It happened to me, Carry stories

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SalchaketJoe

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About five years ago I was visiting friends with the now ex. Warm climate state that may not allow concealed carry. Anyway, at the time I carried a Beretta Tomacat 32 auto, inside the front waistband in a small clip type holster. Set up worked well in the hot climate with light clothing. One night the ex and I decided to walk to the corner store that was about half a mile down the road. The friends lived in a subdivision near a fairly well travelled road and the store was on that road.

We made it OK, then as we walked out of the store, a pickup with a bunch of late teenish males pulled into the parking lot and jumped out. We crossed an intersection and were walking down the sidewalk on the side of that main road when I looked back and noticed that the teens did not go into the store but rather two were trailing us about 40 yards back and the other two had crossed the road and were opposite us, walking fast to pass us. When they got about 50 yards ahead, they crossed and we were in between the two pairs. The ones in front slowing down while the two behind picked up the pace.

Without a word I handed my big gulp to the ex, half discretely pulled the .32 out and chambered a round, keeping the pistol low and in front of me. One of the fellows in front happenend to see this and the two groups quickly dispersed.

Dont know what was about to go down that night, but I am glad I didnt find
out.

Let your gun be your companion on every walk.
 
At the lake with my dad fishing. a group of guys are on bikes and doing "tricks" very close to us (almost in the water). anyway long story short my dad asked them to move down a bit for safety reasons and also better fishing... the young men (about 8 of them or so) became confrontational... I ran up to the truck to tell my mother and fiance to lock the truck and be ready to call the police if something happened... when i get back to the water they are standing around my dad (whom has a fishing pole as a weapon, and what a weapon it would be too! no joke) all i did was put my hand in my front pocket overlooking the scene while my dad spoke quietly to them about how they should not push this. end of confrontation! didn't even have to show it (glad too) ..well i guess thats not long story short after all. now the legality of all this is in question but it ended the threat and thats all i cared about.
 
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My son, my Taurus, and I were at a local department store. We were in the shoe department. There was one other customer and a saleswoman at the cash register. As I was looking at some shoes I heard someone behind me and to my left say in a somewhat loud voice, “Do you have a gun?” It startled me but I did not react. I was thinking, how in the world did he know? I slowly turned around to my left and saw a store employee (suit and tie and store badge) walking into the department. I did not say anything, figuring that it would be best for him to continue the conversation. He walked right past me and up to the saleswoman at the cash register. He there retrieved “the gun” - one of those pistol-looking scanners they use to check price tags – and walked off to another department. My son later told me that when he heard the man ask the question he thought, “Oh great, what’s my dad done now?”
 
I have posted this before but this is my favorite "thank God I had a gun" story.

I was moving and had been calling around to find a moving company that gave me the lowest quote. I succeeding in finding on that gave me a much lower quote that the other companies had and signed them for the move. Moving day arrived and the “movers” were late, so I called my contact and he gave me some story which translated to "sit tight" not having anything better to do, I took his advice. A few hours later the movers showed up. In a rusty POS truck and trailer. The movers themselves sent were real losers, they looked like they had had a very late night. Anyway, there were two of them and one was pretty big, actually both were big guys, but one of them was 6’6 and 300 or so.

I was just getting this odd vibe from them. It seemed like they were watching me, or waiting for something. I was working inside and got boxes ready for them to move to the truck. We worked like that for awhile, for the record, they were moving at an exceptionally slow rate, which I thought was odd. Finally, I hear this noise outside and I go out to see one of the dudes dragging a drawer from the chest on the ground instead of carrying it.

So I asked him to bring it back and I corralled him and his buddy and said, "give me the paper work, here is $50.00 for your trouble, now get lost and don't come back." The big dude looked at his buddy and then said, "what if that isn't enough". I then swung my flannel shirt open giving them both a view of my .38 and I said "then we have a problem." I carry crossdraw, so with my hands on my hips, either hand can draw and fire. I could see that this wasn't lost on them and I had them bunched together shoulder to shoulder, so covering them with the gun would have been trival.

