Every. Second. Counts.

You’ve trained for this scenario – someone breaks into your home or your alarm blares as it detects an intruder. You reach for your gun... But it’s not at your hip. This one mistake could cost you dearly, even if you’ve trained your aim to perfection at the firing range.

Your guns are no good if you can’t get to them, especially in a fast-paced, home defense situation. That’s why it’s important to understand how to safely stage your firearms for fast access in an emergency.

Let’s break down where you can keep your firearms safe and secure, yet accessible in a pinch:

Best Areas to Stage a Firearm

Each home has different rooms, different quirks and characteristics, and environmental constraints. That said, there are three broad areas you should consider staging a firearm. “Staging” means placing the firearm with ammunition in an accessible place so you can arm yourself in a matter of seconds if need be.

IMPORTANT: Gun safety is paramount, which brings me to the point of your particular home environment. Your cohabitants should be a huge factor when considering your firearm staging. 

• Are there young kids in your home with curious fingers?
• Do you have teenagers who haven't proved their responsibility or maturity around firearms yet?
• Do you have a lot of visitors who could accidentally discover your weapon?
• Is your firearm vulnerable to theft from a visitor, guest, or intruder who may potentially steal it?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, we strongly encourage you to stage your firearms in LOCKED gun safes out of sight, no ifs or buts about it. It is our duty as responsible gun owners to secure our firearms out of the hands of anyone they could be dangerous in.

If you feel 100% confident that everyone in your home is responsible and respects the risk of handling firearms, you have a bit more latitude to stage your weapons without extra security measures in place. Of course, this varies greatly depending on who enters and shares your home with you - So as always, use your head on this one...

3. Bedroom Staging Spots 

Your bedroom is a natural place to stage a firearm. Most break-ins occur at night, so if you hear a window shatter, you can reach a staged firearm in your bedroom and protect yourself from there if you have to. Some of the best bedroom hiding spots include:

• Under the bed in a secure spot within grabbing distance
• In a custom-built magnetic box, such as in your bed’s headboard
• Mounted under your nightstand surface, or attached to the side with a magnet

Consider investing in some attachable holsters or high-strength tactical magnets to keep your firearms reachable, yet out of sight. This can be advantageous when ensuring guns are kept out of the hands of anyone you don't want them in.

2. Kitchen, Under the Counter or Sink

You might also consider staging a firearm in your kitchen, but be sure to . Your wife, significant other, or someone else who may need to defend the home may spend a lot of time there. Having a firearm in the kitchen will allow them to arm themselves rapidly without having to dash to the bedroom.

The best place to store a firearm in the kitchen is under the counter or sink, again using an attachable holster or tactical magnet pressed horizontally against the surface. Be sure to mount them out of sight as much as possible.

1. Living Room Hiding Spots

Of course we all wish there was a corner in our living room that looked like the above picture - but even if you don't have such a collection to display, your living room is still an ideal spot to stage a single home defense weapon.

Odds are you spend plenty of time relaxing in your living room, which makes it a natural choice for staging your firearm for fast access. You can oftentimes store larger firearms in your living room due to the higher amount of available space, like a mounted shotgun (a great self-defense option). Good staging areas also include:

• Under the couch
• Behind a painting or sculpture
• In the entertainment center (only if you don’t have kids)
• Inside a gun safe that's concealed within a solid side table or cupboard

Key Firearm Staging Tips

Beyond considering where to stage your firearm, keep these additional tips in mind:

• NEVER place a firearm with ammunition where a child can reach it. If necessary, stage your firearms by placing gun safes in hidden areas.
  
  
• A gun is useless without ammo. Keep a box of bullets near the staging area – for example, in your nightstand drawer while your self-defense pistol is under the surface.
  
  
• Make sure any responsible adults in your home know where the staging areas are. That way you, your wife, or any other family member old enough can defend themselves using the guns you’ve stashed if you are away.
  
  
• Make sure any staging area is hidden enough that a burglar won’t know to look for your firearm, otherwise you MUST use gun safes liberally. A burglar can’t get to your firearm if it's hidden in a bolted-down safe only you know the combination for!

When staging your firearms, the ultimate goal is to keep your family safe during your day-to-day lives, while also being prepared for fast action should a threat arise.

Use this guide to help inspire your staging capabilities, but keep in mind that it'll always look a little different for each home, family, and living arrangement layout. If in doubt, check with your local gun store for their professional opinion on staging accessories, placement and precautions.

Thinking through possible home invasion scenarios will help you plan out how you'll react and where your defenses should be stored accordingly, and could mean the difference between life or death. Use your 2nd Amendment responsibility wisely, and it will serve you and your family well should you ever need it. 

Stay strong patriots. United We Stand.

Justin