Ever drawn your weapon?

[BestDefense=StrongOffense]

Just don't second guess yourselves into insanity. You're going to replay the incident over and over again for a long time, years even. The key is to always recognize that the two main objectives were achieved

1. The threat ended
2. You went home that night

[QuackXP]

I've drawn and fired my firearm hundreds of times while practicing at the range or receiving training.

Out in public, I've gone to condition orange a handful of times but never touched my firearm.

Searched the house after retrieving my firearm from the bed stand after hearing what I though was banging on the door. Turned out to be the drunk neighbor banging on the wall.

[PennsyPlinker]

I have had two times. One turned out to be humorous. It was not funny then, but it was a little while later when I had settled down.

Many years ago - about 20-21 years ago - we still lived in the city. I was out late one night walking the dog, when I came to a corner a few blocks from our house. It was poorly lit by a single street light. Across the street on one of the porches I could hear low conversation and glass clinking, as well as see some glowing cigarette butts. It was dark, so I could not see anything over there. All of a sudden, out of the dark a strange dog lunged toward us, snarling, snapping, and slowly advancing. I started yelling at it to go home. Someone on the porch started yelling,

"Get 'im boy, get 'im!"

It was accompanied by laughter from several people as well as more encouragement for the hostile dog.

The dog started advancing again. My brave dog, who had been abused by a former owner, was cowering behind my legs, wrapping me in the leash. At this time in my life of carrying, I did not keep one in the chamber. I drew my pistol, racked the slide, and pointed it directly at the dog that was coming for me. I knew he would not understand that action, but I figured if he lunged and tried to bite me, I could at least shoot him.

As soon as I did that, there was instant silence on the porch. After about five or six seconds, I heard one small voice very quietly say,

"Come on home boy. Don't bother that man. Come on boy."

I kept the gun pointed down at low ready, and turned my head and just stared at the porch until the dog disappeared back into the darkness on the steps. The porch remained completely silent. I turned slowly and walked away at a 90 deg angle, watching out of the corner of my eye for the dog or for a person to come out, but no one was making a sound. I took a different route home, and from that point on, walked the dog either in daylight or by a different route. Nothing more ever came of it.

As for the other incident, I may have written it down at some point, but now I stick to telling the story verbally. It took place about a year or so after the one above.

[brsims]

Drawn twice, used once. But that was with blades, not firearms. Is why I still carry blades occassionally. I like the extra options, and I get to keep weapons in different areas of my person.

Besides, I consider a blade to be a non-lethal (or lethal, depending on where I use it) option.

I will say that finding myself in a situation where I needed a weapon to save myself was the hands down scariest situation I have ever been in. I don't honestly think I have ever been as scared as I was that day. What is amazing to me is that I remember every single detail to this day with crystal clarity.

They (whoever the hell 'they' may be) will claim "time slows down". It doesn't. The adrenaline hit gets your brain to process faster, maybe. But my reactions weren't any faster than they are in training.

And when my mind (who is a right bastard at times) lets me relive the experience while I'm asleep, its the light reflecting of the FMJ tip of that bullet that was on track for right between my eyes.

No...I didn't kill. I struck fast to wound and got the fuck out of there. I doubt it was ever reported to the LEO's. But I'm not one for taking alot of chances. Or offering alot of details. Suffice to say it was in one of our great nation's 'victim disarmament zones'.

[MR D]

many occaisions - little over eight years in the Army. As a civilian - a few times, discharged at a perp one time - he still carries the bullet as a reminder in the consequences of "poor victim selection". It is all in the police reports on yellowing paper...

[TTR]

Thank goodness NO.. Not even close and I CC everywhere, where it is legal of course..

[mpan72]

I had a time very recently that I drew mine, but until a little time passes, I'm not willing to post details. Just know that regardless of necessity, drawing your weapon is something that will haunt you. If you really are a person of sound mind and judgement and of good moral character, then like me, you will Monday morning quarterback yourself for a while...I didn't fire, but I keep looking back thinking if there were things I could have done differently. I've talked to a few rather prominent members on here and they've said that they would have reacted the exact same way that I did and that I handled everything perfectly, but I still look back wondering if things could have gone different...

Like I said, I will post more details at a later time, and you can see them on my OC thread when I feel comfortable enough to do so, but as of right now, I'm just not ready...

I have had to draw once or twice. I posted in here on the forum sometime last year. It has not haunted me. I can see why it might haute some people but with the way I look at things It did not bother me in the least. I have never had to shoot someone so I am not sure how well I would handle that but I don't think it will affect me as much as many others.

If that sounds cold, believe me it isn't. I have just done a lot of thinking on this subject and I have been through much already in my life.

[Kabloosh]

Drawn twice, used once. But that was with blades, not firearms. Is why I still carry blades occassionally. I like the extra options, and I get to keep weapons in different areas of my person.

Besides, I consider a blade to be a non-lethal (or lethal, depending on where I use it) option.

I will say that finding myself in a situation where I needed a weapon to save myself was the hands down scariest situation I have ever been in. I don't honestly think I have ever been as scared as I was that day. What is amazing to me is that I remember every single detail to this day with crystal clarity.

They (whoever the hell 'they' may be) will claim "time slows down". It doesn't. The adrenaline hit gets your brain to process faster, maybe. But my reactions weren't any faster than they are in training.

And when my mind (who is a right bastard at times) lets me relive the experience while I'm asleep, its the light reflecting of the FMJ tip of that bullet that was on track for right between my eyes.

No...I didn't kill. I struck fast to wound and got the fuck out of there. I doubt it was ever reported to the LEO's. But I'm not one for taking alot of chances. Or offering alot of details. Suffice to say it was in one of our great nation's 'victim disarmament zones'.

Should always consider a blade as a lethal option just like a firearm even if you hit potentially non vital areas.

[GruGrux515]

I drew once. I was sitting at my kitchen table one night around 9pm and all of a sudden I hear the front door open. We weren't expecting anyone. I rushed to the door and through my body into the door and locked it and looked out and saw a Hispanic male walking away. Not to be racist in any amount but the small quiet area I live in there are no minorities and I guess it sent me into higher alert. I rushed up the stairs and got my 9mm out of the safe and came back down and looked out the window again and he was standing behind my car. I opened the door and asked him what he was doing. I had my gun in my hand at my side. He must of seen it bc his response was mumbled. Apparently he was at the wrong apt but I told him around here we ring door bells we just dot walk in.

Needless to say I pissed off my neighbor but I could careless

[brsims]

Should always consider a blade as a lethal option just like a firearm even if you hit potentially non vital areas.

Very true. One person's circulatory system is not an exact copy of another's. A strike on me may not be fatal. An exact same strike on another may open a vein/artery and cause fatal bleedout before medical attention can be located and offered.

Suffice to say that a fatal strike was not my intention. I struck for the arm holding the firearm to disable, and removed myself from the area. If I hadn't had a good target of opportunity on the arm, my second choice was the throat and that would have been intentionally fatal. A 'slash' is a much faster strike than a 'stab' or thrust. And a slash across the throat will invariably strike a major blood vessel. A slash on the outer portion of the forearm is less likely to strike a major blood vessel, although crippling muscle damage may be incurred. I had a clearer shot at the outer portion of the forearm, so that's the strike I took.

Beyond that, it was all a matter of practice and muscle memory. I very seriously doubt that I would be alive if I hadn't spent so much time learning and practicing some very fast and lethal moves with a blade.

Thankfully, a very good friend of mine was an extremely skilled and experienced 'knifefighter' (he always claimed that title sarcastically) who took the time to give me some pointers and made me practice daily when I was much younger.