AR 15 with 120 lumen light and CRM 1×4 scope with green reticle set on one power.

    This week the RR became the backup as it was replaced by a simularly equipped Styer AUG A3.

    Should time allow there is a tactical chest rig with 3 mags and 120 lumen compact light.

    My daughter recently married. She has a 9mm glock with Crimson Trace and 20 ga 18 inch bbl Mossberg with stock cut to properly fit her.

    I am a NRA instructor and I rely heavily on your books and articles for my teaching materials.

  21. Mas and friends:

    Re: hearing damage from “gunfire in the house”.

    In an article from the June 2002 edition of ” Tinnitus Today”, published by the American Tinnitus Assn, retired audiology professor W.Kramer, PhD, reports on sophisticated noise level measurements he made of common gunfire noise. A 12g 18″ barrel produced 161.5 dB, a 5″ .45 ACP produced 158 dB, a 4″ 9mm produced 163 dB. A .223 in 18.5 ” barrel was measured at 165 dB; all measurements taken at the firers ear.

    If you fire one round, regardless of caliber, it will be unpleasant. Fire 6 or 8 rounds, unprotected, in an enclosed environment such as a bedroom, and expect to be temporarily deafened as well as suffering significant permanent hearing damage – a lot depends on number of shots fired, how your head is turned when the shooting occurs, etc.

    A suppressor on your house gun will save hearing damage. If that’s too far a stretch, you might consider keeping a pair of electronic noise cancelling earmuffs next to the nightstand gun. They can be had for less than 50 dollars at Academy. Slap them on your head and turn the switch to “on”, and you have not only protected your hearing , but the amplification will help you locate and hear what the intruder is doing- info that might turn out to be a life saver.

    As for me – as I type this I’m wearing a Colt Officers ACP .45, with a spare magazine. I just carry everywhere, all the time, so I dont have to do the Chinese fire drill when getting ready to retire for the night. At bedtime, the Officer’s goes on the dresser when I go to sleep, and under the mattress, readily accessable is a Surefire light and a Colt Gold Cup with Wilson magazine loaded with 230 grain Hydra-Shok’s, and two spares.

    My wife has a Colt Detective Special AND a Smith 442 on her side of the bed.
    If there is a problem, she collects the teenage daughters and moves them to our room; we have 2 additional Smith Model 10’s, she can arm each of the girls as well if the situation requires.

    I get to be door guard and point man or whatever the tactical situation requires.

    Long arms are readily available, but I expect will not be deployed in the brief seconds of an attempted door kick robbery or a discovered aggravated burglary in progress.

    Long guns for HD – Its a tossup. I know the black rifle since Ft Benning days, and an Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer M & P ( like on Adam-12) makes me feel warm and fuzzy. In town, probably the shotgun gets my nod, with No 3 buck and slugs. Out on the family ranch, the 7.62 NATO AR hands down.

    Protect your hearing, or you will suffer. Remember – “deaf is permanent”

    Regards

    GKT

  22. Wes Thayer has a valid point saying, ” And when the UN comes to confiscate all our weapons they will have a list. ”
    If the gun confiscators ever do come ’round I will gladly and cheerfully let them take my guns…all of them, that they can find. Are all of your arms on your property? All your eggs in one basket? I keep extra cash and spare check books off property for several reasons also.
    Does that sound okay Wes? :<)

  23. We keep a .40 cal CZ85 and flashlight, .38 model 10 and a 12 gauge 870 with buckshot, slugs and birdshot within reach (buckshot preferred). Other rooms, other guns. I like the 1894 with 30-30 for a rifle but I have to be different.

  24. As for me and the wife.. we carry daily. But at nite my normal carry pistols go in nite stand. Springfield XD 9mm duty .. plus my kel-tec p3at. ….. when im away at nite the wife allways has S&W 38 by bed. Plus i keep a 20guage Partner pump loaded and ready in sneaky wall panel for my son of 15YRS.. along with shotgun is fenix flashligh and S&W model 37 for him or the wife plus a spare box of ammo! I hope we never have to use, but we ready! Plus alot more in safe.. but those are our go to guns! As for rifle.. well we live in country but i feel shotgun is of better use in a close incounter! Just my opinion..

  25. Almost forgot.. why i keep them is.. mine is daily carry im use to them the most.. and wife shoots revolvers better than me.. ha ha! Kid well thats his hunting gun and he is very useto it as well. Loading/handle’ing is important..

  26. Springfield XD9 with light on the nightstand and a double barreled 12 gauge behind the bedroom door. It will soon be upgraded to a Mossberg 590 for greater ammo capacity.

