anyone actually had to draw their gun?

[rdm6680]

I'm interested in the average ccw holder and stories about anyone who has ever had to draw their weapon. Non LEO preferably. What was the situation, the weapon you had, and the emotion that went along with it. How was the situation handled after the encounter. Just trying to get some sort of feeling of the emotion that comes along with actually drawing your weapon God forbid it ever happens. I feel like I know what I would do, but that certainly all changes when adrenaline kicks in. How do you prepare for that?

[fudo]

I've been carrying for 38 years. About 25 years ago, I pulled up to a stop sign behind another car. After a bit without movement, I gave a little toot on my horn. The driver's door popped open and this ratty-looking person jumped out with a 3' axe handle. He raised it over his head and started walking towards my truck. I had a Colt satin nickel Commander in .45ACP tucked in my belt, so I pulled it out, thumbed the hammer back and stuck it out the window and said" I wouldn't." He continued walking towards me, but stopped just at the point where his next step would be his last, and looked me dead in the eye, stopped, turned away.He got back in his car (with5-6 other guys)and left.
Looking back on it, there were some other things I could have done that would have been tactically better. For example, Beating a hasty retreat never crossed my mind, now it would, now, I would be wearing my gun in a holster. At the time left-hand holsters and ambi-safeties were just not available where I lived.
I believe that when he looked in my eyes he could read my intention and didn't want to be dead. I never even thought about any other plan, and never even made a conscious decision about what I would do. It's like I was on auto-pilot. I had no fear either. I knew to a certanty that I was being attacked with a lethal weapon, and he, apparently,understood, that his attack would unsuccessful, and that he would die if he continued his attack.

When we went our separate ways, I pulled over in a parking lot, and the shakes from the adrenalin dump hit me so hard, it took a half hour to calm down.

[Austin P22]

Wow. Thanks for that story. I know there are always good and bad stories about carrying a loaded weapon, but its good to hear more of other people's experiences.

[Firefighterchen]

I made a late night run to the grocery store one night to pick up a few breakfast items and parked on the side of the store. Once I was checking out I realized I left my wallet in the truck and ran outside to get it. When I got around the corner I saw a guy trying to squeeze his arm thru the cracked window (it was a hot day) to unlock the door and steal my wallet and or truck. I said," hey you" and when he turned around I pulled my H&K from my SERPa and just held it muzzle down not pointing it at him just yet since he was empty handed amd said, "not today buddy." Then he took off running and that was that. Didn't feel like dealing with police and the "threat" was gone so I got my wallet paid for my food and left. First time since carrying in the civilian world.

One time about 20 years ago when I was young. I was working 2nd shift 3:30 - midninight, on my way home a truck was tailgating me and a deer jumped out in front of me and I jammed on the brakes to avoid hitting it. The guys in the truck appearently didn't see the deer and thought I braked to annoy them. They tried to pass me but I had a fast car at the time and just left them behind. When I came to town I stopped to get something to eat. They roared into the parking lot as I was getting out of my car and pulled within 3 feet of the back of my car. They both jumped out and the driver pulled a piece of something about 3 feet long out from behind his seat, my car door was still open and I had my Ruger P89 in the side door pocket. I reached down and pulled it out and kept it pointed at the ground but in his direction (low ready). I didn't know Chevy trucks went that fast in reverse with the passanger door still open and a guy only halfway in! I was kind of sick to my stomach after that and got in my car and went home.

I have carried concealed for 45 years and only once have had to pull my gun from its holster. Twenty years ago I had driven to one of the early ATMs to get some cash. My 3 year old son was in his car seat in the rear of my car. As I was about to re-enter the car a young man (early twenties) came around the corner of the stand alone ATM with a paper bag in his hand. I turned toward him and put my hand on the butt of my gun in my inner jacket pocket. He stood about ten feet away and said that he needed a ride to a place about 4 miles away. I looked him in the eye and said that I could not help him and that he would have to find help elsewhere. He then said "I have something in this bag that will make you take me where I want to go." I pulled my gun from its holster and told him to "Turn around and walk away and don't stop till you are out of my sight." He complied. I got into my car and went home. I was surprisingly calm at the time. Later I rethought the matter numerous times and figured he was probably mentally ill and was glad he didn't try to reach in his bag.

There are two instances where I have drawn and indexed a weapon.

