The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

View Poll Results: Did you ever draw your weapon?
Yes 204 47.33%
No 227 52.67%
Voters: 431. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old June 22, 2009, 07:32 PM   #26
Hunley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2009
Location: Statesboro, GA
Posts: 241
Yes

Had a guy come at me at a gas station parking lot who pulled out a knife on me as he was running at me. I never had to fire, but I did draw, cocked the hammer (4" S&W 66), and had my finger on the trigger guard. He dropped the knife and I let him leave with his life.
__________________
"The best caliber and round for self defense are the ones in the gun closest to you" - My Grandfather
Hunley is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 07:33 PM   #27
4V50 Gary
Staff
 
Join Date: November 2, 1998
Location: Colorado
Posts: 21,823
Numerous times. House clearing and to effect an arrest. Never had to fire a shot though and Andy told me to put the bullet back in my pocket.
__________________
Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. Molon Labe!
4V50 Gary is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 07:34 PM   #28
landcruzr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2009
Posts: 122
Leaving work one eveing in an inner city, I was stuck in a traffic pattern that did not allow for any other tactical response-cars in front of me, and behind me. Jersey berrier on my left, closed business' on my right- I notice a miscreant standing against a wall in the shadows of an alley on my passenger side. Car jackings were popular in this area, and I saw him approaching in a hurried manner. He made it to the passengers door, tried the locked door and then leaned up agains the window and displayed a knife.
It appeared to me that he was about to try and punch out the window when I raised my Delta Elite
Those were the biggest brightest whites of his eyes I have ever seen before he ducked away and crawled back into the alley
landcruzr is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 08:02 PM   #29
FM12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 5, 2007
Location: Monroeville, Alabama
Posts: 1,683
Only as a cop, but never a shot fired. I'm ready, though on or off duty, especially if my family is with me. I have a pretty wife and two really pretty teen daughters, we get our share of nasty glances from non-desirable males. Me getting glances from hot moms, not so much.
FM12 is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 09:43 PM   #30
raftman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 4, 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,890
Nope, never. Hopefully it stays that way.
raftman is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 11:09 PM   #31
Re4mer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2008
Posts: 240
No, and I hope I never have to either.
Re4mer is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 11:13 PM   #32
Wagonman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 11, 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,014
Quote:
Me getting glances from hot moms, not so much.
Wagonman is offline  
Old June 22, 2009, 11:32 PM   #33
DougO83
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 1, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 389
Not the handgun, but the shotty in typical Houston traffic stupidity. I was driving home from the lease, early morning dove game, when a vanload of mexicans swerved in front of me, hit the brakes, and then proceeded on. They 'brake checked' me about 3 times in the half-mile stretch of road construction we were on, no way around them. When I finally could, I assumed they were drunk, I let the Ford Lightning scream. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them throwing their arms up and pointing *something* at me as I drove by. I thought nothing else of it. Anyway, they catch up with me when I let of the throttle, I didn't need a ticket out here. They start flashing their brights at me so I reach behind the seat and grab my dad's Benelli Nova that I used that morning. When we come to a light, these morons swerve in front of me, basically trapping my truck. The passenger gets out screaming and cussing at me. I refuse to roll down the window so he hits it with whatever he had in his hand, shattering the glass. Once the tint was out of the way, he saw the 12-ga pointing right at his chest. He decided he had better places to be. I followed him and called the PD on the way so they could pick him up and somebody could pay for my window. Cop's only advice? "you shoulda shot the mf-er"

I have had to draw while on-duty when verbal judo, etc fails.
__________________
"You can all go to hell, I'm going to Texas."
---Colonel David Crockett

Matt 6:33
DougO83 is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 04:36 AM   #34
Nnobby45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2004
Posts: 3,150
Quote:
me as he was running at me. I never had to fire, but I did draw, cocked the hammer (4" S&W 66), and had my finger on the trigger guard.
No, not yet.

Hope you've progressed beyond manually cocking your revolver. For both safety and tactical reasons.
Nnobby45 is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 08:24 AM   #35
easyG
Junior member
 
Join Date: August 30, 2004
Location: Right here!
Posts: 972
Quote:
Hope you've progressed beyond manually cocking your revolver. For both safety and tactical reasons.
IF one has the time to do so it is a very smart thing to do.
A revolver in single-action mode can be extremely accurate.
easyG is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 08:46 AM   #36
OldMarksman
Staff
 
Join Date: June 8, 2008
Posts: 4,022
Quote:
IF one has the time to do so [cock a revolver] it is a very smart thing to do.
For hunting, that is. And, of course, for plinking or target shooting, but time is not going to be an issue.

