Have you ever used your sidearm in self defense?

[Bazooka Joe71]

Man, some really excellent, "feel good" stories you guys are sharing! I think if I wasn't in the presense of so many good people, these stories may have some different outcomes.

Oldphart, that story is just priceless!!! LOL If the history channel wasn't my favorite channel, I'd have had a different opinion on yer ol' story.

Man! John, you've had some interesting experiences to say the least.

A guy beating your sister with people around and they did nothing; wow...I just couldn't imagine what my conscience would do to me if I allowed that to happen.

At least her buck-thirty-five lb little brother was there to save her.

I have no stories of my own...I am young, but I hope it stays that way.

I guess it would be a mix between living in a relatively small(~10,000 people), relatively peacefully(0 murders since I've been alive) town and being substantially larger than the average grown man by the time I was 15-16 years old that has kept me away from the "tough guys" begging for someone to look at them cross-eyed.

 

[misANTHrope]

I've never had to display a weapon to someone much less use it, but I do recall one encounter years ago, before I even owned a gun, that could have easily ended with me robbed and/or dead. I'll preface this by saying that I was young and somewhat stupid, which will somewhat be reflected in the events leading up to my encounter.

I was living in Raleigh at the time, was 20 years old (or thereabouts), and had just bought myself a Camaro. In other words, I was (in my mind) one cool cat. So one Saturday night, around 11 or so, I'm cruising down a main thoroughfare, and I want to find some dude in a riced-out Civic to race so I can stroke my fragile ego. So I park my car in the lot of a strip mall, and proceed to just sit there with the music going. Presumably, I was going to wait for a likely suspect to appear on the road and chase him down or something.

Anyways, there I am- it's summer, the windows are down, it's nice outside, and as I said before, I think I'm about the coolest guy on the planet. As I sit there, I see a black guy ambling down the sidewalk on the far side of the road. As I continue to watch, he stops, waits for traffic, crosses the road, and begins walking in the general direction of my car. I don't get too worried but I do keep an eye on him. When he's about 30 feet away, he changes course slightly and walks right up to my window.

I don't remember a lot of details about the conversation that followed, only that it started out relatively benignly and then started to get somewhat creepy. I seem to recall him asking me if I was a hunter, and him saying that he liked to hunt white deer or something like that. By this point, I was calculating in my mind just how quickly I could drop the parking brake, grab reverse, and ****. I didn't really care for my chances if it came to that, but there didn't seem to be much else I could do if he had decided to make a move. Eventually, the conversation ended, and he wandered off to do whatever other activities he had scheduled for the weekend. I left the area, my interest in racing a ricer 100% quenched.

If he'd had ill intent and had acted upon it, the chances of me getting out unscathed would have been practically nil.

Anyway I appreciate all the sharing that's gone on here- it's been a very educational read for me, and goes to show just how many defensive uses of firearms don't find their way into the statistics.

 

[rainbowbob]

I do recall one encounter years ago, before I even owned a gun, that could have easily ended with me robbed and/or dead.

As I sit there, I see a black guy ambling down the sidewalk on the far side of the road. When he's about 30 feet away, he changes course slightly and walks right up to my window.

I don't remember a lot of details about the conversation that followed, only that it started out relatively benignly and then started to get somewhat creepy.

Whew! That was a close one, all right!

 

[misANTHrope]

Whew! That was a close one, all right!

It's difficult to put it into words, but trust me that the undertone of the conversation was threatening by the end. Nothing outright, mind you, but when there's a guy standing two feet from you saying things like "I'm a hunter... you know what I mean?" with a very knowing look on his face, you start to wonder exactly how this encounter is going to end. I can tell you that my sixth sense was ringing off the hook.

The point is that looking back, it was a situation that could have ended very differently, and if it had gone that way, there basically wouldn't have been a damn thing I could have done about it. It was an eye-opener for me.

 

[rainbowbob]

I can tell you that my sixth sense was ringing off the hook.

I do believe in paying close attention to that sixth sense, and I did not mean to second-guess your instincts. I wasn't there.

