What personal stories do you have of situations where you wished you had gun?

Pipper

New member
Here's mine: I didn't own a gun at the time although I had always been in favor of RKBA.

Approximately three-and-a-half years ago, I was mugged outside of my apartment complex late one Saturday night. I was carrying a bundle of suit jackets and ties (I had been shopping that day) among other things when I noticed a car pull up a short distance behind me: I initially assumed that someone was dropping off a friend. I began to walk on, but something inside told me to look over my shoulder: I saw a man running toward me with a gun pointed at me. He was a car length away, but in such a position that I made a split second decision to drop everything and run for my life. I ran, instead of obeying him and giving him what he wanted, because I had heard of a number of incidents where muggers simply shot their victims and took what they wanted. I also heard a police officer on a radio show state that if a mugger tries to force you into a car (to take you to ATM machines, for example), you should either fight or run: if you get into the car, you will be killed.

As I ran, I cringed in fear as I listened for shots being fired, expecting to be hit in the back. The mugger did not shoot; however, I had no idea whether or not he was pursuing me. Since I was running at top speed, I soon ran out of breath. I cannot adequately express to you the fear and utter helplessness that I felt as I realized that I could absolutely run no farther and turned to see if my attacker was behind me. If he was behind me, I had no strength to fight or run further: I would be totally at his mercy. I thought briefly that my loved ones have no idea what’s going on right now. Fortunately, he did not pursue, and I escaped unhurt while only losing some new neckties. I read subsequently in the local newspaper that approximately 20 similar incidents had been perpetrated by what police suspected to be the same pair of suspects over the same weekend: victims who had not been as fortunate as I had had guns pointed at their heads and were told repeatedly that they would be killed. Thankfully, none of the victims were killed.

I and my wife now each own a handgun and have our CHL. We practice regularly and are prepared to use our guns in self defense.

What are your stories? Did an incident convince you to purchase a gun? Did you use a gun in self defense? Did you own a gun but not have it with you?

Pipper
 
Thankfully, the only time I thought I was going to need one, I had one. Also thankfully, the situation rapidly de-escalated without the firearm ever even entering into the equation.

I believe that I may go through the rest of my life and never need a gun. But if I ever do need one, I'll need it very badly and very quickly.

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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein
 
Damn! Glad you're still around to tell the story. I have NONE. I have had a sidearm on my person virtually from the day I got my Concealed Pistol Permit (South Dakotan for CCW :)) 16 years ago. I have forgotten the gun on some "5 minute trip" type excursions, but those days are GONE. I actually feel "naked" without a gun these days. Now if you'd asked about "draw/no draw" stories; those I have a few of.....NO shots fired, but I'd still like to FORGET EVERY ONE. Take Care- Dakotan
 
I've had plenty of situations where I was glad I did have a gun on me. Makes all the difference in the world in your mental state and calmness.

Only once, about 10 years ago, did I wish I had a gun on me. I was mugged outside my apartment-on my doorstep. My wife and I were going over to a friends house for dinner. I forgot to grab my last two beers to bring to dinner-(this is important 'cause it was sunday eve, and no alcohol sales in my state on sunday). These would be the only beers my buddy and I would have for dinner. (wives don't care for beer).My wife went to the car and got in, I went back inside to grab the beers. As I stepped backwards out to close the door , a man gets me in a bearhug from behind, and whispers in my ear to go back inside. I shut the door(with my hands pinned at my side), and said "nope". Then he said he wanted my wallet. I broke free, turned and faced him, raising a beautiful bottle of St. Pauli's Girl above my head and said, "All your gonna get is this bottle upside your head!" Right at that moment-I realized I had commited 50% of my beer reserves to the fight, and regretted it!( I really like beer) He backed down, and took a few steps away. For some reason, I turned my back on him and walked away, like he didn't even matter. He followed me-I told my wife to lock the car. We got to the car, he muttered something and turned and ran off.

Later, I wished I had a gun, and shortly therafter I got one, although a full bottle of beer seemed to work that time.
 
When I was 18 my wife and I met some friends to go bowling.We met them at the ally and had a good time.We then decided to go get something to eat. We followed them down the road,when a bunch of deer ran out in front of them.They hit one.They pulled over and so did I. I told my wife to stay in the car because I had a feeling what I was going to see.His truck wasn't hurt bad,but the doe was busted up real bad.She laid on the berm trying to get up.I was not old enough to own a handgun, and since it was not hunting season I had no rifle or shotgun.
A man finially came and killed the deer,but it just wasn't fast enough.That sucked! It just goes to show that a gun is handy for more than just protection. Now I NEVER leave home without one!
CALVIN
" IM THE NRA! "
 
The night before a huge sale we had down in the Canal Zone (Panama) a few months back comes to mind.

