Personal Self Defense Encounters?

[Dennis1209]

Statistically speaking, it should be a rare thing when a person needs to grab a firearm for personal defense. The odds should even be reduced if one maintains some situational awareness and doesn't go to stupid places, associate with stupid people or go somewhere unnecessarily at stupid times. I've heard the old adage said many times, "a handgun should be comforting, not comfortable". A victim of a crime or attack is usually unaware, it's not expected, at their most vulnerable, not prepared and has no though about a plan or effective response. 

I'd be interested in hearing when you were thankful you were carrying or had quick access to a firearm?

With the accumulation of all my birthday candles, came torn muscles, arthritis, fatigue slowness, etc. In other words, I'm no longer young, strong and fit; I'm incapable of physically fighting to defend myself and family anymore. I have to depend on what Sam Colt stated, or in modern terminology, a force multiplier. 

In the last decade I've had two experiences when I was grateful I had a firearm really close by. The first was when my bugler alarm went off in the middle of the night and the indoor siren blasting away. The control pad was at the opposite end of the bedroom in the kitchen to silence it. Couldn't hear the phone ringing to answer ADT'S call to respond to them. It took the county Sheriff's Department :45 minutes to find my house, there were only two of them on duty and were at the other end of the county. That one turned out to be a false alarm. Something [mouse, bug, shift] tripped the motion sensor in the basement. 

The second instance was the real deal. The wife and I had just gone to bed and were not even drowsy yet, and started to hear loud metallic banging and tapping from somewhere that seemed in the house? One of those sounds that can't be associated with something mechanical such as an appliance acting up.

With pistol in hand, what to do, call 9-1-1 or not, what if it's something stupid and I wasted their time and look stupid. After I carefully check and clear the inside of my home for what that mechanical rapping is, do I want to go outside and see if it's the air conditioner? What if it's what I suspect it is, someone trying to break into the house? 

Perhaps I'm like many men with testosterone and doesn't want to appear weak and scared in front of their wife. The noises and banging had stopped when I got out of bed. With Adrenalin along with some fear and anger building, I wanted to go outside and confront whom may still be there; or ease my mind if it was something else. Then common sense, reasoning and the potential of avoidable legal and moral issues kicked in. No Dennis, the potential dangers, uncertainties and following legal matters are not worth 'going hunting'. 

It was a long rest of the night until dawn, when I could see well enough outside from inside my home to go out and see if I could find anything. Long story short; sure enough, someone(s) tried prying my basement dead bolt / locked door handle open and damaged the door and door frame. I didn't even bother to report it because it's just that, a report, and I didn't want to waste anymore of my time much less the time of the police. 

In retrospect, I believe my decision not to try and confront and catch what at the time I believed to be home invader(s) was a good one. I don't want to think about "what if's", like the potential legal and civil charges, hiring an attorney, sleepless nights that could have been avoided, or even physically losing a confrontation that I initiated by going 'hunting'. 

I've since beefed up my home security to make it much more difficult to gain entry. 

What's your story?

[Raoul]

In the big mortgage meltdown in the 2000's I did a lot of foreclosure appraisals. I would always wear a gun, usually a full size Steyr 9mm. I had one assignment in the backwoods around Erwin in a serious out of the way location.

I was busy doing my interior walk through and repair list in a big rambling mess of a house when I started hearing a commotion and some yelling. Then a couple of good ole boys burst in and they're all gd this wtf am I doing etc.

I set my hand on top of my pistol and just stood there across the room from them and didn't say a word. After a minute or so one of the ole boys shut up and punched his brother and pointed at my gun. They both became remarkably quiet.

After that we were able to have a polite conversation. Actually ended well. I was able to give them a contact so they could try to arrange getting some personal property that had been locked in a storage building and what not.

[Smith]

Back when I was working multiple jobs, one of which was at night. I stopped to get gas in Madison (don't do that BTW) at 2 am. Had three guys circle the station, park on the far side, then two flanked me at distance while the third made an indirect/direct line towards me. The flags went of as I was the only one there. Didn't have my gun on me but it was in my front seat. I made eye contact with the first guy, grabed my gun but kept it out of sight, and began planning attack priorities if they continued. Fortunately when I didn't break eye contact with the lead guy, they all stopped about 20 feet out, stared at me for a minute, then turned and retreated in the same way they approached. They got back in the car and left without showing plates. 

