Why, yes, I'm carrying a gun.

I put my jeans on and the holster was already on the belt which was already threaded through the belt loops. Flashlight, pocket knife, and wallet were already in the pockets, too. (Parenthetically, as the weather warms, I really should move my pepper spray to a jeans pocket as well, since jacket season is going away.) It's not that I specifically carry a gun at home, I just carry a gun.

I know some people strip down to t-shirts and sweats or shorts at home. I'm just not up to that many wardrobe changes in the day. I have vague memories of, in my twenties, having work clothes and afternoon clothes and night out clothes and I just don't have that kind of energy anymore. I get dressed for the day in the morning and that's what I'm wearing until pyjama time now.

The topic of carry around the house came up in a bookface discussion instigated by Claude Werner and was echoed at the blog Bores and Blades.

Having guns staged around the house came up in the discussion. I'm not generally a fan. I mean, there's a fairly centrally-located long gun in Roseholme Cottage, and in the event of a noisy and prolonged entry...the sort that forcing one's way through the hardened double doors at either end of the house would would take...I'm heading to get that gun.

But what about one that's not noisy, that doesn't give a ton of warning? The door accidentally left unlocked? One of the more common crimes of opportunity is where Sumdood is strolling down the street, notices Joe or Jane Homeowner absorbed in lawn work or changing the oil on the family bus or whatever, and just strolls on into the house. This turns into a meeting engagement when it turns out that there were still people in the house not involved in the outside projects.

What happens when you find a guy in the house and he's between you and your stashed gun? Hopefully he runs off and leaves, right? Hopefully.

I've quoted him before, but I'll quote Big City Major Crimes Detective again:

“One of my very first murder scenes as a uniformed officer was a guy toes up halfway in/halfway out of his door and in his boxer shorts. Someone had dumped a mag of .25 in him. Evidence indicated he was gut shot, fell down, and they they emptied it into his face. I spent over 3 hours clearing guns to transport to the property room for safe keeping until next of kin could be notified. Eleventy bajillion loaded guns in the house, dead on the door step in his boxers.
I carry around the house, during lawn work, etc. I’m not into stash guns for a variety of reasons.”