How many have been in a gunfight?

[Corn dodger]

Excluding the military during a war, how many of you folks out there have been in a gunfight? Maybe at home, work, where ever. The Brady campaign to end gun violence says that almost no one! At least if you have, you don't really count.

[JWT]

Do BB guns or paint guns qualify?

[redblair]

Not yet, thank God. But I haven't died yet and still buy life insurance.

B

Dec 15, 1791

[ok41]

The 'Brady people?' may be right. A GUNFIGHT where there is an exchange of fire between adversaries is probably a rare thing among non LEOs. However...to use a gun as a show of defensive possibility or to pop a round that is safely directed to indicate your intent to defend yourself is probably more common than we know. (I've been forced to do both, and I know others who have similar stories. But full blown gun fights...naw!

[Corn dodger]

I will briefly tell you my story. In 2002 I was attacked and mauled by a black bear while I was sleeping on a cot while on a fishing trip. I was able to shoot the bear with a .44-40 that I had with me. I guess you could call that a gunfight as I had a gun, but the bear wasn't packin. I did get chewed up in the process of the bear about to eat me for dinner. I was flown off the mountain by AirVac. At the time there was lots of TV and newspaper coverage about the event. I told the story countless times. A female doctor that examined me before her nurse removed the stitches from my head asked what happened to the bear? I told her that I had to shoot that bear. She said....."Ahhhhh." I told her the bear gave me no choice in the matter. She replied......"Whatever!" For years I spoke very little about the attack. For some reason I now have a desire to "let it out." But most people think I have made the whole thing up and that I am full of you know what. Even though it was well documented. Believe me or not, I can tell you this. Prepare yourself.......Life can and will give you a surprise or two. The anti gunners only stay that way until their very own life is threatened.

[chris in va]

Do a search, this has been discussed many times before.

[Bud Helms]

Many times.

Moving to Tactics & Training.

[Southern_guy]

I was in a gunfight of a sorts once.
Once, I was walking through the bushes when I was suddenly attacked by a guy with a tiny handgun. He fired several times, and missed me as I drew mine. We got in a intense duel, until he ran out of water. I then chucked a water balloon at him. He was more soaked than I was, so I won.

[Dannavy85]

Backing up my dad's shotgun in 1984 when he faced off against an armed intruder who had kicked in our back door in the middle of the night.

Dad was active duty Navy UDT ; ) The intruder **** his pants and ran.

[markj]

Does getting shot from behind count?

Or getting shot at after escorting 2 guys out of the bar, I was unarmed?

What do you percieve as a gunfight?

[Microgunner]

Not me but my brother has. He shot a 16 year old armed robber who was exiting the restaurant next door with a Raven .25 in one hand, bag of cash in the other and ski mask over his face. My brother was standing outside smoking a cigarette and shot the felon through the leg with a .45ACP Winchester Black Talon out of a Colt 1911-A1. The kid screamed, dropped the pistol and cash and took off like a deer. He showed up later at the local emergency room with a broken leg from the gunshot wound. The police were summoned, the armed robber was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to 13 years. He was released in 7 years and stopped by to thank my brother for stopping his downward spiral into the underworld. He showed us the scar, pretty impressive. The news services called my brother a hero for stopping a 3 month long crime spree. I agree.

[threegun]

Micrgunner, This happen in Tampa?

[Microgunner]

Micrgunner, This happen in Tampa?

Yes.

[tomh1426]

I used to work as a bouncer in alot of clubs and bars
More than a few times drunk people that were kicked out would take shots at the door man from the parking lot
Not a gun fight but close enough for me

[revjen45]

Answer to post #8- a grenade usually beats a gun at close range.

[threegun]

Micrgunner, We know each other well dude.

