Most Useless Things in Self Defense

[claymore1500]

Quote:
Your cell phone.

911.

The cop who is only 5 minutes away.

Wrong. The cell phone is a very valuable tool in the event of an SD shooting. If for nothing else, a 911 recording could be the difference between a murder charge and freedom.

Ok, I won't argue with your logic, in certain cases, ie: Home invasion or bump in the night situations merit cell phone use, But in the event of a mugging, the cell phone would be the second item I would deploy, and the shooting would most likely be over before the recording started.

[Gbro]

The empty chamber.

If you are shooting a revolver then I would agree.
Otherwise if you are aware of your ammo count and know, as in only you know you are empty there is still some, some benefit.
I say this in the everyday tv versions of running dry and giving away your situation.
Time to practice that Poker Face.

[N.H. Yankee]

Nunchuck's, especially when you don't know how to use them and any other form of martial arts.

pepper spray when your upwind of the spray.

A whistle in a remote area.

[TheNatureBoy]

Your local police department.

[Jay1958]

Never said carrying a reload was unreasonable. The point was that people were acting like was a terrible mistake not to.

It isn't a terrible mistake not to. Unless you lose your life, or the life of a loved one, because of it.

I will admit that there was a time not too long ago that I didn't usually carry an extra mag. Then I participated in an IDPA match where I had a factory magazine literally fall apart! The base plate of the magazine fell off, and the remaining rounds dropped straight down onto the ground. Turns out, the lips on the bottom of the magazine were defective, and were not long enough to hold the base plate in place, permanently.

Ever since that experience, I have made more of a point of carrying an extra mag.

Regarding your questioning the usefulness of fire drills - it's too bad you can't ask one of the more than 3,000 people that die from fire in the United States each year.

"U.S. fires in calendar year 2008 resulted in 3,320 civilian fire fatalities and 16,705 civilian fire injuries. There was a civilian fire death every 158 minutes (on average) and a civilian fire injury every 31 minutes in 2008. Home fires caused 2,755, or 83%, of the civilian fire deaths."

source: National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division, "FIRE LOSS IN THE UNITED STATES 2008"

[IZZY]

Most useless things in SD:

1. I-pod /walkman/ earphones

2. Looking down at the ground

3. Believing their is such a thing as paranoia

[mygunsbigger]

I dont even keep my shotgun loaded because the sound of me racking it will be enough to scare any invader off...

i can't even understand this mentality. you just turned a tool perfectly designed for home defense into a noisy club.

MyGunsBigger

[Kmar40]

Shotguns and rifles with crossbolt safeties aren't considered safe enough to be kept loaded. That's what the manufacturers say and, as far as I know, that's what every law enforcement agency teaches it's folks. Keep the chamber empty until the threat level rises.

It's the policy of my agency and that's how I will continue to teach my folks.
It's also the way I keep my longarms at home.

I've been there and done that. I'm not worried about what some internet loudmouths experts/Counter Strike warriors think. I haven't had anyone take my club from me yet.

[Jedburgh]

Kmar,

What's the deal with cross-bolt safeties? I've never heard that. Do the weapons just spontaneously go off or what? This isn't a critique, I'm seeking knowledge.

DOL

[Kmar40]

Primarily, it's that the safety can fail fairly easily and either drop the hammer or otherwise go off. And generally the long guns don't have redundant safeties like a handgun designed for loaded carry does. It also is not fail safe, like say a transfer bar is.

Is a misfire rare? Absolutely? Likely? Not at all. Do I trust the safety alone, nope. Am I gonna lose sleep if you do? Nope, but I was responding to the post that said he couldn't even understand that type of thinking.

I would also add that I don't want to be trying to find the safety (or action release bar) in the middle of the night. Those are fine motor skills. I've probably been in enough situations that I'll be fine, but some people wouldn't. Racking the slide is a gross motor skill and I'm sure that anyone can do that.

So I leave my long arms at what LEOs call "cruiser ready" or "hot standby", tube loaded, safety off, and hammer forward on an empty chamber (so I don't have to remember if I 'm carrying a Remington or Mossberg and find the slide release).

It also gives me a bit more added safety with the small kids. They are locked up, but I fear I might forget to shut the safe some time. They could manipulate the safety and the trigger, but I doubt the small ones could rack a round.

Anyway, just my .02. Back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[celtgun]

Ankle Holsters
Cheap, unreliable guns, magazines and holsters.
Not proofing ammo and magizines.
Failing to drill and practice, practice, practice.

The Guru, Jeff Cooper, suggested keeping your unloaded weapon available while watching TV and snap shooting (dry fire) at every O that came on the screen. And if you shoot your TV it may bring your family closer together.
My addition to this drill is to not do it in front of the kids.

Pray and Shoot Daily.
Lee Jones(Celtgun)

Chance favors the prepared mind.

[sdj]

1. ego
2. pride
3. honor

I'm inclined to agree.

I'd add this one, too:

Thinking that a 10 minute trip the store is going to turn into a life changing event.

Good thread; lots of insights.

[cracked91]

Ill agree that ankle holsters are a PITA, but sometimes the only option. And loads better than keeping it at home.

As far as most useless things:

Ill have to say the round you never chambered

The gun that fell between your seat and your center console.

[ausher]

3. Playing computer games when you could be out shooting

May God bless,
Dwight

hey that's how i get all my gun training! playing call of duty modern warfare 2

[LordTio3]

#1. The gun you left at home because you bought one that was too big/heavy/bulky to carry comfortably.


#2. The way you assume the encounter will unfold.


#3. That texting conversation that were completely lost in with 0 situational awareness.


-Sidenote, I lived in a college town for a while. One week last year at that University, over the course of 3 days, there were 7 vehicular impacts with pedestrians. In every single one of the situations the pedestrian or the driver or both were texting and not paying attention to what was going on. What was worse; these incidents were kicked off with the first one on a Monday. A freshman texting on his phone wandered out into the street without looking. The driver was texting on his phone and was driving 10 MPH too fast for the zone. Granted, the kid should never have been in the road, but they certainly didn't say that at his funeral. Dead on impact. He ended up 60 feet down the hill.

The University could literally make Billions from writing tickets for jaywalking around there. Bike riders and walkers abide no rules whatsoever when it comes to roads. Watch out for YOURSELF. Get off of your cellphone while you are moving. If you must, make sure you are safe, stop, then operate.

~LT

[skinsman]

1) panic

2)an unchamber weapon

3) Stop shooting before your empty!!!

[Pbearperry]

The most useless things used for self defense are the restraining order and the gun free zone posters.

[tshadow6]

How about this: "I keep my gun in the car.'

[Matt19]

Pbear, that is so true.

[Stevie-Ray]

The most useless things used for self defense are the restraining order and the gun free zone posters.

Thread winner!

[trlrnr]

STEVIE-RAY I just posted a link in (tac&train) to a story from yesterday here in Maine where a Nursing student was attacked and stabbed. had a restraining order on the guy. --- The Great thing about this story is that the victim lived and the BG was disarmed and pinned down by several other female students who where in there early twenties and teens.

[Haifisch]

A Jam-O-Matic CZ pistol. Dont trust your life with a CZ.

[Kmar40]

Hmmmm.... I've always found the CZ75 and family to be one of the most reliable pistols.

[Ifishsum]

Ego

An empty chamber

A CCW badge

[jon_in_wv]

The "possum" tactic.