Who here has used a gun in self defense

[Webbj0219]

I have used my gun a couple of times. Both counts I may have been wrong in, its debateable, has been debated in the story I posted on here already. This is another one. Not sure if I told this story on here or not? Im sure ppl will criticize me for this, but here goes. I'll try and recount this the best I can. It happened after I had owned my 442 for about a month. Living in Reno, Working for Dish Network. I went to a customers residence to do a new install. They lived a big appartment complex set up kinda like a motel with a staircase that led to a second floor balcony that went down the length of the building. The guys appartment that I had to get to was on the second floor. Only problem was that at the bottom of the stairs were 5 young guys. 4 on one side and 1 on the other. The guy alone on the right flicking out what looked to be a switchblade by the way the blade snapped out without him flicking his wrist. They kinda gave me a dirty look, Im thinking to myself that this might be some trouble. So I go back to my truck. Ive got to do this job for reasons Im not going to go into here. So I grab my gun from my center console, and flip through some paperwork to make it look like I just went back because I forgot my papers on my clipboard. I walk back toward them more confident this time I have to admit. The guy is still flicking with his knife. I walk up to the stairs with the gun in my jacket pocket aimed at the guy with the knife. As Im walking past he flicks it out about 6 inch's in front of my nose. I just keep staring at him not breaking eye contact. As i squeeze between him and his four buddies behind me. I think I even brushed the barrel of the gun across his stomach as I went by. Then I turned around and walked up the stairs. Not a word was said through the whole thing. By the looks they may not have known english. As I got to the top of the stairs they started slowly walking away. Im thinking to myself I bet if that guy knew I had that gun in his gut with my fingure on the triger, he wouldnt have wanted to startle me by flicking that out in my face.

Ok, ok, I went out on a limb here to share this story. I know it makes me look like an idiot. Ive learned alot since then(this was pre-highroad days). Please be nice. It was dumb from a legal standpoint the court would have said that I may have instigated it because I didnt have to go into that situation in the first place. Then from a strategic standpoint. If the guy did decide to stab me with that knife and I shot him his four buddies right behind me probable would have done me some great harm. I would have only had four shots left in that 442 and not likely deployed them into four thugs quick enough, they were on the stairs brushing up against my back. So could have been a lose, lose situation and I got lucky I know. Only putting this out there for others to learn from my mistakes.

 

[wrs840]

Once. Nobody got hurt, but I re-run in my mind almost every day the things that could have gone wrong, and what I should have done differently.

Les

 

[Boba Fett]

If you can't handle it post-shoot, no one can think less of you. If it's as easy as breathing, no one should think less of you for that, either. Too bad they often do...

+1


Good time to once again post an excellent video by nutnfancy.

The Concealed Carry Protocol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei8OK4WdoW0

Very good discussion of how to carry, why to carry, and the mental aspects of carrying a firearm.

 

[LeontheProfessional]

Though I am sure there are precious few of us that would gladly die to prevent further evil than to let evil prevail, that job is better suited to the friendless with no children or families.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." That includes a family man. Do you think we would have ever freed our selves from England if every married man decided not to fight?

 

[Arkansas Paul]

From a religious standpoint, I would be more worried about what God would think if I didn't pull the trigger and I let my family be hurt or killed.

 

[hso]

3 times now. Thankfully, no shots fired.

 

[MarineOne]

I have to echo Boba Fett's post on this thread (#15) ....

1) I never have
2) I hope I never have to
3) I hope it won't bother me too much if I ever have to

And my own addition ....

4) If it does happen, I hope I have the mental/intestinal fortitude to deal with taking a life.



It's definately not something I look forward to doing.......

 

[navyretired 1]

The world we live in is dangerous and there are only 2 kinds of responsdee's 1. Them who can 2. Them who can't(often kown as victum.

 

[kingmt]

I have three times. Two of them was for animals. It isn't good to tell stories because it can always come back to haunt you. I have told the two animal stories vaguely on here before but the other I can give no details about. I only say it is a very different experience. Unless it is brought up I never think about it but at the time it was the biggest rush. My heart felt like it was coming out of my chest. I felt like I was going to throw up. I don't remember very much of it but the few moments I do is like a picture was taken of that moment & I can just look at it & study it without anything changing. I didn't even know for sure anything had happened for about a week until stories started going around. There is very few people that know what happened that night actually only 4 other then me. I was a young adult & my parents, my wife now of 7 years, or my ex wife I was with for 7 years have never heard anything about it.