[45Marlin carbine]

Yes, on a 'camping' trip near a favorite fishing area. I chose to ride my M/C up there late in the afternoon carrying some camping gear, fishing gear - etc. I also had my Ruger .22 LR semi-auto, spare clip and about 20 loose rounds in my pack. I had settled in right at dark with a fire going when 3 men approached in a pick-up that they parked at the foot of the trail I rode my M/C up along the creek. They got out and I recognized one of them as a man that has caused lots of trouble in this area, he had 2 younger teens w/him and they came to my camp carrying can beers w/them. I figured possible trouble and eased my pistol into the sleeping bag after chambering a round. So they came and looked me over and made some non-sensical chat then back to the pick-up about 50 yards away, by this time darkness had just fallen and I eased away from my fire behind a boulder with my Ruger in hand. They sat there in the truck with interior light on for a minute or 2 and I had the Ruger sighted on the truck, the light went out and shortly a shot rang out (.22 rifle) which whizzed overhead. I promptly emptyed my Ruger on the truck I could barely see but hear slugs impacting and loaded spare clip. Lucky for me the as&$^+#s wasting no time in getting the pick-up out of there, and I reloaded my empty clip. Sat there for few minutes and fearful of return with bigger/more guns I packed up rapidly and rode to a different location further up the National Forest gravel road where I camped for the night staying half awake propped against a log until morning when I packed up and headed out of there, I was on a dead-end road so had to go in the direction the BG's went of course. A scary ride down to the pavement and out to a bigger road. I now carry a Makarov with spare clip holster and 10 rounds in small zip pouch in addition to my Ruger. That happened to me about 30 years back and it was several years after this incident before I realized my need for a more powerful pistol, since then I have had a succesion of .32's, .38's, .380's. I always carried spare clip or speed loader and rounds. I've had some 'incidents' since then but thankfully no shots fired, just the presence of my Mak avoided that. And I ain't a little feller either.

[KaceCoyote]

Do dogs count?

[UniversalFrost]

sure many times, but that was in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Not in the civilized world.

Did stop a couple of teenagers robbing a bait shop once (had stopped at the bait shop in the a.m. before going on the opening day of pheasant season in South Dakota years ago) saw them coming out of the bait shop while I was pulling up and I simply grabbed my shotgun and told them to hit the ground or get shot. they listened and both were quickly arrested and went to juvie, once out they robbed another gas station and shot one of the workers and now they are both in prison doing time.

[djturnz]

Threegun, you don't happen to have a .45 scar on your leg do you?

[markj]

More than a few times drunk people that were kicked out would take shots at the door man from the parking lot

That was how I got it in the upper left shoulder. I was turning towards the door after ejecting a disruptive lad. Ouchie. Hate it when that happens.

[threegun]

Threegun, you don't happen to have a .45 scar on your leg do you?

No DJ LOL. Turns out we are coworkers. I've worked with MicrOgunner and his brother for better than a decade. Nice guys both of them and Micro is a heck of a shot.....................his brother.......well at least he won the fight LOL. He's gonna kick my butt now LOL.

[katana8869]

I used to work as a bouncer in alot of clubs and bars
More than a few times drunk people that were kicked out would take shots at the door man from the parking lot. Not a gun fight but close enough for me

I know what you mean, that happened to me in 1995 while my best friend and I where working as bouncers at a strip club.

I was in a dust up in 1988 during which a couple of drunks with guns started lobbing rounds through the trees and into my campsite because they were acting like, well, drunks with guns. I guess at first, they didn't know that I was there. I ended up belly down in the dirt shouting for them to stop, which I guess they thought was funny because I could hear them whooping and laughing followed by more shots which were coming right in on me. My truck was hit twice during all of this and I really thought at the time that they had decided to shoot me.

I didn't really know what else to do, so I belly crawled back to my tent where got my hands on my Mini 14 and dumped a 30 round magazine back in their direction. No more return fire after that so I got in my truck and hauled it out of there leaving all of the camping stuff where it sat.

Before anyone flames too hard, I was only 18 at the time and was just damn thankful to get out of there in one piece. I notified the Sheriffs Dept. but nothing ever came out of it.

The last incident that I had was 3 years ago when I shot a dog that attacked my then 2 year old daughter in the back yard at my parents home. Again, not a gunfight technically, but the stakes don't get much higher than they are when your baby is in harms way. Luckily she wasn't hurt, just very frightened. In that instance I got a 1 shot stop from my Glock 27 COM with a front chest shot on a 90 pound mixed breed. The ammo I was using at the time was Cor-Bon 135gr .40 and it worked very well.

I don't claim to be a bad a$$ or a pistolero, but I know enough to say that having live rounds or serious danger coming either your way or toward someone you love dearly is not something to be taken lightly. Even if you come out of it okay, it definately changes you.

My experiences were scary enough. I can't even begin to imagine what those who have done it for real, face to face have gone through. Not only at the moment but in the aftermath.