First was about three years ago on the way to colorado to do a little jeeping. I was traveling with my wife and kids, along with my brother in law and his family. It was a little after midnight and we stopped in Kansas City to grab some snacks and a restroom break. All the kids were sleeping at the time, and we took turns staying with them and running into the convenience store. My wife and I had returned to the trucks, and my Bro in law had just entered the store with his wife when an old beat up chevy pulled in and six obviously drunk Kid Rock wanna be's climbed out. I just got a weird feeling, and told my wife to find her cell phone and get in the truck. I got behind my trailer did a quick weapon check and tried to stay out of sight, but within sight of the store and my family. Sure enough as soon as four of the chuckle heads got in the store the started knocking stuff over and messing with the clerk. I could see my brother in law in the back of the store staying out of sight and trying to get his wife out of the restroom. As soon as she came out he started the quick determined walk out, and almost made it. Right as he got to the door the loudest dude shoved him from behind and followed him out. Things started happening pretty fast at this point. My BIL pushed his wife as hard as he could towards the truck, BG 1 pulled a knife and the two BG's still standing by the car stuck their arms back in the car windows. My BIL pulled his H&K USP and stuck in BG 1's face, and I came fast walking out from behind the trailer with my 1911 leveled at idiot's 2 and 3 (appearently I was yelling at the top of my lungs but I don't really remember that part). My BIL started saying some really ugly things to these guys. But they got the point. Knife got dropped as did a tire iron and another knife. The three dudes in the store kinda slipped out and over towards the car, I said get the F out, and all 6 left. The only injuries that occured where the scrapes my sister in law got from her husband shoving her to the pavement. We were lucky. I am glad there were two of us that night, because otherwise there would have been bloodshed.
Second time was last summer. I was in my hotel parking lot in St. Louis.I was just grabbing my luggage out of the back seat of my truck, when some one grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. I spun around and there was a panhandler asking for some cash. I took a step back and said "Sorry buddy, just cards, no cash." He got a little worked up and said " Come on I know you got something for me!", I pulled out my LCR and said "Nope. Just this." Then he left. SOB scratched my new pickup with his back pack as he left though. Kinda ticked me off. I had just traveled all the way through IL, so I almost didn't bother putting that little gun in my pocket. But I did and now I always will. This world is too wierd to not. Both times I've been driven to draw, were situations I couldn't of dreamed up if I tried, but they happened, and If I hadn't been prepared I'm not sure what would of gone down.

I'm disabled and unable to fully engage in flight from combat, so sometimes my options are limited to fight. This is one of the reasons I obtained a CCW and trained with my weapon. However, the times I have drawn I have felt fully justified.

The very first time, a friend of mine and I had just exited our vehicle after parking in a huge metro mall parking complex. The BG approached my friend, threw him against his own car and started screaming at him about what he did to his sister, Theresa. The funny thing was, my friend had been going out with Becky for over a year so I knew this had to be a case of mistaken identity! I drew my Ruger .357, pointed it across the roof, and informed BG that he could either let him go or catch bullets. We stared at each other for about 3 seconds (felt like five minutes) and he dropped my friend and ran off. I reholstered, we went in and shopped! To this day he swears he doesn't know Theresa...

Long ago I used to work nights and getting approached by street people was a regular thing. However, one time my polite denial to give away any change I had turned into some harsh words and then two of his friends started to take interest in the conflict even though I was walking away and ignoring it. I drew my gun and turned to face them, dialed 911 and got ready to hit send and said, "I'll call the police and finish it myself if they don't get here in time." They were stunned! They turned and left but I called police and reported the incident just in case.

Third incident was going to pick my wife up and a minivan starts to pull in front of me and slam on his brakes. Every time I change lanes to avoid him, he moves to block me and slams on his brakes. I finally move to the shoulder of the freeway to just let this idiot go on and he pulls to the shoulder as well! I immediately call 911 because I don't know what he's got on his mind when he steps out and starts to walk back towards me. I draw my weapon and point it at him just as I start giving all the details to 911. He stops, stares at the gun, turns and leaves!

I love the fact that my gun has stopped violence every time it has been used. I don't draw it lightly, but I also don't hesitate when I feel I'm in danger.

About 25 years ago, about nine at night, I was coming out of a mall dept. store and was walking back to my van. I saw a large guy walking an intercept course to me, so I got out the keys and when I passed my van, I opened the driver's door ~ got in and locked it with my elbow quick like.

The guy came up to the driver's door and asked "Are you going uptown?" I said "Yes" and glanced into the large bubble mirror on the door. The BG had a very large hunting knife in his right hand and was using the left to very slowly push in on the door button. When he saw it was locked, he started banging on the window glass with the knife.

I grabbed an EMPTY .25 automatic off the engine shroud, jacked it like I was chambering a round, and said "Fella, if you wanna play, we'll play." He then said "No problem!" turned and scampered off.
Scared him and me pretty bad. I went back in to the store and reported it.

Why was it empty? I owned a business back before CC was the law. I could carry inside the business was all. I went to the local city police and asked if there was any way I could carry while taking the daily money to the bank. It was informally agreed I could open carry in the city while transporting the money to the bank w/a full magazine but none chambered. (Rural areas was already OC.) At all times the weapon had to be on the engine shroud. When I dropped the money in the night box, the mag had to come out. Better than nothing, I thought. The only way back then to get a concealed carry permit was to take county "special deputy" training. I had dropped the money at the bank earlier is why the mag was out. The empty auto maybe saved my butt that night.

