OK..I'll share two stories

[Franky4Fingers]

I see everyone else sharing a storing, so I'll do the same.

Now, while these stories may go off topic for this forum, they do originate in CC'ing. That's why I'm placing them here.

Whilst CC'ing out doing some yardwork I stop to chat with my neighbor. Now from reading my previous posts, this is a neighbor on the "green side" of the neighborhood, not the projects. But after reading this story, maybe my side isn't so "green" afterall. (green doesn't mean environmentally friend, but a good neighborhood verses a bad one, as in a red neighborhood)

I get along with these neighbors, they are very friendly to me and I chat with them for hours often. Although after learning some recent things I'm not so personable with them anymore.

The neighbor above us was robbed last winter and these neighbors below me were vandalized around the same time. We have kids constantly behind us because there is a small patch of trees so it hides their smoking, drug dealing..general mischief. However, its still right in the middle of town. She wanted to inform me that while she was going to get her garbage can two kids were walking down the middle of the road (because all the project people are too incredibly retarded to use the sidewalk for some reason so they walk literally in the middle of the road) they were still stupid enough to keep talking while she was standing right there. The one kid said to the other "Yeah, Devin said hes going to break into that house one of these days"

We have no idea which house, but it was either hers or mine. So far we have been vandal and robbery free. I wonder if its because of the precautions I take? I always park in the garage, this way no one knows if we are gone or home, that way people watching dont figure out a pattern. I also display my home security sign and stickers, we have our backyard completely fenced in with a vinyl fence that is 4 feet high that we let our 2 dogs run around in. I have Labs, not little yipper dogs. I also open carry when coming home from a motorcycle ride before I go in the house and I get lots of stares.

Anyway, back on topic. I inform her that I don't care if they are teenagers or not, they will get the standard warnings of "stop, I have a gun" and if they pursue they will be deader than dead. The crime in our city has go to stop, its getting sad for such a small city to have so much crime as it does. I told her I even carry while out doing yard work because I hear all sorts of stories that when some people see an open garage door they will walk right in. I also have a personal problem...or at least did... of a woman walking right through my yard from the trees to the projects across the street. I put up infrared sensors outside to chime when someone passes through the yard and also put up a personal property sign and no trespassing sign in my yard. I made it a point to put up those two personal signs because some of those people don't have a concept that people can own individual property, they think the government owns everything and some people our homes are projects as well even though they are new, decorated, and well kept, and most of all, they are off of the project property all together. However, I have gotten within feet of this woman and yelled right in her face as she walked by me...things like "Hello, can I help you?" , "Stop, this is my personal property, your not allowed on here" etc. etc. She never once even acknowledged I was there, it was like I was mute and invisible.

Ok..got distracted from the computer, I lost my train of though so sorry if this is a little off, but I'll continue. I'll tell my neighbor that I CC everywhere now and she was all for that. I even said about how since the neighbors above us were robbed I'm really on edge now. And that one morning my wife hears a loud noise from their house (the person I'm talking to's house) and my dogs went nuts. My wife thought something was going down and woke me up. In wasting no time, I hop to grab my gun, never even got dressed...I'm in my gym shorts that I sleep in, walking through the yard. I told the wife to get ready to call the police (because we weren't sure if anything was even going on). I step outside and look around and see or hear nothing. I said what happened? She said, she heard a loud noise, the dogs went nuts, then she saw something long and black sticking out the back door/window, then get pulled back in. I said that was messed up, she then followed with it looked like maybe something was thrown through the window or something. So we called the neighbors with no answer. So we called their cell phone and they answered and assured us up and down everything was fine. We thought that was messed up even more, but said OK and went back to our business. I will also add that over time this same thing happened several more times puzzling us even more.

So I forced out of the neighbor what the hell was going on. Here the jackasses put feeders out for the birds...well more animals eat food other than birds. The squirrels were eating the food and they didn't want squirrels for God knows what reason...SO...right in the middle of the city they think it perfectly legal, safe, and morally acceptable to just start shooting squirrels with a firearm and leave the squirrels lay dead. I don't know if they ever killed any or not, but its the thought that counts. Hopefully they were bad shots and hit the trees to stop the bullets. They never even figured that maybe its their own fault for putting out feeders and attracting squirrels, birds, chipmunks, rabbits, deer (yes, right in the middle of town deer showed up, I was shocked) So they find it perfectly fine to start discharging firearms right in the middle of town to poach these animals (with exception of the deer). She then realized what she had just spilled to me and tried to cover it up saying she was using a BB gun. Yeah right, BB guns break the sound barrier and make a loud crack loud enough to be heard INSIDE neighboring homes and buildings.

