What changed after you drew your CCW?

[4tymvhjW]

What changed for you after you drew your CCW in a real situation? Has it affected what or where you carry? What kind of loads you use? Do you approach situations differently now?

 

[RickyRicardo]

Two things happened 15 years ago.

I lived in Houston, not so nice neighborhood. Was paying $515 for a 2 br…

Needed a new fridge, lost my job in the aftermath of Great Recession, would game all night and sleep til 12-1 PM.

I wake up to huge noise. Front door had a metal gate.

Grab my G17 from under my pillow, look out peep hole. See two raggedy dressed guys, in wifebeaters and beans, with a crow bar, trying to pry open the door.

Expletives drop, I pop open the front door, chain on, G17 drawn, tell them get the F- outta here, or I’ll shoot.

They say hey man, so and so sent us. The landlord. We’re here to deliver your fridge. Jenny at the office told us, if nobody seemed home, just break the door, install the fridge…

They drop the crowbars.

I call the maintenance office, sure enough, their story checked out. The front desk gal told these two fellows, if nobody answers, break in….

They come inside, it’s HOT July day. First guy is laughing his ass off. “If we had two more minutes, we would’ve made it in”

I’m thinking to myself, if I would’ve slept in my room, rather than the living room couch that day, I may not have heard the fracas at the door. I may have seen two guys in tattered jeans, covered in grease, tanned leathery skin, with crowbars, inside my home.

A few days later I’m checking out shades at a Walmart. I call my then girlfriend, say hey, these look really good, I think you’ll like them. Can’t wait to see you later.

7-8 feet away, a mid 20s seeming tweaker, starts approaching me and accuses me of catcalling her.

Says that I called her baby and told her I wanted to see her later, that I better watch my a$$, her boyfriend was gonna be here soon. I start trying to make my way the hell out of there…

I see her run to the lobby area of the place, and see a shirtless guy, tribal tattoo, in sweats, pull up on a bike. Seems like he has a pointy stabby in his pocket. They’re hanging out at the door. I linger at the McDonalds near the entrance for 40 mins, hoping, praying, they go away.

Walking outside, I’m thinking to myself, this is gonna be the day…

I walk right past them, hand on it, nothing happened. Run my ass to the car, was a ‘92 Corolla, drive home.

What changed?

Now I look for every single opportunity to ignore, de-escalate, apologize, and find a way out.

I look back at these two very close calls and realize even if I was “right,” the stress and legal fees would have placed me on a totally different trajectory. Being in the papers, news, having PTSD, etc.

I’m thankful that those have been the only times.

 

[Bobalover209]

Two things happened 15 years ago.

I lived in Houston, not so nice neighborhood. Was paying $515 for a 2 br…

Needed a new fridge, lost my job in the aftermath of Great Recession, would game all night and sleep til 12-1 PM.

I wake up to huge noise. Front door had a metal gate.

Grab my G17 from under my pillow, look out peep hole. See two raggedy dressed guys, in wifebeaters and beans, with a crow bar, trying to pry open the door.

Expletives drop, I pop open the front door, chain on, G17 drawn, tell them get the F- outta here, or I’ll shoot.

They say hey man, so and so sent us. The landlord. We’re here to deliver your fridge. Jenny at the office told us, if nobody seemed home, just break the door, install the fridge…

They drop the crowbars.

I call the maintenance office, sure enough, their story checked out. The front desk gal told these two fellows, if nobody answers, break in….

They come inside, it’s HOT July day. First guy is laughing his ass off. “If we had two more minutes, we would’ve made it in”

I’m thinking to myself, if I would’ve slept in my room, rather than the living room couch that day, I may not have heard the fracas at the door. I may have seen two guys in tattered jeans, covered in grease, tanned leathery skin, with crowbars, inside my home.

A few days later I’m checking out shades at a Walmart. I call my then girlfriend, say hey, these look really good, I think you’ll like them. Can’t wait to see you later.

