Share your real life self defense encounters.

[Jason Brown]

No stories from a friend, (or friend of a friend) that have been embellished to heck and back. I wanna hear your personal accounts of any instance where you had to defend yourself or others and refused to be a victim. I will start:

Back when I was about 18, a friend and I were walking late at night, coming home from visiting a mutual friend. The road we are on has little to no shoulder and most cars passing by will move over to give pedestrians a wide berth. Suddenly a Chevy suburban screams past us at high speed so close that it nearly hit us. Then proceeds to turn around and stop in the middle of the road in front of us.
Two males in their mid to late 20's get out and move directly to engage us(completely unprovoked) on the side of the road. It was obvious they were on the attack. At the time I had just recently been in a camping accident and my left arm was in a brace and pretty much useless. All I had was a boombox I was carrying in my right hand and the moment the aggressor got within arms reach I swung my trusty boombox as hard as I could and kissed him upside the head, sending him tumbling into the ditch and disabling the threat.
Now my attention goes to the guy my friend is scuffling with, who was now scrambling to get back in his car. What I didn't know at that point was my friend had pulled a pocket knife and stabbed the dude. Turned out to be even worse for my buddy because the folding knife he was using had came down and cut his own hand very deeply. Plus he ended up doing time for knifing the guy.
Luckily I was not charged in the matter, but neither were the jerks that attacked us.

Here's my take away from the ordeal:

1) Always be ready to defend yourself and refuse to be a victim.
This encounter happened 100 yards from the house I grew up in, on a street where I felt relatively safe

2) There is no such thing as a fair fight in the street.
They likely thought I was an easy target with my left arm out of commission and tried to use that to their advantage.

3) Never stab someone with a folding knife

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[Joe13]

Folding blades have come a long way


Never actually had to get into it with anyone (6'1" in 6th grade and 160lbs / at 18 I was 185lbs and 5% body fat) I assume because of my size.

The few possible altercations I have been in, I was able to de-escalate without punches thrown. Even the one where I had a little gang banger pull a pistol on me (I was more worried about his 3 friends in his lowered car then him).

Guess I'm lucky. I had my fill of dirty fights in military school the 6 months I was there.

 

[Jason Brown]

Knowing how to De-escalate a situation(if possible) is always preferable to getting into a brawl in my book. Though some bad guys will not listen to reason. Pretty sure the dudes who attacked us were intoxicated and looking to fight.

 

[Alexx1401]

My favorite for some reason is one time 2 dopers (may just have been drunks back then) tried to rob me. Walking down a side ally thing in the middle of a downtown street mid day. There was a kind of cut out parking area back there that could not be seen from either end. Couple dumpsters in there. 2 clowns step out with knives, move to try to get front and back but only managed to get to each side of me kind of with me close to a wall. Both looked a lot like the street vermin you see now only this was before crack and Meth. Wanted my wallet and looked in bad shape. I had an (illegally carried) gun but there was no CC law there yet. So I put hands up, said something like money not being worth dying or such as I reached like I was going for back pocket but was watching their eye's. They were pretty out of it. So instead of wallet pistol came out and I commented on their lives not being worth it or such. It took a split second that at the time seemed longer for the addled brains to register they were looking at death. One picked up a second before his buddy and ran. Buddy finally got brain to tell legs to move and followed. It was scary as hell at the time but the look on the one guys face who was closest to me and would have taken the first shot from me is burned into my brain. This happened decades ago and I think I could make a good sketch of him if I was artistically inclined. I still makes me laugh to myself at times when I picture that look on his face.

 

[Alexx1401]

Here's my take away from the ordeal:



2) There is no such thing as a fair fight in the street.
They likely thought I was an easy target with my left arm out of commission and tried to use that to their advantage.