Then she goes on to say the hospital helicopter pisses her off and she feels like coming out and shooting it sometimes, obviously a joke, but to even say that is a bit far. I mean, I bet if she was in a bad car wreck and was transported in the helicopter it wouldn't be so annoying. Besides, you hear the thing for two seconds and its gone. Its not a big deal. Being its saving human life, I think we can put up with it once in a while. It doesn't happen that often. Not to start an argument with a neighbor I let this go and just change the subject. Somehow it goes to assault weapons, or should I say, replicas, the semi auto versions many of us have. That was the line for me. She just comes out of nowhere and says "I don't think people should have those, all they are used for is killing people". I'm like OOOOOOOK. She then says we have an arsenal of guns in our house but no assault weapons. I said, "mmmm, ever hear of target shooting? I do it all the time. I use to hunt as a kid, but now I just shoot targets. And what if you bought your gun for protection, they yes, your gun is for killing people. Doesn't mean your gonna shoot the place up. Some people buy junk just to collect, do you have anything in your house that you don't need but own anyway?.....we all do. And besides, those aren't even assault weapons, they are replicas, semi auto just like the guns you have in your house, they just have different stocks on them to make them look different" She didn't have much comment after that, the subject soon changed and we went on talking about a bunch of other random stuff for about an hour, then good nights were said and I didn't get my lawn work done.

Now I'll repost for story two to break the post up some.

[Franky4Fingers]

This was about 2 weeks ago. Right out in the middle of the street...literally. Were two people standing, a young man and woman, SCREAMING at the top of their lungs arguing about her going out with friends that were guys and not that he doesn't trust her, he doesn't trust them (like that makes any sense, it takes two people to tango). However, like I said, they were SCREAMING this to each other with every other word being the F-word. Right in a residential neighborhood with plenty of small children, right in front of the playground.

My dogs were going nuts over the loud noise and it just being something out of place. So we look outside, I said let it go, don't call the cops. They won't come and if they do it will be broken up by then because it will take them a half hour to drive over here.

Well, it doesn't stop. Pretty soon people are all looking outside and its make my dogs crazy because of the unusual disturbance they are making. I had about enough, being they were 5 feet from my property I was going to go outside, tell them to shut the hell up, grow up, go inside, and finish the argument there, we didn't need to hear it or your vulgarity. Just then I heard the guy get even more worked up and his voice started to skreach (spelling). I could tell this guy was right on the edge. I thought if I walk out there this guy is gonna go ballistic on me, and then I'm going to have to shoot him. I don't want that.

I called the cops and told them they better get someone over here because this could turn bad for this woman real quick because this guy is seemingly right on the edge of his patience. And that I do own guns for protection, I don't want to have to shoot anyone because I feel if I go out there to tell them to quiet down I'm going to have to do just that. He chuckles and agrees and we hang up. But of course about 5 minutes after I hung the phone up the argument disperses. I never did see a cop car, I don't know if they did show up later or not. Can't say either way.

I think alot of use that CC or OC try to avoid having to use our weapons. I wish more people would listen to stories like this. We aren't a bunch of cowboys just waiting to use our weapons. They truly are for self protection and only used as a LAST resort. If I want to go cowboy I coulda went out there picking a fight, but I didn't. That would be wrong and just downright stupid.

NINJA EDIT: Point of these two stories was to convey that these were two of the closest calls I ever had with even thinking of drawing my weapon and I hope its the last.

[NP1724]

Should have said:

"Yeah I have an "assault weapon", they are a lot of fun at the range. The only problem is I have to take it with me everywhere because if I leave it home alone it will get up a shoot people all by itself, but that doen't happen too much so I really wouldn't worry. They really get a bad wrap"

[XD40coyote]

Altoona huh? I had a very well known PA taxidermist tell me a while back that if I came to Altoona to attend the taxidermy convention, I really didn't need to be carrying. Well if Altoona is like many other smaller cities in PA, then there is 100% reason to carry, even if the convention center is in a "nice" area. The above posts prove that point just fine. Oh yeah he also said the center has a no guns policy. Well for that- concealed is concealed.

