What's on your nightstand? What's inside your waistband?

[Don65Stang]

The home defense recommendation thread got me thinking this might be fun to talk about.

I'm a single action type of guy. My two favorites are a Springer Mil-Spec 1911 in stainless and a HK P30 in 40. They have similar manual of arms since the HK can also be carried in condition one, cocked and locked. It is a tie as to which I like better and both have their strong points. One or the other is on the nightstand. Usually the .45 is on the nightstand because I added a Crimson Trace grip thinking that the red dot would help if I'm somewhat wobbling around from being sound asleep when there is a bump in the night.

They each pull IWB duty with the .40 being the usual carry due to having additional magazine capacity over the .45 (13 rounds vs. 7). However I'll carry the Sig P238 when my clothing selection doesn't support the full size carries. It's a great little or should I say mini-1911, a great shooter and is very easy to make disappear when wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Some days I carry either the .45 or .40 and carry the P238 as an off hand backup...just depends on my mood and where/what I'll be into that particular day. All three have a down sweeping thumb safety.

On my wife's side of the bed is a no nonsense, no fumbling, no safety pink bodied Beretta Nano with pink Hogue grip and red laser. Her EDC is a Bodyguard 380. Both of hers are DAO with similar trigger pull and same basic operation, the 380 just being smaller. Her's are point and click for simplicity and the laser button is in the same location if she wants to use it.

As a side note all my kids (except the two youngest girls who are too young to shoot) say they like both the HK and the 1911 the best because of the way they feel to hold and that there is not much recoil.

 

[sicndhed]

Depends on the weather and what I'm wearing. Most of the time my last choice for a stopping caliber is what I carry, .32 Beretta. When the clothes allow .40 Hi Power, .45 1911A1 single stack or Para Ordnace go out. Around the property anything goes

 

[lduke12]

I currently carry a Beretta PX4 Storm 3" in 40S&W. Still trying to practice with it and get used to hitting a target with it. Otherwise my favorite gun that i can hit any target with is a full size PX4 Storm in 40 as well. I also have a tiny Ruger LC9 single stack in 9mm if the weight gets to me.

 

[73StangCoupe]

Without being too long winded about this subject a handgun would be the way to go... with training!!

I've had one of these for a few years now, they work great and you can keep them almost anywhere.

http://www.gunvault.com/microvault-biome...vb500.html

This is a good pistol, easy to handle and not expensive.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/produc...mpact-9mm/

Just my 2 cents..

 

[73MustangCoupe]

On my nightstand is my S&W M&P40C. I also use it for IWB carry, although sometimes I wish it were a tad lighter and thinner, and I'm thinking of getting an M&P Shield in 9mm for daily carry. Haven't done that yet, but hopefully in the next few months. I really like my Crossbreed IWB Holster.

 

[captthundarr]

My side is an Escort 12ga. pump with 18.75 barrel, Amys side is a Sig P220 in .45 cal with red laser. My current carry is OWB Sig P250 compact .45 with civil defense hollows. I will be down sizing to a Ruger LPC9s Pro as the Sig gets a bit heavy after a couple of hours of constant carry. Amys carry is either a Bersa Thunder .380 double stack in a shoulder rig or OTW cross draw or SW Bodygard in her carry purse or Snealy Pete hip pouch or in a body band. I open carry most of the time, that way there is no question as to if I want to be a victim or not.

 

[CZ-75]

My CCW piece is an HK P7-M8 in hard chrome. Photo from Ken Lunde's web sight:

It's the gun James Bond wishes he could carry.

I carry it in a Matt Delfatti ISP-4

 

[Steve@CJPonyParts]

I carry my xDM Compact .40 and it's on my nightstand as well. I haven't really thought about what my next firearm is going to be. With my Springfield I no longer carry IWB. I now carry OWB with a VERY comfortable holster handmade by Tennessee Holster Company. These guys will be my go to holster company on my next sidearm.

 

[Don65Stang]

Oh yeah, holsters... This post is a little off topic to my original idea for this thread but is still applicable in discussing the weapons we trust when our life depends on them.

I have a Comp-Tac MTAC holster in black with swappable Kydex bodies for both of my pistols. Usually it's set up for the 40. It's quite similar to a Crossbreed.