 

[Palehorseman]

The closest I have ever came was just the act of displaying the firearm to let a couple would be perps know it was there, and that sufficed

 

[The Tennessean]

I haven't had to use any of my firearms to defend myself and I hope to god I never have to.

Edit: I should clarify, I have never had to fire at an intruder. I have used a shotgun one time in a defensive posture and was ready and capable of firing if needed. Thankfully, the need didn't arise.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

I "used" a shotgun once in college. I say used because no shot was fired.
Long story short (long version has been posted here before)
I was awoken in my off campus college apartment to a hand through the just broken window searching for the lock. I racked a round into my shotgun and he took off running.

 

[navyretired 1]

The hardest part to deal with is at what point do you go from "look guy"s I don't want any trouble I'm just a family man on my way home to the kids, to the mindset of which one is the most dangerous and in what order do I take them and survive.
That time and decision has to be clear in your mind and soul prior to any confrontation or you'll be thinking about them instead of when the situation goes it's them or me.
Just remember in a group of BG's there are alway's doers and won'ts. Be clear before you clear leather who goes down NOW and next if necessary, don't kill want-a-be's unless they go to gun. See what I mean about mindset and include muscle memory.
A shoot will be over in 5-6 seconds which could be 3 down fresh mag in weapon and sights on the may-be's.
If you get there you better be ready or you could be on the ground. You wouldn't beleave how much can happen in 5-6 seconds. Don't flash, Don't talk, Just Smile

 

[Deus Machina]

I've never had to draw (bluffed one--clicked a pen clip), I hope, I never have to, and I hope I can deal with it if I do.

Not a religious type, but I strongly believe that God would look more highly on stopping a threat than letting them do harm to you, your loved ones, or innocent people next week.

My father used a hunting rifle to run a possible drunk out of the garage, but that's not my story.

 

[ironcode]

I have three times. Two of them was for animals. It isn't good to tell stories because it can always come back to haunt you. I have told the two animal stories vaguely on here before but the other I can give no details about. I only say it is a very different experience. Unless it is brought up I never think about it but at the time it was the biggest rush. My heart felt like it was coming out of my chest. I felt like I was going to throw up. I don't remember very much of it but the few moments I do is like a picture was taken of that moment & I can just look at it & study it without anything changing. I didn't even know for sure anything had happened for about a week until stories started going around. There is very few people that know what happened that night actually only 4 other then me. I was a young adult & my parents, my wife now of 7 years, or my ex wife I was with for 7 years have never heard anything about it.

Sounds like somebody tried to mug you, you killed them and then instead of calling the police you got those 4 other people (your family) to help you chop the guy and cover it up? ;-)

I'm joking, of course, but it's how it sounds when you tell it (only a few people know, you haven't "heard anything about it since"... what can one think? ).On a more serious note, this is, in fact, an option. Might look suspicious to cover up a justifiable homicide, but I'm not aware of a law that says you should call the police. If you know of one, please share!

 

[Shadow Man]

It isn't good to tell stories because it can always come back to haunt you.

And if it bothers you that much, holding it in is potentially more dangerous to you. Don't just throw it out in casual conversation, but talk it over with someone who knows you well, and who will do whatever is necessary, even just sit and listen. These things don't have to haunt you...we have just been told that we should feel a certain way, and when we don't, we think something is wrong with us, or we are bad people for not feeling that way. I've been through that before, thought I was a horrible person because I felt no guilt, no shame, had no nightmares, nothing for the blood on my hands. Sat down over a beer with a good friend, talked it over, and realized that there was nothing wrong with me at all. Everyone's mileage varries, but a justified shoot shouldn't haunt you.

 

[Gouranga]

He may also chose not to discuss it because in today's society it can get you sued, particularly if there was a death involved. Best sometimes to keep your mouth closed (which I would not have even mentioned it at all in the first place).

 

[josh...just josh]

You would rather die than protect yourself or your family??