 

[RRmerlin70]

I want to preface this by saying I'm not trying to be antagonistic or to judge anyone, but looking over a lot of these stories it seems to me that in many cases the threat of a gun resolved the situation very fast. I understand that in a lot of these close call situations that thankfully didn't end in shots being fired, having a loaded weapon allowed for the appropriate confidence level to chase the bad guy away. Also, if it ever came to violence, drawing something without the ability to back it up with lead would assuredly make things worse for the defender. However, I'm curious if there aren't others out there that think that an unloaded (or blanks, used safely) gun is sufficiently effective. I only ask this because those that have fired a gun and later regretted it are probably not weighing in here.

 

[cowssurf]

RRmerlin,

How do I reply when I've never been one of those who've fired a gun? I can't jump into anyone else's head and feel their guilt or lack thereof, but I think that is a dangerous situation to put yourself in to pull out an unloaded gun. It immediately gives someone cause to kill you if their was only previously the threat. It also gives them the ability to easily kill you and any loved ones you may have near. There is no reason to buy a gun for self defense if you are not prepared to pull the trigger should that most unfortunate situation present itself. At least that is how I feel about it.

 

[chris in va]

Alright, here's why I started carrying.

Sitting outside a 7-eleven, nice balmy summer evening eating ice cream with my friend, her 12yo daughter and my worthless Shepherd on a leash.

Girl/dog were on the curb, we were across the little access road thing on the other curb, maybe 20' away. I had noticed this white Lumina slowly circling the gas pumps, driving out to the (busy) road, coming back in...eyeballing people.

Well here come these two scurvy guys ambling up to make comments about the dog. "Oh I had one of those, they're great dogs" etc. Started petting him, coming awful close to the girl. I look over at my friend, she's attentive but whispers "it's fine, keep cool, don't say anything, don't stand up" She worked at a motel so was used to seeing these characters.

Meanwhile the dog just wags his tail and has zero protective posture for the girl. None.

Now at this point I'm thinking it would be awfully easy for them to grab her and take off. It looked like they were feeling out the situation, maybe I was just paranoid.

They eventually left. I did not have anything on me if something did happen. It was the last time I wanted to feel like that.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the people getting whacked after cashing their paychecks, robbing people in the neighborhood next to mine, machete attacks by MS-13 and bank robberies. And WalMart kidnappings.

 

[loop]

Most of us who have don't talk about it a lot.

I'm surprised so many people have been able to be so open.

It is a highly personal experience.

 

[chris in va]

I'm surprised so many people have been able to be so open.

You'll notice most (all?) of the stories do not involve shooting someone. Those are the stories people don't like to tell.

I had a neighbor that served as a PO. He had a gun grab in a bathroom, had to shoot the guy once he got control. Really didn't like to talk about it.

 

[electronrider]

I woke up to the sound of someone wandering around my house. Jumping out of bed, and grabbing my ruger single six, I open up the bedroom door and see some guy standing in my living room. I point the weapon at him and holler out "what the f&*^$ are you doing in my house. He just stands there, a small sized skinny white guy, maybe in his early to mid twenties, and I have to ask him the question like 3 times, cause my brain just isn't up to speed yet. ( this all happened in about 15 seconds of me waking from a dead sleep). My head finnally clears enough, and he is saying how he thought this was the neghbors garage, and by then he just gives up and says " just shoot me man". At this point my neighbor ( the house is about 30 feet from mine) comes running in the open door, looks at him ( and me in the tighty whities with a gun in my hand) and starts screaming at this guy, telling him how he's lucky that I didn't blow him away. She runs him out of the house, and starts profusely apologising, saying he is some dumbass looser drunk friend that came by when her and her friends were partying, and just left their house. I got free dinners from her for almost a month! LOL. In retrospect, I was amazed at how long it took my brain to get itself together to actually be able to process the situation. The guy really was just some chump drunk looser, and I am certainly glad that he wasn't a real threat. No police called, and it was all good.