I don't know if they had ill intent, but that was the first time I fully understood the importance of have an equalizer present. I would have been completely helpless in that scenario otherwise. 

[hipower]

My only situation that was really frightening was in Columbia in the early 1990's. Did some work with a gift store there for a while, and always left after closing hours. 

No problem at the mall, but I stopped at a little roadside drive thru burger joint for a meal.

Pulled and drove around back(didn't even begin to like that) to the order window. Small building, roads on 2 sides, brush on the others.

As I was waiting, I saw a young man on the sidewalk coming towards the drive thru. He ducked into the brush, probably though I didn't or wouldn't see him.

After a moment, he trotted to the corner of the building and looked at my Blazer. I guess he though he was invisible to me. But him being back lit and already watching, my spidy senses were all a tingle.

I had my BHP by my thigh. As he came up from behind, between the building and my back fender, I laid the muzzle in the open window and asked what he was doing. 

Never a word spoken by him, just turned and walked away. About this time my meal came. Little gal in the window saw the pistol and almost fainted.

I had to call out and explain what had happened. She wanted to call Columbia police, but I wasn't staying around for it. trucked on up Columbia Ave and hit Saturn Pkwy to home.

[Erik88]

Around 2010 I was in a First TN bank about 10-15 minutes before a guy tried to rob it. He didn't realize that branch had an armed guard. I was carrying my Ruger LCR at the time and always wonder what might have happened. I'm glad I wasn't there.

Last year my wife and I were dead asleep around 0100 when our home alarm started blaring. I never realized how jarring that would be. I was up, out of bed, Glock 21 in hand, round chambered in maybe 5 seconds. My wife was so scared she wasn't much help. I had her deactivate the alarm from her phone. Once that noise was off I just stood there and listened while keeping my G21 pointed at entrance to our bedroom. I realized pretty quickly it had to be a false alarm because our dog wasn't barking or growling. I don't think he would bite anyone but he wouldn't be silent. The alarm was saying kitchen window breach which I determined was closed. The sensor had just failed in the middle of the night. I was thankful for my weapon mounted light and the fact that we could control the alarm from our phone. It taught us some good lessons which we later talked about.

I hope I never have a real encounter. 

[Dennis1209]

37 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

Around 2010 I was in a First TN bank about 10-15 minutes before a guy tried to rob it. He didn't realize that branch had an armed guard. I was carrying my Ruger LCR at the time and always wonder what might have happened. I'm glad I wasn't there.

Last year my wife and I were dead asleep around 0100 when our home alarm started blaring. I never realized how jarring that would be. I was up, out of bed, Glock 21 in hand, round chambered in maybe 5 seconds. My wife was so scared she wasn't much help. I had her deactivate the alarm from her phone. Once that noise was off I just stood there and listened while keeping my G21 pointed at entrance to our bedroom. I realized pretty quickly it had to be a false alarm because our dog wasn't barking or growling. I don't think he would bite anyone but he wouldn't be silent. The alarm was saying kitchen window breach which I determined was closed. The sensor had just failed in the middle of the night. I was thankful for my weapon mounted light and the fact that we could control the alarm from our phone. It taught us some good lessons which we later talked about.

I hope I never have a real encounter. 

Yea I learned a few things myself, that tiny little alarm is so loud I had to scrape myself off the ceiling when it went off. With that thing blaring I couldn't hear anything and had trouble concentrating. I had to go from my bedroom to the kitchen to manually silence it. I really need to get my system upgraded to current technology but, I hate entering into another binding contract. I have the same system for 10 years now. 

Every two years I call to cancel my service and they ask what they can do to keep me as a customer. They make a service call and change my batteries and check the system out for free. 

One of the changes / improvements I made, was to hang a pair of electronic hearing protection by my bed. If nothing else, to deaden the painful sound that little box on the wall makes. 

[hipower]

Hearing protectors by the bed. That's good. It will make it easier to take that 12 gauge blast.

Edited July 9, 2020 by hipower

[Dennis1209]

1 minute ago, hipower said:

Hear protectors by the bed. That's good. It will make it easier to take that 12 gauge blast.

