# Kind of dumb thing I do. Does anyone else?



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

I just finished rotating my home defense guns. I had a 1911 in the nightstand, a revolver hidden in the kitchen, and my PPQ hidden in the bathroom. I live by myself and when the grandchildren or any children visit, I lock up all but one and they can't get to it. Anyway, about once a month or sometimes more often, I feel the need to move them around. Not to new locations but different guns at those locations. Now I have the PPQ in the nightstand, my Shield in the bathroom, a 1911 in the kitchen and my LCP II in the computer room. Seems like kind of nutty when I think it over, but I still feel the need to mix them up every so often. Sometimes, I just swap a couple. Other times, it's all of them. Regardless, something gets swapped. Maybe it's an OC issue. Who knows, but I was wondering if anyone else does this too?


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Nothing wrong about it, keeps your mind fresh where they're stashed ,lol.

If I find myself hanging out more in the kitchen or computer, bedroom , outside noises, maybe subconsciously something could instinctively be causing you to switch out. 
:smt1099


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Me?
I always use the very same pistol, which I always carry in exactly the same place on my body.
Therefore, I am never at a loss as to what the manual of arms is, or how to run my drawstroke.

This setup has changed a few times, but always on a permanent basis (for as long as it lasted), as follows:
1. First, I carried one of my twin M1911, .45 ACP competition pistols, OWB at about "4:00" (on and off for more than 10 years).
2. Then, when I'd first moved to this little island, I pocket-carried the .45 ACP Semmerling LM-4 I got from Mike Harries (for about two years).
3. Then, when the Semmerling proved too high-maintenance, instead I pocket-carried my AMT .45 Backup in that same pocket, in the same way (for 12 years).
4. Now I carry my Colt's M.1903/1908 in .380 ACP, OWB at about "3:00" (now for about six years).
5. But now my right thumb won't always reach the Colt's safety lever, so I'll switch to Jean's P-3AT in a pocket holster in the usual pocket.

The EDC pistol sits on my nightstand when we're in bed, always in the same place and orientation, with a flashlight.
There's also a chock-full 12ga shotgun in a quick-release holder, in a nearby closet.

I had thought that I would be able to go back to a .45 ACP pistol, an all-steel Officers' Model carried OWB at about "3:00," but between the PMR and the arthritis which afflicts me, that'll never happen.
I guess that we'll have to buy Jean a second P-3AT, or something like it.

Everything is safe from grandchildren, because neither can reach the shotgun's lock, and my pistol is always on my body if I'm out of bed.

Although we have a large assortment of pistols, it is my contention that self-defense will be conducted much more effectively if I am accessing the same gun in the same place, each and every time.
But that's just me.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

I think that when you are surprised or threatened, it is an advantage to have the tools that you are most skilled with close at hand. I don't have a rotation. I may or may not have a bench.:smt077 

GW


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

We all have different muscle memories & nervous system "tracks." Personally, I don't switch guns around unless they have the same modes of operation. For me, that means a gun that is fired by only pulling the trigger; no safeties. My house guns are Glocks, HKUSP (hammer down, safety off), Sigarms, Ruger GP100 & a S&W 625. In a stressful situation, I only want to think about the trigger. Simplicity wins it for me.


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## Blackhawkman (Apr 9, 2014)

I rotate my HOME guns ever now and then & clean them. I carry/shoot the same glock 19 all the time as it's my EDC gun. I shoot my revolvers and semi's alot so's to stay sharp(?). I have an 870 home defense that goes with me to do my chores. There is a couple guy's posing as carpet cleaners who force they're way into homes and rob folks. Gotta watch yer 6 at all times...!


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## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

Looks like most folks don't rotate them around. As I said, it's probably obsessive compulsive. I don't know, but I feel the need to do it. I'll be sitting up on the edge of my bed and I'll realize I've been looking at gun X for way too long. I'll take it to another location and put it there, then start thinking about what I want in the nightstand. It's often whatever I shot that week at the range and did well with. I get to thinking it should permanently be my primary home defense gun, but a month or so later, I go through that same process. 

For some strange reason, I've never really had an issue with manual of arms. When I pickup a 1911 to shoot, I naturally sweep the safety without thinking about it. If I'm not intending to shoot, I don't. When I pick up a revolver, a hammer fired Sig, or a striker fired pistol, I never have swept a non-existent safety that I remember except early on with my Shield. It has the safety, and though I didn't use it, it bothered me a little and I found myself sweeping it off when it already was off. The firearms I consider for EDC or home defense I've practiced so much with, the manual of arms has become ingrained over the years. I'd guess I'd lose that if my arthritis got worse and I started shooting less. They say it's a perishable skill. I agree. 

