"AT HOME" firearm carry/prepadness?

[RobertNashville]

Am I being paranoid or am I acting reasonably?

I’ve owed at least one personal firearm for virtually my entire adult life and for that matter, my Dad went with me when I bought “my†fist shotgun when I was 12 (a single shot, Savage 12ga…up ‘till then I had been using a 410!). I bought my first 1911 45 in 1975. Obviously, this was all long before my home state or most states had any sort of carry permit process or “officially†allowed citizens to walk around with a firearm on their hip.

Anyway, for all the time that I’ve had a home of my own, I’ve always had a handgun or shotgun “handyâ€. However, over the last few years, I’ve gone from having “a†handgun handy to having one or more in each room and generally within easy reaching distance from wherever I happen to be at any given moment (by the way, no children in the house and when I have guests over, I handle things differently).

Since I can’t carry to/from work (due to employer parking lot restrictions), part of my daily routine is to get some of my “defensive†firearms out of the safe when I get home. Also, except for times when it simply isn’t practical at all, my alarm system is always on and my dog is pretty good at providing “early warning†whenever anyone (or any rabbits) are around!

So…I’m wondering; am I being paranoid here or not paranoid enough? What do you do? Do you actually “carry†a weapon on you even at home or do you have then in strategic locations around the house?

I’d be interested in hearing what some of you do…what you’ve found works, etc.

[daddyo]

Depends on who you ask.

I have liberals in my family who think I am paranoid for always carrying. I couldn't care less what they think.

[dats82]

I carry at home. I always at least have a mini-mag in my pocket. I am more paranoid about someone being in my house and accessing one of my weapons and using it against me. For this reason, I am not a fan of having a bunch of guns "stationed" in my house. I know you can hide them and all that stuff, but I just feel more comfortable if I am in control of the only weapon that is readily accessible.

[Guest TackleberryTom]

I am almost always carrying. I usually have my 1911 on me all the time while at home. Never know when I might want to walk down and shoot a few rounds. I sometimes take it off while I am working on things in the garage. But even then it is close by. Not paranoid, just prepared. Sometimes I have two pistols on while at home.

[Trekbike]

Sometimes I have two pistols on while at home.

That comment reminded me of the current thread "Val Kilmers's best role?"

[daddyo]

"Paranoid" can usually be defined as someone who is more prepared than you.

[G27]

I carry a p3at in my pocket at home constantly. We live in a very low crime area, but every area is 'safe' until it's not...

[Caster]

Would you rather have it and not need it or need it and not have it?

It's YOUR guns after all. I mean this in the most respectable way possible, but do you handle them safely? Sure you do! Well then carry them around your home, exercise your freedoms our forefathers died for, our troops have and continue to die for. Honor them by honoring what they have fought for. If you don't live your life and embrace the freedoms we have, their sacrifice means squat.

[Caster]

I carry a p3at in my pocket at home constantly. We live in a very low crime area, but every area is 'safe' until it's not...

That kind of behavior perpetuates continued "low crime" numbers.

[Guest BenderBendingRodriguez]

I carry at home. I always at least have a mini-mag in my pocket. I am more paranoid about someone being in my house and accessing one of my weapons and using it against me. For this reason, I am not a fan of having a bunch of guns "stationed" in my house. I know you can hide them and all that stuff, but I just feel more comfortable if I am in control of the only weapon that is readily accessible.

This is certainly closer to my approach. Keep something "big" stashed in the bedroom for any middle-of-the-night intruders if you want, but I would much rather have fewer things spread around for a baddie to find should they enter. I know where the gun on my hip is if I need it. That way I don't have to think about where to go should I need a gun, and I don't have quite as much concern about having my own weapon used against me.

Also, if you are burgled while not at home and a hidden gun is found, there's a lot more chance that they are going to tear your house apart trying to find more.

[Troutburger]

I think my biggest fear is a home invasion robbery while the wife and I are at home. If i'm wearing pants I'm carrying. If i'm not wearing pants there is a gun within two steps.

[Caster]

Amen to that troutburger.

You know, if you get used to carrying a handgun everyday, in a short time 6-12 months; You'll not even notice you have it. Me? I feel naked without it.