7-8 feet away, a mid 20s seeming tweaker, starts approaching me and accuses me of catcalling her.

Says that I called her baby and told her I wanted to see her later, that I better watch my a$$, her boyfriend was gonna be here soon. I start trying to make my way the hell out of there…

I see her run to the lobby area of the place, and see a shirtless guy, tribal tattoo, in sweats, pull up on a bike. Seems like he has a pointy stabby in his pocket. They’re hanging out at the door. I linger at the McDonalds near the entrance for 40 mins, hoping, praying, they go away.

Walking outside, I’m thinking to myself, this is gonna be the day…

I walk right past them, hand on it, nothing happened. Run my ass to the car, was a ‘92 Corolla, drive home.

What changed?

Now I look for every single opportunity to ignore, de-escalate, apologize, and find a way out.

I look back at these two very close calls and realize even if I was “right,” the stress and legal fees would have placed me on a totally different trajectory. Being in the papers, news, having PTSD, etc.

I’m thankful that those have been the only times.

Agreed, swallowing your pride and de-escalating whenever possible or running away is much much cheaper and easier than the fallout of a self defense shooting or even just having to draw your firearm. The cost, the stress, and the potential for a criminal charge by a hostile DA is not worth it.

 

[dehshet]

Never had to draw in a real life situation, but one instance a month into being licensed gave me a solid shake up.

9:30-10pm ish, LA County gas station, popular area, food trucks, folks out and about.. maybe a dozen newer/older muscle cars pull into the gas station. Cars pull all around the lot. One parks behind mine and starts honking. I lower my window and a probably-17-year-old approaches my car from behind tapping a baton in his hand, with 3 of his boys behind him, girls in the other cars having a good time, some cars revving... he goes "MOVE!"

Before he got about 10-12 feet away, still walking my way, I smiled and said "you got it chief" and drove off the lot. I saw another kid in one of the other cars' backseat with a baseball bat staring out of the window.

Immediately called and reported them. Decided being a snitch was a good option in that scenario and one of the best lessons they could get considering other ones. Hope it changes their lives and saves everyone else's.

 

[Wolkenflieger]

Never had to draw in a real life situation, but one instance a month into being licensed gave me a solid shake up.

9:30-10pm ish, LA County gas station, popular area, food trucks, folks out and about.. maybe a dozen newer/older muscle cars pull into the gas station. Cars pull all around the lot. One parks behind mine and starts honking. I lower my window and a probably-17-year-old approaches my car from behind tapping a baton in his hand, with 3 of his boys behind him, girls in the other cars having a good time, some cars revving... he goes "MOVE!"

Before he got about 10-12 feet away, still walking my way, I smiled and said "you got it chief" and drove off the lot. I saw another kid in one of the other cars' backseat with a baseball bat staring out of the window.

Immediately called and reported them. Decided being a snitch was a good option in that scenario and one of the best lessons they could get considering other ones. Hope it changes their lives and saves everyone else's.

You did the right thing.

 

[NorCalBusa]

What changed, though I haven't ever drawn on someone in soon to be 10 years of CCW, is I subconsciously look for & avoid situations and places that I think could be Trouble. Be it walking, driving, errands, shopping, whatever- places & situations I wouldn't think twice about before. I don't know, but my plan is likely; if I draw, someone is getting shot. I'll not draw it as a warning, for show, it is only for taking care of business as someone has crossed my "threat line". Nor will I engage in talking smack or otherwise verbally or physically escalating anything- quite the opposite. As I age, I can't run & hide, but I would try to create distance if able., and I have no expectation of coming out ahead in hand to hand anything- though it is likely I will hurt them.

Curious on your thinking of what I wrote- agree or disagree- please share.