The only defensive firearm I keep in one place and an empty chamber is an AR-15. I don't know why, but I prefer it that way. Besides, like a pump shotgun, the sound of charging an AR might scare off some bad guys. This might be true if they came into my home under-gunned and had any common sense. :smt071


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Sweeping a safety that is always in the off position is mandatory in my judgement.

safeties,along with mag releases do inadvertently get switched or pushed.

i use to keep a beretta under the mattress . Many times I pulled it out it and it would have changed the safety levers position.lol


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## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

pic said:


> Many times I pulled it out it and it would have changed the safety levers position.lol


That's a bit scary to me. I remember once and just a year ago, I woke from a noise. I pulled my 1911 from my night stand and saw the safety was already down. Scared me that it had probably been that way in the drawer all along. I am an extreme safety nut usually, so I doubt I would have harmed anyone inadvertently, but it really bothered me. I lake an extra time now when I put it in a drawer like that. I thought I always looked, but now it's once more. I think it caught on something while I put it in there.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

I always have my gun on my person. Except of course when I'm sleeping. I don't think it's a good idea to leave them scattered about the house, generally speaking. Someone could possibly break in while you're at home without you knowing it and find one of them. The more you have in different locations the greater the chances of someone finding at least one of them. A lot of people leave their doors unlocked when they are home. You could be outside in the backyard talking to a neighbor, or washing your vehicle, in another room, taking a dump, in the shower, wherever, when someone walks through an unlocked door without you knowing it. That happened to us once. We work from home, when one of the people we were doing a project for walked in unannounced and caught us totally by surprise. I thought I had the front door locked, but obviously I didn't. I may have gone out for the morning paper, got distracted and forgot? Needless to say my wife and I were pretty pissed off at him and dropped him as a client.


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## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

Well, I generally understand you and agree to some extent. I'm not going to say where, but a thief is not going to find my guns, other than the nightstand one, and it generally is not there unless I'm in bed. It doesn't matter whether or not you believe this, but I know they are not going to be found without an extensive search by a professional with a search warrant. None the less, if you know where they are and know how to retrieve them, they can be grabbed very quickly. Even with this, they go into a safe when children might be here, or I leave the house. I have a good alarm system and the windows and doors are hardened. Because of break-ins a few years ago, I spent a considerable sum preparing and hardening the home. I can't wear a gun inside because I'm usually dressed only in gym shorts. LOL


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## MarylouMader (Nov 24, 2017)

I rely on muscle memory I want to use the same gun in the same place. I do though practice at the range with each gun on alternate weeks


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

desertman said:


> I always have my gun on my person. Except of course when I'm sleeping. I don't think it's a good idea to leave them scattered about the house, generally speaking. Someone could possibly break in while you're at home without you knowing it and find one of them. The more you have in different locations the greater the chances of someone finding at least one of them. A lot of people leave their doors unlocked when they are home. You could be outside in the backyard talking to a neighbor, or washing your vehicle, in another room, taking a dump, in the shower, wherever, when someone walks through an unlocked door without you knowing it. That happened to us once. We work from home, when one of the people we were doing a project for walked in unannounced and caught us totally by surprise. I thought I had the front door locked, but obviously I didn't. I may have gone out for the morning paper, got distracted and forgot? Needless to say my wife and I were pretty pissed off at him and dropped him as a client.


Everything you said makes sense, but there are plenty of scenarios that can't be avoided.

First question ? Where do you keep your firearms when you leave the house ? You surely don't take all of them with you.,hiya Des, 
:smt1099


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I usually hide (not in the safe) my valuable guns n cash, and use my gun safe as a decoy.

Best case IMO would be two safes, one extremely hidden, one in plain sight.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

pic said:


> Everything you said makes sense, but there are plenty of scenarios that can't be avoided.
> 
> First question ? Where do you keep your firearms when you leave the house ? You surely don't take all of them with you.,hiya Des,
> :smt1099


A safe, a real safe and not a residential security container (RSC). It's nothing like the one shown in that video you posted. If someone wants to get 'em they're gonna' have their work cut out for them that's for sure. I've also got a monitored security system. The way I look at it is if my guns were to ever get stolen nobody can say that I didn't take the proper precautions to safeguard them. They're also insured. I have an RSC too, but after watching a number of those video's decided to make a significant upgrade. Unfortunately for me, mine would be pretty hard to hide, it's about the size of a refrigerator and weighs around 2000 lbs. and can only be bolted to a concrete floor. I use the RSC for ammo as it has a fire proof rating of an hour at 1400 degrees.

No, I can't take them all with me, but I always carry more than one gun no matter where I go. How many is a closely guarded secret. :lol:

My thinking is that the best place to have a gun is on your person at all times except while your sleeping or wherever it's posted. It makes no sense for me at least to have to go and fetch it as every second may count. You could have a gun hidden in a room that the intruder is already in. Or if you have one hidden in every room the intruder may have already found one and gain the element of surprise over you. If someone were to break into my home while we're there more than likely I would have the chance to take cover and wait for the intruder to come to me. Instead of first having to retrieve my gun from someplace where it's hidden. My gun would already be in my hand and at the ready the moment I heard the break in. Obviously as you say there are many different scenarios you could find yourself in. But I don't see where you could go wrong having your gun on you when you need it most.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Some people have an upstairs bedroom, and like me ,I'll wake up at 2am and head for the refrigerator ,lol.
Nightime snack I'm trying to eliminate, lol.
In some situations having a hidden piece downstairs is very convenient for my Nightime snack habit.

Waking up my wife to get my edc is very dangerous, lol. Plus I don't keep a loaded gun in plain sight that's not on my body. 
My wife wakes up, she asks what are you doing? 
I'm going to get an after midnight snack dear.
(Wife speaking) Do you need to bring a gun with you , just to eat a bowl of cereal..lol.

So im in my underwear going for a 2am snack holding an AR. or Handgun ,,, in my hand.
That's not a normal picture or a way to live. 

An option may be to stash a gun and just carry a magazine if you're worried about someone finding the gun.
Just a different scenario of a night stalker (snacker) lol.


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