Opinions On How To Respond To This Post

[RVTECH]

This is part of a post on a non-gun related forum where the person described a tense, and scarey (his words) situation that took place where he and his children were being harassed by some gang types (or wannabees) in an urban setting. I really wanted to respond but I just watched it play out but would like some opinions on a response.

I actually have my CCW(conceal carry permit) but I never carry. I feel it is a big responsibility also and I am afraid to carry for that reason. I know I would have pulled it tonight and I might not be sitting at home right now. Instead I could be sitting at a police station or lying in a hospital myself. I only got it so I could carry when I go to my shop at night and have a little bit of safety. My shop isnt located in the best part of town. I

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[22many]

From reading just that paragraph and not the whole story it sounds like he need some training. I see no confidence in that whole paragraph about his ability to handle a firearm in a bad situation.

 

[One-Eyed Ross]

what I find concerning is his readiness to protect himself when he is returning from work, but not protect his family..

 

[aj82]

i agree with ""22many" sounds like he needs training with his weapon and also with legal ramifications of drawing and or using his weapon.

 

[keystir]

I'd rather have someone be honest with themselves and if they don't feel they can handle the responsibility of carrying a firearm in public so don't do it than someone who has no idea what they are doing and puts us all in danger by carrying a firearm without the proper training or maturity.

 

[Kevatc]

As a guy who has had a modicum of defensive firearm training (3 defensive handgun, 1 defensive carbine) from a very reputable school (OFA) I can say I can easily understand the why the subject of the OP has a great deal of reluctance about carrying. Speaking for myself, knowing that all it takes is one shot that misses a person that deserves it could cost me my freedom or my life savings is enough for me to think twice about carrying.

 

[Thebastidge]

Sounds like a guy who just needs some encouragement to further his training. He's on the fence about whether he's doing the right thing. His common sense is at war with society's programming, and he needs somebody to rationally help tip him over into out camp.

 

[Scott]

From reading just that paragraph and not the whole story it sounds like he need some training. I see no confidence in that whole paragraph about his ability to handle a firearm in a bad situation.

I am going to be straight forward, no amount of training is going to help in a situation like that. What I mean traing is good on how to handle a weapon correctly but when the real thing goes down it is completely different. I swear to it, your mind will do into a different transition mode and you don't know how you are going to handle it.

I have seen people with PTSD when they were just shot at and never fired back. I am not saying it is the norm but I went through 30 straight weeks of training and then kept training on a daily basis and when it came to it some people act like its no big deal, some people freak, some remain calm, and others and their minds go in different directions.

I see and read a lot about trainging here but hopefully nothing does happen to anybody on this site but you don't know how you will react until it happens. Just an opinion but I experienced it and saw lots of different reactions and thats why I am finishing my masters in psychology so I can help my brothers in arms.

It is just completely different when something happens.

I am sort of glad he left his gun at home sense he said he would have pulled it on them most likely. Maybe he does not trust himself and what he will do and over react to the situation and end up in jail on what he thought was going to happen.

Who knows but he admits it which is a good thing.

 

[Teufel_Hunden]

Either training and confidence building or sell off the firearms and turn in the CHL.

Can't be in the middle here.......!

T_H

 

[22many]

Either training and confidence building or sell off the firearms and turn in the CHL.

Can't be in the middle here.......!

T_H

Exactly!

 

[orygun]

Boy, having a CHL and feeling that you can't trust yourself carrying sounds like the truest form of an oxymoron to me. Why then did he (assuming it's a he) go through the expense and time to get the CHL?

Even a bigger question, why would he have pulled the firearm when obviously it wasn't needed? I say that because he was just fine, not complaining of any crisis, and was entering a post on a forum?

Sounds to me like this person would have pulled a gun when it was not a life threatening situation and probably shouldn't even have the CHL.

Scott made a good point about how one will react when faced with a direct threat. Don't know til we get there. I feel confident that I will respond in a proper manner. I feel this way only because I have more than once been in a situation that required immediate action to prevent injury to another and have responded appropriately. One instance involved fire (a person on fire, to be exact), the other was a river accident. It wasn't until later that I had the time to contemplate what I had done. I did it without even "thinking" about it. I knew what should be done and I acted.

Based on that, I believe if I have to think "should I pull my gun", I don't need it. When I need it, I will know and it will be GO time.

I consider carrying a gun to be a HUGE responsibility. One that I am fully prepared to take.

 

[thecarfarmer]

I'm pretty new to guns; only been shooting for a number of months.

Just on the way out the door to pick up my CPL. Literally. Right now.

But, I saw this thread, and felt compelled to read it; having read it, felt compelled to post.

About 3 years ago, I suffered a pretty serious shoulder injury; one that's going to stay with me to the grave. While I've never been a "tough guy", I'm pretty big (6'-2"/245#) and look kind of 'low-rent'. People generally don't f**k with me. Of course, that could also be because I'm pretty easy going, too.

Anyway, the thought had been growing on me that being essentially crippled on one side (and having too bad of asthma to run away from a fight!), that it would probably be a good idea to be able to arm myself.

I can't speak for anybody but myself, and even then... speaking about a situation I haven't been in yet is just conjecture. But, I expect that if I absolutely needed to, I'd use a gun without hesitation.

I'm not trying to claim any 'tough guy' cred here, but I've worked in a field where I've involved in incidents where people lost life a few times. I stayed 'on track' when other guys got torn up by it. So, I suspect I'd probably keep my cool. Probably. Hopefully, we'll never know for sure!