They unloaded the very few items in the truck and left… In hindsight, I am sure that they were going to rip me off. Moral = call reputable people and pay the price, or risk working with losers.
Click to expand...

Trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right, it isn't right. Stories very seldom do justice to the heaviness of the atmosphere in a situation like that or the sureness that you feel that something isn't right. It always comes across as if I or someone else in the story was being paranoid, but I assure you that something was very wrong with this setup and that feeling just kept getting stronger and stronger...
 
Some years ago an incident occured while I was a state peace officer working in the Bronx, riding the subway down to Manhattan mid-day.

After the Harlem stop, 3 guys come through the end doors from the next car. One's wearing a ski mask, one's got ski goggles on, and one has his hoodie pulled up. Although it was winter, somehow I knew they weren't on their way to Mt. Snow.

They look around the car, only one other person in it. I'm sitting about 20 feet from that door, and they start on a diagonal towards me.

I open my jacket and push it back from my hip, exposing my then service gun, a revolver, while looking them in the eye. I resisted saying "go ahead, make my day". :rolleyes: Besides, Bernie Getz had already done that.

They stopped, looked at each other, and turned around and back out the door.

No crime had been committed, nothing for me to take action on, but it did put a smile on my face.
 
My family and I (plus my wife's puffball DOG?) were out in the yard a couple of months ago when a germanshepard wandered up. I told my boys (7 and 12yrs. old) stay away from the dog since we didn't know it. Well my wife and I were looking at some flowers she had planted when I heard a dog fight behind me. When I turned the first thing I saw was my 12 yrs. old trying to stop the shepard from eating my wifes dog. I don't remember drawing my Judge from its holster, but I did know I couldn't shot because my son was in the line of fire. So my handgun turned into a club for a second which convinced the shepard to leave, as it was leaving I put one round in the dirt behind it to make it move a little faster. Luckly no dogs or children were hurt, and the shepard (which I didn't kill) seems to avoid our yard. My wife doesn't laugh at me carrying everywhere it is legal anymore. To end this saga, I strongly beleive in being armed everywhere it is legal.
 
...puffball DOG?
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Depends on what state said "dog" is in. New York, maybe... North Carolina? --LOL
Unquestionably, a fine example of an oxymoron.
But it wouldn't surprise me if it's a great intruder alarm around the house!
 
I was in my front yard doing yardwork arranging some stones along the driveway, carrying my G23, and relatively oblivious to anything in my usually quiet suburban neighborhood. I was near the middle of my drive, about 40' from my garage where there are some tools that may have been handy. I also had some large 10 pound rocks that could be used as weapons.

Then I got a glimpse of a large brown 4 legged creature off my 7 o'clock as I was crouched down. I looked to see a rather large adult brown pitt bull staring at me from about 15' away. Then I saw the other similarly muscular adult pit bull off to his flank about 10'.

Now, I am a HUGE dog lover and do not believe that any breed of dog should be outlawed. Owners are responsible for dogs bad behavior, not the dogs. But I also know that pit bulls are deadly, especially in packs. If those dogs wanted to kill me, they probably easily could take me down and tear me apart and easily seriously injure or kill me, especially at that distance.

I slowly drew my G23 as I stood up, keeping the handgun at the low ready. I have dogs and was thankful they were not outside because there surely would have been a deadly dog fight. The dogs watched me with curiosity for a few minutes, and then went about their business. I assume they got out from a neighbors yard. I went inside and called animal control.

Now, who knows what if anything would have happened if I hadn't been armed. But it reinforced my belief to be armed whenever legally possible, even if just sitting around in your front yard or even in your house (there have been stories of forced house invasion, which are getting more common). What I do know is that those dogs could have ruined my day if they attacked.
 
leadcounsel said:
The dogs watched me with curiosity for a few minutes, and then went about their business. I assume they got out from a neighbors yard. I went inside and called animal control.