3) Never stab someone with a folding knife

Even when I was a youngster I was never "into fighting". It often meant I got a lot of bad mouthing for the way I won them. My attitude was always I did not start it, and did not enjoy trading blows so I went in to win. When some would complain about how I won I would shrug and say I did not want the fight and tried to avoid it. It did make a lot of people who were "known brawlers" avoid me. If they started in with verbal crap I would walk away. Few would push it since they had heard I did not care how I won. Liked to drink a LOT when younger but, was always the life of the party kind of drunk. As long as people did not decide to make a fight with me. When I look back on some of it now I am kind of surprised I never really ended up in some real trouble. Someone watching out for me I guess.

 

[orygun]

My encounters with humans have fortunately not been grave enough to necessitate using a weapon. I'm pretty good at assessing a situation and either figuring out when to leave, or how to talk my way out. But there have been two instances where animals have been the center of my attention.

First time, dogs. Well, really only one of them. Hunting miles away from the nearest house and walking down a forest road I was approached by two dogs. Both of them were mixes and the leader seemed to be part pit. I started talking to them sternly and directed them to leave. (they may not understand English, but they do understand tone) I was handgun hunting and my revolver was buried under my jacket so I unzipped. My tone got stronger and the Ruger came out. About the time I was ready to cock the hammer and aim, the lead dog made the decision to make a 180 and trot back down the road with the other one following. Fine with me.

Second time, horses. Really.
Hunting in the Flagtail area over near Bear Valley we encountered a scattering of wild horses. Seeing them was a treat until I came around a corner and was nearly face to face with the herd stud. I wasn't 20 yards from them and he wasn't happy with me. His snorting and stomping got my attention but I didn't have a good place to retreat. He kept it up and I took the '06's safety off. Then he started running at me! Or, almost... There was a trail that paralleled the road and that's what he was on. He went by me all really moving out and his clan followed.
I really thought I was going to have to shoot him.

Even though I've only "pulled" a gun on animals, I still like them better than most humans!

 

[Jason Brown]

My favorite for some reason is one time 2 dopers (may just have been drunks back then) tried to rob me. Walking down a side ally thing in the middle of a downtown street mid day. There was a kind of cut out parking area back there that could not be seen from either end. Couple dumpsters in there. 2 clowns step out with knives, move to try to get front and back but only managed to get to each side of me kind of with me close to a wall. Both looked a lot like the street vermin you see now only this was before crack and Meth. Wanted my wallet and looked in bad shape. I had an (illegally carried) gun but there was no CC law there yet. So I put hands up, said something like money not being worth dying or such as I reached like I was going for back pocket but was watching their eye's. They were pretty out of it. So instead of wallet pistol came out and I commented on their lives not being worth it or such. It took a split second that at the time seemed longer for the addled brains to register they were looking at death. One picked up a second before his buddy and ran. Buddy finally got brain to tell legs to move and followed. It was scary as hell at the time but the look on the one guys face who was closest to me and would have taken the first shot from me is burned into my brain. This happened decades ago and I think I could make a good sketch of him if I was artistically inclined. I still makes me laugh to myself at times when I picture that look on his face.

Good on you for standing up for yourself and not being another victim.

 

[Jason Brown]

Even when I was a youngster I was never "into fighting". It often meant I got a lot of bad mouthing for the way I won them. My attitude was always I did not start it, and did not enjoy trading blows so I went in to win. When some would complain about how I won I would shrug and say I did not want the fight and tried to avoid it. It did make a lot of people who were "known brawlers" avoid me. If they started in with verbal crap I would walk away. Few would push it since they had heard I did not care how I won. Liked to drink a LOT when younger but, was always the life of the party kind of drunk. As long as people did not decide to make a fight with me. When I look back on some of it now I am kind of surprised I never really ended up in some real trouble. Someone watching out for me I guess.

That's kinda how I feel. I abhor the thought of fist fighting anyone but if they start it I'm gonna end it as swiftly as possible and get myself out of danger. Bad guys don't play fair so we shan't either.

 

[Alexx1401]

Good on you for standing up for yourself and not being another victim.

At the time a LOT of people I knew told me I should have dusted them both. I would sigh and say, I did not want the hassle that comes with that. Many of them said these clowns would go after someone else. Yes I have no doubt they did. I still did not want to shoot someone if there was a way to avoid it. Not to sound cold but it's not my problem that others choose to not be able to defend themselves. I did not want to end up having to at best spend hours with Police, and at worst end up having to hire a lawyer.

