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Stashing firearms around the house-Practical or Paranoid?

4K views 50 replies 44 participants last post by  wolf88 
#1 ·
Okay. Just for background, I live in a condo in an urban area, with my brother, also a gunowner-CCW permit holder, no anti-gun spouses and no children are ever present.

Our condo has a connected living room-dining room-kitchen (all one large area) and than a small hallway with bedrooms and baths. The front door opens directly into this living space.

I work from home and last week I had a strange encounter with some weird guy selling magazine subscriptions. It was not in itself threatening, but it made me realize that I spend about 90% of my day in the living room, in direct line of sight of a flimsy condo front door, and that all of my HD firearms are in my bedroom. (I have a HD shotgun, AR-15 and a .40 caliber pistol, my brother has the same, in his bedroom also.) So when I open the front door there is never a weapon within 50 feet.

Is it practical to stash one of my HD fire arms in the living room/dining area where I spend almost all my time? Or is this paranoia on my part?

For those of you that do keep weapons outside of the traditional "Bedside table" or safe, where do you put them? How close are you to a weapon when you open the front door, etc?
 
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#2 ·
some of the cops ive trained in hand to hand CQC, were talking about the best way to fight in your home. you know the layout best so pick a room youd like to fight from/in most and "stash" your weapon there. the room should be tactically sound, ie decent cover and visibility, close to some kind of exit and a phone. and any time you can "funnel" your enemy from a larger area to a smaller area while you yourself still have some room to move is a good thing.

assuming youre in your work area that is close to the door im guessing you would hear someone trying to get in. at that moment i would retreat to the area where you want to fight from. call the police, and defend your self.

and even if you have no kids in your place i would still keep your weapons locked up good. you never know whats gonna happen while you and your roomie are not around...and you dont want your buddies getting into them.

thats all i got!
 
#22 ·
some of the cops ive trained in hand to hand CQC, were talking about the best way to fight in your home. you know the layout best so pick a room youd like to fight from/in most and "stash" your weapon there.
Not an entirely bad idea, but in my humble opinion, it's not the best idea either. I would like to be able to keep my gun stashed in the bedroom but I can't. I am in the bedroom when sleeping and few other times.
I don't pick a room that I'd rather fight in/from because it rarely, if ever, works that way. If I want to fight in the living room, chances are the Bad Guy will accost me in the hallway leading to that room. I choose to keep the firearm on me at all times because I can't plan when and where a bad situation will come. I would prefer it never happen but if it does I want to be prepared. It's 0100 Mountain Time, I'm still clothed and my pistol is on my hip as I write this.
My phone is within reach, my flashlight is on my belt and so is a spare magazine for my pistol. I want to be prepared because chances are, if I'm not prepared now, I won't be able to when the circumstances require it!!
 
#3 ·
Why not carry your .40 pistol in a nice comfortable holster, then it will ALWAYS be in arm's reach and you won't have to be running for a weapon while taking a couple of intruder's rounds in the back?

Bobo
 
#5 ·
Guns around?

I have three main living areas that we stay in. Kitchen, Bedroom and TV Room. I keep a handgun (out of site, within easy reach) in each living area. I also carry IWB in the house until I get ready for bed. Last week we had four home invasions in the area. One occurred at night while the residents slept. Entry is almost always through the garage door. Why? Straighten out a coat hanger, make a hook on one end. Go outside and push in on the top center of your garage door. Slide in the coat hanger and hook and pull on the release handle. Bingo! Time to cut that handle off!
 
#6 ·
I keep several loaded pistols around the house and almost always one on me. I don't have any kids. My only worry is that my wife sometimes sleep walks. It would not be the first time I have been shot at.
 
#7 ·
I would say it's practical as long as it's done safely. Consider, carefully, where you put the guns and who has access to them. Don't get complacent and leave them lying around when you leave or have guests over (especially children). If children will be in your home consider where you have hid your firearms and go from there.

