Trigger Time: Staging a Firearm in the Home

[NJdiverTony 27]

I consider my area to be a low crime area. Prior to having multiple firearms, I have had an alarm system and have also carried a firearm everywhere on my property, all the time. I do not consider myself to be paranoid, just prepared for the worse.

 

And that's what is beautiful about our country... You have the right to do that, and I fully respect that right!

 

Now, as you are an FFL and have lots of firearms in your place of business and/or home, I definitely can see the reason to want to be prepared for the worst... Your chances of being targeted by thieves or criminals is probably much higher than your average person.

[PK90 3,570]

That is why I now carry 2 firearms on me all the time, and have strategically placed devices about the property.

[vjf915 456]

Paul,

 

I did say that I wasn't being critical or mocking anyone who chose to do this in their home. Everyone has the right do what they wish in their home. I have young children, so having guns stashed around the house or carrying is a big no-no... Even if I didn't have kids, I wouldn't see the need for it. If I ever do need a gun I can quickly get access to one from a secure location inside my house though. In my OPINION (and everyone is entitled to their own opinion) it is paranoid behavior to carry a gun in your home full-time or to have several guns stashed around your home, just on the very miniscule chance that you could become the victim of a crime. I don't think I'm looking at things with rose colored glasses... The vast majority of the population (at least here in the US) will go through their entire lives without ever being the victim of a violent crime. As I mentioned in my previous post, if you live in an area where crime is high or if you have a legitimate reason to fear for your life (someone has threatened to harm you or to come after you), then I can understand the reason for it.

 

Again, I'm not knocking anyone that chooses to feel like they have to be armed full-time while in their home... that is their perogative. But I'll always think of it as being somewhat paranoid behavior.

 

I can understand your thought process, although I disagree with it. I think those of us that do keep a firearm close by, or even carry, don't look at the potential for a situation to happen...we look at the fact that the potential consequences are very severe. I don't think my house will catch on fire, but I do have a fire extinguisher. I don't think I'll get into a car accident, but I wear my seat belt religiously.

[Holeshot 3]

I can understand your thought process, although I disagree with it. I think those of us that do keep a firearm close by, or even carry, don't look at the potential for a situation to happen...we look at the fact that the potential consequences are very severe. I don't think my house will catch on fire, but I do have a fire extinguisher. I don't think I'll get into a car accident, but I wear my seat belt religiously.

 

+1 Well said

[NJdiverTony 27]

I can understand your thought process, although I disagree with it. I think those of us that do keep a firearm close by, or even carry, don't look at the potential for a situation to happen...we look at the fact that the potential consequences are very severe. I don't think my house will catch on fire, but I do have a fire extinguisher. I don't think I'll get into a car accident, but I wear my seat belt religiously.

 

It's a free country and you can do as you wish in your home... and I respect that. I'm only referring to full time carry inside the home and staging guns all around the house. I support CCW outside the home, as I believe that your chances of being a victim of crime outside the home go way up.

[BD104X 1]

I have a fire extinguisher in my home too, but I just keep it where it's easily accessible. I don't walk around the house with it on my belt!

[NJdiverTony 27]

I have a fire extinguisher in my home too, but I just keep it where it's easily accessible. I don't walk around the house with it on my belt!

 

+1 That's what I was basically trying to say...

[vjf915 456]

I don't carry inside my home either. My house is small enough that even if I'm in a different room, I can access my HD firearms withing 4-5 seconds. And if I'm hanging out in the living room for the night, I'll bring my pistol with me. So I'm kind of in the middle here. While I understand both sides, I was simply playing devils advocate because it seemed nobody had mentioned the potential consequences aspect.

[this_is_nascar 162]

I remember commenting in a similar thread about this very subject several months ago. I'll say it again, I'm in the same camp as Tony. I firmly believe it's a matter of opinion and preferences as to whether to carry in your home, stash guns in every room of the house, etc. My opinion of this action, is that it's overkill for the majority of citizens. I don't believe the risks outweigh the rewards. That's OK though. As I won't try to convince you why your shouldn't carry/stash at home, I won't expect anyone try to convince me as to why I should .

[mipafox 438]

I don't mean to sound like I'm being critical or anything, but wondering why anyone would want to have guns stashed all over the house or even carry full time in their house? Unless you live in the hood/area where there is very high crime, or have a legitimate reason to fear for your life (someone is threatening you, etc)... I don't understand it. Again, not trying to be critical or bash anyone who does this... as everyone has the right to do what they want to do in their home... but it sounds like highly paranoid behavior to me.

