Weer'd World

From Bluesun.

Just out of curiosity, does/has anyone out there in the wide wide world of the interwebz sleep/slept with a gun under their pillow? And why?

Now first its his question not mine, so if you have an answer, feel free to comment here, but DEFINITELY comment over there.

My answer is “No”. I sleep with one arm under my pillow so I’d be worried the gun would either get pushed someplace I didn’t want it while I slumbered, or might be discharged. Massachusetts (illegally) requires all unattended guns to be locked, so its moot in my house, but in the various free states I’ve been do I’ve certainly locked the relevant doors unholstered the gun and put it on the nightstand or in a drawer. Loaded and ready to go. If everybody who will legally enter that space knows how to handle a gun (I will not leave a loaded gun lying around in a place where small children or people unfamiliar with guns about, even if it would be inappropriate for them to enter where the gun is).

I’ve never done this for any sort of romantic-type reason. I’ve never been concerned that my door might be breached and violent marauders might attempt to kill me in my sleep, so my at-the-ready gun would be my only hope. I DO know that home invasions are real things and a gun rendered totally inoperable is a greater liability than one that isn’t in the event of an attack, because the gun won’t save you but your attacker may still steal it to use it in a later crime. Also its easier and safer to not fiddle with you gun. Take the gun out and set it down, sleep, then in the morning do a quick chamber-check and then re-holster.

I personally suspect that sleeping with a gun under your pillow is an invention of pulp and espionage writers to add an allure of edgy danger to a protagonist or villain. If there are people who have stuck a gun under their pillow, I’m betting that it was some wannabe doing it because “James Bond does that!” rather than actually thinking it was a good idea.

So go let Bluesun know!

A lot of people are talking about this story.

Look I wasn’t there, and there are a bunch of stories bouncing around on what did or didn’t happen.

I’ll just leave it at this: Guns are cool. They’re really cool when you get a carry gun that you REALLY like and think others would like, or say your carry gun is a unique custom gun. Having a desire to show it off is perfectly normal. Hell when I first bought my truck I drove around to my friends house to show them my truck and give them a ride. I like my truck, and it was all shiny and new, and I wanted to share that experience.

Still guns are NOT toys, and unlike my truck where there are roads all over town for diving cars, the world isn’t covered with gun ranges and safe backstops and a designated firing line.

If you have a slick gun, open carry! Put it in a quality holster (maybe a holster as slick as your gun!) and if your gun comes up in conversation simply turn your body so they can see you carry rig. BUT LEAVE IT THERE! If there isn’t a backstop, and there are enough people that you can’t keep track of all of them do NOT be handling your gun.

If you purse, pocket, or otherwise conceal carry, we have these neat inventions called “Smartphones”. Take some nifty Glamor shots of your gun. Want to show somebody your piece, pull out your phone. At a press conference put it up on a flat panel screen.

Wanna see my Carry Gun?

Look at that! full muzzle control, a nice view of the gun, and guess what, it never left the holster and will NEVER sweep a reporter.

You get up, you get dressed, you put on your gun. Barring a deadly force scenario, or a few sundry situations that might warrant taking off your gun, the gun stays in that holster until its secured for the night.

DON’T FIDDLE WITH IT FOR VANITY! Sure it might be cool to see your gun, but you know what isn’t cool? Stories of gun owners doing stupid stuff like this.