Quote:
A revolver in single-action mode can be extremely accurate.
"Extreme" accuracy is very rarely a consideration at the kind of distances at which an SD shooting is justified.

When I took my state-required CCW class, one of the things said was to never cock the gun in a self-defense situation.

The reason was that cocking the gun greatly increased the risk of a negligent discharge in a high-stress situation.

Here's a good discussion of the issue:

Quote:
...people who carry a revolver for self defense should practice almost exclusively for double action fire, as if the single action option wasn't even there. Why? Because there are almost no situations in which single action fire is appropriate in self defense. Most self defense situations unfold rapidly. There isn't time to thumb cock a revolver and take careful aim in the way one would do while target shooting. A cocked revolver is dangerous in the adrenaline dump of a lethal force encounter. The trigger is just too light. Its too easy to fire when you don't mean to. There was a well-publicized case in Miami several years back in which a police officer accidentally shot a suspect he was holding at gunpoint with a cocked revolver. The suspect was killed and the officer faced a lengthy court process which ultimately destroyed his career.

In a nervous situation, a cocked revolver is dangerous. When you're really nervous or scared, the heavy double action trigger pull is an asset rather than a liability. I can hear you say, Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire, and that's true, but we also know that people don't always do what they're supposed to do in the stress of a deadly encounter. The police officer in Miami is a good example. I'm sure he had heard the rules. A firm double action trigger can be a welcome piece of insurance against an accidental discharge. With a DAO revolver, manual cocking isn't possible, nor is it possible to be accused of negligently cocking the hammer in a civil action which could follow a self defense shooting.
This, and the fact that a concealed-hammer revolver is less apt to snag, led me to select a Centennial revolver for general concealed carry.

For outdoor carry, I choose something that can be cocked--with better sights, by the way--but I won't cock it a self defense encounter.

http://www.snubnose.info/docs/daovdasa.htm
OldMarksman is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 09:03 AM   #37
liberty1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 14, 2009
Location: colorado
Posts: 281
Last year I was out for a drive and as chance would have it do some shooting with my kids on some forest service land. My daughter who is 19 was driving and my 16 year old son was in the back seat while I was reclined in the passenger seat. We passed a car on a dirt road with a male probably in his early 30s inside. He began to follow and I think he had only seen my daughter. He actually followed us for over 10 miles with many turns to make sure it was not a coincidence. Btw cell phones don't work out in this area. Finally running out of options we got far enough ahead and after rounding a corner quickly got uot of the car and casually waited. I stood out front at the nose of the car with an sks rifle while my son was on my right at the back of the car and my daughter on my left at the back of the car also. Both of my children holding 9mm handguns. We all shoot and train together so they were prepared for this type of situation. We waited in a non threatening manner until the car came slowly by. The look of surprise and fear was very clear and he immediately hit the gas and took off. my Son had noted the license plate number (very proud of him on that one) and when we got back to town over an hour later reported to the county sheriff. They found and stopped the man in less than two hours and although he claimed to have meant no harm he readily admitted to have been following my daughter. I believe if I had not been there or we had not been armed it could have been very different outcome.
liberty1 is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 09:26 AM   #38
pax
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 16, 2000
Location: In a state of flux
Posts: 7,520
Deleted some off topic posts -- some of which were right on the border of personal attacks.

You guys want to debate about the goodness or badness of other countries and their cultures, do it elsewhere.

pax
__________________
Kathy Jackson
My personal website: Cornered Cat
pax is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 10:02 AM   #39
SpookBoy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 29, 2006
Location: mid tennessee
Posts: 430
Had an incident in another state i was living in, now mind you, i try my hardest to stay out of other peoples buisness.The girl right next door to me in my appartments had this habbit of letting her boyfriends beat her up(or seemed she only picked the ones that did) anywho,on one of these occasions they were fighting out in the hallway and he proceded to try and put her head through my door. I(watching from the peep hole) had seen far enough of this bull, As i opened the door with my Ruger p90 in hand,hammer back and aimed on the threat i said in a low manner "walk away" im assuming the cannon in my hand and the expression on my face showed i wasn't playing. She called me "cannon" till i moved outta there
__________________
We all love gun p*rn, weather shes skinny,fat,short or tall, God made a man to love them all!


