What do you think you might do ?

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

W.E.G.,
Not entirely on point, but it's interesting you post the GIF from Collateral, as the only reason why Cruise's character doesn't die is because the second bad guy has trouble drawing his weapon. If he had already had it out, even Cruise's quick draw wouldn't have been enough.

 

[Keauxbi]

Actually, that GIF gave me a good look at what went wrong with that scene.

A.) Cruise lets go of BG #1's gun. He had control and then let go. #1 could have gotten a shot or two off after he was free. Cruise's draw wasn't that fast and even if he died #1 could have gotten a parting shot.

B.) BG #2's attempt to draw is feeble at best. He tries twice with his right hand and then finally with his left after he squares his shoulders to Cruise. If you watch it enough, it appears that to avoid shooting our hero/villain, he has to stand around for a split second and fumble.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I hope I would man up and pretend to go for my wallet, while all the time, going for my gun. Don't really know though, as it's never happened.

 

[xXxplosive]

If he had the drop on me I would be handing over the wallet looking for an opening to draw and fire..............

 

[Robert]

To all those saying you would take his gun or draw on him. How much training, in hours, do you have in this type of combat? I am not trying to start a fight, just curious. Have you taken training classes in which this tactic was specifically addressed? Saying you would do one thing under intense stress and actually being able to do it are two very different things. You will never outdraw a drawn weapon. At best he is bluffing and you are able to clear your holster before he knows what is happening, but then do you shoot from retention or do you go in to a fully extended stance? At worst he will know what you are doing and you will end up shot. Or dead. Are the contents of your wallet really worth that much? I never have cash and I can cancel the cards in my wallet with a phone call. Do not think that I am a defeatist or that I would just let a BG do anything they want to me. But I am not going to risk my life for my worthless old wallet. To say nothing of the weakness of this pretense. Not saying that something like this would not happen, but it is highly unlikely.

 

[Geno]

I'd click my red slippers' heals 3 times, and say:

There's no place like home; there's no place like home; there's no place like home!

Then, I'd calmly look left and call:

Toto, come-on, boy! Want momma to hold you?!

By then, they'd think I'm an escapee from the padded room company. They would drive off, retorting:

Come-on man! You think his family gonna allow him out-the-house with money?! That man just ain't right in the head, ain't even alert times 1!

Geno

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

lol, though in all honesty Geno he'd tell you to "shut the f--- up!" and punch you in the mouth.

 

[happygeek]

N/A. If handguns were banned this crime wouldn't occur

In all honesty I'd probably go for my mace and hope for the best.

 

[Hunt480]

Don't mean to come across the wrong way but it sounds like some of you will give up your gun too just before you toss him your wallet? What do you people even carry a gun for? Don't just roll over ,especially if your armed. There will be an opening somewhere and he would have to prove his shooting ability is all I can say
I would say force this man to shoot or run. Speaking as somebody that has been on the small end of the gun before and survived in a similar situation. I never had any professional training life experience has been my training... theres an armed robber heres my gun, shoot him quickly please...It just might require a strong supply of guts.

 

[Kleanbore]

Don't mean to come across the wrong way but it sounds like some of you will give up your gun too just before you toss him your wallet?

Where did you get that impression?

What do you people even carry a gun for?

Personal protection.

Don't just roll over ,especially if your armed.

Being armed and being able to survive a situation in which someone has gotten the drop on me wile my gun is still in my holster are two different things.

There will be an opening somewhere and he would have to prove his shooting ability is all I can say

Two things: if the "opening" occurs while imminent danger still exists, OK, I'll shoot; but if he has his gun already trained on me at short range, I cannot fathom how "forcing him to prove his shooting ability" would benefit me at all. What are you trying to say that I am missing?

I would say force this man to shoot or run.

Perhaps you can explain how forcing him to shoot me would be a good thing. And I don't know about you, but I cannot outrun a hail of bullets.

 

[AKElroy]

And I don't know about you, but I cannot outrun a hail of bullets.

Neither can the BG; If both guns are out, the better trained & practiced is more likely to survive.

 

[beatcop]

Some really bad advice being put out....wow

The scenario is too general....the standard advice applies:

If you think you are going to "out draw" a man pointing a gun at you, you may not want to make this your first choice....try it for yourself. Have your buddy aim at a target and you draw at a random time...see who gets the first hit. Unless the crook is a .4 bac and blind, you may have an issue.

Yup, keep in mind the old "Don't expect mercy or compassion from an attacker", but don't be a total idiot. Work up a plan...Ok, I'm going to keep a wad of weighted throw down money and fling it to the side...and then run or shoot if it looks like I'm toast.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I don't participate in threads like these.

The scenarios assume a lot about criminal behavior that just isn't true, and a lot about the poster's abilities that doesn't bear its weight when tested.


There's an easy way to see if the plan in your head will work in reality - Try it in some Force on Force roleplaying. I'm not talking about paintball or playing cowboys and indians.


Get some airsoft gear, face and throat protection, and attempt to rob each other.