Interesting article with comments comparing two very good and very popular IWB holsters.

http://www.balloongoesup.com/blog/comp-tacs-minotaur-mtac-vs-crossbreed-holster/

I also have a custom leather holster for the 1911. I don't have a pic of it but it looks great and is quite comfortable when sporting a full size 45 all day.

The P238 rides in a pocket holster. I'm thinking about trying a Remora modular 3 in 1 ankle/IWB/pocket holster but have never taken the time to order one. I would use it as an ankle holster but the other methods look like they'd work equally as well.

One key to successful operation and safety is to consistently carry and train with all the same parameters and not switch up. For me that means I carry pistols that all have the same manual of arms with a down sweeping thumb safety, carried in the same 3:30 IWB position in holsters that feel and operate exactly the same way.

I found this video where the guy went from practicing earlier in the day with a Glock drawn from an IWB holster that has a thumb release to let the weapon come out. Then he switched it up to his 1911 drawn from an OWB with an index finger release. Can you see what's about to happen? :shrug2:

He had practiced using his right thumb to release the Glock from the holster and developed a muscle memory for that weapon and holster system. The problem was when he switched it up with a completely different setup but his muscle memory was still hanging out with the Glock.

Enter the 1911 and OWB holster. When it was time to perform a full speed quick draw with the 1911 his thumb went to release the Glock as before but instead it released the 1911 thumb safety (oops). But wait, tugging on the gun it wouldn't come out of the OWB holster without pressing the index finger holster release. His fingers, still in Glock mode, were not ready for this maneuver but did press the release and the 1911 was drawn upward. As he drew at performance speed to shoot the bad guy target in front of him his index finger kept pressing during the upward draw and when the finger cleared the holster it kept traveling inward until it reached the beautiful action of the Kimber's 4 pound, short travel, single action trigger. Bang. If there was a real bad guy in front of him, our hero would have either been laughed at by the bad guy for shooting himself (best case) or he would have additional bullet holes in him with no way to defend.

The lesson in this is practice what you will fight with because your muscle memory will fight exactly as you practiced. Don't change it up by mixing different types of triggers/actions, different pistol safety operation, different sights, different mag releases, and/or different holsters. When the adrenalin is pumping you're muscle memory will preform the actions that you've practiced the most but only if you've put in the practice to train those fingers and movements. Let's get to shooting.

Listen for the click of the safety go off just before before the bang...

[video=youtube]

 

[Steve@CJPonyParts]

Very good information Don!!

 

[Jim and Jutta]

On my nightstand is my S&W M&P40C. I also use it for IWB carry, although sometimes I wish it were a tad lighter and thinner, and I'm thinking of getting an M&P Shield in 9mm for daily carry. Haven't done that yet, but hopefully in the next few months. I really like my Crossbreed IWB Holster.

You won't go wrong with a S&W M&P 9c as a carry, it's single stack makes it thin and light enough that you won't tire of carrying it, plus it won't let you down if you need it.

Jim

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+s%26w+m%26P+9c&biw=1920&bih=899&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=RHnKVPr_PM6zogTqy4DYBg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#imgdii=_&imgrc=falRlAj8LKwJbM%253A%3BrK2WDe3xoD52bM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftruthaboutguns-zippykid.netdna-ssl.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F04%252FMP-9-Shield-courtesy-reddit.com_1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thetruthaboutguns.com%252F2012%252F04%252Fryan-finn%252Fnew-smith-wesson-mp-9-shield-photo-leaked%252F%3B640%3B368

 

[hyena429]

Guess i'm a bit old school when it comes to packing.." but i like to pratice with a bit of everything" .Got many diff wheel guns i like to carry, but the one i pack most around here " if im out hiking or don't want anyone to know im carring a gun, is this little astra cub in 22 short my grampa got the gun for my granny when a murder happend at the local hospital my granny worked at..This little mini 1911 has a heck of a bark for only 22 short " most think it is a 380, due to the noise that comes out, it will ring your ears quite well..lol..Has a floating style barrel like a big boy and a hammer. old school leather holster i can button just about every where with a strap.

Next to my bed...welllllllllll got just about all my wepons in my room, not a good place for anyone to be breaking into " im a light sleeper" you name the cal, i probably got it in here .

