One of the questions that we hear a lot, and hear different answers for, is “Should you carry your firearm while at home?” The short answer is yes.
At the time of this writing, Americans are quarantined at home amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many Americans home now more than ever, this is a great time to discuss why you should always carry at home!
Reason #1: You Carry All Day, Why Change That At Home?
You wear your holster all day long while you are out, so why should that change at home? The key to all day carry (and ultimately at home carry) is a comfortable holster. There are a ton of brands out there that make holsters in all kinds of materials, shapes, and sizes. Find a comfortable holster for yourself, and this will make carrying in general easier. Especially carrying at home.
Now if you are one of those people who, while home, wear more comfortable clothes around the house (active wear or pajamas for example) you might use that as an excuse to not carry since most holsters are dependent on a belt. However, there are numerous brands that make holsters specifically for active wear and clothes with an elastic waistband.
There really is no excuse not to carry at home when it comes to comfort, but if you choose an alternate method to how you usually carry, make sure it’s a safe one.
Reason #2: Your Firearm Should Be Part Of Your Daily Attire
Comedian Adam Sandler recently wrote a song for the modern man called “Phone, Wallet, Keys.” An ode to the three things seemingly ever adult must have with them when they leave the house. Just as your cell phone, your wallet, and your keys are part of your daily attire, so should your firearm.
I will even go one step beyond that. Just as you put on underwear every morning, you should feel the same way about your firearm. Your underwear is part of your daily attire and you wear it almost all the time (hopefully!). It’s a part you wherever you go. Just as you would wear underwear around your house, your firearm should come along for the ride as well.
Reason #3: Home Invasions & Break-Ins Are Real Threats
Yes, home invasions and break-ins may be unlikely to happen where you live, but it’s never out of the realm of possibility. Many people have sadly uttered the phrase “I never though it could happen around here.” But it did. Don’t be one of the people that has to say that one day.
Furthermore, if you live in a place where these things happen more often, then this is even more reason to carry your gun with you while in the house.
Just like we have fire extinguishers in case of the rare fire that might happen, so should you have your gun handy in case a different kind of emergency happens. We rarely have fires and hope to never have a fire but if we do, we have a remedy to attempt to stop that fire in its tracks before the unthinkable happens. The same rule applies to my firearm.
Reason #4: Will I Really Have Time To Retrieve My Firearm From The Other Room?
Of course not! During a home invasion or beak-in, every second matters; literally. The time it would take you to run to a different part of the house, grab your gun from a drawer (or worse from a locked safe), and ready yourself is time that you could have used to stop the threat immediately.
Those guys kicking down your door 10 seconds ago, they are in the house now. You’ve lost the element of surprise and even your positional advantage because you no longer know exactly where in the house they are. Having your gun on you at the first sign of trouble gives you many advantages.
Also consider where in your house the attack may come from relative to your location. What if the person who just kicked down your back door is now between you and the room you need to get to? Are you just going to run by him to get your gun? Unlikely.
In closing, we all carry to be prepared. Being prepared in your home is no different than being prepared away from your home. Crime can occur anywhere, and gun free zone signs don’t work even if you tried placing one outside your house. So, the best advice is yes, you should carry while you’re home.