I just had to disarm someone

[carterbeauford]

I work for a pro-gun trucking company. It is not unusual for mechanics to take the day off, go hunting, and come back to show off their game and sometimes their guns.

One of these mechanics is an alcoholic. He showed up about 2:30 this afternoon, slightly intoxicated. It is worth noting I know this guy well and he means no one any intentional harm. He said "hey take a look at this!" produced a loaded Ruger Super Blackhawk .44MAG from his holster and pointed it at my chest. I do not recall seeing his finger on the trigger, but I immediately stepped to the side, grabbed the revolver around the topstrap and cylinder, right out of his hand. I've been shown and handled this gun several times so I opened the loading gate, sure enough, hammer down on a 240 grain hollow point.

Had it been a smaller gun and had I actually felt he was threatening me with it, I might not have made such an attempt. It is a huge revolver (9" barrel) and not hard to get a hand on. He just wanted to show me his gun, I don't know if he even meant to point it at me, but no one points a gun at me, loaded or unloaded

I told him to never point any gun at anyone ever again and asked him to leave, about all I could do. I could not keep him from his gun, and this was not something worth calling the police over, just a violation of safe gun handling rules.

Your criticism welcome, I am just sharing what I thought was the right decision given the situation. If you've never had something like that pointed at your chest, it is not a good feeling. I acted almost without having to think about it.

 

[Ned Flangers]

Wow. You did the right thing, and showed tremendous restraint in not giving the guy a beating.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

sounds like menacing to me...

also sound like the mech is exactly the type who does not need access to firearms, or a car, or a sharp stick...

 

[gunsmith]

good on ya

you handled it pretty good.
if he is open to it
suggest AA.

 

[Axman]

Did you kindly unload it and remove the cylinder for him before returning it?

 

[Third_Rail]

I would've handed it back... sans ammo, and told him to GO HOME and get sober. You did good.

 

[Kali Endgame]

You handled that situation very well. The last time I got flagged did not end well.

 

[308win]

I only hope I am not on the roads with a truck on which this guy just did a brake job while drunk. He is trouble waiting to happen on so many levels that I would be more than slightly concerned if I worked with him.

 

[tellner]

Good job.

 

[S.P.E.C.T.R.E.]

My brother swept me once at a range with a loaded .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk. Damn that's a big hole on the end of the barrel.

I jumped aside and said "whoa!". He felt bad and learned an important lesson where I didn't die.

 

[kungfuhippie]

good job. Just remember taking the bullets is a good thing, completely taking it apart and then giving it back is better

Seriously, I'd of called the cops, even if it was my best friend. Being drunk and armed is BAD NEWS. Your lucky, maybe the next guy won't be. Sometimes it takes handcuffs for the "intervention" to work. As a drunk he will blame you, cuss you, etc. if he's a good man and he comes clean, gets to AA, etc. he'll thank those that helped him.

I know he was just showing it, no harm intended, but a drunk guy with a gun is just as scarey as Diane Feinstein with a gun.

 

[Caimlas]

Is it not illegal for an intoxicated person to be in posession of a firearm? I believe I'd have significant reservations about handign a gun back to a person who is drunk and just pointed a gun at me, especially if he's an alcoholic (and thus likely to be unable to deal with his emotions all that well without chemical assistane).

I would have called his wife to come pick him up, or failing that, called the police - innocient intent or no. What he did could have easily killed someone.

 

[Mr White]

You did a lot better than I would have. After taking th gun from him, I'd have probably clocked him and when he was laying on the ground, then I'd have told him, in a very loud and threatening voice to NEVER point a gun at me again.

 

[Taurus 66]

Think about it carter - How would you feel with that hollow point running through your heart and spinal column? You could just as well be lying in the morgue right now because "Pickle" was being careless. He didn't give a jack about your safety, that is until you took the pistol from him. If he did that to me, I wouldn't give him a beating. That would most likely get me arrested for assault. But I would be screaming at him to where you could hear me in the next county, and "Yes" I would have called the cops.

Pickles and guns don't mix.

 

[armedpolak]

good God!
few weeks ago at the reange, some moron wanted to hand me his 9mm hipoint or something, and while showing me his (*LOADED*) gun, he aimed that sucker right at my heart... at what point it actually skipped a beat. i haven't said anything, although I probably should have.

well done.

 

[carterbeauford]

If he did that to me, I wouldn't give him a beating. That would most likely get me arrested for assault. But I would be screaming at him to where you could hear me in the next county, and "Yes" I would have called the cops.

Everyone reacts differently, a beating would have been counterproductive because he would not even remember it in the morning. Though I have 150lbs on him, I am not a violent person. Not worth involving law enforcement. I guess you had to be there, and you have to know the guy.

There is a letter on file with the PSP barracks regarding his drinking and driving. A call would not have mattered because of the difference between their response times and the time it takes him to drive home. If I had been shot there probably wouldn't have been an officer on scene for 45 minutes.

 

[Ryder]

Hammer down on a single action revolver? Pointing any gun at others is bad but that's as good as any mechanical safety gets. I'd have simply berated the guy. One thing I'd have told him was to never handle guns around me again!

A cocked hammer would warrant a physical reaction from me. I don't disagree with your reaction though. In his "condition" you really had no way of knowing if he was going to attempt cocking it or not.

 

[cbsbyte]

Your mechanic is an idiot for doing what he did, but I seen people who where sober pointing guns at people. Thats why I don't shoot at outdoor ranges during hunting season. To many stuiped people waving their guns around with no reguard of others saftey. You did the right thing by taking is gun away and sending him home.

 

[CWL]

You were a Gentleman. If that drunk pointed a loaded firearm at me I probably would have added a kick to his numbers to put him down. I probably would also have kept the pistol and told him to return for it when he sobered-up.

Stop feeling bad for the guy, you should feel lucky that you did not end up as an anti-gun statistic.

 

[crebralfix]

Unless it's an early 70's gun, the Ruger single actions all have a hammer block safety. If not, Ruger will install one for free.

 

[10-Ring]

Way to keep your head and take control! It sounds like your friend meant no harm, but still, if he was intoxicated, disarming him was the best thing to do.

 

[crunker]

I applaud your correct actions.

Habitual drunkards and potentially dangerous machines are not a good combination.

 

[ProguninTN]

Well-Done

I am sure your actions prevented serious harm to yourself, himself, or others.

 

[fantacmet]

Good going. I think he got off easy. Closest thing ever happened to me is someone I know drew an airsoft on me(I had no idea it was an airsoft and the idiot KNEW I carried), I started to draw down on him and he dropped it put his hands int he air and screamed it's only an airsoft over and over again. I gave him the third degree for half an hour or more. He never took it with him anywhere again. I think the guy is damn lucky, and got off easy. Glad to hear it turned out well.

Rev. Michael

 

[kd7nqb]

Good job you did the right thing, I definitly would have popped out the Ammo but I think you still are 100% on. Congrats on the not getting shot.