 

I think it's more likely you'll need the firearm than need the smoke detector. And nobody seems to think that is paranoid.

 

I have a fire extinguisher in my home too, but I just keep it where it's easily accessible. I don't walk around the house with it on my belt!

 

Fire does not suddenly put a gun in your face. If you detect a fire, maybe you go get a fire extinguisher. Or do something else. If you have a gun in your face, you don't go get your gun. Nor do something else.

 

And a fire extinguisher does not save your life from most fires.

 

A gun is more like a seatbelt than a fire extinguisher. It would be pretty silly to say you want to have a seatbelt in your car but it's paranoid to wear it unless you have a special reason to think you'll need it this particular trip. You only need it when you don't expect to need it, and when you do need it there is no time to get it.

[vjf915 456]

A gun is more like a seatbelt than a fire extinguisher. It would be pretty silly to say you want to have a seatbelt in your car but it's paranoid to wear it unless you have a special reason to think you'll need it this particular trip. You only need it when you don't expect to need it, and when you do need it there is no time to get it.

One of the best points in this thread. There have been a couple accounts where people fall asleep in the living room, next thing they know an intruder is on top of them. It's possible.

[RubberBullets 65]

I think it's more likely you'll need the firearm than need the smoke detector. And nobody seems to think that is paranoid.

 

 

 

Fire does not suddenly put a gun in your face. If you detect a fire, maybe you go get a fire extinguisher. Or do something else. If you have a gun in your face, you don't go get your gun. Nor do something else.

 

And a fire extinguisher does not save your life from most fires.

 

A gun is more like a seatbelt than a fire extinguisher. It would be pretty silly to say you want to have a seatbelt in your car but it's paranoid to wear it unless you have a special reason to think you'll need it this particular trip. You only need it when you don't expect to need it, and when you do need it there is no time to get it.

 

In all fairness, the likelihood of you getting into a car accident is FAR greater than a victim of a home invasion. Id be fairly certain to say the chance of having a fire in your home is also greater than a home invasion. Regardless, far be it from me to tell a person how to prepare and protect your home from ANY potential danger. Prepare and protect to the level that makes you feel safe within the walls of your castle.

[vjf915 456]

In all fairness, the likelihood of you getting into a car accident is FAR greater than a victim of a home invasion. Id be fairly certain to say the chance of having a fire in your home is also greater than a home invasion. Regardless, far be it from me to tell a person how to prepare and protect your home from ANY potential danger. Prepare and protect to the level that makes you feel safe within the walls of your castle.

 

Again, it's possible, it happens, and the consequences are pretty severe.

[Zell959 40]

In all fairness, the likelihood of you getting into a car accident is FAR greater than a victim of a home invasion. Id be fairly certain to say the chance of having a fire in your home is also greater than a home invasion. Regardless, far be it from me to tell a person how to prepare and protect your home from ANY potential danger. Prepare and protect to the level that makes you feel safe within the walls of your castle.

 

Deciding if & how to prepare for any kind of scenario is really a combination of:

1) How serious a threat to life/property/etc the scenario is

2) How likely the scenario is

3) How can the scenario be prevented or, if it does occur, controlled

4) Are the costs (beyond just money) of "3" in line with your conclusions on "1" & "2". For hypothetical losses that are property only, you can even go a pure math route and say that "1" x "2" must cost more than "3" or the protection isn't a good investment.

 

Point being, the more a preperation strategy will cost you, the more serious and/or likely the threat needs to be in order for such an approach to be justified. However, on the flip side, something that really isn't that hard to do and costs very little can often be "worth it", even if the potential threat is particularly unlikely.

 

Non-gun example, locking your car doors. No matter how safe an area you're parking in, how short a period of time it will be unattended or how little your car & its contents are worth to you; it's almost always worth it to just always hit the lock button because you gain so little by being lazy about it. Even if you're fumbling with the key when you return and go to unlock it, you've lost what? 5-10 seconds?

 

So, to get back to what was being discussed, how much does it really "cost" to keep a loaded firearm in arms reach or on your hip when you're at home?

 

If somebody has kids, the "cost" of certain strategies for doing this is immediately pretty high. Some do find a way to make this work for them, but it's a thinner margin on their cost/benefit ratio right off the bat.

 

But, if we're talking about someone who lives alone or only with other responsible adults, there is not as much up front risk. If that person is a firearms enthusiast that can spend hours on a concealed carry forum, I'm not sure 24 hour carry at home is even going to seem particularly inconvenient to them, as they may even sort of 'enjoy' carrying. So, even if home invasions are statistically a real longshot, it costs so little for someone in this category to carry at home that they may as well do it.

