Have you ever used your gun for SD and how many bullets did you use?

[jfountain2]

Well before a mod locks this thread I'd like to bring to note something this thread seems to be in arguement of.

Another thread here essentially said that if you pull your weapon you should use it. Most everyone in that thread echoed that.

Seems to be the majority of the people who answered this thread pulled yet did not need to fire.

I find that interesting.

+1

 

[TexasRifleman]

Another thread here essentially said that if you pull your weapon you should use it. Most everyone in that thread echoed that.

That's silly.

The one time I pulled mine the incident stopped right there, no shots fired. The police officer that investigated told me it was clear that the gun was the deterrent needed.

That's why Texas has a law allowing for display of a firearm for it's "deterrent" effect and it's not considered brandishing.

The whole idea that you MUST fire if you draw it is silly, and comes from people that watch too much TV.

 

[herohog]

My dad taught me that if you pull your gun, you had better intend to use it. By that he meant, you had better be prepared to use it and the reason you drew it had better warrant its use.

I have used a gun twice and not fired either time. I was prepared to, and would have, if left no other option, but thank God, I didn't have to as pulling it was enough to defuse a potentially deadly situation in both cases.

 

[rainbowbob]

I have never used my firearm for SD.

I don't think pulling a weapon requires use.

I think pulling a weapon does constitute a "use." Studies have indicated that firearms are used for defensive purposes 2-3 million times a year in the US alone. I believe more than 95% of those incidents do not involve shots fired.

Clearly, firearms can be used to eliminate a violent threat without bloodshed in many (most) instances.

My dad taught me that if you pull your gun, you had better intend to use it. By that he meant, you had better be prepared to use it and the reason you drew it had better warrant its use.

Your dad sounds like a wise man.

 

[Cougfan2]

Used twice. Never had to fire.

 

[SaxonPig]

I agree you should be ready to use it. Better be ready to use it before you start carrying it, in fact.

I tried bluffing down a thug by showing him my gun once. It didn't work. Fortunately I stayed away from him long enough for cops to arrive and arrest him. He was unarmed so shooting might have been iffy legally even though he was aggressive.

I fired a warning shot once and it did have the desired effect. The criminals took off running at top speed. No weapons in sight, but there were 3 of them against one of me. I may have been justified in shooting them but I was willing to try scaring them off. It worked.

 

[spyderdude]

Once
No shots fired, and even if I had to fire, I wouldn't have been able to?
Why is that?
You ready for this?







The gun wasn't even loaded.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

they're called cartridges, not 'bullets'...

 

[mavracer]

they're called cartridges, not 'bullets'...

you put cartridges in the gun the bullets come out the buisness end.
so just answer the question how many bullets were used.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

nope...
As a reloader i'm a stickler for proper firearm terminology. Calling cartridges bullets annoys me almost as much as the word 'clip'



I've used firearms to defuse escalating violent situations on four different occasions without having to pull the trigger. Just the mere sight of a revolver with LARGE hollowpoint bullet cavities clearly visible from the front of the cylinder pointed in your direction was enough to dissuade the BGs.

glad i never had to pull the trigger...

 

[teknoid]

If I fired my weapon and the whole cartridge left the barrel, I think I'd trade that puppy in.

 

[dogngun]

I have pulled one in self defense, an old Smith N-frame HiWay Patrolman .357 Mag.
No shots were fired.
I had 2 speedloaders of reloads that were not needed at that time, but I still carry a large gun much of the time, and always carry extra loads, sometimes even an extra gun.
I would have used it if I had to.
I would not carry one otherwise.


mark

 

[rainbowbob]

Rampant Colt said:

...i'm a stickler for proper firearm terminology. Calling cartridges bullets annoys me...

Did I miss something? Who called "cartridges bullets"?

The OP said:

...There's always a lot of talk around here about how many bullets one needs...

and... how many bullets did you have to fire?

Bullets go into the gun (along with the case, gunpowder, and primer) - bullets come out of the gun. So "how many bullets do you need" and "how many did you fire" is correct terminology. Where is the problem? Isn't the point of loading cartridges into a gun so that can you fire bullets out of them?

 

[Geronimo45]

Another thread here essentially said that if you pull your weapon you should use it. Most everyone in that thread echoed that.

Seems to be the majority of the people who answered this thread pulled yet did not need to fire.

I find that interesting.

Me too.

It might be different scenarios envisioned. Some see an ambush scenario, a guy coming at them with a knife or gun and blood in his eye. Others see an escalating situation. Guy asked you for money, you refused, he starts to get aggressive.

 

[A-190]

yes
3 times in 25 years
1 shot shotgun 12 guage
3 shots revolver .357
2 shots semi auto .38super
three bad guys down. Thats all.

