An experience with B.A.R.

Tanzer · February 20, 2007, 10:46 PM

I'm a junoir to this forum, but not to shooting. I've held a LTC for some time now. They're speaking of this on other threads (Body Alarm Response), so I thought I'd tell a short story of my own:
I'll caveat by mentioning that there's a surprise ending.
I was awakened just after 2:00AM one night by an unmistakable sound. The storm door to our den makes a loud thump when it's locked and someone tries to open it. While I was pressing the finger combo on the safe to grab my 9mm I heard it again. My wife awoke and I instructed her to hold my secondary .32 and round the kids into the living room, but to stay away from the front door. I used the fridge for cover to peek across the common kitchen/den area.
That's when I "saw" him through the large window beside the door, so well that I could have picked him out of a line-up. (I won't bother with a description other than to say he was a tall, hefty man wearing a blue and white windbreaker). He was pulling on the door, and the loud thump happened again. I can't vouch for loss of fine motor skills, but I can say my heart rate took a big jump. I've been through some training (thank heaven), and realized the dangers of tunnel vision, loss of hearing, etc. It took a lot to communicate with my wife without making her and the kids more nervous, but I managed.
I took a new position for a better angle should he come busting through, and now for the caveat: It had become very windy that night and my wife had bought and hung one of those *#! large flags (blue and white) - that give seasonal messages beside the den door. The thumping was caused by wind gust vacuum, and the *#! flag would move across the door at the same time.
My point is this: B.A.R. is real - I "saw" him - shoulder, arm, facial profile. Although my training level is moderate, I'm darn lucky I had it. Had I panicked I may have done something REALLY STUPID. No, not shoot someone outside, but there were plenty of stupid choices none the less. Had he been real, I know from training that he would have been at a disadvantage, since I had cover and darkness on my side (yes, I would have verbalized, and used an offset flashlight). One biggie that my wife and I both forgot - nobody called 911.
Training seems invaluable to me, and I'm scheduled for more. Psychologists can say what they want, but I know the feeling. BTW- I'm leaving the door as is - that thumping was a good warning.
Regards

AmesJainchill · February 20, 2007, 10:51 PM

I'm having trouble understanding what this post is addressing.
I think it's something to do with psychological changes from combat, but I'm not sure.

Edit: Oh, so "Body Alarm Response" is the new acronym.

Doug.38PR · February 20, 2007, 10:59 PM

"Know your target and what is beyond"

Very good you accessed that it was not a burglar, had you not known your target you could have shot an innocent flag

At first I thought this was a thread about the Browing Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.)

jfrey123 · February 21, 2007, 02:16 AM

Not to steal your thunder, but I had a similar experience about two months ago.

I awoke out of sleep to a sound, a very perticular sound. It's the sound the bedroom doors in my apartment make when opened. A loud thump (bad fit in the frame) followed by the sound of them rubbing against the carpet as they're swung opened (yeah, that long "wooooosh" sound?). Mind you, it was dark: only light was what came through the blinds from the parking lot lights. I swear to you, I saw my door opening though. I will testify before the most powerful courts on this earth that my door was coming open. My personal training kicked in, and my little psudo-commando roll out of bed while grabbing the Glock on the bedside racks went flawlessly, but just maybe a tad slow.

When I zeroed on the door..... Nothing. Finger still off the trigger, and the stupid door was still closed and locked. Came to realize that my roommate had gotten up, exited his bedroom door (which makes a nearly identical set of sounds) and got into the bathroom, which was confirmed by the sound of that door with a light switch flick. Took me a good ten minutes to calm myself.

Then the embarhassment settled in....

SeaMariner · February 21, 2007, 02:33 AM

Huh.... never drew bead on something that wasn't living but have drawn on a friendly in the wrong place at the wrong time. No shot though. Ever happen to ya'll?

Gbro · February 21, 2007, 07:17 AM

There must be something very similar in hunting a-incidents where someone was mistaken for game.
With the Adrenalin rush s*#t happens.