That's another lesson I quickly learned the first time my alarm went off at 2 something in the morning. My primary go to was my Remington 870, kept it by my bed with 00 buck ready to go just in case [kids left the nest]. I grabbed it and quickly found out it was too cumbersome, awkward and too long for my house, walls and narrow hallway. Immediately went back from the hall to the bedroom and retrieved my pistol. 

Had I practiced such a scenario even once, I would have realized a shotgun wouldn't be my best choice. A nutter lesson of many learned.

Now I'm second guessing myself, trying to decide whether to get that CCW insurance for an unlikely event? I've done a lot of research on it, and it appears USCCA is #1 closely followed by CCWSAFE? 

[hipower]

I can't advise you on that choice, I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable on them either. How ever, I will say I see several LGS recommending our vendor here...US Law Shield.

I also admit I've not given enough consideration to the need for such service also. But with the absolute idiocy of law and courts on weapons used for self-defense, I'm looking harder at it.

[chances R]

On 7/9/2020 at 6:58 PM, hipower said:

Hearing protectors by the bed. That's good. It will make it easier to take that 12 gauge blast.

Electronics Also gives that “super” hearing / tactical advantage 

Edited July 11, 2020 by chances R

[Dennis1209]

On 7/9/2020 at 6:23 PM, hipower said:

I can't advise you on that choice, I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable on them either. How ever, I will say I see several LGS recommending our vendor here...US Law Shield.

I also admit I've not given enough consideration to the need for such service also. But with the absolute idiocy of law and courts on weapons used for self-defense, I'm looking harder at it.

I haven't checked out US Law Shield but will.

What I'm seeing with this shift in public insanity these days and no respect for the law and law enforcement, is innocent people being thrown under the bus to pacify the criminals, social warriors, protesters and rioters. I'm seeing more and more innocent people being charged for criminal assault just for even drawing their weapon to protect themselves. 

Just the fact of being arrested and/or charged sticks with you. Without financial ruin, I couldn't hire a competent lawyer in the unlikely event I had to un-holster to defend. You have to ask yourself, where are these confrontational people and groups, protesters and threatening people doing the assaults getting lawyers from and how are they paying for it?

[Alleycat72]

On 7/9/2020 at 5:58 PM, hipower said:

Hearing protectors by the bed. That's good. It will make it easier to take that 12 gauge blast.

I run a suppressor on my house gun. 

[hipower]

14 hours ago, alleycat72 said:

I run a suppressor on my house gun. 

Some of us don't have those handy little gadgets. lol

[Moped]

8 years ago my oldest (17 at the time) went to the Old City with two her friends and one of her friend’s mom for dinner. Later that evening, she was ready to come home and called me to come and get her. 

As I was going out the door, I picked up my Colt Agent .38 and tucked it in the pocket of my hoody. When I got there, I texted her to come to the car. While I was waiting, a gentleman attempted to open the passenger side door, which was locked. He then hit the window with his fist, as I pulled the Colt. As soon as he saw it, he put up his hands and backed up and walked off. My daughter and her two friends, after witnessing all that and walked up to the van.  They were smart enough not to get close enough to be involved in the situation. 
 

I carry something everyday. It might be a LCP, or a 442 or a PT111 G2, or a XDs .45ACP, but I always have something on my person.

[Dennis1209]

4 hours ago, Moped said:

8 years ago my oldest (17 at the time) went to the Old City with two her friends and one of her friend’s mom for dinner. Later that evening, she was ready to come home and called me to come and get her. 

As I was going out the door, I picked up my Colt Agent .38 and tucked it in the pocket of my hoody. When I got there, I texted her to come to the car. While I was waiting, a gentleman attempted to open the passenger side door, which was locked. He then hit the window with his fist, as I pulled the Colt. As soon as he saw it, he put up his hands and backed up and walked off. My daughter and her two friends, after witnessing all that and walked up to the van.  They were smart enough not to get close enough to be involved in the situation. 
 

I carry something everyday. It might be a LCP, or a 442 or a PT111 G2, or a XDs .45ACP, but I always have something on my person.

