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Here is a, "what would you have done thread?"

2K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  gunsavey 
#1 ·
Ok, so maybe two years ago I was out working in a not so good area. I was in a power line right of way in between a canal and the manufacturing plant that was the source of the contamination in the area (hence the reason I was there). So, I am standing by the passenger door of the truck pumping nasty water out of the ground when I look up to see a tall man holding a rifle across his body walking towards me. He was coming from the adjoining neighborhood (definitely part of the not so good area) and walking over the earthen bridge over the culvert in the canal. I am just under 6' 1" and could tell he was taller than I was. At this point I opened the door and got behind it and contemplated drawing.

Given the situation up to this point what would you have done?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
HotGuns said:
Nothing.

He was not acting in a threatening manner. He was walking toward you with a rifle. Its no big deal.

You would have been unjustified in drawing on him. To do so would have put the act of aggression on YOU...not on him. How would you expect somone to respond ?

Plus...you would have violated one of the rules of gunfighting...
which is to never bring a pistol to a rifle fight...

If he had any intention of harming you he could have owned you from a ways off.
This was what my mind was thinking after I got behind the car door. He had a rifle, was walking towards me, was probably 20-30 yards away when I saw him, but he wasn't acting in a threatening manner. So, I put myself in the best cover/concealment I had on hand and remained very alert.

It soon became apparent that this tall man was a very tall kid, probably 15 or 16 years old and the rifle was a very realistic looking BB/pellet gun. He was probably 15 yards from me when I ascertained that he was just a kid out shooting frogs and such with his BB gun. He saw me and figured he would come over to see what I was doing never thinking about how he looked.

I thought about saying something to caution him from walking up to strangers with the gun like he did, but couldn't think of a way to word it that sounded non-threatening enough so I just let it go.

I do remember thinking afterwards about the second I took to recognize a potential threat and get behind the door. I mean I looked at this guy with what I thought was a rifle and just stood there staring in disbelief for a second. It scared me a bit even though I was happy that it ended the way it did. I did go through the what if a couple of times before I chalked it up to experience and decided to move quicker next time instead of staring like a deer in the headlights.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
acparmed said:
I agree with HG and Sheldon as well.

Besides, if it had been a hunting rifle, the door would have done you no good for cover. Behind the engine block would be the better choice for defense.
Don't I know it. It was just the quickest thing I could think of to get a little concealment. I just didn't react quick enough and didn't want to turn my back to get behind the car (the car was facing him and he was walking towards the front of the car on the passenger side). I was in West Palm Beach at the time so knew he wasn't out hunting.
 
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