[mipafox 438]

 

 

In all fairness, the likelihood of you getting into a car accident is FAR greater than a victim of a home invasion.

 

I agree completely. I was obviously NOT comparing the likelihood of needing a seatbelt in a car versus the likelihood of needing a gun in your home, I was comparing the very limited context in which both would be useful. Having them in place and ready to go.

 

Id be fairly certain to say the chance of having a fire in your home is also greater than a home invasion.

 

I didn't compare needing a gun to simply having a fire. Far from it.

 

First, I said it's more likely you would need a gun than a smoke detector. I do believe those two are probably close - that a gun on hand is probably as likely to be needed as a smoke detector to save your life. Even if your chance of dying in a fire as twice as likely as being murdered in your home, or even four times as likely, I think they are in the same ballpark. So, I don't think carrying a gun is paranoid if maintaining a smoke detector is not paranoid. Both, hopefully, won't happen, one or the other is a little more likely.

 

And, I never specified a home invasion. There are many reasons to need a gun to save your life in your home.

 

Regardless, far be it from me to tell a person how to prepare and protect your home from ANY potential danger. Prepare and protect to the level that makes you feel safe within the walls of your castle.

 

I agree 100%. Please keep in mind, I was not arguing that everyone must decide to stay armed in their home. I was disagreeing that anyone who decides to stay armed in their home must be paranoid. I believe if you maintain a smoke detector and do not stay armed you are probably covering one risk and ignoring another roughly equal risk. You may have no reason for this, you may determine a lower threat in the risk calculation, you may just not like guns, you may be unsure you have proper measures to carry and quickly store guns in your home life, or it may just be an issue living in Jersey - as the earlier poster said, it aint easy carrying a gun in Jersey since you commit a serious crime if you leave your property.

[Jon 264]

I am a firm believer in carrying while at home, be it open or concealed(I prefer concealed). Using a quality holster, it costs me absolutely nothing in comfort, and takes all of 30 seconds to holster up after I come through the door. I have fallen asleep on the couch while wearing an IWB-holstered firearm, and in the event that someone crashes through my rear slider, I am prepared to draw and fire immediately, rather than presenting my back as a target to the invading person(s) as I flee for my stored firearm.

 

Legitimate question for those who feel that carrying is out of the question when children are around... can you please tell me why? If you use a quality holster, it can be concealed well enough that the children will never see or feel it, and it will not fall out.

[leahcim 680]

I would worry that it become so comfortable that I forget--and walk out to the store, or even to get the mail since the mailbox is about 20 feet past our property line. I would need one of those invisible fences that would taze me if I walked over the property line while carrying.

[bhunted 887]

Speaking on my own behalf, now take this seriously... (no giggling)...

Your preaching to a guy that hates wearing clothes to begin with... (I said, NO Giggling)...

So I run around practically in my gym shorts most of the time while home. After having being clothed most of my life either wearing uniforms or shirts and ties, I don't want to be uncomfortable. Unless I decide to buy a pea shooter for a weapon, the only gun going in my pants while home is what the good Lord gave me. When I had to carry, I never got use to it. It was an annoyance. I like traveling light. Now thats my humble opinion. We should not have to feel like prison guards in our own homes. Hence, staging areas. It's bad enough we even have to go that far in todays society. But practice makes perfect. You have kids, I can understand your concerns. My ex-brother-in-law is a Nam Vet and an avid hunter. He kept his guns at his rustic style home in glass cabinets. Since his kids were strong enough to pick up a weapon, he taught them they were dangerous tools and not toys. Taught them to respect them and master them. I watched his kids grow up with total respect for any weapon. They knew how to use them and not treat them as toys. Now maybe that is not everyone's cup of tea and thats fine. But it all boils down to proper education.

 

 

I am a firm believer in carrying while at home, be it open or concealed(I prefer concealed). Using a quality holster, it costs me absolutely nothing in comfort, and takes all of 30 seconds to holster up after I come through the door. I have fallen asleep on the couch while wearing an IWB-holstered firearm, and in the event that someone crashes through my rear slider, I am prepared to draw and fire immediately, rather than presenting my back as a target to the invading person(s) as I flee for my stored firearm.

 

Legitimate question for those who feel that carrying is out of the question when children are around... can you please tell me why? If you use a quality holster, it can be concealed well enough that the children will never see or feel it, and it will not fall out.