 

[11Charlie]

Back in 92 when I was fresh out of the Army I was invited to a party by this girl that was really good looking. We get there and a lot of people were doing drugs so I told her that I'm leaving and it's up to her if she wanted to come with me. As we were walking out this guy comes up from behind me and starts hitting me in the back. (Ya Ya I know my situational awareness was focused on the girl) I turned around and told him he was about to die and he took off running.

Funny thing is I am 6'8" tall and that guy that hit me like a little girl was about 5 foot nothing. He looked like a damn deer during hunting season running through the brush.

 

[orygun]

I did not want to end up having to at best spend hours with Police, and at worst end up having to hire a lawyer.

Any day I don't pull the trigger in defense, and walk away, is a good day

 

[Alexx1401]

Back in 92 when I was fresh out of the Army I was invited to a party by this girl that was really good looking. We get there and a lot of people were doing drugs so I told her that I'm leaving and it's up to her if she wanted to come with me. As we were walking out this guy comes up from behind me and starts hitting me in the back. (Ya Ya I know my situational awareness was focused on the girl) I turned around and told him he was about to die and he took off running.

Funny thing is I am 6'8" tall and that guy that hit me like a little girl was about 5 foot nothing. He looked like a damn deer during hunting season running through the brush.

Sounds like he had been partaking already a lot.

 

[Jason Brown]

At the time a LOT of people I knew told me I should have dusted them both. I would sigh and say, I did not want the hassle that comes with that. Many of them said these clowns would go after someone else. Yes I have no doubt they did. I still did not want to shoot someone if there was a way to avoid it. Not to sound cold but it's not my problem that others choose to not be able to defend themselves. I did not want to end up having to at best spend hours with Police, and at worst end up having to hire a lawyer.

Although I would second the vote to have dusted the muggers as well, I was not there, and it was no one else's decision to make but yours. I feel you made the right choice. Taking the life of our fellow man(no matter how derelict they may be) should always be the last resort. If they HAD advanced on you with knives drawn you would have had no other choice, but to take the higher road and give them a chance to flee before their pathetic lives are cut painfully short, shows incredible restraint and confidence, which(much like a firearm) can also be very intimidating to lowlife scum.

Plus, now you don't have to worry about dealing with law enforcement or some slimy lawyer trying to defend those "fine upstanding young men" you shot with your evil handgun when all they had were knives.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I snatched and ate the last chicken wing at a party and had to use the ol' curl up in a ball and poop your pants defense to avoid certain death. It was worth it.

 

[Heyjoe]

One evening I noticed a kid across the street that I'd never seen before, he was standing at the end of the alley across the street from my house, chainsmoking and acting kinda shady.
I'd just got back from the range and had my nine on my belt along with a 900 Lumin torch. Pulled in the driveway and got out and stood there facing him. I almost asked if he needed help or something but he had walked back up the alley toward some duplexes that commonly house druggies.
While he's there I talk to neighbors about him and return to my lawn.
About a minute passes and I hear someone sprinting down the alley in my direction... ding!
Had my light on turbo in his eyes and he turned ninety degrees, still sprinting, approaches a vehicle occupied by a male and female who don't know wtf he's doing then he gets in to another car that speeds off.
Neighbors are all wide eyed at my response but I think they learned a bit about me that day.
Situational awareness and preparedness are a big deal in this house.

Didn't technically need to defend myself but I was more than ready in that moment.