I thankfully never been in a situation like this (hopefully I never will) but I know that I for one would do anything in my power to protect my family no matter the cost. There isn't a life on this planet more important to me than their's and that includes my own

 

[theQman23]

As teen ager I was a covering a bicycle shop in MD. The boss had a revolver behind the counter that I was strickly forbidden to touch. When a guy came in the front door with knife asking for the money out of the register, I of course, touched the gun. Up into view came the gun, and out the front door went the guy and his knife. I was stilling telling him to stop and wait so I could call the police when the door shut! It's funny now, twenty years later, only because no one was hurt. But at the time, man alive was I scared. Not so much of the knife, though I would have been in a one-on one with the guy. But I had the gun in view, and knew that he couldn't hurt me, but man alive was I scared about the part of maybe having to shoot someone. At the moment, I was too startled and alert to feel anything, I was just numb with over-reaction, but after it was over, I trembled, and shook in a horrible fear of what could have happened.
I want to mention that I respect the posts of military and law enforcement officers who present that its not only for their own personal self defense that they have to react. Thankfully for me, (AND THANKS ESPECIALLY TO YOU GUYS, MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU ALL,) I will only ever have to draw for self defense, but I respect your posts.
I also want to thank the gentleman who admitted to being a bit foolish earlier when he was on the job, and went back to get his gun out of his truck. Obviously, that was foolish. He should have got into the truck, and left, and called his dispatcher or boss and came back to that stop when it was safer. The reason I respect his post is because he is showing some new readers what NOT TO DO and has humbly admitted the fault. Thumbs up for learning from past mistakes my friend.

 

[Boba Fett]

Not to necro this thread, but I was listening to some past episodes of Tom Gresham's GunTalk when he was talking about CCW insurance (specifically the show from 10-JANUARY-2010).

He was speaking with the people at MDD Brokers LLC who provide "Comprehensive Firearms Liability Coverage For Holders of Concealed Carry Licenses."

I was reading through their facts page and came across this info on their site:

"On a side note, in the state of Texas all shootings have to go before a grand jury. Even if dropped there as a justified shooting I've had attorneys quote the cost in the 20k - 50k range."
danprkr
Member
Join Date: April 26, 2009
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=502217

Pretty cool! I guess someone at MMD Brokers is a THR member?

 

[KM]

Hi, I'm new here, and while I haven't had to fire, I did brandish a pistol to stop an aggressive situation and was literally a breath away from drawing and firing.

What had happened was that I sold an item out of a news paper(surround sound system) to a man that at first seemed nice, liked the set up and called his friends to come help him load it all up, they did so very roughly, meaning tossing it in the back of a pick up truck forcefully(to which I advised to be careful)and then cut me a check and left.

Low and behold next day I get a call that it's not working due to issue's with his television wiring or some other thing and wanted to know if he could have a refund, to which I said only if it comes back in the same pristine condition it was sold in. He and one of his friends bring it back and I exit through the garage door to take a look at it in the front driveway(a roommate of mine was also standing in the garage further back, but it's all busted up from poor handling, and I said right there that I wasn't going to take that back.

Then he states 'are you sure you want to take your life into your own hands like this?'. And I say back that there is no need for this and that he has no right to threaten me and that we're calling the cops if they don't leave now. Then the man gets more hasty and responds with 'Yeah, I just want to know that I just got out of jail recently for slicing a guy real good'.

I respond with 'All right, we're calling the police', my roommate steps inside and I start taking steps backwards while facing them so I could get in my garage and close the door, but they start aggressively taking steps towards me, forcing me to pull back my shirt and put my hand on my revolver, then I yell out 'dont take another step forward' and the man and his friend back up, get into their vehicle and haul off.

I reported it to the police immediately, they advised me to seek to get an injunction on the guy if anything continued.. ha. But I never have seen him/them around here again, thankfully.

 

[TheHossUSMC]

I pistol whipped the **** out of a opossum that tried to attack me when I was camping. I was sleeping on the ground outdoors and was just in time as it jumped at me.

 

[4sooth]

I've had to produce one on several occasions but have not had to actually shoot--but it was a "close thing" more than once. I do know three people who have shot others. One was a co-worker and one was on the old NOPD Felony Action Squad. He has been in at least 12 shootings--six of the felons did not survive. The other was on the way home from a self defense class, (having just graduated) and had to shoot a guy who jumped in his truck(with a gun) on Claiborne Ave in New Orleans.

 

[loadedround]

If being in the Army and sent to beautiful warm sunny SE Asia counts, then my answer is YES.

 

[TexasRifleman]

By "used" if you mean displayed it without pulling the trigger then yes. Twice I have had occasion to draw concealed handgun, once I had occasion to approach an individual at my home with a carbine.

To me, that's the BEST possible outcome of carrying a gun. Bad guy starts his gig, the gun is displayed and he decided it's not the right time and he moves on (or surrenders which happened once).

Happy ending and no lawyers.