 

 

Sent from John's iPad 2 via Tapatalk HD

[galapoola 102]

Get a loud dog. Best early warning system ever invented. Pleanty of time to stroll over to safe and grab firearm. Most badguys would probably go to the next house anyhow after hearing growling, snalrling, barking coming from behind my front door.

[Jersey Joe 4]

Get a loud dog. Best early warning system ever invented. Pleanty of time to stroll over to safe and grab firearm. Most badguys would probably go to the next house anyhow after hearing growling, snalrling, barking coming from behind my front door.

 

+1

 

Plus...You can hang a holstered pistol around his neck like a St. Bernard rescue dog

 

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[JayWilling 33]

Paul,

 

I did say that I wasn't being critical or mocking anyone who chose to do this in their home. Everyone has the right do what they wish in their home. I have young children, so having guns stashed around the house or carrying is a big no-no... Even if I didn't have kids, I wouldn't see the need for it. If I ever do need a gun I can quickly get access to one from a secure location inside my house though. In my OPINION (and everyone is entitled to their own opinion) it is paranoid behavior to carry a gun in your home full-time or to have several guns stashed around your home, just on the very miniscule chance that you could become the victim of a crime. I don't think I'm looking at things with rose colored glasses... The vast majority of the population (at least here in the US) will go through their entire lives without ever being the victim of a violent crime. As I mentioned in my previous post, if you live in an area where crime is high or if you have a legitimate reason to fear for your life (someone has threatened to harm you or to come after you), then I can understand the reason for it.

 

Again, I'm not knocking anyone that chooses to feel like they have to be armed full-time while in their home... that is their perogative. But I'll always think of it as being somewhat paranoid behavior.

 

It's only paranoia if nothing happens. If you end up shooting someone to protect your life or those of your loved ones, it's pure genius. Do you have a fire extinguisher in case you ever have a fire in your home? ..and is it strategically staged or up in the attic somewhere?

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Is there a hook next to the shower for the tin foil hat? j/k

 

LOL, If it was a Glock, just shower with it... ROFLMAO

[NJdiverTony 27]

LOL, If it was a Glock, just shower with it... ROFLMAO

 

LOL! Good one, Harry!

[Rifleman1 32]

Get a loud dog. Best early warning system ever invented. Pleanty of time to stroll over to safe and grab firearm. Most badguys would probably go to the next house anyhow after hearing growling, snalrling, barking coming from behind my front door.

 

This is Killer!

 

[vladtepes 1,060]

Paul,

 

I did say that I wasn't being critical or mocking anyone who chose to do this in their home. Everyone has the right do what they wish in their home. I have young children, so having guns stashed around the house or carrying is a big no-no... Even if I didn't have kids, I wouldn't see the need for it. If I ever do need a gun I can quickly get access to one from a secure location inside my house though. In my OPINION (and everyone is entitled to their own opinion) it is paranoid behavior to carry a gun in your home full-time or to have several guns stashed around your home, just on the very miniscule chance that you could become the victim of a crime. I don't think I'm looking at things with rose colored glasses... The vast majority of the population (at least here in the US) will go through their entire lives without ever being the victim of a violent crime. As I mentioned in my previous post, if you live in an area where crime is high or if you have a legitimate reason to fear for your life (someone has threatened to harm you or to come after you), then I can understand the reason for it.

 

Again, I'm not knocking anyone that chooses to feel like they have to be armed full-time while in their home... that is their perogative. But I'll always think of it as being somewhat paranoid behavior.

 

the reality is as paul pointed out.. you have no idea when/if something will happen....

at my home my guns are in the safe except the gun I carry which is always close by or on my.. close by not that you would know where it is.. but within arms reach.. I suppose it is slightly different because I can carry in PA..

 

but I have a gun.. within my reach.. %100 of the time.. not because I live in a bad area.. or am fearful for my life.. but because IF it happens.. I want to be prepared...

 

while I do not have kids.. I have nieces and nephews that I hand out with.. play with.. run around with..etc.. WHILE CARRYING.. my gun has NEVER come close to being in contact with them.. if you are concerned about your carry gun falling out and shooting your family... I strongly suggest a new holster.. a holster that will not hold a gun in a normal day to day activity.. or even to the point of rolling around on the ground... is USELESS for carrying a gun.. my holsters hold my gun tightly so that it only comes out when I take it out.. I would hate to get into an altercation and be rolling around on the ground and lose control of my weapon..

[silverado427 10,729]

I have a fire extinguisher in my home too, but I just keep it where it's easily accessible. I don't walk around the house with it on my belt!

LOL