"Once you familiarize yourself with the chains of bondage , You prepare your own limbs to wear them."
- Abraham Lincoln
SpookBoy is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 10:12 AM   #40
CorpITGuy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 14, 2009
Posts: 113
Spookboy I don't blame you. Not only could you have saved her life, but also your own or some other innocent in the building; if he'd pulled a gun and shot at her, the bullet could've wound up in a 6 month old baby's head. Good for you for gettin' involved!
CorpITGuy is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 10:45 AM   #41
imp
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 11, 2006
Posts: 626
5 years ago, I heard a commotion outside my apartment, so I slipped my kel-tec into my back pocket and walked outside. 2 guys were fighting, well...one guy was getting his butt kicked is a better description, about 50 yards from my porch.

A girl broke up the fight, and the poor fellow who had recieved the beating came over to my porch ( it was late and I had my porch light on). He sat down on the porch and tried to regroup. I offered my phone to him so he could call the police. While he was still on the phone, the other guy came out of the parking area, walking towards my place with a ninja sword. His girlfiend was begging him to go back home, and I let him get about 20 feet away before I slipped my kel-tec out of my pocket. He saw the weapon, took about 3 more steps, and hit my palm tree with his sword, bending it, and knocking a small chunk out of the tree. At that point, I instructed him not to get any closer. He stayed there, yelling for the guy on the phone with the police to come out and face him, but didn't get any closer. I never pointed my weapon at him, I just kept it visible. The dude stomped and screamed for a few minutes, then left right before the police arrived. 5 minutes after they arrived, the BG was in handcuffs.
imp is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 12:00 PM   #42
jjyergler
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 31, 2008
Posts: 295
Three times in my home.

I have picked up my pistol with the expectation of possible use three times.

Once I believed a rape was occurring along my backyard fence. It was just an "alcohol assisted enthusiastic coupling."

The second time, two drunks were fighting in my driveway. One was trying to walk home, the other, concerned for his friend, didn't want him to walk off into the woods at night, so he tackled him in my driveway.

The third time, I heard a gunshot outside near my home. It turned out to be a ND by a neighbor.

The common threads: Step 1- I was aware of my surroundings, Step 2- I readied my handgun, Step 3- I called the police and let them know I am an armed homeowner.
__________________
Remington Nylon 66 .22LR - Squirrels Beware
Browning BAR Safari II .270 Win - Whitetails Beware
Sig Sauer P229 .40 S+W - Burglars Beware
Hi Standard Supermatic Citation .22LR - Tincans Beware
jjyergler is offline  
Old June 23, 2009, 09:29 PM   #43
Tennessee Gentleman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 31, 2005
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,775
Out of a Dead Sleep

We have a burgular alarm in our home and are empty nesters. I set the thing at night and if any door is opened it will go off. One night I was in a dead sleep and the thing went off. Spouse runs out into the living room from our bedroom while I am stumbling out of bed to retrieve my handgun and flashlight. Then I go looking about to see what door is open and the alarm company is on the phone with me at the same time. Nobody was there.

We made many mistakes. My wife who is not into guns, even admitted that it was dumb to just run out into the living room and I learned that you really need a home invasion plan. I am a heavy sleeper and was really disoriented for about 3 minutes. Any BG would have made short work of us I think. Turns out we forgot to close tightly and lock a door and it worked itself open we think. Or it might have been someone who was scared away by the alarm. Son was home at the time and slept thru it all!!! Very instructive experience and we talked about it and now have a plan. I wasn't much good when first awakened.
__________________
"God and the Soldier we adore, in time of trouble but not before. When the danger's past and the wrong been righted, God is forgotten and the Soldier slighted."
Anonymous Soldier.

Last edited by Tennessee Gentleman; June 23, 2009 at 09:32 PM. Reason: spelling
Tennessee Gentleman is offline  
Old June 24, 2009, 01:59 PM   #44
goldfacade
Member
 
Join Date: July 22, 2008
Location: Central, FL
Posts: 90
Twice

Excluding my time in the USCG twice:

1. I was stationed in Portsmouth VA and given government housing in some section 8 apartments (don't you love govt housing?). I heard 5 shots in rapid succession and being a stupid 20 year old grabbed my 12ga Deerslayer and ran outside. I wound up about 10 yards from a man who had just shot his girlfriend in front of hr daughter. An off duty police officer came running from a different direction screaming "hands, hands, hands" the dude looked my way saw the shotgun and dropped his weapon. The man was cuffed and then some other Coasties tried to save her life to no avail. An ugly nite that I wish I could erase from my mind, the daughter screaming, the mom dead the weird blank look from the killer. Bad times.

2. Stationed in LA a guy was running from the police helicopter and tried getting into my house. I pointed my 226 at the window at the top of my front door, he saw it and boogied. Kinda sureal with the helo's spot light flooding out my living room, again bad times.

