We started this discussion on the YouTube community page, but it got so big we made a video with our answer and seems like a good discussion point here. Be respectful of other's answers, we all have our reasons (from many factors) as to why we have what we have. Please share what your choice is an why. What factors played a role in your decision? Housing style, family or not, neighbors, training, etc. Our answer of course is in the video.
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Thank you for the excellent video. I am old school DA/SA, hammer fired trained a long time ago. So, I have some "tendencies" to like longer trigger pulls and hammers. Years ago my bedside gun was my S&W 659, which I still have and really like.
In the bedside stand currently is a belt/holster with a Walther Creed and four magazines loaded with Hornady Critical Defense. I shoot it well and love the trigger. It has a hammer that fires from a partially cocked state and the trigger is light and very smooth. It was a "budget" gun but in my opinion is excellent for me, and it's a Walther.
Also close at hand is my KSG for all the common reasons advocates of this shotgun would claim. My choice of the KSG was originally based on the notion of being able to run through doorways with the gun sideways and to bring it to bear around a door frame without having to worry about banging into the opposite side of the door frame. There was also the notion of having to roll for cover under or behind furniture. For any firearm, training is key, but I would say it is even more important with something like the KSG. If you are not well practiced with the manual of arms and firing from all positions, stay away from it. It is a real possibility that you shoot your hand off if you do not respect that matter. As a side note, the KSG also fits in the hard saddlebag on my Harley and has been there on a few occasions when I was headed toward probable danger. That's a lot of firepower and generally I like it better than an AK pistol or AR pistol in that role, though my AK pistol has occasionally been in the saddlebag when I thought it was better for whatever reason.
Mossberg 590 behind the headboard and a Shadow 2 SAO on the nightstand
Sig MPX in my nightstand. Holosun optic
My Beretta 92X w/Meprolight night sights, and my Mossberg Shockwave with a Streamlight TL Racker. My HHL, for use with my Beretta, is an older, pretty awesome OLight that's something crazy for a handheld, like 500 lumen. It is super freaking bright! Anyone seeing that out of the dark is blinded for a good minute. Long enough for me to respond accordingly.
*I forgot to mention that I live in a pseudo-apartment building, so over penetration is a big issue here. I load up with Hornady Critical Duty (135gr +P) and......go ahead and laugh.....mini shell slugs, which may sound a little contradictory, but it works when I'm training.
For awhile I had a Smith & Wesson 686 Plus 3" loaded with hot 38 Specials at my bedside. I have upgraded to a recently acquired Glock 17M fitted with a TLR-1 light and kept in a Vedder IWB holster.