  28. A S&W M&P 45 with a laser sight and a surefire are immediately available in my nightstand in case of the need of an intervention anywhere in the house at night. My concealed carry gun (a Kel-Tec P11) lives in a quick release safe in my home office on the first floor (the closest room to the main entrance) in case problems happen during the day. If things get really ugly, in a secret compartment in the safe room, there is an AR 15 with one full mag and three full spares, all loaded with two tracers and 28 military surplus 5.56, and all the walls and the door are reinforced with a 3/4″ steel plate up to 2′ high to provide cover.

  29. @Wes – your response made me laugh out loud. If you believe that the folks in this blog listed every gun they own (or wished they did) then you missed the original question entirely. Mas asked ‘what do you prefer for home defense’, not ‘please list every firearm you own’.

    IF the gun grabbers were actually going to use this blog as a reference for folks hiding/owning guns…well your post saying ‘you aren’t saying’ provided them with as much info as they have on the rest of us (via ISP, etc)…and a motivation to come see what you’re hiding, to boot.

    If it ever came down to an actual door to door search to confiscate firearms, the info from this blog is the least of your worries, I assure you.

  30. I agree with Mass on the virtues of 20g over 12g and semi auto shotguns over pump. I have Rem 1100 with 2&3/4″ chambers. (No need for 3”) My family will fair much better with 20g than the much larger 12g versions. On Mass’s recommendation I have 20 pellets of 3 Buck.
    I recommend the book on the AK 47 by Chivers for enlightenment regarding 5.56mm and the AR platform. There is no way of getting around the fact that the number of rounds that can be loaded on a shipping container and may be cheap for the taxpayer or the Quartermaster is not much of a way to decide what caliber to get your HD firearm in.
    There are many advantages with the 7.62 x 39mm for HD. Especially now that ammo such as Winchester PDX is available.
    The Ruger Mini Thirty in sporting configuration has many advantages over the military look. The Garand action has a great deal going for it. Stainless steel has many advantages, not least, easier and quicker to clean after training session. The Burris Fastfire 3 red dot fits directly onto the Rugers scope grooves with their Ruger Mount. I use the Ruger & Fastfire for my own training and shoot a lot of pests with it. My boys handle the Mini 30 just fine. They are suppressed.
    I am issued a Bushmaster M4 in 5.56mm for Police work. I find 30 Cal more reassuring than a 223.
    If the military look is no concern the latest Beretta 160 in 7.62 x 39mm would be worth a look. It can run without oil and can be converted from right to left ejection at the push of a button.
    All my HD guns have lights. Its worth investing in First Aid training for the family and having the best gear at hand, its cheap compared to most gun gear.

  31. I’m with you on the pistol/AR combination entirely. You virtually quoted me on why having both is a good reason and where you want them.

    Handgun-Take your pick. That’s another conversation.

    Long gun -I favor the AR for it’s capacity, reliability, stopping power and relatively low over-penetration characteristics. But if someone is more comfortable with a shotgun, that’s fine with me too.

    What I don’t recommend are the larger calibers, particularly the 7.62×39, or NATO FMJ 7.62×51 or 5.56 MM because they are more likely to have over-penetration that the .223.

  32. Mas,
    Retired Navy CDR, both boys are/were serving as Capts in USAF/USMC two daughters in college, so only wife and dogs at home generally, wife and daughters have even through B/I handgun with John Farnam, (wish Vicki had come too, she is a wonderful lady and instructor) and I am DTI instructor cert. (waiting for your next trip to Minnesota as well). Nightstand is generally a 1911, occasionally a Glock, sig or revolver. Pistol is immaterial as it is for first response and is reliable. Next to it is a tac flash and phones, cell and landline. Long arms in corner for immediate response are usually Kel-Tec RFB or PTR Ind PDW with Blue Force slings and AImpoint PRO on LaRue mounts. Powerful, compact and reliable and sighted for 75 yards with the PRO. Both in 7.62 NATO with earplugs and a practical wakizashi for possible situations when quiet or overpenetration might be issues. Stowed discretely in a bag designed for skateboards. Home is concrete/brick and thick walled. PDW is an advantage as it is legally a pistol and falls under CCW and not DNR rules when traveling. Safe in mBR has quick electronic lock for ready storage, long guns, handguns and spare mags and 00, main safe has combo, slow to operate, more secure but holds many loaded long gun mags. Considered the level II or IIIA apron you reviewed a decade or so earlier but still sitting on fence. Rural area eight miles from town. Like ARs a lot but most interior walls are 10-12″ of concrete with wood, exterior walls are much thicker, floors and ceilings are spancrete. Original builder was… Interesting. Glass in front and sides are limited, glass in back more vulnerable. Lighter construction and closer neighbors would likely result in ARs due to reduced penetration of 5.56 vs 9mm. Hope Bob and Jon arrange for you to return to Minnesota soon. Last time I was having a hip replacement. Power lifting was great for years but it catches up in your 50s. Keeping preaching brother!

