Learned two lessons last night.

[Hostile Amish]

1. Make sure those in the same house know how to use every gun you own.
2. Keep a gun close to you most of the time, if not all.

I was doing some late-night work, finishing a report, and I go downstairs to the kitchen for something to eat. I hear a loud crash, breaking glass, from the other side of the house. I reach toward my CCW holster, but the gun isn't there. It's in the safe for the night, even though I usually don't put it there. My wife is asleep, and my S&W 1911 is with her, but to get to the bedroom I would have to walk across the house, and probably alert an intruder. I have a knife multitool, so I pull that out since I have nothing else. I slowly walk down the hallway, until I meet my wife, who is holding the 1911. She screams, thinking I am an intruder, and pulls the trigger. There is a click. I calm her, down, saying that it was only me, and she gives the gun to me. There is no round in the chamber, so I chamber a round. Since the gun must have been cocked, my wife must have thought it already had a round chambered. I search the house and find that my cat had knocked over a vase.

If my 1911 had had a round chambered in it, I would have been dead. I'm relieved that my wife didn't do a press check, but also scared about the prospect of the same thing happening, only with an intruder instead of me. My wife never shoots much at all, especially not 1911s. I'm going to fix that when I get to the range.

Also, if there had been an intruder, I should have had something better than a knife with me. Leaving a weapon far away from you (up a flight of stairs, of all places) is a bad idea.

 

[Jeff White]

If my 1911 had had a round chambered in it, I would have been dead. I'm relieved that my wife didn't do a press check, but also scared about the prospect of the same thing happening, only with an intruder instead of me. My wife never shoots much at all, especially not 1911s. I'm going to fix that when I get to the range.

How do you store the weapon? Hammer down on an empty chamber with a loaded magazine inserted? Do you store it unloaded? Perhaps an SOP on how defensive use weapons are stored is in order?

 

[chuwee81]

wow, i guess one of the biggest lesson here is to have SHTF plan, although i think you need to educate your wife in a couple of things (mine too but that's another story).

1. She should ask herself where were you when you weren't on the bed - maybe you drop a glass in the kitchen while trying to get yourself a drink.

2. It's generally a bad idea to investigate out of the ordinary noises, plus when you're not at her side, you could be very well already handled such occurences.

3. She didn't give a verbal warning/ verification if you were the threat or not.

4. Glad she took action.

This is just my opinion, i wasn't there and obviously missing a lot of details but glad no one got hurt (poor vase).

anyway reminded me when my puppy knocked down his barrier and ran loose in the house triggering the motion detector while we were away. Cops came and found no sign of forced entry and they left before we got to the house. Me, wife, her dad had to "clear" the house and right when we slowly opened the door, he jumped out to greet us and started peeing in excitement.

 

[mgkdrgn]

My wife never shoots much at all, especially not 1911s

1) Friend, "shooting" the 1911 isn't her problem.

2) Properly identifying the TARGET -is-.

If she can't get #2 right above, get her a baseball bat. If she was any better at #1, you'd be a dead man.

 

[rainbowbob]

In addition to the lessons learned, I would add:

Your wife - and you - have no valid tactical reason to "clear" the house. Instead, have one or more defensible positions identified in advance and go there - armed - and wait for back-up (i.e., call 911).

If your defensive position is breached by a BG through a doorway - you wil have a much better chance of stopping them in the "funnel".

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Not to be insulting, but I don't see the problem as her not being familiar with a 1911. I see the problem as her immediate reaction to human-sized movement was to scream and pull the trigger. That is a very very very bad reaction, and until that can be delt with, you should hold on to the 1911 yourself.

 

[rogerjames]

WOW! Holy you know what! Long talk with the wife... Good thing she didn't have a revolver... might of wished she had a revolver if you REALLY were the bad guy. Might want to reconsider the wife's weapon... and I always keep a surefire on the nightstand.
Thanks for sharing and glad you are ok!

