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Have you ever had to draw or shoot your weapon in self-defense?

Have You Ever Had To Draw Your Firearm In Self Defense? - Have You Had To Fire It?

425K views 613 replies 455 participants last post by  robertelachance185 
#1 ·
If you are a CCW holder:

Have you ever had to draw and/or shoot your weapon in self-defense?
 
#61 ·
as CHL--drew on dogs 2 times was about the pull the trigger once, drew in my car once--drove off before anything happened
as LEO--drawn dozens and dozens of times in the few years I've been LEO, 5 times now I've been a split second from pulling trigger
 
#66 ·
No I never had to draw or fire, but I had a firm grasp on my S&W 649 one time. A local nut job came out of the bushes at me and my two dogs on a routine Sunday afternoon, swinging a tree branch as a club and screaming profanities. I ducked and stumbled back and tripped over the dog leashes. I think I shouted "hey, hey". I back peddled like crazy, putting some distance between me and him while controlling the dogs.

I was carrying my 649 OWB that day, loaded with .357 mag, 135 grn Gold Dot hp. At some point I felt the grip in my hand and slowed down and found my footing. I would have drawn if he came any closer. He moved off as fast as he appeared and I never saw him again. I realized at that time how fast and totally unexpected you could be forced into a situation.
 
#199 ·
No I never had to draw or fire, but I had a firm grasp on my S&W 649 one time. A local nut job came out of the bushes at me and my two dogs on a routine Sunday afternoon, swinging a tree branch as a club and screaming profanities. I ducked and stumbled back and tripped over the dog leashes. I think I shouted "hey, hey". I back peddled like crazy, putting some distance between me and him while controlling the dogs. I was carrying my 649 OWB that day, loaded with .357 mag, 135 grn Gold Dot hp. At some point I felt the grip in my hand and slowed down and found my footing. I would have drawn if he came any closer. He moved off as fast as he appeared and I never saw him again. I realized at that time how fast and totally unexpected you could be forced into a situation.
I'm guess'n your mind was a mile away from anything resembling "situational awareness". Tell me if I'm wrong.
 
#67 ·
No/No, and I don't know anyone who has, but I only started carrying recently. It's my understanding from other forums that most of those who end up shooting have ZERO interest in this poll, and have no desire to further recount the event. It seems to remain an incredibly traumatic event in that person's life, as hinted at by jonconsiglio, who surprised me by providing as much detail as he did.

Thus, I suspect the poll results are not reflective of the real accounts, but it is still interesting to those of us who've never been in the situation.
 
#68 ·
I mention it when talking but don't go into much detail. This was 12 years ago now and I'm actually ok with the whole situation. I talk more about the things I did wrong and how I ended up in the situation more often especially when training as there are a number of valuable lessons to be learned and hopefully at least one person has learned something from it along the way.

The fight itself was inevitable. I knew what was going to happen once they were done with me. What should never have happened was the situation itself. There were so many indicators of what was coming and I ignored them all. That's the real lesson and what I usually try to convey when talking about it. Often times I leave all details of the fight itself out and just say something to the effect of "I did what needed to be done so I could go home".

It's amazing how quickly a beautiful Saturday afternoon in a nice area can go to a fight to survive.
 
#70 ·
My wife and I were walking back to our motel after leaving a casino in So. Lake Tahoe around 3:00 am, it was winter with streets deserted. We were being followed by three men at a distance of maybe forty feet. My wife had her gun in her purse. I told her to stop and hand me the gun and let the three men see her do it. When she did, I turned and looked them in the eye holding the gun. They gave a wave and a sheepish grin, turned and walked away.
 
#71 ·
Using it for real...

How many of you have ever had to put your CC permit to use and had to pull your firearm for self defense in real life? Just wondering what percentage of us have actually had to use our rights? :)

I apologize if this has already been asked, couldn't find it.

Tommy in TN
 
#72 ·
How many of you have ever had to put your CC permit to use and had to pull your firearm for self defense in real life? Just wondering what percentage of us have actually had to use our rights? :)

I apologize if this has already been asked, couldn't find it.

Tommy in TN
The presence of a firearm upon my person has twice gotten me out of dicey situations. Guns were not drawn, and shots were not fired either time.
 
#73 ·
been gone over & over every 3 months it seems

basicly few are liking to speak of their events in a open forum..
past references to long ago events im not going to repeat. other than to say--

practice with the gun, take some classes and some martial arts also.
the more you play the 'what-if' game the more likely you will not be suprised and confused if and when something actually happens.

your mind is your best and strongest weapon
using it properly may mean not having to use your gun
 
#74 ·
No and No.

