The nightstand has a handgun: 38 spec, .380, 9mm, .45ACP (most often). It is primarily to use "checking out" suspicious OUTSIDE sounds.
It's secondary mission is to accompany me to whatever door unknowns may come to. So far, . . . all unknowns coming after dark have been friendly unknowns, . . . hope it stays that way, . . . but my handgun goes with me anyway.
It's third mission is to assist me in safe passage to my Beretta 12 ga that has 3 ea #4 buc, 2ea 00 buck, and 2ea slugs, . . . with 5 more 00 in a side saddle. Its a semi auto that hurts both ends, . . . shooter and shootee, . . . but the shootee will have to be ducking 92 projectiles coming his/her way during the first 7 rounds, . . . 45 more as soon as I can reload them and start in again on the trigger.
I have previously walked through the "fields of fire" available to me, . . . and some I won't take on the chance of someone being hurt in the "background".
If I need any more firepower than this, . . . I'll probably just grab my Bible and aluminum tinfoil hat, . . . scripture for the demons and tinfoil for the zombies.
The "Plan A" though, . . . where unknowns are approaching, . . . and have a definite bent for nasty or bad, . . . my wife is in the bathroom, on the cell, with 911, . . . my cell is laying on the bed with 911 on the line, . . . we are barricaded in the bed room, . . . come on LEO's.
May God bless,
Dwight