 

[TCUGLOCKER]

Only once thus far, I was driving home at about 3 a.m. through the Oaklawn area of Dallas. I was in the middle of an intersection when a white sedan made a right-turn-on-red and nearly hit me; I honked and remained behind the sedan since there was only one lane with the construction. When we stopped at the next red light the Driver and Passenger doors opened and 2 young, black, gentleman started walking back towards my car. I promptly took my G27 out of the glove box and displayed it over my steering wheel. Both guys looked at me, then each other, then decided they would wait till another day to go to prison for the rest of their lives.

 

[hill billy]

From a newbie I thank you guys who have shared their stories. SOme things that I have done to better protect myself in a county where it's illegal to be a gun carrying citizen
1. My windows are all tinted black in all my cars. I have found this decreases the incidences of hard looks or yelling from people who aren't sure who (or what )may be behind the glass
2. I don't go out much at night. Granted part of this is because I'm not a teenager anymore and part because it just doesn't make mush sense for me. I NEVER go to an ATM at night and instruct my wife to make sure she does the same.

I fully understand this won't cover everything, but every little bit in my favor helps. Hopefully my crime ridden county will get a new Sheriff in two years.

I hope I never find myself in the position to have to shoot anyone, unfortunately I have pulled a gun on a member of my own family. It would have sucked, but I would have shot him, in retrospect, he needed it.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

However, I'm curious if there aren't others out there that think that an unloaded (or blanks, used safely) gun is sufficiently effective

That might be the worst idea ever! If you unholster your gun, you better be damn good and ready to use it!

You'll notice most (all?) of the stories do not involve shooting someone. Those are the stories people don't like to tell.

A big huge +1 to that...Kind of like the "Have You Ever Had an AD" thread...No one got hurt(except maybe the storyteller's Arm/Leg) in any of the stories...No one wants to talk about hurting someone.

 

[Leanwolf]

RRMERLIN 70 - " However, I'm curious if there aren't others out there that think that an unloaded (or blanks, used safely) gun is sufficiently effective. "

One of the dumbest things a person can ever do is try to run a bluff with a deliberately unloaded gun. (Or one that is useless because it is loaded with movie blanks.)

There most definitely are bad guys out there who will not be bluffed, and at that point, you're either going to have to use your firearm, or you're going to have to eat it.

Carrying a firearm requires carrying the responsibilty that goes with it, and the requirement to use it judiciously should it become necessary.

If a person can not do that, then he or she should NOT carry the firearm.

But, again, don't ever try to run a bluff with a gun!
L.W.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Shot once at age 14 with birdshot from a 12 gauge. Still have a piece in my chin.
Stabbed in the leg after school by a kid at age 15. Still have a scar on my left leg.

Pulled a rifle on a guy trying to rob my house, and another carload looking for trouble when I was 15.

Drew on a group of 4 guys who were threatening they were going to kill me in Davie FL.

Opened fire on a guy with a handgun who was shooting at me with a deer rifle way back in the woods.

Nearly shot a guy for breaking into my house recently.

None of it was fun or glamorous.

 

[cowssurf]

Whoa! Wheelgunslinger, where are you from, Dodge City? Sounds like you've had a fairly colorful upbringing.

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

Quote:
In the dreams that wake me up, I can't seem to find my gun.

That's the nightmare we are all trying to avoid, isn't it?

Yes, it is, Bob. Every once in a while the scars on my off hand still burn, too. A "security" guard told the police that it sounded like cannon going off with the masonry-faced buildings in the area. He didn't even come to the scene until the police arrived. The mall got a new security company shortly afterwards.

ECS

 

[BruceRDucer]

shooting in the forest

We were shooting shotguns in the forest, when over a dozen trees that weren't even green began making threatening motions toward us.

We loaded up the 2 shotguns and a semi-auto in .40 S&W and cut 3 trees down right there, because they just would not back off. The rest of the trees just froze, and we were able to back out of there.

 

[cowssurf]

Bruce,

I have no idea what your post means.

Elm Creek,

Not sure what yours means either.

You are both very cryptic and coy. No need to post if it's too painful to relate in full.

 

[Sergeant Honor]

I wish my state allowed me to carry concealed, on the news everyday i hear of the crime coming closer and closer to my neck of the woods. but I have used my weapons as a detterent.