When it comes down to trouble, i constantly lisin to my dad" ex timberwolf" and my good freind who works for federal security,, He told me in police academy in dallas, they would show him video after video. of fast draw cops that got killed. because they was more worried about pulling the gun and shooting fast as they could, instead of taking a little bit of time...But like they said..hard to do everything you intend when under stress...They showed a cop video of a ex vet that a cop pulled over... the cop pulled his gun when the ex vet would not comply, the ex vet started reaching for a gun... The cop pulled fast, and started shooting all his rounds...He had a 9mm glock with hi capacity 17 round mag in it, he told me.. He missed with every shot..He said the vet very calmly reached under his seat and finished pulling out his gun..a m1 carbine, jumped out, and he ran over to the cop and killed him before he could reload. and they would tell them...Most importaint, Be calm!! Hardest thing to do when your life is on the line thou.

 

[Don65Stang]

Guess i'm a bit old school when it comes to packing.." but i like to pratice with a bit of everything" .Got many diff wheel guns i like to carry, ...

When it comes down to trouble, ...Most importaint, Be calm!! Hardest thing to do when your life is on the line thou.

Well I'm with ya to a degree. I like shooting different things and I'll shoot (plinking and even target shoot) with anything that has a trigger but I won't train with a pistol that won't be carried or relied on with my life.

When my wife first got the pink, striker fired Nano I put several rounds through it and thought it was a very nice shooter. I liked it so much that I went out and bought a black one for myself along with a Comp-Tac CTAC holster. I carried and shot it some from the holster but it felt different due to the notable missing thumb safety and longer trigger pull. This is a very different trigger feel than the crisp break of a short travel 1911. These differences may not cause me to pop off a round into my leg but I feel it is enough difference that if I trained with both the Nano and the 1911 my accuracy with both would suffer due to conflicting muscle memory patterns. When the adrenalin is pumping my aim and everything else would be off so for me I don't want to train in a way that could/would add to poor shot placement. Your cop examples illustrate this perfectly and I'd probably be right there with them fumbling around. I gave the black Nano and holster to my oldest son as a Marine Corps boot camp graduation present. He thinks it's a great shooter and it is.

Comfort-wise I like carrying the HK P30 the best so that's what get's picked each day and that's what I practice with doing draw firing drills. If I ever have to quickly pocket draw then fire the P238 I'm screwed from the get go. Maybe I should go ahead and order that Remora holster and that would get it out of my pocket and either onto my hip or at my ankle...both would be faster than a pocket draw.

Trying to remain calm is a great antidote to fumbling around but is easier said than done when bullets are flying and everything goes tunnel vision.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

Train as they mean to fight and your muscle memory will take care of you if you're ever forced to fight. If your gun has a safety, practice, practice, practice switching that safety off, there are many victims who great shots on the range, killed while holding a fully loaded gun with the safety still on.

 

[rpmcarter]

The home defense recommendation thread got me thinking this might be fun to talk about.

I would be remiss if I didnt remind you guys that when I visited his office he took great pride as the security guys ask me that same question "what's in your waistband and night stand" after molesting me his guys let me go and the grin on his face was priceless.....:huh:

 

[Don65Stang]

The home defense recommendation thread got me thinking this might be fun to talk about.

I would be remiss if I didnt remind you guys that when I visited his office he took great pride as the security guys ask me that same question "what's in your waistband and night stand" after molesting me his guys let me go and the grin on his face was priceless.....:huh:

I cannot confirm or deny that incident but it was funny.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

No pistol on the bed side for me a Mossberg 12 ga. mag. pump with plug pulled. Just 5 #4 shot shells that will cut you in half at close range. My gal friend has Mossberg 12 ga. with pistol grip by her bed. Nothing beats the sound of a pump shotgun in the dark.

David

 

[rocket366]

I have 2 Dirty Harry Automag II's in .22 magnum one has 8" barrel and the other 4".

I heard back when AMT only made one Auto-mag in .44 magnum for the movie

and the public could get the .22 magnum.

This pistol is the S and I was hooked the first time I fired one!

I've been outta touch with the AMT brand I think another company took it over

and they were based in LA.

Love the Stainless!

Paul

 

[Totalled]

Thompson custom 1911 with 3 extra mags for home, XDS 45 for travel. Also have an XD40c and Ruger SP101 .357 that can get thrown in the mix.