5 Of The Best Nightstand Gun Safe (Reviewed [year])

In a sense, gun safes are like guns themselves. When used properly,  they work the way they are supposed to and are good. When used without safety precautions, they can be useless or even dangerous. The best gun safe, then is the one that is used the right way. A bedroom gun safe is only as good as the owner.

Gun safes are designed to keep guns out of the hands of unauthorized users or thieves. If you “advertise” the fact that you have a gun safe, by leaving it out in the open, you are inviting thieves. A dishonest repairman could notice your gun safe and get the idea to break in when you are not at home and steal it.

They are also small, which makes them easy to hide and easy to put almost anywhere. The downside of that is they are very portable and easy to steal. It is a good idea to mount your gun safe on a wall, on the floor, or to a piece of furniture. You may have your gun locked into a safe, but if it can be stolen, the safe will not do you any good.

It is also not a good idea to put all your valuables in one safe. It is better to have a few small gun safes mounted strategically in your house. You should have a different safe for your other valuables and important papers. Having them all in one place could cause problems if thieves discover that one place.

A good safe gun will work to give you some protection. Your gun will stay out of the hands of kids and thieves. A gun safe not used properly will not work properly and is almost like not having one at all.

To use a safe properly:
– Keep it out of sight
– Mount it to something or install it properly
– Get a high-quality, safe

A story in the Washington Post says most people believe guns should be locked away when not in use, but it also found that many people do not use them as designed. 

The article cited stats from a study by Johns Hopkins University. Here are some of the statistics provided.

– 60 percent of Americans like the idea of laws requiring safe storage
– 54 percent of gun owners do not keep guns locked in a safe
– 37 percent of gun owners in Washington State keep guns in safes
– 27 states have laws that penalize parents for letting guns fall into children’s hands.

Where to hide your gun is almost the same question as to where to hide a gun safe. Most people who have a handgun and who have one in a safe have it for self-defense. 

If your home is broken into while you are home, it will likely be at night when you are asleep. Most burglaries happen during the day when no one is at home. But if you need a handgun for self-defense in your home, it will likely be at night. A good place to hide the gun is the bedroom.

A closet is a good place because it is out of sight, and it is easy to get to in an emergency situation. The closet is also a good place to mount and hide a gun safe. It will take only a couple more seconds to get the gun out of the safe.

Here are a few more creative places to hide a handgun:
– In an empty food box
– Inside a pottery container
– In a fake electrical outlet
– Under your couch
– Inside air vents
– Inside a book (old movie trick)
– Cabinets
– In a nightstand with a gun safe

In general, yes, it is safe, and it is even more secure inside a nightstand gun safe. Having a gun at your bedside is for self-defense. If a thief is in your house at night, you could reach your gun and defend yourself. The greatest danger is that the gun will fall into the wrong hands and cause unintended damage or injury. 

Gun proponents are right when they say guns do not go off alone. Gun control advocates are right when they say guns are dangerous when they fall into the wrong hands. Owning a gun is a right, and with that right comes the responsibility to be safe.

Having a gun at your bedside is not in itself dangerous. But, if you leave it open on the nightstand gun all day long while at work, you are setting yourself up for problems. A curious child could get a hold of that gun, or a troubled teen could kill himself or herself with that gun. Most burglaries happen during the day when no one is at home. A thief would spot a gun left out on a nightstand gun and steal the gun.

If a gun is under your control, and if you are a responsible gun owner, the gun is as safe as anything else. This is why owning a gun safe is important. You will not be by your bedside at all times, and you will not have your gun on your person at all times. 

During those times when the gun is not in your immediate control, it is up to you to ensure it is safe. It is not safe beside your bed on a nightstand gun or even in a drawer when you are not in the room or the house. Inside a gun safe is much safer when you want to keep one by your bedside.

If a gun is not cocked and there is no pressure on the spring, it should not damage a gun to leave it loaded for a long time. There is some debate on this issue of self-defense handguns in nightstand gun safes. Several weeks, or even a few months, should not be a problem. 

It is important not to have the gun cocked while in storage space. Keeping pressure off the spring will allow you to leave it alone for years even, with no problems. The ammunition will last for years if the guns are in a dry place. The bullets will not leak or “wear out,” so, in theory, you could leave a gun loaded for years and then use it.

Nothing will change as long as no moisture gets into the gun and causes corrosion. Leaving loaded then should not make a difference. Even so, it is a good idea to get your gun out occasionally and use it to ensure it is still in good operating condition. The gun will work if the spring does not wear out. Some say leaving a slight pressure on the spring is good. It will make the spring work smoother and shooting easier. 

There is also some debate on this question. It is your self-defense weapon. You don’t have time to load it in an emergency, so keeping it in the safe makes sense. It can be a matter of safety. If you keep the magazine separate, it only takes a second or two to slip it into the gun, and you are ready to shoot. In some areas, it is the law to keep guns and ammunition locked separately. This does not mean they have to be at opposite ends of the house. You may have them locked separately in the same room, for instance.

People who keep guns for self-defense and on a nightstand safe by their bed normally keep guns loaded. They also keep it in the safe. If you are an experienced gun owner, this should not be a problem. Do not leave it cocked, as this will put undue pressure on the spring and cause it to weaken. 

If the handgun is not primarily for self-defense, there is no real need to keep it loaded. If it is in a safe, inside a desk drawer, you may not need to keep it loaded. A lot depends on your comfort level with having a loaded gun in your house. Many people keep a gun by their bedside in a safe.

In general, no, it is not safe. A loaded gun could easily fire when you turn over in your sleep. This could kill you or a person sleeping in the bed with you. Handguns are great tools, but there is also great responsibility in owning a gun. 

Putting one under a pillow you are sleeping on is reckless and dangerous. The important thing about guns is to always be in control of the gun. While asleep, you are not in control of your movements and thus not in control of the gun. Keeping one under your pillow is asking for disaster. It is not safe to sleep with a gun under your pillow; put it on a nightstand gun with a gun safe where it belongs.