I've been carrying for 35 years. I had to draw once, never fired.That time, the bg walked right up to the line. He was stopped at a stop sign. I pulled up behind him and waited. After a while, I gave a short toot on my horn. He jumped out of his car and started walking towards me with a 3 foot axe handle raised over his head. I had decided that the next step he took towards me would be his last. I believe that he saw that I was ready and willing to shoot, and decided to leave. There is no doubt that I would have been in desperately bad shape had I not been armed (Colt SN Commander .45) that day. I think about that day when I don't feel like strapping on that SN Commander.

Twice last year. Time number 1 I was in Virginia. A beat up car with expired out of state (Massachusetts) plates ran a stop sign. Man pulled up next to me and started yelling obscenities and then pulled a weapon and started waving it at me. Then he cut me off and braked, forcing me to stop also. He had reholstered his weapon before exiting his vehicle. So, I beat him on the draw upon exiting and dialed 911 on the cell, so that everything was recorded. He said he was a Police Officer and ordered me to put away my weapon. He kept reaching for his weapon, and I warned him repeatedly that if he touched his weapon, I would put a 44. mag slug in him. Local constabularies arrived and it turned out he was an off duty police officer from another jurisdiction. They notified his superiors and sent him on his way with a warning. I was sent on my way also, without further incident as everything was recorded.

2nd incident was in Alabama in April. I was harrassed at night for over 50 miles by a car with 4 young folks in it. When I finally approached a town where I had previously lived and knew my way around, I pulled off of the interstate, dialed 911 drew my weapon and ordered them to put hands where I could see them. Someone yelled, "He's got a gun!!!" and they sped off. When the local police arrived I gave them tag number and vehicle description. Officer asked if I had time to go with him to the registered owners home. I did. The girl driving had gone straight home and the car was parked in the driveway. When questioned, she told the story and identified her friends that were with her (2 girls, 2 guys). They were underage drinking in Chattanooga, TN and got the bright idea to harrass and rob an out of stater on their way home. With my statement and her confession, again I was shortly on my way.

Before that, I had an incident in the early 80's with some dogs on a lonely road, that I had to put down while riding my motorcycle (Road had dead ended and I was turning around).

I've been close twice. Both on my property. My dogs eyeballed three perps one night late and let me in on the party. I let Mickey circle behind while I went to go talk to them. They were up on a house boat stored on the property and when I got a good look at them, it was two middle aged rangy lookin' characters. I ordered them down from the boat with a spot light on them and they complied. The offered the lame explanation of how they were just just showin' the obviously underaged gal with them, what it was like to be on a big river boat. Whatever.

One of them was eyeballin' my .45 which was still holstered. The other started to get a little uppity so I asked mickey to explain things for me. Mickey is a Wolf/Shepard mix and weighs in at around 135. When he bears his teeth and growls, I pay attention so you can imagine their reaction.

I just left my hand on the hilt of my .45 and never did have to draw it.

I held them till the sheriff arrived. The End.

Second time it was about 3 in the morning. A Scraggily lookin' goblin had crawled up on my deck and knocked on the door. He allowed that he was lost and could he use my phone.
I live in an area that is two miles wide and ten miles long. Nearly impossible to get lost unless you are very drunk. He was not.

As I handed him the phone I noticed another goblin bent on no good scampering around the back of the house. I could hear my wife racking the slide on her colt and I had my hand on mine. Shocker here, he could not raise anyone on the phone and so decided to leave by the stairs. A moment later he came back up the stairs and with a sneer on his face remarked that he would leave the way he came and thusly climbed over the deck railing and down the side of my deck, nearly 15 feet.

Again, I did not have to draw my firearm. The barking dogs and my wife racking the slide on her Colt Commander made all the difference in the world. Funny how a little noise can change a person's mind.


"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."
- Jeff Cooper




The Right Site

I posted this scenario on another thread, so I'll skip some of the details. Two men pulled their truck in front of me on the highway, began slowing down, and blocked me when I would try to pass. It was obvious they were trying to force me to stop. The one on the passenger side kept looking back at me, and then turning to talk to the driver.

At the time I had a Taurus model 66 .357 in the glove compartment. I reached over and got it out and laid on the seat. When i looked back up, the one on the passenger side had pulled hs head back in and was talking and gesturing to the driver, and they quickly sped up, pulled away, and exited at the next exit. I wasn't sure what prompted all of that until I realized that when I pulled the gun out of the glove compartment, I inadvertantly raised it above the dash making it visible through the windsheild.

I never knew exacly what their intentions were, but it was obvious that the sight of the gun quodkly altered their plans.

These are a bunch of stories I grabbed from other threads for a different reason...be aware, you might be considered a complete fool in doing these actions...

[rdm6680]

Thanks for the rethreads

[spdracr39]

That was excellent reading thanks for posting all those stories in one place for us !!!

[G50AE]

I once used my neffew's crayons to draw my Glock. I learned from the horrific experience that when it comes to art, I need to stick to either music of photography.

[wooddoctor]

I once used my neffews crayons to draw my Glock. I learned from the horrific experience that when it comes to art, I need to stick to either music of photography.

Gulf, as you type this sort of nonsense are you looking in the mirror and banging the keyboard at the same time? I hope so.