There has been one occasion where I had my hand on a concealed holstered weapon, and I have zero doubt that the action saved my day. (In retrospect, my SA was running just fine, but my wisdom was running slow because I didn't break off.)

Anyway, I'm always glad when I'm armed. It has never hurt me to be armed, and once it probably saved me -- without the gun even being revealed.

As for drawing and not firing, if I'm drawing it is because I'm in fear of my life, so there would be a very high chance that I would fire if I've drawn.

Last thought -- as I get older (I'm still young, 24) I do everything I can to avoid situations that could be dangerous. No bars, avoid banks and pharmacies, no ATMs, not out much after dark, and usually with a group of armed and well trained friends. The 'four stupids' rule is my religion.
 
#329 ·
Probably because those incidents never make the news. All the anti-gunners will talk about is the shootings by crazed lunatics, and never the possibly life-saving instances where someone draws or brandishes a weapon to discourage an attack.
I have never had to draw, but personally know three people who have, one being my father when I was in a car with him a long time ago.
 
#77 ·
Draw on duty in previous job long time back. Shots never fired either direction. First time, I was absolutely amazed by how much sweat my palms can generate (my palms never, ever sweat) and was very happy that I'd swapped the wood grips on my Mod 66 for Pachs.

Cleared house at night (using 870 as primary, not a handgun) to get entire family into barricade. That was not fun at all, and a very long story involving SWAT in neighborhood, but no shots. We've since moved and if I have my way will never again live in a city or town.

Very happy about not firing/being fired at on this side of the ponds. Hope to keep it that way.
 
#80 ·
#81 ·
Drew my Sig P230 back in 1995 in a parking lot across from Lane Tech High School in Chicago. I was in my new car in a parking lot where I owned a business. There was also a Welfare office in the same strip mall and it was payday. I was in traffic when some Chicago Gangbangers threatened and approached my car with bats & pipes they retrieved from a trunk. I exited my one day old Lexus and drew my Sig P230. When they saw the gun they retreated but let me know they knew who I was. I called the police because I knew they would be notified, which was not the case. The police station advised me to obtain a permit to have a shotgun on my premises. I did just that. Later in the afternoon the gangbangers returned to the alley of my business and approached my open back door with threats of bodily harm. I produce the Winchester 1300 defender next to my desk. I never saw them again!No shots fired.

I will say that the excitement of the day and a possible violent encounter made me sick to my stomach and my muscles ached for 3 days.
 
#84 ·
I Don't think prematurely is accurate, the threats were nuetralised before deadly force was used. Not letting them get close enough to cause harm in my case was a good idea in my case. I my opinion. I'm glad police don't shoot every time they draw.
 
#88 ·
The point being made is this... you made it sound like people were drawing prematurely because they didn't have to fire. What he is saying is that there are times when drawing ends the threat. If you think you have to fire ever time you draw you may very well not draw soon enough at some point, or your follow through might result in shooting someone who is no longer a thread (i.e. turning around to run after seeing your gun.)
 
#91 ·
I don't know if this is considered "drawing" or not. While returning early in the morning from my mother's house, I was stopped at a red light in a very questionable part of town. A car full of youths pulled up next to me and started to "cat call" and started to get out of their car. I took my weapon and held it up to the light and checked to make sure I had one chambered. I didn't aim it at them or try to intimidate them with it...just checking. They DID see it :image035: and jumped back in their car and ran the red light to get out of there. Had they not taken the "hint' I would have ran the light myself rather than do a shoot out, but better them than me.

Now I have killed snakes. One with a gun (copper head) and one with a bow (cotton mouth). Didn't shed a tear over either. I did shoot a dog dead once. It was at my brother's and he and hubby were gone. One of his dogs got hit by a car and was laying there screaming in great pain. I knew it would be fatal injuries and couldn't stand to see the dog suffer. His girlfriend couldn't do it...so I did. Hated to have to do it, but don't regret doing it.
 
#94 ·
My point is that in his case, AS SOON AS HE DREW the BG turned around and ran away. Someone in the "if you draw it, you use it" camp would have shot him in the back, because since they drew it, they had to use it. That would put that person in legal "hot water."

My whole point is that drawing your gun does not mean you HAVE to use it. Jon Hodoway, instructor with Massad Ayoob Group (leading experts in the legal aspects of using a gun in self defense), has stated that it is sometimes not the best decision, and in fact, sometimes it is the wrong decision to fire after you draw (e.g., in situations where the BG stops endangering your life).

I was just trying to offer some friendly advise. If you don't want to use it, that's fine. It wasn't meant to be offensive. Just trying to watch for fellow carriers.
 
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