You'll find out pretty quickly what works and what doesn't.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Can't figure out why tossing a 20 dollar bill at the guy is more expensive than either:

A) A lawyer if you shoot him or
B) A funeral if you are too slow

Survival is not about "manning up" or "not being chicken" or "not surrendering"..... It's about staying alive.

A throwdown 20 dollar bill is hardly "surrendering". It buys time and a distraction.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

A throw down wallet with a couple dollars and some phony credit cards in it would be A Good Thing. So would a throw down set of keys.

Best bet when he goes for one of those is to beat feet out of there. The chances of him shooting at you are pretty slim. The chances of him hitting you are even slimmer.

Someone will say, "But, he will just rob somebody else next...". It's not my job to fight crime. It's my job to keep me and mine safe.

 

[Bovice]

From Stork-

I realize that others in this forum may not have the same level of mobility that I enjoy, but I run 4 or 5 miles every day. A 200 yard dash to avoid getting shot (or having to shoot somebody else) is no big deal to me.

I used to be a runner myself. At your present level of ability, you should be able to run that 200 yards in about 25-26 seconds. At least I did back then.

Not a good idea. To make that kind of distance in the shortest amount of time, you're going to be a stationary but shrinking target as you move away. It will take a few seconds to gain speed and that's plenty of opportunity for them to put a bullet in your back. If you're going to run, make sure there's some obstacles along the way to weave between. A parking lot would be perfect.

I would drop my wallet to the outside of his arm holding the gun. He'll have to make a more conscious effort to grab it and will probably have to look at the ground. Shoot him then. Then I'd shoot a few rounds at the car the robber jumped out of, preferably through the rear window or the side window. It was a team effort and the guy in the car is probably pissed at you, and might try to kill you. Seems like a reasonable enough threat posed to warrant being shot at.

 

[mljdeckard]

I think it is disingenuous to speak in absolutes, that you absolutely know you are faster than the bad guy, or you absolutely will not surrender, or that you absolutely know you are better than the other guy. Very Dwight Schrute. I train enough to know that I'm better and faster than most bad guys, that doesn't mean I will take a stupid chance that will get me killed.

Every situation will be different for every person. If I have the advantage, I will take it, but if I don't, there is nothing in my wallet worth getting killed over. I think that the situation is a bit contrived, myself.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Then I'd shoot a few rounds at the car the robber jumped out of, preferably through the rear window or the side window. It was a team effort and the guy in the car is probably pissed at you, and might try to kill you. Seems like a reasonable enough threat posed to warrant being shot at.

You've got to be kidding me.

 

[Bovice]

Nope. Not kidding.

 

[KarenTOC]

A few years back I was mugged in DC, and my reaction was the polar opposite of what I always assumed it woudl be. So now I can't say what I'd do, because I have no clue. Having surprised myself before, I assume I would again.

Pardon the thread drift for this newbie question, but do seasoned shooters really use expressions like "packing heat" and "the cannon in my holster?" I've only ever heard those used tongue-in-cheek.

 

[Joe Demko]

I guess I'd do whatever seemed like the best way not to die like an idiot in the street. It might be giving the guy my wallet, it might be shooting him.

 

[HOWARD J]

@KarenTOC
You were mugged in DC---so what happened????? What did you do??
What is a seasoned shooter??

 

[beatcop]

I think it is disingenuous to speak in absolutes

Exactly, the novice is usually quite overconfident in their ability to stay calm and think on their feet, and the possible outcomes of a scenario vary with the thief/victim factors that evolve as the event unfolds.

I thought I was "good" until I started shooting a little IPSC. That was shooting performed under ideal circumstances: open holster, known scenario, one-way range!

All things being equal, if you have done some training (actual training, not bs static marksmanship aka French dueling stance) you probably could outshoot the average crook in a "match", but the street favors the predator and a robbery isn't a shooting match, it's an excercise in survival & tactics.

 

[Hunt480]

Yes it would be very easy to toss your wallet and run, probably avoid all that trouble for yourself...So you are packin your own gun,and your being robbed. Its safe to say nobody is gonna pre warn you they are going to rob you. Robbers are world famous for gettin the drop on pretty much everybody they rob. Robbers have gotten the drop on a many of victims and it is has been a toss up if they survive even if they don't defend themselves. There have been many victims that have turned the tide on the bad guys and survived. If your afraid to use deadly force because of a lawsuit, or your scared of getting shot in a gun fight,you might otta be afraid of having your own funeral soon.

It is not bad advice to tell someone to use deadly force in this situation. It is why you carry the weapon.

If I did let this guy rob me and let him have a free pass, how would I feel when he kills my daughter the very next day doing the very same thing.
I can assure you I will do exactly as I preach...

 

[BullfrogKen]

Pardon the thread drift for this newbie question, but do seasoned shooters really use expressions like "packing heat" and "the cannon in my holster?" I've only ever heard those used tongue-in-cheek.

Not any of the folks I associate with. The people I know, people who discuss these topics with the gravity the discussion demands, don't talk that way.

Nope. Not kidding.

I don't even know where to begin with that tactic. Something tells me my effort would be useless, so I won't waste my time.