Now, who knows what if anything would have happened if I hadn't been armed.
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A friend of mine actually had to shoot a pit bull that lost it's mind tried to attack kids at a bus stop. Did attack a man who intervened. Attacked his cat and ultimately bit him. He shot it 3 times, once through the jowls at close range, a snap shot as he was being bit or right before. Next shot right after that one blew the dogs ear off. You think either of those phased it. Nope. The thing disengaged the ran in a tight circle at the guy he had just attacked and the friend fired again classic side shot through the middle. The dog rolled over and ran back home. 2 months later the dog came back for some more....

He was using a .45 for the record (competition gun with a 5" barrel). For all of those who think .45 means instant death.

So what could have happened? Who knows, but animals can and do attack and it ALWAYS happens when you least expect it.
 
It is actually really cool to hear these stories, it reminds us why we fight for what we do (rights wise) and why guns are used 2.5 million times a year to SAVE lives.

Thank you all for sharing, I've not had to do it, thank God, and hopefully never will, but when I can get my Glock, I am going to carry it everywhere that is legal in CA, which basically means around the house.
 
I worked for my dad, buying and selling cars. I went to go buy one. My dad warned that he got a bad feeling, and to make sure I had my gun. They had asked if we paid cash too many times and he didn't like their general conversation/details on the car. I got there and there were three rough guys, wrong body style of car (wrong year), they had some excuse about not having a title, and asked me more than once to look under the hood. I kept them in front of me, just nodding my head and discussing the deal. One started to circle to my side and I acted: I put my hand on my pistol in the middle of my back, pointed my weak hand at him, told him to get the F back to the car, and started backing up to have a better vantage on the whole group. With three of them, I had already made the descision that I would shoot rather than be at their mercy....they saw it and backed up quickly.
 
Years ago, long before cell phones, a friend and I were driving north on Highway 95 in Nevada. It is open range country and they have signs to watch for cattle. Now this is out in the middle of nowhere. We were literally 1.5 hours from any telephone, and hadn't seen another vehicle in hours. Up ahead, several miles down the road, I see a very large bunch of cattle standing on the road, blocking it completely. As we get nearer, I can make out the details and the "cattle" were actually motorcycles!

I told my buddy to reach under his seat and pull out the black case. He did, opened it and said, "There is a gun in here!" I gave him a box of .357 mag cartridges and told him to load my S&W Model 27, and I proceeded to load my Colt 1911. I told him to keep his hand on the weapon, and keep it in his lap. I did likewise.

As we approached the gang (maybe 50-60 of them) I was motioned to "slow down". I finally got to the main group, several peered inside my vehicle. They saw both of us armed, they backed away, and opened up a lane for us to get through. That one could have gotten very ugly...the back of my car (hatchback, so accessible from the front) was absolutely loaded with rifles and shotguns (and ammo for all of them) as I was transporting them for some buddies who were flying up to Reno.
 
One instance I don't mind sharing.....

I was living in South Minneapolis at the time, in a really sketchy neighborhood.

A friend of mine was assaulted in his apartment building (the victim of stupid violence and mistaken identity) and called me just after the event... he wanted to borrow a gun for in his apartment (the men who assaulted him said that they would be back)... as he was a gun owner (just didn't trust his apartment not to get robbed), and knew my gun well, I had no problem with this...

I went and got my gun from my apartment to bring to his place.... I inadvertently left my cell phone on my front seat of my car as I ran in.... this was in the days when a cell was novel, and worth a crack rock on the street...

When I came out, with my 9mm tucked in my waistline, I see a well known local crackie trying to reach in my slightly open car window.... at this point I shouted "Is there something you want from me?"... and he turned towards me and shrugged, like "what are you gonna do about it?".... I shouted at him to get away from my car, at which point he must have decided charging me was his best bet at getting me off his back.... he was wrong....

I produced the 9mm and had it pointed at his chest before he even rounded my car (he had been on the far side).... when he saw that his attitude suddenly dramatically changed, and he went into "I didn't mean no disrespect" mode...

I went around to the driver side of my car and retrieved my cell phone as he walked away.... I shouted something to him about explaining it to the police as I dialed my phone.... he sprinted off...

I never saw him in my neighborhood again. (prior to that he was a daily fixture in the hood)....
 