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

how loud was that click?! i find my hearing and other senses are amplified when the pucker factor rises

 

[Clarence]

Scary story

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Loudest one in a gunfight.

Others have beat me to posting here.

There needs to be a talk with the wife. Then training. Wax on, wax off.. wax on... wax...

 

[Gamera]

Get the wife some training, have a good talk, and keep a gun in the refrigerator from now on!

 

[Davionmaximus]

Get her a surefire.... it may save a loved ones life...
Kudos to your wife though for investigating..

 

[BBQLS1]

The Wife needs some training. One of the four safety rules was broken here. I'm glad you are ok.

I think I'm going to talk to my wife about gun safety tonight. She's had some training, but I want to make sure now.

 

[shdwfx]

I would say alerting the intruder is a secondary concern.
Communication with your defensive partner (aka wife) is primary here. Without that, there's a good chance you end up hurting each other. Determine a system to alert each other of your positions when something like this goes down.

 

[beatcop]

The risk of getting shot accidentally has now exceeded the benefit of having your wife have a firearm. imho

Just have her shelter in place w/ firearm available...not in hand.

 

[jerkface11]

So what caused the noise?

 

[justletmein]

"So what caused the noise?"
The cat/vase.

Good grief that story scares the hell out of me. I'm glad you're still alive to post this thread. My wife knows where the shotgun is with the magazine full of buckshot and she's pretty good with it. She's not too good with handguns either, but that's my fault for not getting her out shooting enough. As for not having your weapon on you, rather than carrying one of mine around the house I leave a glock and an extra magazine stashed on top of one of the kitchen cabinets. It can't be seen visually, and might not be perfectly placed, but beats the hell out of having to run up stairs if something happens.

 

[MT GUNNY]

Flashlight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[conw]

Make sure those in the same house know how to use every gun you own.

this is doubly true if you live in an Amish hostel populated with hostile Amish. They are totally against semi-autos...


No, seriously, I'm glad you're okay - but your wife's breaking the safety rule of shooting at an un-ID'd target, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED TO HER THAT YOU WERE UP AND OUT OF BED, is not something to just shrug off. True, she may not make the same mistake twice; but there is a fundamental lack of...something...that ---MUST--- be remedied!!!!

 

[BikerRN]

1) Friend, "shooting" the 1911 isn't her problem.

2) Properly identifying the TARGET -is-.

If she can't get #2 right above, get her a baseball bat. If she was any better at #1, you'd be a dead man.

I agree.

BikerRN

 

[61chalk]

Glad your alive....please give your wife a water pistol....she may be too scared to ever want to hold a real gun again....I think you should of been calling out as soon as you thought someone was in the house, this would of alerted your wife where you were, an possiably scared of the intruder, or in this case, the kitty...when I was married an was in GA, with the military, we lived out aways from base in a trailer, I taught my wife how to lock an load an shoot my AR-15, she was alone alot when I was in the field. I told her that when ever I got home an came in I would loudly call her name an not stop until she answered. One night this happened an heard her banging around down the hall with my AR-15...I stayed in the kitchen until I heard her
say..."OK!!" I looked down the hall as the lights came on an she was lowering the AR....I said to myself..."...that was a good ideal"

 

[gallo]

Close call!
1. Review the 3 rules of safety with wife.
2. Consider a revolver for wife (after step 1)
3. Establish a code communication

If you were in the kitchen, why not grab a kitchen knife instead of the multi-tool?

Glad you are alive and kicking.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Close call!
1. Review the 4 rules of safety with wife.
2. Consider a revolver for wife (after step 1)
3. Establish a code communication

If you were in the kitchen, why not grab a kitchen knife instead of the multi-tool?

Glad you are alive and kicking.
gallo is offline Report Post

FTFY

1. All firearms are always loaded until you make certain they are not
2. Never point a firearm at something you are not willing to destroy
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Always be sure of your target and know what is behind it

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Glad your alright.

 

[conw]

Ragnar, your #2 and #4 are what some people call one rule. FYI.