Two mulatto teen-agers (16-18) pounced on me and my boss as we came out of a pizza hut. I could not tell if they were armed or not, it went down damned fast! My boss(sheeple, God bless him) stood around in stunned shock as I ran after the two little buggers that had swiped our wallets, passports. and cell phones. I managed to get our passports before they split up and raced down a dark alley in downtown Colon.

Not wanting to risk death or severe harm, I discontinued my pursuit. I don't know that a gun would have helped, but my Panamanian friends told me that later that night, the same guys held up and killed a man. And to think I was considering moving to that place....
 
Whenever I have needed it, I have had one with me. I wear one at home, at the office, even when I go to the bathroom, go out to get the mail, mow the lawn, change the oil in the truck, wash the car, work on the motorcycles in the garage, out on the boat SCUBA diving, walking the beach, at the swimming pool, even when I take a shower one is sitting within reach. The only time I don't carry is when I go to Las Vegas, I feel very safe there. If you do not carry all the time and you ever shoot someone, you better be able to explain why that day you chose to carry a gun. It will be made to look premeditated.
 
Yeah, there have been a few where I would have felt much more comfortable knowing I had one. Unfortunately, I live in New Jersey and I'm not legally permitted to defend myself. Makes me sick. :( Guess I'll just keep writin' those letters and forkin' over cash to the NRA.

Horny Toad


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--NRA Life Member--
 
There are a lot of options short of employing the use of a firearm, maybe the knowledge of it's existence gives us the confidence to employ them. Would anyone who has escaped a situation while unarmed have done it differently if you had been armed? If so, you may have exercised it's use prematurely, or unjustifiably.

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The Bible is my lawbook. I turn the other cheek when applicable, and spend the rest of my days resisting evil at every front, until I have breathed my last breath.
 
Yeah, confidence is good. The only time I can think of when circumstances made me wish I had one (I always wish I could carry in a general sort of way) were a couple of strange moments that seemed like I was being sized up or challenged. Either I misunderstood or I passed, because I was not attacked. But if I had been, it would have been nice to have more than my dinky knife ready to defend myself.
 
Tough subject here. Once I saved myself from a possible carjacking with an UNLOADED 1851 Colt .44! I had just bought it a few hours before, and when I saw the situation I was about to be in, I took it out of the box and figured if the sight of it didn't work I could beat him with it! It worked! :D
I have also put a dead stop to TWO attempted rapes, one with my own gun. The other was at a party at a friends house, where people we didn't know showed up. When I heard a cry for help from a back room, I grabbed my friends double-barreled 20, kicked in the door, and "went to work"!
Then there was another time I didn't carry.
Me and a buddy were shooting pool at this little beer joint when this VERY rough looking dude strolled in. I smelled trouble and sure enough, he pulls out an 9mm and orders everybody outside! Me and my friend busted out a window and took off to a pay phone next door where I called 911.
All the while watching this creep line everyone up along the wall outside the bar, and yell out that he was "gonna' kill 'em all!"
Well this creep also had a "friend" who was watching ME on the phone. The cops were there in 30 seconds flat (it seemed), put the bad guy BACK in jail (he just got out that day), and nobody was hurt! :)

Except for me! The guy that was watching me let me bust my face on his fist a time or two after the cops left, but it was worth it because if I hadn't called, several people would have been hurt, and if I'd have carried, it probably would've ended sooner.

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We ARE the Militia!

[This message has been edited by Outlaw1 (edited February 09, 2000).]
 
About 30 years ago I was driving on I95 from Orlando to Jacksonville FL. Just beyond Daytona Beach traffic slowed to a stop. All of a sudden, the passenger door was jerked open (I was in total condition white) and a black male jumped into the car and insisted that I drive him to Jacksonville.

He was a HUGE fella, but didn't display any weapons. He muttered to himself the entire hour and I was scared poopless!

Luckily, nothing tragic occured. I drove straight to Baptist Medical Center where my Mom worked, jumped out of the car with my keys and ran to the security shack. My 'passenger' booked.

If I'd had a gun, I wouldn't have been so careless.
 