[Franky4Fingers]

LOL, I also have another story I forgot about....I didn't think about it because it turned out to be something stupid and not real.

One time in the middle of the night about several months ago I heard a bunch of loud noises from my downstairs, my computer room actually. My dogs jumped out with ears raised and staring a stone stair downstairs. Now, I know if someone was down there they would be there like a shot, but then again, they were puzzled, they just didn't totally dismiss it. Animals know crap like that so I put alot of faith in their reactions. So.. I grabbed my .45 from my night stand and started to quietly walk downstairs. I realized how unusual it is to hear these sounds from my house being nothing normally would make a sound like that. My dogs were still at attention, but never moved. As I creeped down the stairs I got kinda scared because the situation just hit me. So I racked the slide and took the safe off. Then I got to the second set of stairs going to the room this was happening in. I thought "what the hell am I gonna do now, they'll hear me coming down the stairs?" So, like the badass ninja that I am, I came up with the idea to just completely jump down all of the stairs and then spin around 90 degrees in the air and stay crouched point my gun toward the area of the disturbance. I did just that...(which hurt like hell I might add) only to find out my blinds fell down off the rack and knocked a bunch of junk over on my desk. After I got my heart started again I went back to bed with a funny story to tell.

[Franky4Fingers]

Altoona huh? I had a very well known PA taxidermist tell me a while back that if I came to Altoona to attend the taxidermy convention, I really didn't need to be carrying.

HUH!?!?!? I'm sorry,...but is this person a bit...slow?

There is more freakin' violent crime in Altoona than anywhere else in this area. Stuff is all over the news. We get Oxycontin pharmacy robberies like the sun coming up in the morning, muggings, assaults, forced entries, stabbings,... you name it man.

Wow, I can't believe a local FROM or near here would ever say something like that. Thats just dumb.. I'm sorry, but things around here are bad. Even anti gun people I know actually swayed tables and purchased guns... so what does that tell you?

Yes.. bring your gun when you come to this hole. By all means, if you see me, give me a thumbs up.

[thisissublime]

not needing to carry in altoona? sorry, folks walking around with assault rifles in the zoo parking lot two years ago, a shooting a month ago two blocks from the zoo.... yeah, i live about a mile from there, not taking my chances.... if i am out of bed i have my gun.... and if im in bed, i have a 870 under my mattress and my glock on the headboard. never leave home without it.


(no its not an actual zoo....)

[emsjeep]

is this a long story...?

[Franky4Fingers]

not needing to carry in altoona? sorry, folks walking around with assault rifles in the zoo parking lot two years ago, a shooting a month ago two blocks from the zoo.... yeah, i live about a mile from there, not taking my chances.... if i am out of bed i have my gun.... and if im in bed, i have a 870 under my mattress and my glock on the headboard. never leave home without it.


(no its not an actual zoo....)

Those are some of the more key stories, but there is a HECK of alot more than that going on 'round here.

The Taser guys were in town a few weeks ago to give an award to a pharmacy owner because on January 17th (my birthday lol) there was a robbery stopped by the owner with a Taser brand taser and that was the first time that has happened so far. (Taser is a relatively new company)

[WishIWasFlying]

Yeah right, BB guns break the sound barrier and make a loud crack loud enough to be heard INSIDE neighboring homes and buildings.

For the record, I have a break barrel pellet gun capable of 1200 fps. It will make a crack that you will hear.

... the hospital helicopter pisses her off and she feels like coming out and shooting it sometimes, obviously a joke, but to even say that is a bit far.

As a pilot, this pisses me off to no end. She has NO CONCEPT how BAD of an idea such a thing is ... and what the costs (in life) could be. Sadly - this sort of thing actually does happen. Just last year some clown in the PRNJ was hauled away by the feds for actually doing it. Laser pointers too are a real problem. There are serious Federal consequences to such actions. If I were in that position and thought for even a second that she could have been serious, I would take action.