Pistol in a tent...

[Tod osier]

Several years back I learned I sleep a lot better in bear country with a gun in reach (if the benefit is real or imagined, I don't care). Anyway I've always used a long gun (pump shotgun or rifle) with a full mag and the chamber empty at my head.

I'm going to start carrying a pistol and wondering what I should be thinking about doing in the tent. With the long gun getting it in hand it in the dark was not a concern given the size and weight, but I can see a pistol would be damn near worthless trying to find it in quickly in the dark. I've seen people talk about a tether, but can't visualize how I'd actually get that to work without getting tangled.

Thoughts, or link to a discussion (haven't found one).

T

 

[mtnkid85]

I always just lay mine out beside me in a place that you can get to just by feel. Against the center pole, in the corner ect. In my bivy sack ill have it up by my head.

 

[wind gypsy]

^ What he said.

The interesting part is getting out of a cinched up mummy bag and bivy with any urgency!

 

[rickjames80]

To add, I always have my head lamp hanging off the frame of my cot. Easy to find in the dark incase of intruders.... Or just to go pee

 

[Jbehredt]

Mtnkid is dead on. Loosely holstered of course.

 

[Skyewalker]

Locating my blaster in the dark is the only reason I run night sights on my pistol. Holstered in condition 1. Also, WML becomes pretty critical in this situation as you most likely won’t have time to put your headlamp on and looking for your flashlight in the dark carries the same challenges as looking for your pistol in the dark.


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[Skyewalker]

Locating my blaster in the dark is the only reason I run night sights on my pistol. Holstered in condition 1. Also, WML becomes pretty critical in this situation as you most likely won’t have time to put your headlamp on and looking for your flashlight in the dark carries the same challenges as looking for your pistol in the dark.


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To add to this, I usually run a lot colder bag than environment dictates so I can leave it unzipped. (I.e I’ll run my -20 bag when it doesn’t gets to 30s at night, I’ll run my 0 or 20 when it only gets in the 40/50s...)




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[aclawrence]

I sleep in a hammock and I always set my boots beneath me with my Glock pointed down in my boot. I can easily lean over and grab it and the night sights are glowing bright so it’s easy to see. I also do this in hotels sometime.


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[eamyrick]

Mine sits in my hat to the left of me along with other crap I don't want in my pockets. Whatever you do whether out in the woods or at the house--do it the same way every time.

 

[*zap*]

If your worried about human vermin you want it in the bag.

 

[Desk Jockey]

In the bag or out, in a holster. Preferable something rigid and definitely that covers the trigger guard.

One other thought, I would wager the odds are far higher for me to blast one of my camp mates coming back from taking a dump in the middle of the night than to shoot my way out of some sort of actually bad situation, especially mid-sleep. Be very careful with a condition 1 pistol if you are a little slow to wake up like me.

 

[*zap*]

Yes, ^, absolutely in a good/safe holster. Weapon light on the pistol rail is also highly recommended.

 

[howl]

Being blind pretty much, mine stays were my glasses are. I guess you get used to keeping track of glasses when you absolutely need them. I think you need to do what you do at home with regard to having a weapon handy so it's not something you think about. I keep a shotgun in the corner and a handgun in a safe on the nightstand. Camping it's a gun rug with the key in the lock if kids are around. Or holster if not. Same orientation to pillow in all places, though.

Main thing is don't shoot yourself. That sounds pretty silly, but it happens. You hardly ever to never actually need a gun for self defense, so most of your planning should be for safety.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

The only negligent discharge i’ve Ever had was sleeping with a loaded pistol near me.

Literally squeezed off a round in my sleep. The whole scenario is quite long but.. how I didn’t kill myself or others is a wonder.. .Sleep walkers and loaded firearms don’t mix.

Nowadays I sleep with a headlamp on my head, pistol in holster with slide racked back right above my head next to boots.. straight out and above my head. Get a good weapon light.

If you hear a bear in close don’t worry all your endorphins will fire you’ll be wide awake. Just get some muscle memory and you’ll do find under stress.

usually fire off a couple mags before dark and then sleep real good.

 

[HawkCreek]

Another reason I carry using a HPG Kit Bag. At night a folded coat on top of my KB makes a great pillow all while keeping my pistol close in a safe manner.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I always keep mine in the same place (unholstered), at the top of my head. I do this so I know exactly where it is at any time, and regardless of how I’m laying (back, left side, right side, etc.), it’s always in the same orientation to my body, above my head. I also bought bright yellow grips for a higher visibility. Granted, when it’s pitch black it makes no difference (I wish they made glow in the dark grips).


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[Tod osier]

Thanks guys, lot of things to think about and great advice.

I'm definitely approaching this with the idea that in the tent specifically the odds of: 1) needing to defend and 2) success in defending are not that great - but both do happen. Reducing the possibility of harm to companions ranks pretty high, especially since most of my bear country travel includes my wife and son.

 

[Tod osier]

The only negligent discharge i’ve Ever had was sleeping with a loaded pistol near me.

Literally squeezed off a round in my sleep. The whole scenario is quite long but.. how I didn’t kill myself or others is a wonder.. .Sleep walkers and loaded firearms don’t mix.

Nowadays I sleep with a headlamp on my head, pistol in holster with slide racked back right above my head next to boots.. straight out and above my head. Get a good weapon light.

If you hear a bear in close don’t worry all your endorphins will fire you’ll be wide awake. Just get some muscle memory and you’ll do find under stress.

usually fire off a couple mags before dark and then sleep real good.

Whoa, thanks for sharing that for the what not to do file! Appreciate it!

 

[jmden]

Have slept many, many nights in tents in the mountains with loaded pistol by my head. Holstered is best, I think, to help mitigate a trigger getting pulled when it shouldn't, in a place easy to reach, night sites help for sure (on all my semi-autos), pointed in a safe direction that everybody in tent knows about, and a light mounted on the pistol is a really good idea for situations that might occur at night as well, obviously. I like the APLc as it is small and lightweight--backpacking mentality...

 

[Ndbowhunter]

to be clear my pistol was in a holster.

Now I've probably posted this over and over and over on here. But in my 20's my job was to assist killing coastal bears in Alaska, and my free time was spent on the beach camping alone for long periods as well..

Bear attacks never quite work out how people envision. Only been played a part in 2 attacks that were fatal to the bear. One was self defense strictly, had to take the pics, surrender the hide and skull to adfg.. the other we did have a tag.

Could probably fill up 10 pages of bs about bears and close encounters up in Alaska.

But

After living in Wyoming, mucking around in the beartooths the bears are a lot different behavior then say a bear in May along the Tsiu or June up the Uganik.

I'm scared of lower 48 bears. No way am I sneaking up on one and taking a selfie with them like I used to on the Peninsula. I just don't think a blast out of a tent is gonna make them fuckoff like it does to bears that don't encounter people often.

The point? Dunno. Be careful with a pistol. ND happen more then people care to admit. Bears aren't stationary targets. Bring enough gun.