So there I was...

[Guest bkelm18]

Ok, so I was laying on my couch last night watching TV and I dozed off. About an hour later I wake partially up just in time to hear someone walking down the hall outside my apartment and try my door knob. I had the deadbolt locked of course but the knob will still go back and forth. So basically I roll off the couch and grab the Sig off the coffee table and draw a bead on the door (the couch is right next to the door). About this time I can hear the person walking off. Let me tell ya, going from half asleep to wide friggin awake in about .3 seconds is not exactly pleasant. Pretty sure I pulled a muscle or two getting up and was light headed for a few seconds. I'm not sure if the person just had the wrong apartment or what, but if the door hadn't been locked and he opened it, it would have been a bad day for everyone. That was the first time that I was glad as hell that I had a firearm and thought I was about to use it. Needless to say, I didn't go back to sleep for a while.

[Guest sharpshooter01]

Did you sleep with your eye's open? Glad you didn't have to make a mess of someone.

[Guest bkelm18]

Did you sleep with your eye's open? Glad you didn't have to make a mess of someone.

I finally went back to sleep. I just about made a mess of myself.

[Mr. Brooks]

That sort of thing happened to me a while back.

I was laying in bed trying to sleep, but couldn't for some reason. I hear the front door handle jiggle, then the door opens! I know that my roommate was sleeping so I grabbed my Sig and headed to my bedroom door. As I open it I hear a woman's voice whisper, "Don't shoot, it's me!"

Turns out my roommate had given his girlfriend a key to our place and didn't bother to tell me. She decided to come "surprise" him in the middle of the night.

[Guest dwrd]

Been there. My friends know to knock at my place. I was watching tv, and my dog started barking as the door knob was turning. He would never bark when my roommate or his gf would be coming to the door, so that made me snap to attention. I normally didn't keep the door locked if I knew I would be going out soon. The door started opening, and I had my gun cleared from the holster about to turn to the door when I realized it was the roommates girlfriends friend. When I told him about it later that she had just walked in, he had a look of holy **** that could have been bad on his face.

[BrasilNuts]

"Don't shoot, it's me!"

At least she knew the secret passwords.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Ok, so I was laying on my couch last night watching TV and I dozed off. About an hour later I wake partially up just in time to hear someone walking down the hall outside my apartment and try my door knob. I had the deadbolt locked of course but the knob will still go back and forth. So basically I roll off the couch and grab the Sig off the coffee table and draw a bead on the door (the couch is right next to the door). About this time I can hear the person walking off. Let me tell ya, going from half asleep to wide friggin awake in about .3 seconds is not exactly pleasant. Pretty sure I pulled a muscle or two getting up and was light headed for a few seconds. I'm not sure if the person just had the wrong apartment or what, but if the door hadn't been locked and he opened it, it would have been a bad day for everyone. That was the first time that I was glad as hell that I had a firearm and thought I was about to use it. Needless to say, I didn't go back to sleep for a while.

Did you yell CONTACT?

[Angus]

Ok, so I was laying on my couch last night watching TV and I dozed off. About an hour later I wake partially up just in time to hear someone walking down the hall outside my apartment and try my door knob. I had the deadbolt locked of course but the knob will still go back and forth. So basically I roll off the couch and grab the Sig off the coffee table and draw a bead on the door (the couch is right next to the door). About this time I can hear the person walking off. Let me tell ya, going from half asleep to wide friggin awake in about .3 seconds is not exactly pleasant. Pretty sure I pulled a muscle or two getting up and was light headed for a few seconds. I'm not sure if the person just had the wrong apartment or what, but if the door hadn't been locked and he opened it, it would have been a bad day for everyone. That was the first time that I was glad as hell that I had a firearm and thought I was about to use it. Needless to say, I didn't go back to sleep for a while.

This is why you should put alot of time in at the range, and probably take one of those defensive HG courses that they offer. I have not taken a class, but friends have been to CIS and swear by them. I put alot of time in at the range, and my 6 mo old gun has about 2k rounds through it.

[Guest Ggun]

Been there. My friends know to knock at my place. I was watching tv, and my dog started barking as the door knob was turning. He would never bark when my roommate or his gf would be coming to the door, so that made me snap to attention. I normally didn't keep the door locked if I knew I would be going out soon. The door started opening, and I had my gun cleared from the holster about to turn to the door when I realized it was the roommates girlfriends friend. When I told him about it later that she had just walked in, he had a look of holy **** that could have been bad on his face.

You should not put yourself in a position to clear your gun from your holster unless you intend to use it. I would suggest you practice drawing your weapon so that you are confident with your reaction time.

[oldogy]

You should not put yourself in a position to clear your gun from your holster unless you intend to use it. I would suggest you practice drawing your weapon so that you are confident with your reaction time.

The guy is in his home, his castle. I would not fault him for his actions in this situation. Outside the home might be different.

oldogy

[Guest dwrd]

You should not put yourself in a position to clear your gun from your holster unless you intend to use it. I would suggest you practice drawing your weapon so that you are confident with your reaction time.

I agree with this outside of the house, but when inside, I have no kids, so I have a few weapons placed so that something is always within easy grasp. I normally sit my carry gun on the coffee table when relaxing watching tv, so in this case it would have been the same as picking up the weapon off of the table. I am confident with my reaction time. Todd and Dustin drill that into your head during the Defensive pistol class.