Eight years ago, that would have been reasonable and logical common sense. Look at the people getting arrested and charged today with brandishing a weapon in self defense against the hostile social warriors and racists. Today in this pacifist climate, if you have to show a pistol, you best be the first one to call 9-1-1; because the criminal, social justice warrior or racist most likely will. Deep do do and expense...

If you're in a bad neighborhood with witnesses, whom do you suppose those 'witnesses' are going to side with? Personally speaking; in this new social warrior climate with pacifying, justifying and condoning criminal assault and aggression, I'll have second thoughts showing a handgun. 

The liberal news media and government officials have already convicted and branded you even prior to the facts coming out. Our country is in deep moral, social and legal trouble like never before. 

[bersaguy]

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Eight years ago, that would have been reasonable and logical common sense. Look at the people getting arrested and charged today with brandishing a weapon in self defense against the hostile social warriors and racists. Today in this pacifist climate, if you have to show a pistol, you best be the first one to call 9-1-1; because the criminal, social justice warrior or racist most likely will. Deep do do and expense...

If you're in a bad neighborhood with witnesses, whom do you suppose those 'witnesses' are going to side with? Personally speaking; in this new social warrior climate with pacifying, justifying and condoning criminal assault and aggression, I'll have second thoughts showing a handgun. 

The liberal news media and government officials have already convicted and branded you even prior to the facts coming out. Our country is in deep moral, social and legal trouble like never before. 

I can agree with you on a few points but I have 1 logic I live by and that is "Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6" for not being prepared and I will believe that as long as I am alive!!! That is why I always have something when I am out in public.

[hipower]

"Our country is in deep moral, social, and legal trouble like never before."

Simply answered...Yes. We are being royally shafted from every direction. 

[i1afli]

3 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

The liberal news media and government officials have already convicted and branded you even prior to the facts coming out. Our country is in deep moral, social and legal trouble like never before. 

The result of a 20-yr crusade by the anti-gunners and media to demonize firearms and those who own them.  Their plan is coming together. 

[bersaguy]

14 hours ago, i1afli said:

The result of a 20-yr crusade by the anti-gunners and media to demonize firearms and those who own them.  Their plan is coming together. 

Their plan is coming together.  

Their plan is coming together until  the owners of firearms have had a enough and decide it might be time to come out of the closet and let the anti-gunners see what they are really up against and see if they still have to stomach to push the envelope!!!.....JMHO

[DaveTN]

2 hours ago, bersaguy said:

Their plan is coming together until  the owners of firearms have had a enough and decide it might be time to come out of the closet and let the anti-gunners see what they are really up against and see if they still have to stomach to push the envelope!!!.....JMHO

But that’s just it, once we start using the threat of violence to get what we want; we are no better than the dirt bags that are doing it now. “Do what we say or we’ll burn it down!” The only thing that can stop those type of threats is to put them in prison.

I have no doubt some looters will get shot if they move out of the cities. But I also have no doubt if they are white and the DA is a BLM or antifa supporter; they will get charged whether the evidence supports it or not. This isn’t about justice.

Sheriff’s are elected, they don’t answer to anyone but the people.  Police Chiefs answer to a Mayor or City Council; that needs to change. I’m waiting for a Police Chief or Mayor to be fired or brought up on charges stemming from Nonfeasance or Malfeasance. Officers involved in not putting out the calls that come in, are violating their oath of Office. I don’t know if Dispatchers take an oath or not, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see some of them sued civilly as this progresses.

We have talked many times here about the military or cops saying they were “just following orders”. Politicians telling the Police to “stand down” while citizens are being attacked and killed is not a lawful order. Officers will not be able to hide behind it when the dust settles. 

[bersaguy]

18 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

But that’s just it, once we start using the threat of violence to get what we want; we are no better than the dirt bags that are doing it now. “Do what we say or we’ll burn it down!” The only thing that can stop those type of threats is to put them in prison.

I have no doubt some looters will get shot if they move out of the cities. But I also have no doubt if they are white and the DA is a BLM or antifa supporter; they will get charged whether the evidence supports it or not. This isn’t about justice.