 

[papajohn]

Weapons brought to bear twice, no shots fired.

I don't think it's the sight of the gun that scares the bad guy. I think it's the expression of the person holding it, letting him know that if he transgresses one more step, there WILL be gunfire.

Papajohn

 

[gtmerkley]

gtmerkley's DAD

I have used a gun in self defense more times then I can count for both two legged and four legged varmints. For the two legged kind maybe 12 to 15 one shot fired on each except one that was shooting at me in the dark on that I used three, two from a shot gun one from pistol of the four legged kind over 28 one shot from a 5 mm magnum four shots one time on coyote attack with 32 s&w pistol 1 shot with ML 50 cal Rifle at wolf 5 shots with 45 colt 1911 at panther in tree at night, one tomahawk throw at panther in farm field ( I was to young for a gun ) one time seven so called kungfu bad guys I just put my hand on the gun and they were gone. And one shot at wolf with 32 derringer I never had to reload in a gun fight or four legged attack you better make sure you don't need to reload that first shot better stop them you might not get a second shot and if you got to use that gun your probable so close you cant miss if you calm your self down before you shoot always calm your self down before you shoot if you do one shot per varmint will do.

 

[XDKingslayer]

Another thing I wonder about seeing a thread like this where almost nobody has needed to shoot and another thread saying you should only clear leather when you have to shoot applies to open carry.

I wonder how many of the situations in this thread would have been completely avoided with open carry?

It's clear that the gun was the deal breaker for the criminal but, of course, the criminal didn't know it existed. Would open carry have stopped most of these scenarios before they even happened?

 

[Water-Man]

One time. One shot fired. End of fight. Bad Guy lived.

 

[BigBlock]

I don't understand why this has to be a controverisal subject. I mean, the reason you bought a gun is to shoot bad guys, right? I'm not asking anyone to accurately describe a bloody situation, just looking for some real numbers. Kind of like asking "how many flat tires do you get" on an offroad truck forum.

The only reason I ask is because I want to remove the cartridge extractor from my Blackhawk, (normal carry, often open) which obviously limits me to only 6 rounds. I definately find it interesting nobody here has said more than that.


And one more thing: bullets, bullets, bullets!

 

[Deleted member 66305]

Another thread here essentially said that if you pull your weapon you should use it. Most everyone in that thread echoed that.

Seems to be the majority of the people who answered this thread pulled yet did not need to fire.

I find that interesting.

I think you should never draw your weapon unless you are fully prepared to pull the trigger. From reading accounts of others who have used their gun to stop an attacker, it seems the presentation of the weapon is usually sufficient to stop the attack.

And I would add, from a semantics standpoint, drawing your weapon defensively, but not pulling the trigger, and successfully stopping the attack, is using it.

 

[Deleted member 66305]

That's why Texas has a law allowing for display of a firearm for it's "deterrent" effect and it's not considered brandishing.

That's interesting -- I don't think my CHL class covered this.

Under what circumstances can you display your firearm (presumably when actual lethal force is not yet justified) and not have it considered brandishing?

 

[AndyC]

Too many times, but I've lived in bad places and had some unusual jobs. Once I had to shoot to slide-lock (with a 1911 - 7 rounds, if it matters).

Another thread here essentially said that if you pull your weapon you should use it. Most everyone in that thread echoed that.

Wrongo! The deal is - if you pull it, you'd better be ready to use it. Merely drawing does not mean the next step is automatically a pull of the trigger - that's just nonsensical. People are mis-stating the old saying.

I don't understand why this has to be a controverisal subject. I mean, the reason you bought a gun is to shoot bad guys, right?

Nope - I'm hoping not to have to shoot anyone; I have a firearm in case I'm given no choice.

 

[MikeJ]

Several years ago while returning from a late night walk around my neighborhood I was confronted by two individuals that wouldn't stop their approach even after I asked them to several times. I lived in a very nice upscale area in a cul de sac and these folks certainly didn't live any where close by. They were approaching me at an angle from the other side of the street and definitely very purposeful in their direction as they came towards me. I finally had to lift up the side of my shirt to let them know I was armed at which time they made a hurried exit. I am very thankful that it didn't take anymore persuasion on my part to stop the threat. I then called the police who said it was lucky I was armed as I probably would have become another victim.

 

[zinj]

I don't understand why this has to be a controverisal subject. I mean, the reason you bought a gun is to shoot bad guys, right? I'm not asking anyone to accurately describe a bloody situation, just looking for some real numbers. Kind of like asking "how many flat tires do you get" on an offroad truck forum.

Because all too often these threads degenerate into "friend of a friend" anecdotes, along with monday morning quarterbacking.