[Guest sling]

I agree with this outside of the house, but when inside, I have no kids, so I have a few weapons placed so that something is always within easy grasp. I normally sit my carry gun on the coffee table when relaxing watching tv, so in this case it would have been the same as picking up the weapon off of the table. I am confident with my reaction time. Todd and Dustin drill that into your head during the Defensive pistol class.

+1

Not sure why dude slammed you for being in the right state of mind in your home. Though i am fortunate where nothing like this happened in the past to me i can guarantee you the .45 will be in hand pointed in the direction of said 'door knob rattler' if it were to happen.

You dont f with someone's home.

[Guest jackdog]

You should not put yourself in a position to clear your gun from your holster unless you intend to use it. I would suggest you practice drawing your weapon so that you are confident with your reaction time.

Under the circumstances I think he intended to use his weapon if need be.

Thankfully he assessed the situation prior to full commitment. I say job well done.

[Guest bkelm18]

This is why you should put alot of time in at the range, and probably take one of those defensive HG courses that they offer. I have not taken a class, but friends have been to CIS and swear by them. I put alot of time in at the range, and my 6 mo old gun has about 2k rounds through it.

Oh yeah, definitely. I should clarify, that for the dozen seconds or so that I stood with the gun aimed at the door, my mental clarity was perfect. I guess that would be the adrenaline. But after it wore off is when my head swam for a bit and I realized that my back was hurting in a few spots from getting up. I'm sure me being a fat ass had something to do with it.

[Guest bkelm18]

Did you yell CONTACT?

Haha you know, that went through my mind afterwards. I called it a tactical couch-roll.

[Guest Ggun]

I agree with this outside of the house, but when inside, I have no kids, so I have a few weapons placed so that something is always within easy grasp. I normally sit my carry gun on the coffee table when relaxing watching tv, so in this case it would have been the same as picking up the weapon off of the table. I am confident with my reaction time. Todd and Dustin drill that into your head during the Defensive pistol class.

Ok, no slam intended, you obviously have had some good training. And, I don't know where you guys live, the environment, etc.

The thing to consider is that where multiple people live together (roommates, housemates) one should be extra careful about just these kinds of things happening--a friend of a friend thinking they can just walk into somebody's home...and find a muzzle up their nose.

[poak]

Haha you know, that went through my mind afterwards. I called it a tactical couch-roll.

Did you use the couch for cover? That always works in movies.

[Guest dwrd]

Did you use the couch for cover? That always works in movies.

There is always that guy that jumps over the couch and you have to shoot at him for 10 minutes...

[mhm2a]

There have a been a few break in's in the Murfreesboro area recently and they perps are just walking around the apartment complex checking doors. We have them on video and it was around 8:30 on Sunday evening when you think people would be more likely to be home. One of our courtesy officers saw them and contacted dispatch for a uniformed back up and they were able to get one of the guys but the other got away. They were doing the same to cars in our area as well. We also have that on video at another apartment complex. So keep those doors locked at all times.

[Guest Ggun]

+1

Not sure why dude slammed you for being in the right state of mind in your home. Though i am fortunate where nothing like this happened in the past to me i can guarantee you the .45 will be in hand pointed in the direction of said 'door knob rattler' if it were to happen.

You dont f with someone's home.

I didn't comment on the OP's situation. However, I might consider moving to a safer place if I had to worry about everyone walking down the hall in an apartment building.

The door rattle is a bit unnerving, I agree.

[poak]

There is always that guy that jumps over the couch and you have to shoot at him for 10 minutes...

The back-flipping Yakuza guy w/ the pony tail, sunglasses, and twin Micro Uzis, right?

[Guest macmonkey]

Living in an apartment you have to be extra forgiving. People frequently go to the wrong door especially if you are, live near or live with someone popular. There are always people coming over and you'd surely be locked away for a long time if you gunned down someone that just happened to stop at the second floor and not the third.

For the sake of not shooting an innocent you've got to be a little more forgiving especially when you share a room with someone else. That's just the way it is.

[Guest bkelm18]

I didn't comment on the OP's situation. However, I might consider moving to a safer place if I had to worry about everyone walking down the hall in an apartment building.

The door rattle is a bit unnerving, I agree.

I've got zero problem with people walking down the hallway. That's not what made me jump to my feet with a firearm, it was the fact they tried the door knob. And I don't know if you watch the news anymore, but there's really no such thing as a safe place anymore. Just because someone rattles the door knob doesn't automatically mean I live in the ghetto. Crime happens anywhere.

Edited April 21, 2009 by bkelm18

[Guest bkelm18]

Living in an apartment you have to be extra forgiving. People frequently go to the wrong door especially if you are, live near or live with someone popular. There are always people coming over and you'd surely be locked away for a long time if you gunned down someone that just happened to stop at the second floor and not the third.

For the sake of not shooting an innocent you've got to be a little more forgiving especially when you share a room with someone else. That's just the way it is.

I live alone. I didn't start blasting the door. However, if they had opened the door, which would have been hard since the dead bolt was locked, they would have been met with a gun in the face with me yelling "Stop or I will shoot".

[bteague2]

I had a situation like that happen, except our door was unlocked because my room mate was still out. It ended up being some of my neighbors that were drunk. Needless to say when I slipped into the living room and lit them up with the surefire (225 lumens at almost point blank), they realized it had been a bad idea. A few days later one of them thanked me for not shooting them.