My first gun was a Mosin-Nagant, which I tended to keep unloaded and with the bolt in a different place than the gun (I wasn't living on my own, then. There were kids and idiots in the vicinity). At that point, my "noises woke me from a sound sleep" self-defense still consisted of my Cold Steel Peacekeeper II.
When I started living on my own, I bought a Winchester 1300 Defender pump shotgun, which I kept loaded but not chambered. However, I became concerned about my ability to use this weapon effectively within my apartment. Getting off the bed and grabbing it takes a lot more time than palming a pistol lying within arms' reach, which I can do still lying down. Also, my apartment then (and my apartment now, too) have narrow hallways and stuff. Hard to handle a long gun in CQB conditions. Recently, I put a folding stock/pistol grip on it, so as to handle better in tight spaces. Looks mean, too, which I can't say I mind.
My current home self-defense is a Sig P226 9mm, which lies within arms reach of where I sleep. It is my go-to gun, and I keep it with a full mag loaded, but not chambered, and another full mag lying next to it. I figure it's still quicker and quieter than sitting up, making my bed springs squeak, and laying hands on my Winchester. The only audible noise now is racking the slide on the Sig, after which I'm already good to go. I still keep the shotgun there, though.
It's good to have a Plan B.
When I started living on my own, I bought a Winchester 1300 Defender pump shotgun, which I kept loaded but not chambered. However, I became concerned about my ability to use this weapon effectively within my apartment. Getting off the bed and grabbing it takes a lot more time than palming a pistol lying within arms' reach, which I can do still lying down. Also, my apartment then (and my apartment now, too) have narrow hallways and stuff. Hard to handle a long gun in CQB conditions. Recently, I put a folding stock/pistol grip on it, so as to handle better in tight spaces. Looks mean, too, which I can't say I mind.
My current home self-defense is a Sig P226 9mm, which lies within arms reach of where I sleep. It is my go-to gun, and I keep it with a full mag loaded, but not chambered, and another full mag lying next to it. I figure it's still quicker and quieter than sitting up, making my bed springs squeak, and laying hands on my Winchester. The only audible noise now is racking the slide on the Sig, after which I'm already good to go. I still keep the shotgun there, though.
It's good to have a Plan B.