A lot of people around here carry on them in the home.

I don't. At least not all the time. So I do have a few weapons stashed around the house.

I also have a one-year-old son and so I am careful to stash where he cannot get to them but I can. It's a delicate balance.

That being said, when we go out and get a baby-sitter all "stashed" firearms go into the safe and we are careful to evaluate our son's development so that he doesn't surprise us by walking into the living room holding Mommy's stashed .357.

My main stashed weapon is in the kitchen (where I spend most of my time during the day). If there is a knock at the door I can take it with... there are two doors.. one in the back and one in the front. I have gone to the door with a gun in my hand several times. It's easy just to put it behind your back, do your talking and then shut the door and be done with it.

I have some other firearms stashed around but mostly upstairs where I could retreat and hold off a small army until help arrives.
 
#8 ·
consider this...do you keep your firearms in a safe when youre not around?...will you transfer all of your firearms to the safe when you leave the house?...

if not...when you leave the house you are leaving multiple handguns in harms way should your home get broken into...if youre worried about people breaking in while youre there you must be worried about them breaking in when youre not even more...and dont believe youre going to put them where they wont be found...if youve ever seen a home after its been ransacked you would know theres no place you can hide something that they dont know about...

the concern for children finding stashed guns is real also...and the fact hat whatever gun youre going to use is whats available in that room...i know...better than nothing...if youre that concerned i would wear it while i was home...i do when ive been out carrying and its not uncommon for me to fall asleep in my chair or on the sofa with my handgun still iwb..

what you might want to consider is non-lethal defense (pepper spray, stun gun, etc) in easy reach to buy time to get to your fighting room or out of the house....
 
#9 ·
First, I always have a firearm either on my person or within an arm's reach whenever I'm home. I also have two others strategically placed in other rooms, and the safes are both open while I'm home.
When leaving, all but one firearm go into the safes...one is left out and could not be easily found.
As soon as I arrive home, the safes are both opened and life moves along. I feel the most important SD/HD precaution you could make is to be armed while you are at home. :yup::comeandgetsome::22a:
 
#11 ·
I have considered this also and my plan is to invest in a clock/gun box that many stores sell. I know NRA has one in the magazine. I will keep it on a shelf by the door and keep my .38 revolver in it. But I always keep a shotgun or have a pistol nearby when i'm in the living room watching tv and make sure its always in easy reach if its not on me. They also make books that can store a pistol which would be easy to use also. Stay safe Stay armed
 
#12 ·
Stashed around the house? Nope. I keep one on me at all times though. Also, when I'm home, my safe is open so I can retreat and grab the AR if necessary. I'd recommend picking up a Fobus or Blackhawk paddle holster. They are relatively cheap, and very comfortable.

Think about how long it takes to traverse your condo. If someone breaks down the front door, how much time will you have before they are on you? Enough to cross the room and grab a gun? Enough to move to another "combat room" where you wish you can fight? I doubt it. It's better to have it on you.
 
#13 ·
My wife & I live n an apartment with a front door and a sliding glass door - first floor. We have no children at home and don't entertain. I've got a few "defensive devices" stashed here and there. I also keep the front door braced with a "Mace Big Jammer" door brace: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...Cameras&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a. This will buy me a few extra, precious seconds to act if needed.
 
#14 ·
I would love to do this but its just not feasible while living in an apartment and having a 4 year old around all the time. Mine stays in the portable safe and thats it. I keep knives and batons lying around but no firearms. Before we got together 4 years ago you would almost always be within a 5' reach of a gun.
 
#15 ·
I would like to have a HD shottie stashed somewhere, but I have two kids and don't think it can be done safely so I don't. Any guns that aren't on me are locked up.

I also think if it's going to be stashed you should consider how likely it is that it will be found if someone breaks in while you aren't home. The last thing I want is for any of my guns to be taken and used by criminals.
 