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These are great, lets hear some more.

I assume the best stories are the untold ones where nothing happens.
 
About 6 years ago, I was in the back yard near the lake pulling weeds from around some trees. Over toward the East side of the lake I heard a woman yelling and saw a young Rottie running at me full tilt. He was snarling and barking and not acting friendly at all. I had time to draw my P3AT from a pocket holster and get lined up on the dog. No time to say anything. The dog was bouncing up and down, making a tough target. Nothing behind him except a willow tree and a stand of bamboo. At about 40’ I took the shot and was very lucky to hit the dog high in the right shoulder. He yipped, fell, tumbled and took off for his owner.

Good news: The dog wasn’t seriously hurt, although a trip to the vet was needed. The bullet just zipped under the skin, exited the rear of the shoulder and nicked the right rear leg.
No one called the cops. I should have. Dumb not to. Live and learn.
The owner apologized and took full responsibility. What a surprise that was!

Friends don’t let friends go unarmed.
 
12+ years ago, I had a banger thug make a bee-line for the car when it was idleing at a rest stop; wife nursing baby in the back seat, I was throwing rocks into the river 100 yds away. I see the kid walking toward the car, I was much closer & I run back to the car to grab the 1911 under the drivers seat & ask the wife where the thug was while hunched over, and she said "he's right behind you". I spin around, gun at my side & ask the kid (20ish) if he has a problem.

Maybe I was profiling, but a black kid w/ pants half down, underware showing out the top, tats up & down both arms in BLANCO, TX just did not seem to fit. That little town just doesn't allow that sort of thing there. I have ZERO doubt the kid is going to get in my already running car & take off, wife & baby potentially along for the ride. He had no car, and no reason to be trotting toward my vehicle. It was well off the road & off to the side, nothing there he would need.

He throws up his hands in the universal "don't shoot me" palms out stance at the sight of the 1911 at my side & states "he don't want no trouble" & walks off, never looking back. I got in the car & take off, we get a mile down the road, and start worrying about any other potential victims stopping. We make a quick trip back, and see no one. I was not looking for a confrontation, but I would have driven up to any vehicles stopping to give them a heads up. I did not have a cell at the time.

We should have called LE, but I was not carrying legally, and was frankly concerned about a brandishing charge as the banger never actually committed a crime or officially threatened beyond being three feet from my car & looking like a criminal.

I have had a CHL since TX first authorized it now, and would definately do a lot of things differently. First, the 1911 was chamber empty & I did not have time to rack the slide; so it was an empty threat that happend to work. Second, I would definately call LE now to avoid ME being the one face down in a felony stop after the banger calls LE.

Last, I would (and always do) have the freaking gun ON MY PERSON.
 
DR 505 - " Years ago, long before cell phones, a friend and I were driving north on Highway 95 in Nevada. It is open range country and they have signs to watch for cattle. Now this is out in the middle of nowhere. We were literally 1.5 hours from any telephone, and hadn't seen another vehicle in hours. "
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:D

I know exactly what you mean about that Nevada highway. I've driven it north and south quite a few times. It's a long, long drive from Reno up to Jordan Valley on 95, and a very lonely place if you break down or are stopped.

Same with Nevada highway 93 in the east part of the State from Las Vegas up to Elko, Ely, etc.

You'd never catch me on those highways without being armed.

Glad things worked out for you without any escalation.

L.W.
 
Without a word I handed my big gulp to the ex, half discretely pulled the .32 out and chambered a round, keeping the pistol low and in front of me. One of the fellows in front happenend to see this and the two groups quickly dispersed.
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I wanted to bring light to the original post. There are some THR members who have touted a "never brandish" theme... aka 'do not draw your pistol unless you are going to fire' type of mantra.


I am the first to argue a pistol is not a "magic wand" that makes bad guys go away, but you would be amazed how quickly perps and thugs find "somewhere else to go" if they realize you are carrying. Just something to think about. :scrutiny:
 
My intention in chambering the round was to get it ready for whatever was about to happen. I am glad it didnt come to using it.
 
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