The garbage man incident.

This is far less severe than it really is, but I got some good practice in clearing the house. Yesterday Im in my basement on the phone with a coworker chattin it up when all the sudden I hear a very loud BANG. The whole house literally shook.
"oh boy, the wolves are at door." is what I thought, Told my coworker I'd call him back and immediately hung up. I had the XD right next to me coz I brought it in from the car immediately after I got home, charged it up and cleared the house. Then I went outside to see what was happening, nobody at the front door, the porch, anywhere. Nothing on the roof either, so I put Jerry (my petname for the XD) in the back of my waist coz the neighbors have a daycare and the kids were out and about, didnt want to alarm them. walked up to one of the parents who was in the street and asked if they heard the same thing. Jen, the owner of the daycare came out said

"yeah, it was a garbage truck that just came through and exhaust backfired."

"Jeez, that scared the snot outve me. It sounded like a shotgun going off."

"Dont worry Steve, the neighborhood's safe, the Chinese aren't invading."

They know I have guns in my house and have kind of designated me the neighborhood watchdog. I couldn't help but laugh afterwords.

That was kind of funny, but I understand why you reacted in the way you did. Good that it was only an exhaust that backfired.

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Originally Posted by xsigma40cal

This is far less severe than it really is, but I got some good practice in clearing the house. Yesterday Im in my basement on the phone with a coworker chattin it up when all the sudden I hear a very loud BANG. The whole house literally shook.
"oh boy, the wolves are at door." is what I thought, Told my coworker I'd call him back and immediately hung up. I had the XD right next to me coz I brought it in from the car immediately after I got home, charged it up and cleared the house. Then I went outside to see what was happening, nobody at the front door, the porch, anywhere. Nothing on the roof either, so I put Jerry (my petname for the XD) in the back of my waist coz the neighbors have a daycare and the kids were out and about, didnt want to alarm them. walked up to one of the parents who was in the street and asked if they heard the same thing. Jen, the owner of the daycare came out said

"yeah, it was a garbage truck that just came through and exhaust backfired."

"Jeez, that scared the snot outve me. It sounded like a shotgun going off."

"Dont worry Steve, the neighborhood's safe, the Chinese aren't invading."

They know I have guns in my house and have kind of designated me the neighborhood watchdog. I couldn't help but laugh afterwords.

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By charging it up, do you mean chambered a round? If so why are you carrying it without 1 in the chamber? In the time it takes to draw your gun, and chamber a round, it could all be over in a SHTF scenario.

The thread should be more accurately titled "The Garbage Truck Incident"

" had the XD right next to me coz I brought it in from the car immediately after I got home, charged it up and cleared the house."

You're going to catch a lot of flack over that, but if that's how you keep it and you're comfortable with it, that's fine. You are the only one who has to answer for it.

This may sound like a stupid question to you all what is an XD??

XD is a type of gun.

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Originally Posted by RR9501

This may sound like a stupid question to you all what is an XD??

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It's a pistol made by Springfield Armory. They make it chambered in 9mm .40 and .45

http://www.springfield-armory.com/



At any rate, sounds like you did a decent job xsigma. Old Vet is right, you probably will catch flack if you don't carry with 1 in the chamber already, but if you have your reasons, then don't let anyone tell you one way is better than the other.

when I'm at home and my pistol isn't on my hip i only take the chambered round out when there are children in the house

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They know I have guns in my house and have kind of designated me the neighborhood watchdog. I couldn't help but laugh afterwords.

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The last place we live in Tennessee, the neighbors knew we had guns and that we carried, but that was because EVERYONE on our street had guns and carried too. And I mean EVERYONE. But, since moving up here to God-forsaken Indiana, I do not as of yet know all my neighbors. So as a result, I find that I am not letting anyone know what I do or do not have in the house nor that I carry. My fear being that I do not know if I might have some scum bag neighbors that I am not aware of that the word may get to who want to break in and help themselves to my belongings.

The older I get, the more weary I become of sharing anything like that with just about anyone.

Sounds like you reacted well to me. Also, pretty funny comment from your neighbors.

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Originally Posted by INccwchris

when I'm at home and my pistol isn't on my hip i only take the chambered round out when there are children in the house

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Why?

The gun under such condition being off body should then be stored properly as secured; I.E. Kept in a locked container.

I have two kids (8 and 4) and children are at my home all the time daily including right now visiting for play groups and parent visits. We have a pool. : \

I keep one handgun and a cache of mags & ammo in a locked ammo can inside my home office as under durable quality lock & key. The key ring stays and travels with me. Backup keyring is hidden in my office (only I know it is existent) and the secondary backup remains locked inside my range kit box..Also under durable quality lock & key.

The gun & ammo box gets unlocked when I come in to sit and work and is locked when I leave the office (lunch or bathroom break) to be unlocked upon my return.
All my other guns in the house including those in my bedroom (night time HD handgun and shotgun also with mags & ammo) are individually stored as locked gun and ammo.

All of my defensive handguns (1911s) are kept be they stored or carried on my person as in Condition One, round chambered and ready for use once touched. Completely safe.

Children regularly cycle and charge/chamber found as unsecured firearms, to subsequently harm themselves. : |

- Janq

I felt it was the neighborly thing to do, telling them I have weapons, since they got kids that are running all over the place. Its not like Im a predator or anything.

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Originally Posted by xsigma40cal

I felt it was the neighborly thing to do, telling them I have weapons, since they got kids that are running all over the place. Its not like Im a predator or anything.

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They got kids running into your house? If not they still don't need to know. You're a gun owner, not a sexual predator registered with the state whose crime is public knowledge. If I could legally own a Stinger missile launcher and kept one in my garage in case the Reds ever attacked by air, my neighbors still would not need to know.

Now I'm not saying you're doing a horrible thing by telling them, just saying they don't *need* to know.