Home-Defense Training: Unconventional Positions

by
posted on June 19, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
kimberguy.jpg

When I lived alone on the Blue Ridge in Virginia, there were at least two occasions in which I was convinced a perp had broken into the house while I was asleep. You know the scenario-loud noise somewhere wakes you and your pulse is suddenly that of a hummingbird.

If you’re like me you know where your home-defense gun is, and have mentally rehearsed how to get it in hand fast, along with the phone to dial 9-1-1. Unfortunately, the first scary “bump in the night” I wasn’t in the habit of staging the handgun in the same direction every night. So when I went to grab it in the dark (remember, darkness can be your friend), I wound up chasing the gun across the nightstand.

Now when the lights go out, the backstrap is parallel to my sleeping position, muzzle pointing toward an outside wall, and on the left side of the bed where I can grab it efficiently in an emergency. I’ve unloaded the gun, staged it, and practiced reaching it in the dark enough times that my arms and hands have the move memorized.  Some might consider that paranoid, but during a home invasion criminals will be moving fast, very fast-and the practice could come in handier than knowing the names of the latest American Idol contestants.

Another advantage of rehearsals is the fact you can identify potential disasters before they strike. To get my point of aim toward the bedroom door (at the right side of the room), I had to move it across the end of the bed. And if things happened fast enough that I was still lying there, there was a real good chance I’d muzzle my little piggies.

Had I not staged the unloaded gun and worked through the exact move with the lights on—and the noises really turned out to be bad guys before my discovery—at least one of those piggies might have good reason to cry “wee, wee, wee” in my home.

Don’t discover your well-conceived plan has some shortcomings when seconds count. A little practice irons out those problems and develops the kind of muscle memory that could save your life (toes and loved ones).

Latest

FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA
FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025

This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.

Preview: Uni-Loader

The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.

CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability

In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.