I was with my brother, who drove a fuel truck for a local distributor out of San Antonio, TX. We's droppped the load in Del Rio, and was on the way back to SA, and stopped in Kerrville, to fuel the truck, and stretch the legs.
We'd just left Kerrville, heading back to SA on I10, several miles out of town, and noticed a little MAzda car off the side of the road, and there were a couple of young ladies in front of the car. My brother and I both decided to stop, thinking it unusual to see something like that @ 2 AM. After stopping, I noticed the girls (early 20's??) running up to the truck on my side. I also sort of caught sight of the car creeping up on us too, and thought that odd. The bells should have been ringing loudly, but weren't.

Anyway, one of the girls climbed up my side of the truck, and got in, crying, and screaming to the other girl. Something was definitely not right here!. And the other girl hollering back to her, that she couldn't just go with these two guys, that she didn't know them. The girl in the truck refused to leave.
That's when the two guys came into the picture, one of them started dragging the girl out of the truck. My brother realized what was going on, and went around the truck to find out what was going on. That's when TSHTF!! The two from the car jumped my brother, and started on him. I couldn't just watch this happen, so I got out of the truck, and drew attention to myself, so they came after me then. And yes, I got my ass kicked. But it got them off my brother long enough to get a tire thumper, and convince them of the error of their ways.

I was unconscious by then, I guess they had me down, and was kicking me in the head. My brother looked like he met up with Mike Tyson. I wound up with a concussion, but nothing life threatening.

And what started all this?? We found out the girl who ran from her friends? She found out that the two guys were gang bangers from SA, and that they had some plans for her when they got back to SA. Apparently, she was going to be initiated into their gang, and she decided she wasn't having any of it.
I suspect if these guys had had a weapon with them, I'd now be dead. No doubt!!

If I, or my brother would have had a weapon, I firmly believe I could have averted the situation all together.

I have no regrets however. We saved this girl from a ruined future, and likely an early demise. I would hope another would be willing to go the extra mile for mine as well.

Best Regards,
Don

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The most foolish mistake we could make would be to allow the subjected people to carry arms; history shows that all conquerers who have allowed their subjected people to carry arms have prepared their own fall.
Adolf Hitler
 
Ok, so it's mundane:
At home, quiet, alone, rural setting, night. For no apparent reason, the garage door opener activated. I suddenly became very aware that I had no weapons handy...sure, there are items in the house, but not at hand. Turned out to be a jammed door opener button that finally triggered...but when doors start opening by unknown means one becomes alarmed.
 
Okinawa Japan. About 15 drunken Marines tried to pull me and my girlfriend out our car, as they were doing to every car driving down the sea wall that night. Fortunately after repeated pleas from me, my girlfriend snapped back into reality and hit the accelrator just as they were getting our seatbelts infastened. I think she ran over someone's foot that night. Hope it was crushed.



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Check Your Premise
 
From about the age of 8 to 14 or so (when I finally left Russia, someone please nuke that place now that I am out) I could look forward to getting harrassed or beaten in school and afterwards by classmates or just complete strangers hunting others for kicks.

I had badly wanted a PPSh41 and at least four drums for it. I understood the concept of self-defense and also knew that half-measures would likely get me ambushed later. Learned to run away fast but did not always have that option. Started checking out impact weapons right before escaping from USSR...probably would have got myself killed but that was what I was going to get anyway...

Never again. THAT is why I like to teach people how to shoot...reducing the popluation of predators would be lovely. Here's a picture from before I got guns of my own but was getting curious... http://www.dd-b.net/olegv/oleg/sm_oleg_sks.jpg
 
First one: Walking to my car at the Mall of America shopping ramp at eleven at night. Nobody around but a guy following me about fifty yards back. I would stop, he would stop. I would walk, he would walk. Thankfully I got to my car and sped away. Don't know if he was friend or foe, but I would've felt better had I been carrying.

2: Out driving in the country and hit a big ol' racoon. I must've busted the thing's leg cause it was flipping and twisting around in the road and making awful noises.
Had I a gun, I would've put him down with minimal additional pain.
But, since I was unarmed I just ran over his head with my car.
I know it sounds really cruel, but I just hate seeing any animal (family pet or garbage critter) suffer.
So, I killed the racoon, but would've rather just shot 'em.

3: Delivering pizzas to a closed business where people were putting in some overtime. I was told someone would wait at the door, but they never do. I ended up walking around the entire building knocking on all doors and windows. The neighborhood was kinda icky and I hated being away from my car (with it's CB) and wandering in the open with a hot pizza and two hundred in cash.
No unsavory persons appeared that night, but I didn't like the unlit areas and tough delivery. (A common MO of delivery driver robbers is to order food to a house where noone is home. As you stand at the door waiting in vain for someone, you are jumped from behind.)

Have gun, will carry. -Kframe
 
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