February 20, 2007, 10:46 PM	#1
Tanzer Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2007 Posts: 884	An experience with B.A.R. I'm a junoir to this forum, but not to shooting. I've held a LTC for some time now. They're speaking of this on other threads (Body Alarm Response), so I thought I'd tell a short story of my own: I'll caveat by mentioning that there's a surprise ending. I was awakened just after 2:00AM one night by an unmistakable sound. The storm door to our den makes a loud thump when it's locked and someone tries to open it. While I was pressing the finger combo on the safe to grab my 9mm I heard it again. My wife awoke and I instructed her to hold my secondary .32 and round the kids into the living room, but to stay away from the front door. I used the fridge for cover to peek across the common kitchen/den area. That's when I "saw" him through the large window beside the door, so well that I could have picked him out of a line-up. (I won't bother with a description other than to say he was a tall, hefty man wearing a blue and white windbreaker). He was pulling on the door, and the loud thump happened again. I can't vouch for loss of fine motor skills, but I can say my heart rate took a big jump. I've been through some training (thank heaven), and realized the dangers of tunnel vision, loss of hearing, etc. It took a lot to communicate with my wife without making her and the kids more nervous, but I managed. I took a new position for a better angle should he come busting through, and now for the caveat: It had become very windy that night and my wife had bought and hung one of those #! large flags (blue and white) - that give seasonal messages beside the den door. The thumping was caused by wind gust vacuum, and the #! flag would move across the door at the same time. My point is this: B.A.R. is real - I "saw" him - shoulder, arm, facial profile. Although my training level is moderate, I'm darn lucky I had it. Had I panicked I may have done something REALLY STUPID. No, not shoot someone outside, but there were plenty of stupid choices none the less. Had he been real, I know from training that he would have been at a disadvantage, since I had cover and darkness on my side (yes, I would have verbalized, and used an offset flashlight). One biggie that my wife and I both forgot - nobody called 911. Training seems invaluable to me, and I'm scheduled for more. Psychologists can say what they want, but I know the feeling. BTW- I'm leaving the door as is - that thumping was a good warning. Regards __________________ Only the ignorant find ignorance to be bliss. Only those of us who know better will suffer from it. Last edited by Tanzer; February 20, 2007 at 10:53 PM. Reason: spelling

February 21, 2007, 02:16 AM	#4
jfrey123 Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2006 Location: Reno, NV. Posts: 1,026	Not to steal your thunder, but I had a similar experience about two months ago. I awoke out of sleep to a sound, a very perticular sound. It's the sound the bedroom doors in my apartment make when opened. A loud thump (bad fit in the frame) followed by the sound of them rubbing against the carpet as they're swung opened (yeah, that long "wooooosh" sound?). Mind you, it was dark: only light was what came through the blinds from the parking lot lights. I swear to you, I saw my door opening though. I will testify before the most powerful courts on this earth that my door was coming open. My personal training kicked in, and my little psudo-commando roll out of bed while grabbing the Glock on the bedside racks went flawlessly, but just maybe a tad slow. When I zeroed on the door..... Nothing. Finger still off the trigger, and the stupid door was still closed and locked. Came to realize that my roommate had gotten up, exited his bedroom door (which makes a nearly identical set of sounds) and got into the bathroom, which was confirmed by the sound of that door with a light switch flick. Took me a good ten minutes to calm myself. Then the embarhassment settled in.... __________________ Rock out with your Glock out!

February 21, 2007, 07:17 AM	#6
Gbro Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,084	There must be something very similar in hunting a-incidents where someone was mistaken for game. With the Adrenalin rush s*#t happens. __________________ Gbro CGVS For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, But to us who are being saved, It Is The Power Of God. 1Corinthians 1-18

February 20, 2007, 10:51 PM	#2
AmesJainchill Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2006 Posts: 278	I'm having trouble understanding what this post is addressing. I think it's something to do with psychological changes from combat, but I'm not sure. Edit: Oh, so "Body Alarm Response" is the new acronym.

February 20, 2007, 10:59 PM	#3
Doug.38PR Junior member Join Date: January 18, 2005 Posts: 3,298	"Know your target and what is beyond" Very good you accessed that it was not a burglar, had you not known your target you could have shot an innocent flag At first I thought this was a thread about the Browing Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.)

February 21, 2007, 02:33 AM	#5
SeaMariner Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2006 Posts: 156	Huh.... never drew bead on something that wasn't living but have drawn on a friendly in the wrong place at the wrong time. No shot though. Ever happen to ya'll?