Peace,
Tom
goldfacade is offline  
Old June 24, 2009, 02:14 PM   #45
hogdogs
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 31, 2007
Location: Western Florida panhandle
Posts: 11,069
Quote:
Once I believed a rape was occurring along my backyard fence. It was just an "alcohol assisted enthusiastic coupling."
So that was YOU that disturbed us? How Dare You!!! It was BLISS up to that point!
Brent
hogdogs is offline  
Old June 24, 2009, 03:01 PM   #46
Enoy21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 3, 2009
Posts: 240
Only twice , and neither were against humans ( although at the time I didn't know that ).


I live in a pretty Rural area with lots of wildlife.

Once when at home on the back porch about 2 AM and I kept hearing a rustling sound and suddenly my dog goes crazy the rustling stopped ( not ran off , just froze )

I ran inside and grabbed the gun and flash light in case it was a person .... bear or bobcat. Apearently who/whatever it was took off when I grabbed the gun.



2nd time was when my dog was going crazy about a 1/4 mile up the road and sounded like he had something or someone cornered around 11 PM. Not sure what it was , I had my gun drawn as I approached with flashlight....



Other than that.... Not yet and hope to never have to.
Enoy21 is offline  
Old June 24, 2009, 03:42 PM   #47
DougO83
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 1, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 389
I did forget about when I first moved into my casa. It is an old farmhouse from the 1800's. I neglected to latch one of the shutters down securely one night before I went to work. Well, I get home a dark thirty from a long, exhausting shift and go to make myself some grub before I sit down to finish my BoB marathon. I hear something slam and then glass shatter. The dog is going nuts. I grab my .357 (I am still in uniform with the bat belt and all) and head towards the noise, weapon at low ready. Swept that end of the house and found that my stupid shutter had slammed off the hinge and broken the window. Gotta love the wind here in Central Texas.
__________________
"You can all go to hell, I'm going to Texas."
---Colonel David Crockett

Matt 6:33
DougO83 is offline  
Old June 26, 2009, 02:53 PM   #48
Terry A
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 27, 2008
Location: Washington, Pa
Posts: 764
Identify your target!

The LAST time I had my gun in hand happened last Saturday night at 0200. Two of our 4 kids still live at home but were away. Just me and my wife at home. We're in bed and I hear the door knob of the bedroom door turn slightly but the door doesn't open. It's locked but it is a very weak door with a flimsy lock. It's really there just to do what it did, to make noise. Without waking my wife, I got out of bed and had a Springfield XD-45 aimed over a dresser along the wall that the door is on. Whoever comes in will not be able to see me unless they turn their head real hard to their left, but I can see clearly who comes thru. The door jimmied again and it opened this time. Just waiting to see a target when I see it's my WIFE! She had gotten up out of bed to use the bathroom and when she closed our door, it somehow locked. She went and got a butterknife and jimmied it instead of waking me up with knocks.....

It was a terrible feeling to have aimed a loaded gun at my wife, because she is precious beyond belief. Upon reflection, I still would have gotten up out of bed without waking her up and telling her what's going on, because that would have killed seconds, which do count in times like that. I figured it would be quicker to just get up and get positioned.

There have been many times over the years where a stranger came to the door or somebody heard something bang on a porch or something. It's always been false alarms at home so far. This one could have ended in disaster if I was not trained to identify your target before you shoot. I couldn't have lived with myself had I hurt her and it really made me feel sick for all those people who have accidentally shot someone they loved.

There have been other times when we heard something and I go outside the bedroom. She stays put with a Beretta M-92 and instrutions to MAKE SURE she sees who it is that comes back in the bedroom before she opens fire! I've always thought it best to announce to her that it's me coming back inside and so far, she hasn't gotten trigger happy. But we've trained and practiced a lot and all kidding aside, I do trust her if a bad situation happened.
__________________
2 Thes 3:16 "Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! "
Terry A is offline  
Old June 26, 2009, 03:27 PM   #49
TailGator
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 8, 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,786
We probably all need to acknowledge that this poll will be skewed towards those who drew, because those who have not drawn don't have a story to tell.
TailGator is offline  
Old June 26, 2009, 03:47 PM   #50
markj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 27, 2005
Location: Crescent Iowa
Posts: 2,971
Cant draw, am not artistic enough.

I did pull the .45 last fall


had to dispatch a wounded deer. Slug broke his back, had to finish him off.
markj is offline  
Reply

Tags
self defense

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:56 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09649 seconds with 9 queries