 

[Mygrainman]

Growing up with 4 brothers, 2 older, and two younger, I had to defend myself on almost a daily basis. I'd get beat up by my older two, and pick on my younger two. We are all 6' and over 250 except one...My younger brother... I have always had at least 40 pounds on him, but he proves the size of the fight in the dog statement. He had a horrible temper and would loose it towards me quite often. To gain advantage he would grab whatever object he could get his hands on. From fear of getting in trouble, and genuinely not wanting to hurt them, I would always only inflict as much pain as necessary to restrain and pacify him and my youngest brother. As a result of my upbringing, all the fights I have ever been I have always held back, and after a few punches, I go in for a head and arm and attempt to restrain rather than pummel the guy. It's worked for me so far, but I haven't been in a situation that I felt my life was in danger. And I hope I never do. I have also never been in any kind of altercation when either party was armed with any kind of weapon(besides my brothers tendency to wield inanimate objects when we were younger). It's a fact that when I carry, I avoid any situation that could lead to a confrontation.
Defending myself is one thing, but if my wife and kids were ever in danger, there will be no holding back.

 

[BDA.45]

Not really very exciting but curious for those in rural areas.....I lived in the woods for 10 years until moving into town 3 yrs ago (wife and school+ commute......) anyway, Im in my "yard" (on my property) plinkin with the AR. We had 33 acres at the time on the back of Hagg. All of the sudden a car comes screaming up the driveway. Im standing there, AR in hand(s). Female driver starts to get out and I tell her to stop. Thats when I realized that they were tweeking....or something.....they were F-ing high..... She kept approaching me asking me questions and rambling nonsense. She wasnt actually my concern. My attention was with the dude in the passenger seat. My rifle was at a relaxed position but with both hands on it......you all know.....As she continued to come towards me I began to slowly step back while telling her to stop. She didnt. When she got about 10-15 feet away I swung my rifle up and was fixed on the dude in the passenger seat who was keeping eye contact but fiddle bubbleguming around with something. Thats when my "GET THE bubblegum OUTTA HERE" voice came out.....She put her hands up and backed to the car. They ended up backing down my road (driveway) and bailing....I got another situation that happened at the same place about a year later. Apparently my old house was a drug house that was seized by the feds. This goes back to the 80s or so.....Anyway, dude who owned the place back when it was taken showed up.... (im making a long story short) He pulled onto the property then turned around (which isint unusual btw) but the parked just off the land, on the county road. When he started walking up I went out of the house. I was NOT armed. He started rambling a bunch of crap while walking THROUGH me......yeah it was weird. I couldnt stop him. He was on a mission. My mother in laws boy toy saw what what was going on through the front window and grabbed the shotgun. Basically, he met us at the back of the house with that gun pointed at dudes face and told him to go the bubblegum away.....scared the bubblegum outta me......

 

[Joe13]

That's why I prefer solid stocks and not folding or collapsible. You can beat someone with a dolud stock and not worry about breaking it if you decide your not in a good place to just blast some fool too high to know they are in serious danger.

 

[Alexx1401]

Not really very exciting but curious for those in rural areas.....I lived in the woods for 10 years until moving into town 3 yrs ago (wife and school+ commute......) anyway, Im in my "yard" (on my property) plinkin with the AR. We had 33 acres at the time on the back of Hagg. All of the sudden a car comes screaming up the driveway. Im standing there, AR in hand(s). Female driver starts to get out and I tell her to stop. Thats when I realized that they were tweeking....or something.....they were F-ing high..... She kept approaching me asking me questions and rambling nonsense. He started rambling a bunch of crap while walking THROUGH me......yeah it was weird. I couldnt stop him. He was on a mission. My mother in laws boy toy saw what what was going on through the front window and grabbed the shotgun. Basically, he met us at the back of the house with that gun pointed at dudes face and told him to go the bubblegum away.....scared the bubblegum outta me......

These are the kind of things that make this so much scarier these day. The "drug zombies" I call them. People so high on who knows what, that they are often disconnected from reality. Those guys I dealt with several decades ago where looking like some kind of street trash but there brains still slowly responded. Often the drug zombies brains do not. They can be VERY dangerous if you allow them to get their hands on you.

 

[11Charlie]

That's why I prefer solid stocks and not folding or collapsible. You can beat someone with a solid stock and not worry about breaking it if you decide your not in a good place to just blast done fool too high to know they are in serious danger.

You can kill someone with a good butt stroke to the head. If you didn't damn that would hurt!