On the other hand, when carrying, I suspect I'll be inclined to be even more cautious of getting into altercations - not less. Because the stakes will have just gone up.

If I pull a gun, I fully expect that the bare minimum of hassle I can get off with is having to explain myself to a cop. At his office. While he holds my gun. And has let me ride in the back of the car, and stew in a cell for a couple hours. And that's if I'm IN THE RIGHT! To brandish a firearm frivolously is going to be more paperwork, some money, and a lawyer... at the minimum.

An altercation, of course, can have much greater costs.

But my point in all this is: I've taken a couple years to think about it; to assess my personality, the costs and benefits. I believe a CPL is right for me. Not necessarily everyone.

If the OP feels that it isn't for him, then I'll respect his willingness to view himself critically and analytically. And, I won't bash on him in any manner.

Now, I'm going to go pick up my paperwork...

(next stop, looking for training, but that's a derail of this thread)

-Bill

 

[Wood Worker]

Was the person of the original post actually asking for advice, or just venting?
I would say not commenting on the post was the right thing to do, because sometimes it is hard to tell written fact from fiction.

 

[RVTECH]

Was the person of the original post actually asking for advice, or just venting?

Neither really - more like just getting it 'Off his chest' rather than anything else.

 

[mjbskwim]

I just think the guy needs to watch where he takes his kids better.

 

[whiskeybill]

I just think the guy needs to watch where he takes his kids better.

Any decent defensive handgun course will put emphasis on that one. Don't go where you will run into difficulties. Like take a drive through gangland in the middle of the night. There is alot on the original post that goes unexplained. Many states will issue a CC permit with a bare minimum of training (i.e. NRA Basic Pistol Class). That in no way covers all the information you need to have to inform you of potential legal issues that may arise. The guy in Portland last year that pulled out his pistol and fired "warning" shots at the clowns robbing a phone store. This concerned citizen allegedly had a carry permit and not much between the ears. Even after taking a course, one should practice regularly with the pistol he or she intends to carry. Shoot it alot, shoot it often, and learn to shoot it well. It is a perishable skill.

 

[Burt Gummer]

The consequences of carrying a gun and pulling it or shooting it in defense worries me much more than any physical threat I have encountered in my life and probably will see pre-SHTF. Just the act of pointing a gun at someone in the hopes of stopping a pending serious attack could get you a trip to a cage, especially in PDX. Not to mention that PDX cops love to shoot first and ask questions later.

Give me an even chance in a fist fight vs sitting in a cell explaining myself anyday.


Like the previous poster, I am 250lbs and not seen as easy pickings. I also have other means of defense. I also legally carry a weapon with me in vehicles (locked/contained) that are only a minute away from being accessible.

After SHTF, CHL doesn't mean much. Mad Max didn't pull over on his bike to show his CHL.

That said I have considered going the CHL route just because there are rare occasions where I would like to carry.

The OP should not carry at this point IMO. If someone decides to carry there should be no hesitation to use a handgun in defense when the situation calls for it. Not being mentally prepared or properly trained means that the weapon could be taken away and turned on you, taunting ensues, just loads of trouble.

 

[Woody]

he made it home to write that post. why did he need a gun then? being harassed? huh. showed a good example for his kids and walk away like he did. call the police. being harassed with your kids never feels good. letting a emotion determin your action will always hurt you.....

 

[Kevatc]

Any decent defensive handgun course will put emphasis on that one. Don't go where you will run into difficulties. Like take a drive through gangland in the middle of the night. There is alot on the original post that goes unexplained. Many states will issue a CC permit with a bare minimum of training (i.e. NRA Basic Pistol Class). That in no way covers all the information you need to have to inform you of potential legal issues that may arise. The guy in Portland last year that pulled out his pistol and fired "warning" shots at the clowns robbing a phone store. This concerned citizen allegedly had a carry permit and not much between the ears. Even after taking a course, one should practice regularly with the pistol he or she intends to carry. Shoot it alot, shoot it often, and learn to shoot it well. It is a perishable skill.

Wise words right there.

 

[RVTECH]

Here is the entire text of what happened. The portion I originally posted was HIS reply after several followups. He is referencing metal detecting hence the possible confusing terms and words.

I took my boys to a park this evening and also took the VX3 so I could do some hunting. Everything was great until it started getting dark. Two guys and some girl come up. I am at the playset detecting while my boys are climbing around. This idiot starts rapping saying n* this, f* that and so on. He then proceeds
to ask my boys how his rapping was(they are 7). I flipped, I told him he was an idiot and I couldnt believe he just said something so stupid to my kids. He was up on one of the upper levels of the playset and proceeds to start saying nobody talks to him like that. he jumps down and comes swinging around the side like he is gonna rush me but he then notices I am holding the Lesche digger in my hand and he abruptly stopped. Dont get me wrong, at the time I was scared and ticked at the same time. Anyhow from about 10-15 feet away he starts saying that i am not gonna disrespect him and this and that or its gonna get ugly for me. I told him he needed to learn what respect meant because it wasnt what he showed when he came up and then I told him it would get ugly for the both of us and not just me. He then headed over to his buddy and the girl and they started talking. I got my boys and told them to get in the truck and we left. Man, it was a scary moment, I thought I might actually have to shove the Lesche into that guys gut to protect myself and my kids. I will never have my kids at the park once it is getting dark
ever again!