 

[Bobalover209]

What changed, though I haven't ever drawn on someone in soon to be 10 years of CCW, is I subconsciously look for & avoid situations and places that I think could be Trouble. Be it walking, driving, errands, shopping, whatever- places & situations I wouldn't think twice about before. I don't know, but my plan is likely; if I draw, someone is getting shot. I'll not draw it as a warning, for show, it is only for taking care of business as someone has crossed my "threat line". Nor will I engage in talking smack or otherwise verbally or physically escalating anything- quite the opposite. As I age, I can't run & hide, but I would try to create distance if able., and I have no expectation of coming out ahead in hand to hand anything- though it is likely I will hurt them.

Curious on your thinking of what I wrote- agree or disagree- please share.

I will say that having the mentality of if you have to draw you are going to shoot is dangerous. Most self defense encounters involving a firearm are resolved without a shot.

If your first instinct is to shoot when you draw, you may run into the situation of shooting when you don't need to. For example if you felt the need to draw and upon seeing the gun they run and you end up shooting them in the back, it might not be as easily defendable.

 

[NorCalBusa]

I will say that having the mentality of if you have to draw you are going to shoot is dangerous. Most self defense encounters involving a firearm are resolved without a shot.

If your first instinct is to shoot when you draw, you may run into the situation of shooting when you don't need to. For example if you felt the need to draw and upon seeing the gun they run and you end up shooting them in the back, it might not be as easily defendable.

I agree, if that's the process. I should have made more clear; I decide to fire and then I draw.

 

[Bobalover209]

I agree, if that's the process. I should have made more clear; I decide to fire and then I draw.

I would amend the thought process instead of jumping from concealed to shooting, to drawing and presenting the CCW to the warranted threat and if it continues to then make the conscious decision to fire.

Again the reason for this is that no matter how fast you are on the draw, any number of things can happen in between then as the situation is dynamic. Taking the stepwise approach that I recommended allows the extra step for an opportunity for the threat to deescalate, saving you from having to fire, and if you still need to fire then you know for sure right at that second it was indeed justifiable.

 

[NorCalBusa]

I would amend the thought process instead of jumping from concealed to shooting, to drawing and presenting the CCW to the warranted threat and if it continues to then make the conscious decision to fire.

Again the reason for this is that no matter how fast you are on the draw, any number of things can happen in between then as the situation is dynamic. Taking the stepwise approach that I recommended allows the extra step for an opportunity for the threat to deescalate, saving you from having to fire, and if you still need to fire then you know for sure right at that second it was indeed justifiable.

You do you sir, I sincerely hope that doesn't get you shot. Thanks for posting.

 

[H3nchman390]

Family member had to take a life. I’d not wish that experience on anyone. Seeing your loved one in the back of a police car sucks.

Respond to behavior. Life threatening behavior can be met with lethal force. When the behavior ends so does the need for lethal force. That can be helpful when you articulate your actions.

Individual comes at you with a knife. Draw. Person turns and runs. The behavior has changed and so must your actions. The situation may not require a shot.

All that said. I try to avoid situations and places where my risk is greater.

 

[timthetwin]

My family member took a life. The individual came at them with a large rock, family member drew and showed restraint and retreated in the house. The individual broke in the house, attacked, and deadly force was used. The situation sucked. My family member had to pay thousands of dollars for an attorney, crime scene cleanup took months, and I can only imagine living with it, even when it was the right action. My wife and I helped clean up the house, even not being involved in the immediate event and only the aftermath, I have flashbacks to that day.

My takeaways. Get CCW insurance. If you carry go sign up right now. A retainer for an attorney is $25,000 to get them started. Pick one and do it.

Be mentally prepared to respond, show restraint, and get to the range. Go over scenarios in your head and think about how you will respond before you get there. Carry a gun does not make you invincible.

 

[Bobalover209]

You do you sir, I sincerely hope that doesn't get you shot. Thanks for posting.

It's just a suggestion to keep in mind. Take it or leave it, just trying to help you, as you were the one that asked for feedback.

Just pointing out that there is a level or force between remaining concealed and suddenly jumping to shooting.

There may be instances that warrant immediately shooting but it's not always the case.