  33. I have a Sig 226 on the nightstand when I’m in bed. Mossberg 500 & Remington 870 in the bedroom with OO buck readily available (5 rounds on a stock sleeve on the Mossberg, the rest in boxes) and 2 .38 Special revolvers downstairs in hidden yet accessible positions.

    The biggest factor in choosing these is availability. It’s what I have. I don’t use rifles because of over penetration concerns although rifles are available in the house and can actually be employed w/o too much warning. The shotguns are purely for last ditch room defense. The Sig is my wandering option and I do have an extended mag available too. The .38’s are for the surprise when we are up and about although if something is happening that raises my threat level I always strap on the Sig.

  34. Mas, you’ve pretty much hit all the reasons. Full size Glock, is great and an AR is hard to beat. I’d add an M1 Carbine to the list, right there with the AR for in the house.

  35. AR, light, no jams in over 4000 rounds, 30 round capacity, red dot, easy to use, wife is as good with it as I am, she loves to shoot it and is very confident with it, I feel better when I am away from the house knowing that I leave the best defense weapon possible with her to keep her safe. what more can I say

  36. I have an xdm .45acp with light and laser, kind of heavy to carry around the house. For that I have a M&P compact 9. Behind the bedroom door I have a 12 ga.double coach gun. It has an elastic cuff with extra rounds. Currently loaded with 00. I like the coach gun concept because it is very short for manuverability and the springs are always at rest.

  37. Great discussion, folks, keep the comments coming!

    Responding to specific questions: Eddie, I think the jury is still out on the 5.7 mm’s effectiveness. Dave-VA, while the AR15 has been demonized to the general public/jury pool now more than ever, I think a competent defense team should be able to show a jury why they’re so popular and appropriate for home defense. With modern .223 ammo, such as Hornady TAP or generic 55-grain hollow point, risk of over-penetration is no greater than with police service pistol ammo.

  38. PS– I have an ar-15 in the safe in case a horde of Mongols come over the hill. It is fitted with a muzzle brake and the noise off it will stun them even if it is a miss!

  39. I’m old fashioned. I have a 1911 .45ACP by the bed with a 870 12 gauge for back-up. If I can’t get the job done with those I am in serious trouble.

    I prefer the .45 because it is compact, easy to handle in close quarters, more readily available and faster to load. It leaves a hand free to operate a light at night, which is stored right next to the firearm, and for all of the other reasons Mas gave for needing a free hand.

    This is a tried and true combination – battle tested.

  40. I keep one gun out of the safe. A 12 gauge mossberg 500 with pistol grip . I complete 2/3 of the combination on my guns afe. I only have to hit the last two numbers on the dial and my mini-14 is fully loaded with 30 hollow points. The SR 40 is also ready, but after starting with 8 shots in my 12 gauge, if I need to get in my safe, there is no doubt that I’ll need my high capacity weapon.

  41. Not a big believer in publishing my inventory online so I’ll just say I took LFI I, II and III and followed all your suggestions 🙂

  42. #1 is a Moss 500 with a collapsible stock fully in and about 30″ long – flashlight on barrel with thumb activated switch on forearm. Reason: one 12ga 00 buck round has high level of stopping power.
    #2 Glock 21 with Streamlight 2 (laser and light) – again reasonable one shot stopping power and quickly accessible.
    (for me, 45 recoil and follow up shot is a non-issue – if it is for others, I recommend going to a 40 S&W but no less – Yeah, I know, a 22 will kill ya, but consider this: “shot placement makes the difference, caliber makes the decision”) :>)

  43. As I live in MA, all firearms are required to be locked up in a safe. I also have 2 young kids (so locking them up is a no brainer).

    For that reason, while I would like to use a 12-gauge for home defense, I just have handguns in a small safe in my closet. I searched for a long time for a small shotgun-sized safe that would fit in my closet, but couldn’t find any acceptable ones.

    So my HD gun is a S&W M&P9 with a flashlight attached, with 2 MA-compliant (grrr…) 10-round mags loaded and ready.

    I wonder, do people usually keep their HD gun loaded? I feel inserting the mag and racking the slide would not be too much of a time waster, but it does concern me that I would likely give away any surprise if I racked the slide loud enough. Plus, the additional requirement to rack the heavy-springed slide is an additional safety against my 5yo son from accidentally shooting himself if the safe were ever left open.

    When I carry, it’s loaded and ready, but I figure for home defense, you probably have more time. It is nice to live in a location with low crime, not too worried about it.

    Greg Tag, earlier this year, I read a great NRA article on exactly what you discussed: http://www.nramedia.org/t/1793175/76633765/27777/23/

    One other benefit of noise-enhanced hearing (as identified in the article) – if you have 2 pair, then you can communicate with your partner with whispers, avoiding detection even further.