#17 ·
you know the layout best so pick a room youd like to fight from/in most and "stash" your weapon there.
Trouble is, if the fight doesn't occur there, then you're separated from your defensive weapon.

IMO, one should not be separated from the lone defensive weapon. In terms of stashing multiples around the house, I think it's reasonable. Make them items that you train with, that can make a difference. They might even be simple, "normal" objects in the room. If you're well-trained and talented enough, that can dramatically expand the number of available weapons in a given space.

... it made me realize that I spend about 90% of my day in the living room, in direct line of sight of a flimsy condo front door ...
First, fix the door/frame. Making it relatively noisy and tough to enter can buy you time, and that might make all the difference.

So when I open the front door there is never a weapon within 50 feet.
This is why many people simply wear the primary handgun on them, when around the home. Once you're in the habit, it's a part of you. You can openly carry, or you can continue to conceal. But, there's no reason you need expose yourself unprepared and unarmed.

Is it practical to stash one of my HD fire arms in the living room/dining area where I spend almost all my time?
I think most would agree that it's practical to have a life-saving defensive tool near you at all times.

Or is this paranoia on my part?
Being aware of the relative uselessness of a weapon that's 50ft or more away from you is wisdom. Failure to see that as a risk is problematic.
 
#19 ·
I have 1 main and 2 satellite gun safes, one of which is in the LR, so they can stay locked up with the 5 yr old around. Also a home defense shotty in the MBR.
 
#20 ·
1. When practical I have my Benelli M4 within arm's reach, usually after retiring for the evening.
2. All other times I stash my carry weapon close by - in a holster hooked to my belt.
 
#21 ·
If you live in a bad area that is know for high crimes, then it may not be considered paranoia, but i think the majority of us live in either suburban households or relatively rural areas. In my opinion, its overboard to stash guns all throughout the house. Are you prepared, yes, are you over-prepared, probably yes too. I mean seriously, how many of you are that afraid that you need multiple guns in your house for the ready?? Isnt one enough for your peace of mind?? The wild west was over 100 years ago...
 
#24 ·
I've had a lot of experiences myself in the past. Lived a lot of different places.
stashing firearms around the house-practical or paranoid?
How close are you to a weapon when you open the front door, etc?
Okay...for all intents and purposes, we'll need to leave the paranoid theme out of the question because it really doesn't belong. Main thing is....if you carry all of the time, stashing guns around the house really doesn't make sense. In actuality, I'd say it's borderline craziness. If I open the front door, I have a firearm. Opening the door without frightening the salesman pretty much dictates I wear a pistol instead of the shotgun or AR-15 over the shoulder. One would expect to be as unobtrusive to society as society is....well...never mind that then. Thing is, nothing stashed is going to be with you in the here and now. Matter of fact, you start stashing things hither and yon, you'll soon be forgetting where here and there is. Besides....more than one or two guns out of the safe at any one time is just asking for trouble in my book. Not many of us are gifted well enough to see the next 24 hours much less a minute from now. If we were, this would be a whole different world, and more than likely we would avoid our own circumstantial death more than a few times. To answer your question quite honestly......practical or paranoid?....I say neither one. You could however be more practical carrying all of the time, but my guess is that since you posed the question, you're either not ready nor willing to do so at this time. Until you are ready to do so, your mind will keep you busier thinking about it and away from things that are more important, and the rest of life. I hope you find peace soon.
 
#28 ·
I generally keep my main EDC gun with in arms reach at home. One sits on my desk as I type right now. The safe is about 2 feet behind me full of choices, all ready to go... I don't stash guns around the house, I stash them around me...
 
#29 ·
Strengthen your door jams and get good deadbolts. Make it so that your door can't be kicked in, which most easily can. Then, while BG takes 3-4 tries to break in(if he can), you have time to retrieve your weapon.

And don't open your door if you don't know who's outside.

I can't see having guns stashed everywhere. Too much risk for kids, etc. and seems too much like some Bourne Identity movie.
 
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