Sheriff’s are elected, they don’t answer to anyone but the people.  Police Chiefs answer to a Mayor or City Council; that needs to change. I’m waiting for a Police Chief or Mayor to be fired or brought up on charges stemming from Nonfeasance or Malfeasance. Officers involved in not putting out the calls that come in, are violating their oath of Office. I don’t know if Dispatchers take an oath or not, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see some of them sued civilly as this progresses.

We have talked many times here about the military or cops saying they were “just following orders”. Politicians telling the Police to “stand down” while citizens are being attacked and killed is not a lawful order. Officers will not be able to hide behind it when the dust settles. 

Thanks for the input. My eldest grandson is a 911 operator in one of the outlying counties and he has strict orders from his superiors that if any emergency call comes in requiring police he is to dispatch officers to react upon the call period. So far he has not had any officers fail to go and do their jobs. He can dispatch City, County and State Troopers when necessary depending on location of the call.

[DaveTN]

8 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

Thanks for the input. My eldest grandson is a 911 operator in one of the outlying counties and he has strict orders from his superiors that if any emergency call comes in requiring police he is to dispatch officers to react upon the call period. So far he has not had any officers fail to go and do their jobs. He can dispatch City, County and State Troopers when necessary depending on location of the call.

I remember when someone here wanted to know why dispatchers send Officers when someone calls in about a man with a gun. They do it because it is there job to go find out why someone is calling. Our Chief would have fired a dispatcher for that. I’ve heard several times when an Officer was quizzing the dispatcher about why one of our frequent flyers was calling, and a Command Officer get on the air and Say “Go find out!”.

Some people, sometimes have to be reminded what their job is. 

[bersaguy]

11 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I remember when someone here wanted to know why dispatchers send Officers when someone calls in about a man with a gun. They do it because it is there job to go find out why someone is calling. Our Chief would have fired a dispatcher for that. I’ve heard several times when an Officer was quizzing the dispatcher about why one of our frequent flyers was calling, and a Command Officer get on the air and Say “Go find out!”.

Some people, sometimes have to be reminded what their job is. 

Well my grandson has been on the job a little over four years and to date he has to his knowledge never had an officer quiz him about a call. The officer may know that the caller he was responding to a frequent flyer but they still went. The officers in the field know more about where they are going than the dispatcher does. My grandson has been pretty good at being able to pick out bogus calls by talking to the person while waiting for the police to arrive. He keeps them on the line talking to him. He also listeners for anything that may be going on in the background and if the caller suddenly hangs up he relays that to the police responding. He's pretty sharp on things. 

[DaveTN]

49 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

Well my grandson has been on the job a little over four years and to date he has to his knowledge never had an officer quiz him about a call. The officer may know that the caller he was responding to a frequent flyer but they still went. The officers in the field know more about where they are going than the dispatcher does. My grandson has been pretty good at being able to pick out bogus calls by talking to the person while waiting for the police to arrive. He keeps them on the line talking to him. He also listeners for anything that may be going on in the background and if the caller suddenly hangs up he relays that to the police responding. He's pretty sharp on things. 

I made the mistake of volunteering to go to go to LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) school at the U of I for a week, so I could party. Little did I know that meant I could be used to fill in for dispatchers when necessary.

 It gave me new respect for the dispatchers. It also made me drink a lot after work on the nights I had to do that. I’d take dealing with the crazies on the street any day over taking calls and trying to keep track of a bunch of cops. It was a very stressful job.

[bersaguy]

3 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I made the mistake of volunteering to go to go to LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) school at the U of I for a week, so I could party. Little did I know that meant I could be used to fill in for dispatchers when necessary.

 It gave me new respect for the dispatchers. It also made me drink a lot after work on the nights I had to do that. I’d take dealing with the crazies on the street any day over taking calls and trying to keep track of a bunch of cops. It was a very stressful job.

Well before he became a 911 operator he was Cheatham County Deputy for 3 years so he has worked on both sides of it. He does have his moments of just getting up and saying I need a break and walking outside and the others cover for him while he is walking around clearing his head. He works 12 hours shift 8PM to 8 AM and he said the real crazies start about 11 PM and even without going outside he can tell you when it is a full moon...…..LOL. He said the calls that bother him the most is when a very young child calls and it's hard to keep them on the phone till help arrives. They keep wanting to hang up but he said he has developed techniques to keep them talking till he gets an all clear report from the responding help.