1) when i was in middle school I used my dads nickel plated Colt 1911 to scare off some neighborhood boys who had malice in mind (all were carrying some sort of blunt instrument)
2) used my 12 ga Remington 870 Marine Magnum (i love that shotty it runs on ammo and love) to deter a robbery in progress at my home. I was in the basement most of the lights were off upstairs. I heard a mighty BANG!!! like the sound only a door being kicked in would make. Grabbed the Shotgun, chambered a round, walked slowly upstairs to come almost an arms length away from a very startled criminal in search of something to sell to buy drugs. His nose was almost in my shotgun barrel. Asked him to raise both hands with some very Un-High Road like words. police were called. Druggie hauled away to jail.

3) Gun-Grab situation in a motel room. I still cant speak of it. There's no feeling quite as undescribable as being ready to die or kill someone.

 

[siglite]

We were shooting shotguns in the forest, when over a dozen trees that weren't even green began making threatening motions toward us.

We loaded up the 2 shotguns and a semi-auto in .40 S&W and cut 3 trees down right there, because they just would not back off. The rest of the trees just froze, and we were able to back out of there.

I don't find this amusing at all. In fact, I find it quite insulting. There are people in this thread who've relayed their real life experiences in defensive situations. I can't speak for them, but there's nothing funny at all about mine. I do not laugh when I consider the second time I had to draw (which I have not, and will not detail). In fact, what I get instead is a sickening dread-like rolling in my stomach when I consider the memory, along with a rush of adrenaline. The bad kind of adrenaline.

And along comes some clown making jokes at the expense of people who've been in some really crappy situations, who apparently were stupid enough to share them with others.

I don't know you from adam. So, it might be unfair of me to assume from your post that you've never had to draw, never been shot at, and never been in a life threatening situation at the hands of people who want to do you harm. But if my assumption is correct, please take your stupid jokes elsewhere, as the title of this thread is not "please come make stupid jokes about self defense."

 

[BruceRDucer]

Really, Siglite?

Really Siglite?

First, try lightening up and cultivating a sense of humor.

Second, look at the precise language you used:


"And along comes some clown making jokes at the expense of people who've been in some really crappy situations, who apparently were stupid enough to share them with others."---siglite

Third, you just referred to the posters here as "stupid enough"

and Fourth, I wrote the joke at MY expense, not the expense of others.

Fifth, why would you personally feel "insulted" when nothing I wrote addressed you?

I'm enjoying the stories very much. Otherwise, know this:

I'm a combat veteran and I don't suffer from provisional self-esteem. If you want to ride the high horse, try that with someone else.

 

[siglite]

First, i find nothing at all humorous about this topic.

Second, if you're missing the obvious sarcasm present in the line you quoted, I can't help you.

Third, which is really still on your second point, we (or at least I) should've known someone would spout off as you did. Though, the tree angle was not exactly what I expected. It's a tad more creative than calling everyone dangerous mall ninjas. But, equally effective at getting your opinion across.

Fourth, your "joke" was at the expense of everyone who's relayed an SD story in this thread.

Fifth, your post addressed everyone in this thread.

 

[BruceRDucer]

Cowsurf

Cowsurf,

I can only think of one time in civilian life that I ever had an actual incident involving a firearm, and like many others here, it totally freaked me out.

My 18 yo son and I were shooting handguns in a forest (a legal activity) when I got confronted by a man about the danger to hikers.

I had the gun in the holster on my hip, and the man's tone was not conversational. He was shouting at me, and worse, he seemed committed to enforcing some kind of dominance over me.

I had already apologized for any wrong, and agreed to move to a more distant spot, but this man would not shut up. He had an adult son and his wife with him, and he was a large man.

Finally, at my wits end, I just blew up at the guy. I told him in colorful language to (1) shut up and (2) get the hell away from me.

All the while, I was thinking that if he moved on me, I would just hand the gun to my son and go to the ground with the guy. As it was, he got my message quite clearly and reluctantly moved off.

As for the trees in the forest story....that was a genuine incident in which we cut down several trees with our guns.