[Guest mrkirker]

If I am not at work, then I am physically carrying. I sleep with something under the pillow, and on the floor on my side of the bed. I'd rather be very familiar with one or two firearms than have several stationed in the house. There's something very reassuring about a handgun that's warmed up to body temperature. My 2¢

[Guest observer1]

You'll never look back and say "gee I wish I had my gun available" On the other hand we've heard and read it to many times" I have a gun in the house but I coudn't get to it". As long as children can not get to the guns do whatever makes you comfortable.

[Jonnin]

we have a few in strategic locations around the house, and I always carry unless forced to enter a place that does not allow it (very, very rare). I carry around the house or have one in hand's reach.

[RobertNashville]

This is certainly closer to my approach. Keep something "big" stashed in the bedroom for any middle-of-the-night intruders if you want, but I would much rather have fewer things spread around for a baddie to find should they enter. I know where the gun on my hip is if I need it. That way I don't have to think about where to go should I need a gun, and I don't have quite as much concern about having my own weapon used against me.

Also, if you are burgled while not at home and a hidden gun is found, there's a lot more chance that they are going to tear your house apart trying to find more.

Understood but I guess I should say that each morning, all my weapons go back into the safe for while I'm gone!

My home is not large and all one floor...there is usually no weapons in my bedroom until I retire there for the night. The other rooms I most frequently occupy while inside is the kitchen, living room and my office. I generally have one firearm with me (within a couple of inches) when I'm in the kitchen or living room (the division between the two is more philosophical than physical); only the one in my office is in any way "unattended" when I'm not in the room but unless someone knows where to look within the first few seconds of a break in (which will instantly set off the alarm) I doubt they would ever see it.

Maybe actually "carrying" is a preferable way to go...I suspect I'd be more likely to do that if I came home at the end of the day already carrying but as I noted above, I don't do that because I can't do that.

[Guest bkelm18]

At home, I usually have one on or near me. I really don't trust the people who live in my particular area.

[Guest BenderBendingRodriguez]

Understood but I guess I should say that each morning, all my weapons go back into the safe for while I'm gone!

My home is not large and all one floor...there is usually no weapons in my bedroom until I retire there for the night. The other rooms I most frequently occupy while inside is the kitchen, living room and my office. I generally have one firearm with me (within a couple of inches) when I'm in the kitchen or living room (the division between the two is more philosophical than physical); only the one in my office is in any way "unattended" when I'm not in the room but unless someone knows where to look within the first few seconds of a break in (which will instantly set off the alarm) I doubt they would ever see it.

Maybe actually "carrying" is a preferable way to go...I suspect I'd be more likely to do that if I came home at the end of the day already carrying but as I noted above, I don't do that because I can't do that.

It sounds like carrying would probably work better for you. At the very least it would simplify your routine a bit. Even if you didn't want to wear your weapon, but instead just move it around from room to room with you (safely, of course, don't want a ND from handling the dang thing too much), that should be sufficient. Just doesn't seem like you should need access to more than one in more than one room at a time, especially considering gaining that access means placing and replacing them every day.

[leroy]

I think my biggest fear is a home invasion robbery while the wife and I are at home. If i'm wearing pants I'm carrying. If i'm not wearing pants there is a gun within two steps.

Me too.

leroy

[Guest friesepferd]

havnt looked at the stats in a while, but it wouldnt surprise me if i am more likely to run into a problem in which i may need my gun at home rather than outside the home.

[Will Carry]

I carry at home all the time. Since I don't open carry in public, I open carry at the house. I at least have my 380 in a pocket although I like to wear my western rig with a Ruger Vaquero. You ain't paranoid.

[mav]

Perhaps if you had one of your Scars on your shoulder, wearing your bdus, and donning a flak jacket, then I might say you were paranoid. While I don't usually have a gun on me at home, I can access one very rapidly.

[dralarms]

I carry all the time. As someone else said "if im dressed I'm carrying.

[RobertNashville]

One of the ways I carry my backup weapon is in a case designed to pass as a day planner (I've found I can carry it anywhere without raising any suspicions or even noticed by others)...perhaps my default around the house should be to simply have that with me wherever I happen to be. While I'm not opposed to carrying in a holster at home, I'm not sure I want to go that route just yet!

I may change my mind as time goes buy, however...now that I've gotten in the habit of carrying everywhere I can outside of home, it's become almost as much a part of my daily routine as putting my wallet in my pocket and putting on my watch.