LockedBreech
New member
Hey all,
I wanted to share this. It happened last summer, but I didn't think to share it here. I like to think of it as a simple reminder: Carry a gun always, or not at all. You cannot predict trouble.
Last year, as I've mentioned before, my friend wanted to get a gun and start shooting. He wanted to spend about $400. Based on my experiences on here, I helped him pick a Stoeger Cougar 8000 F in 9mm. I then helped him learn to shoot with it, and we found an easy-to-acquire locally, easy-to-shoot defense load (124gr Federal Hydra Shok) that fed reliably. No permit was necessary, as Wyoming recently went permitless. I encouraged him to carry whenever possible. The Beretta-derived Cougar, while a bit bulky, is still concealable and I wanted him getting in the habit.
At the time I helped him, I had been carrying 2.5 years or so. I had never had even a close call. After three weeks of carrying, he did. While at home, working a late shift at his restaurant (as a manager, he closes up) the current boyfriend of one of his exes approached.
The restaurant closing at 11 PM, it was close to 12:30 AM by the time my friend got finished with closing tasks. The new boyfriend had been lying in wait. A few weeks before, irritated by his ex's constant texts, my friend had told her to leave him alone . For some reason, this irritated the boyfriend. A recent military (though no longer) member (Army, I think), he was taller and stronger than my friend, and was standing between him and his car in a dark parking lot with no one else in sight.
The boyfriend began belligerently talking to my buddy about what a fag he was, etc, and how he had to be taught to stop running his mouth. My buddy, to my immense pride, had followed my advice and was carrying. He pushed his jacket over the grip of the Cougar, staked with 15+1, and told the boyfriend "Leave me alone right now."
My friend was subjected to the usual tirade of the cowardly against a target suddenly not helpless. What a coward he was. What a weakling. Then he retreated like his rear was on fire.
I carried (and have continued to carry) for years without issue. My mom decades without issue. My friend carried for less than a month, and simply brandishing his weapon was enough to save him from a beating at the very least. In the aftermath, my friend called the police and reported the boyfriend. According to the police, the boyfriend was ordered to stay away and so far has done so. Apparently left the state. Also according to the police, my friend was 100% within his rights.
The lessons and questions and opportunities to learn here are myriad, and the thread about times you've needed your gun made me think of the main one.
1. How many times have you left your gun at home because you didn't predict trouble? My friend certainly didn't predict it leaving work.
2. Are you familiar enough with your gun to be 100% confident?
3. In a situation like this, do guns with any question as to reliability, even just to pass muster at all?
4. Have you thought about getting a friend into guns? You could save a life.
I hope this helps someone in some way. Thanks for reading.
Not that it's related to anything, but I upgrade him to the 147-grain Speer Gold Dot after that, my treat (I'm a heavy for caliber believer).
I wanted to share this. It happened last summer, but I didn't think to share it here. I like to think of it as a simple reminder: Carry a gun always, or not at all. You cannot predict trouble.
Last year, as I've mentioned before, my friend wanted to get a gun and start shooting. He wanted to spend about $400. Based on my experiences on here, I helped him pick a Stoeger Cougar 8000 F in 9mm. I then helped him learn to shoot with it, and we found an easy-to-acquire locally, easy-to-shoot defense load (124gr Federal Hydra Shok) that fed reliably. No permit was necessary, as Wyoming recently went permitless. I encouraged him to carry whenever possible. The Beretta-derived Cougar, while a bit bulky, is still concealable and I wanted him getting in the habit.
At the time I helped him, I had been carrying 2.5 years or so. I had never had even a close call. After three weeks of carrying, he did. While at home, working a late shift at his restaurant (as a manager, he closes up) the current boyfriend of one of his exes approached.
The restaurant closing at 11 PM, it was close to 12:30 AM by the time my friend got finished with closing tasks. The new boyfriend had been lying in wait. A few weeks before, irritated by his ex's constant texts, my friend had told her to leave him alone . For some reason, this irritated the boyfriend. A recent military (though no longer) member (Army, I think), he was taller and stronger than my friend, and was standing between him and his car in a dark parking lot with no one else in sight.
The boyfriend began belligerently talking to my buddy about what a fag he was, etc, and how he had to be taught to stop running his mouth. My buddy, to my immense pride, had followed my advice and was carrying. He pushed his jacket over the grip of the Cougar, staked with 15+1, and told the boyfriend "Leave me alone right now."
My friend was subjected to the usual tirade of the cowardly against a target suddenly not helpless. What a coward he was. What a weakling. Then he retreated like his rear was on fire.
I carried (and have continued to carry) for years without issue. My mom decades without issue. My friend carried for less than a month, and simply brandishing his weapon was enough to save him from a beating at the very least. In the aftermath, my friend called the police and reported the boyfriend. According to the police, the boyfriend was ordered to stay away and so far has done so. Apparently left the state. Also according to the police, my friend was 100% within his rights.
The lessons and questions and opportunities to learn here are myriad, and the thread about times you've needed your gun made me think of the main one.
1. How many times have you left your gun at home because you didn't predict trouble? My friend certainly didn't predict it leaving work.
2. Are you familiar enough with your gun to be 100% confident?
3. In a situation like this, do guns with any question as to reliability, even just to pass muster at all?
4. Have you thought about getting a friend into guns? You could save a life.
I hope this helps someone in some way. Thanks for reading.
Not that it's related to anything, but I upgrade him to the 147-grain Speer Gold Dot after that, my treat (I'm a heavy for caliber believer).
