Most Useless Things in Self Defense

[45Gunner]

Back in the days when I was an active Flight Instructor, I always told my students about the three most useless things in aviation, which were:

1. The altitude above you.

2. The runway behind you.

3. The fuel you left in the tanker truck.


These days I pass my time as a Pistol Instructor at a club I am a member of and have begun a list of the most useless things for self defense hand guns. I have put three things down and thought you guys could lend a hand and tell me what you feel are useless but could be important items so I can pass it on to my students. Make 'em clever and meaningful. Thanks.

The three most useless things in defensive arms:

1. The ammo you left at home.

2. The empty chamber.

3. The back up gun you decided not to carry.

[DRice.72]

I never thought.....

my gun would jam.
it would happen in this neighborhood.
there would be three of them.

[WhyteP38]

How about:

The scratch I accidentally put on the frame last night. (This one might be important in terms of resale value.)

The serial numbers that aren't lined up perfectly. (This one doesn't seem to be important in any way, but people still get vexed enough for it to seem important.)

Can't think of a third one right now.

[sakeneko]

The three most useless things in defensive arms:

1. The ammo you left at home.

2. The empty chamber.

3. The back up gun you decided not to carry.

4. The training that you were going to get realsoonnow, when you could afford the time and the money. (wry grin)

[WhyteP38]

4. The training that you were going to get realsoonnow, when you could afford the time and the money. (wry grin)

LOL!

On a similar note:

The training I got from my friend who said he was just as good as a real instructor because he owns a gun and at one point almost joined the Army.

[FM12]

1. The pistol I almost carried, but didn't think I'd need it.

2. Not teaching my spouse important stuff.

3. Not taking extra ammo for the pistol I didn't not take.

4. Figuring a 10 minute trip out of the house wouldnt turn into something deadly.

[treg]

- The guy at the gunshop said ______________ .

- Not owning a .22 to practice with.

- A gun bought soley on power factor.

- "Practice" based only on standing in front of a bullseye and firing at it.

[jrothWA]

buying trinkets & gadgets, instead of using the money for PRACTICING.

not reloading ammo to duplicate your carry ammo.

hoarding you carry ammo because of cost.

Not trying to hit beyond _ feet.

no weak-hand shooting or reloading.

Looking down at firearm to reload, instead of on the target.

[claymore1500]

Your cell phone.

911.

The cop who is only 5 minutes away.

[B. Lahey]

1. Macho chest-thumping.

2. So much random junk in your pockets you can't find the useful stuff quickly / would sink like a stone if you fell into water.

3. Cheese.

[CCGS]

I never thought.....

my gun would jam.
it would happen in this neighborhood.
there would be three of them.

+1

[misnomerga]

- Why should I practice clearing a jam (FTE, FTF), my semi has never jammed before

- Seven rounds is surely enough who needs a backup magazine

- That place is perfectly safe, it can't happen to me so why bother bring it

- The flashlight that won't "flash" cause the batteries died, but they were last checked a year ago.

- The piece of furniture you ran into (giving the BG a great sound locator on your position) cause you didn't practice and don't know your way around your own house (and you don't have a working flashlight!)

[Skans]

From a practical standpoint - things I consider useless in self defense:

1. Extra magazines - just not necessary in a truly defensive situation - HD gun holds 20 rounds; carry pistol holds 6.

2. Target sights

3. Lasers

4. Trigger job

5. Safeties

6. Ergonomics

7. Any round more powerful than .357 in a revolver and 10mm in a semi-auto.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I agree with Skans.... except the laser. I think that a laser can be a valuable asset. Maybe not often, but a lot more often than a spare mag or BUG.

[spacecoast]

How about -

• the ability to part a gnat's hair at 50 yds
• whether your slide is stainless or blued
• whether your brass is yellow or nickel plated

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Hey, I like cheese! I get more use out of a nice piece of cheese as compared to my box o' holsters.

The most useless thing - you - if you stand there with your mouth open - going DUUUUHHH!

[Dwight55]

1. Yesterday's targets

2. Brass left on the ground at the range

3. Playing computer games when you could be out shooting

May God bless,
Dwight

[elwaynum1]

1. Yesterday's targets

2. Brass left on the ground at the range

3. Playing computer games when you could be out shooting

May God bless,
Dwight

But....I like computer games..

[ZeSpectre]

The most useless thing in self-defense.... the thought "I don't want to get hurt".

By the time you are in an SD situation you just need to have the mindset that "hey, I'm probably going to get hurt in some fashion" and bull on through that.

[Skans]

whether your slide is stainless or blued

If you are carrying your handgun routinely, a stainless slide won't seem so useless, but a blued one will seem like a real PITA.

whether your brass is yellow or nickel plated

I find that nickel plated defensive loads don't tarnish, and therefore are "slicker" and tend to have less problem feeding and ejecting. Older brass loses it's polish and can feel somewhat rough to the touch - could be a factor in some jams.........could be....

[B. Lahey]

Hey, I like cheese! I get more use out of a nice piece of cheese as compared to my box o' holsters.

I like it too, but is cheese useful in self-defense? I guess it would make a better club than leafy vegetables...

What cheese would be most suitable for self-defense?

[katana8869]

I like it too, but is cheese useful in self-defense? I guess it would make a better club than leafy vegetables...

Stick the barrel of a .22 through one of the holes in a big 'ol chunk of Swiss... it might make a great improvised suppressor

[Eskimo]

This is what makes gun owners look bad.. Some of you are so paranoid that I feel uneasy knowing that you own a gun.

I'm sorry, but there are very few places in this world bad enough.. where you should verbally discipline yourself for not bringing a big enough gun, leaving extra ammo at home, or not practicing "running around your house".

[old bear]

1-Thinking there is such a thing as a fair fight.

2-Thinking I can shoot him/her in the arm or leg and that will stop this.

3-Thinking I can talk my way out of this.

[ZeSpectre]

I agree with Skans.... except the laser. I think that a laser can be a valuable asset. Maybe not often, but a lot more often than a spare mag or BUG.

Pizzakilla - +5 on that. Anyone who thinks lasers are useless doesn't understand the concept and needs to order Crimson Trace's free DVD. It's a real eye opener for laser use in self-defense situations.

This is what makes gun owners look bad.. Some of you are so paranoid that I feel uneasy knowing that you own a gun.

I'm sorry, but there are very few places in this world bad enough.. where you should verbally discipline yourself for not bringing a big enough gun, leaving extra ammo at home, or not practicing "running around your house".

Eskimo - Seriously? That sounds a lot like someone who has never been on "the sharp end of the stick". Plenty of folks here HAVE been there. That is a fact not paranoia and once you've been there, you never want to find yourself unprepared again. Of course if you would like to provide us with a detailed map of the "bad places" I'm sure many of us (myself included) would be more than happy to buy a copy so that we could avoid them and then we wouldn't have to be concerned about self defense any more.

Just curious...when's the last time you did a fire drill in your house? Does doing a fire drill mean that you are paranoid about your house burning down? Does NOT doing the occasional fire drill mean you are in denial about the possibility of fire?