  44. Short barreled auto shotgun with light and birdshot ammo. Scatters, very poweful and shouldn’t penetrate through walls as bad as pistol or rifle cartridges will. Ideal home defense weapon. IMO.

  45. 1911 45 auto always within the reach of the hand and a 12 gauge shotgun. I already own the handguns and shotguns so its a no brainer since I don’t own a AR platform rifle.

  46. For me it’s an easily accessible 11-round HK45 w/ a Streamlight light/laser combo mounted on its Picatinny rail for my primary home defense sidearm.

    And if I think more firepower is warranted, just a few steps away is my primary long arm home defense gun: an old school 8-round Winchester Defender 12-gauge shotgun equipped with a magazine tube mounted Streamlight and a receiver-mounted shell saddle if 8-rounds aren’t enough (!).

    Oh, I almost forgot. I also have an alarm system that can’t be “jumper wired” or “looped”: (2) German Shepherds that can sync a loud “wake up” call when needed.

  47. I have a .45 on the night stand and a Remington 870 w/18″ barrel close at hand. I have had to answer the front door, late at night, twice when it was the police checking on a 911 hang up (that’s another whole story). I left the bedroom with the .45 and a tactical flashlight and as soon as I could see the flashing emergency lights through the front windows and knew it was sheriff officers I stowed the pistol on the kitchen counter under a newspaper and answered the door. The shotgun would have been harder to conceal. On two other occasions when the dogs alerted but I couldn’t see any thing I slipped out the backdoor with the shotgun which has a mounted, manually operated, high intensity, green LED, Flashlight. I’m a pretty good pistol shot but in the rural darkness I figured No.1 Buck would be a better choice. I have a mini 14 but it is in the safe and would only be used for long range daylight stuff.

  48. I prefer long guns to pistols because I find it harder to miss with a rifle than with a pistol. I have pistols for home defense but I count them as tools to get me to a “rifle.” I put “rifle” in quotes because one of the guns close at hand is a folding Kel-Tec in .40 S&W. It is small enough to be used in one hand when needed, but it still allows the gun to be supported against my shoulder.

  49. We have a combination of handguns, a 12-Gauge Pump (Winchester Defender with a Knoxx Stock and Surefire Forearm) and a Bushmaster M4-A3 (14.5″ Barrel with permanently attached flash suppressor). The Bushmaster is within reach of where I sleep and the Shotgun is within reach of my wife (she’s a pretty tough cookie). Our nightstands have concealed top drawers. In my wife’s is a Glock 21SF. In mine is a Kimber TLE/RL II .45 with a Surefire X-300 and Crimson Trace LaserGrips (the ultimate nighttime home defense pistol IMHO). There are various other Glocks and 1911s and even a little Kahr PM9 in various fast but secure locations throughout our house. Our burglar alert and consumption system consists of a 140lb. Alaskan Malamute and a Staffordshire Terrier (Pitt Bull). I guess we can be considered to be a fairly hard target. 🙂

    Here’s a funny fact: I find myself carrying my favorite 1911 (a Kimber Pro Carry II with Novak Sights and CT LaserGrips) not just when out and about, but lately also when in the house in my Comp-Tac Two O’Clock Abdominal holster – why? Partially for self defense but also because I have found that particular holster places the pistol in the perfect position to provide much needed compression relief on the Inguinal Hernia I have! When wearing the pistol in that holster, it’s like the hernia doesn’t exist! When you get the chance, kindly inform Clint Smith that a handgun CAN be BOTH comforting AND comfortable!!!

    Seriously Mas, you might consider publishing my use of an abdominal holster and how it really helps my hernia – I think others out there could benefit from this information. If you do, kindly drop me an e-mail so I’ll know where to look for it.

    All the best,

    .45StayAlive

  50. Locaion: Rural farm between two metro areas 300 miles apart.
    Primary: Colt 1911 .45 for me. Colt Detective Spl. .38 for her. Because I carried a 1911 for most of my 36+ years of LE experience and it works. Dick Special because, while she’s a good shot, she doesn’t shoot as much anymore and I want something simple. DS carries 158 gr. Nyclad LSWCHPs.
    With each piece is spare mags and HKS speedloaders.
    Nearby are a Remington 870, OO buckshot x 3, the 2 3/4 slugs. (spare of both on stock) This is in case I have to engage mustiple goblins outside the home, or we have to hunker down inside (safe room) and she has has more firepower at hand than DS.
    Also nearby, Colt AR15 SP-1 (M4 mods.) with red dot sight and spare mags. Why? There are meth labs everywhere and I sent some of those guys buddies to the joint.
    If she and I have to fight our way out, the AR provides mucho covering fire.
    My bonafides: 36+ years LEO near Houston, 11 years rangemaster.
    (BTW…earlier post got cut off…sorry about that Mas.)

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