[StainlessSteel215]

I understand this is a very sensitive, somewhat scary topic thats completely under scrutiny in the eyes of the law....and eyes are watching...so I will proceed with caution and urge people to conduct themselves properly.

Intelligent, honest discussion only. No John McClane's or Dirty Harry's please....

I will refrain from pointing fingers to any board members on here, but in many cases there is a VERY loose attitude about how to handle a deadly self-defense situation. Some folks seem very loose about pointing a gun and squeezing a trigger at even the slightest threats against them.....and that troubles me. Laws vary from state to state in terms of punishment......even in cases of self defense. Your life could literally turn into a full blown nightmare if you jump too soon or make a bad decision, even if you think its the right one.

How many of you out there have planned, and simulated what you will do in a self defense situation? In your car, pumping gas, walking down a random neighborhood, taking out your trash, taking money out of an ATM, at a local corner store, in the middle of the night during a home invasion, etc.

My plan is pretty simple and only has a few parameters: I will first make sure my family isnt in immediate danger if they are with me. If I am alone, I will run away like hell with my phone dialing 911 to get here ASAP and get out as much detail as I can while the adrenaline is pumping. I hope, and pray, that I NEVER in my lifetime get into a situation where drawing my pistol and shooting a person dead is the only option. Scares me more than anything.

Your firearm should be your last resort....always. These days, a person has to be literally on top of you with a weapon in your face and pose serious bodily harm or death for justified self defense shooting.

anyways, I simulate these sort of situations all the time in my mind. I play scenarios about being approached by a man who wants my money at the gas pump.....or walking down a street. I will first play innocent, then run like hell screaming for help and dialing 911 for assistance. Dont be a hero, they usually end up with a lifetime of problems, stress and regrets...or sit in prison if things dont turn out so good.

Feel free to chime in

 

[danf_fl]

There is a rule of "know your target and what lies behind it."

That, to me, is identify the target and know the surroundings.
Some situations may only be a panhandler asking for some change, some situations have the panhandler robbing you.

IMO, should I need to draw my firearm, it is to stop the threat. If there is no threat, then I have no need to draw my firearm.

 

[70cuda383]

There is a rule of "know your target and what lies behind it."

That, to me, is identify the target and know the surroundings.
Some situations may only be a panhandler asking for some change, some situations have the panhandler robbing you.

IMO, should I need to draw my firearm, it is to stop the threat. If there is no threat, then I have no need to draw my firearm.

Yup. If I draw, it's because there is a threat, and I am about to neutralize that threat. I'm not going to lift or untuck my shirt to reveal that I'm armed, I'm not going to say "stop, go away, I am armed" I'm not going to turn my strong side hip away and put my hand on my weapon in a pose of "I'm ready, don't make be draw because I will"

nope, If I'm drawing my weapon, it's to squeeze the trigger, no other reason.

 

[StainlessSteel215]

Define a threat. Some interpret a threat as meaningless as shouting at close quarters.

This is exactly what I mean. The law may not always be at your side unless serious bodily harm or intent to kill can be proven. Every day I try to simulate different scenarios and determine how far Im willing to let a threat get before deciding to pull the trigger

 

[CrazedJava]

A few months ago I had my self defense plan challenged because I was always assuming one attacker. That was a fair point.

I still need to get my CHL, but after doing some research and looking at some statistics into average shootings, I've definitely decided I will be keeping a spare mag on me at all times and never carry a weapon with less than 5 shots. Derringers, not that I ever looked at them closely, are out out out.

I have a decent semi-compact that will work for concealed carry and plan on getting a pocket auto so I don't have an excuse to be disarmed short of legal reasons.

For home defense the current house layout is horrible. I keep my handgun close at hand with two loaded magazines. There is one hallway going back to both bedrooms. Our dog is getting old so I can't count on her to be alert to an attacker but I'm not going to hold her back either. I doubt she'll attack but will hopefully sound ferocious enough to scare off anyone. My plan would be to hold the hallway while the family stays near the window for a possible bug out. Hardly ideal for my own safety but I have some cover and the bad guys will have a hell of a time getting to anyone. Once I get my new magazine tested I'll have 31 rounds of ready .45 firepower that I can throw down the hallway at any would be attackers.

All-in-all I can see some problems with the plan but it's workable for now.

 

[BeyondTheBox]

This has been discussed recently and will result the same. I don't plan on drawing my gun ever, I don't practice drawing my gun ever. I consider such actions premeditated and looking for trouble.

I shoot when I can, practicing accuracy so that, in an unfortunate case that I might have to use it in defense, I will be able to do so minimizing possible collateral damage.

Now I won't criticize anyone else for doing what I consider poor judgement, fantasizing and speculative scenario developing, but I'm not interested. It's not practicing readiness or preparedness, it's setting yourself up for a quick to draw attitude and possibly misreading and escalating a situation unnecessarily.

But again, to each their own, people are going to do what they want and will find ways to justify their actions because it suits their purpose and/or agenda.

 

[danf_fl]

My definition of a threat could be different than my wife's, yours, my parents, or your cousins.

If I see something going on that will not involve me directly, I do not consider that a threat to me.

A direct confrontation that cannot be defused and could lead to me or someone else being physically harmed is a threat.

 

[Rick1967]

I always try to avoid conflict. I would rather have someone think that I am a coward than to have to explain to a mother why I shot her son.

On the other hand, I do train. And I train often. If you dont practice your draw, how can you be sure that you will not accidentally shoot yourself while drawing in a stressful situation? Don't laugh...it could happen.

IDPA is not as stressful as a real self defense situation. But it is a lot closer than standing in front of a target and shooting from a stationary position. We are required to properly use cover. We are required to use cover when reloading. We train to shoot in tactical order. (shoot the closest threat first) A scenario that was used nationwide for the postal match was as follows...

You are walking from your car to your house with groceries in your weak hand. You meet several attackers as you aproach the house. You must draw and fire two into each target with your strong hand. You step behind cover dropping your groceries. You now see two more bad guys through your living room window. They are holding your spouse hostage. You must put two rounds into each of them without hitting her. You are shooting through the window.

Again this is not real life. But it is stressful. You have a timer go off behind your head. You know that you are competing for time as well as acuracy.

 

[70cuda383]

Define a threat. Some interpret a threat as meaningless as shouting at close quarters.

This is exactly what I mean. The law may not always be at your side unless serious bodily harm or intent to kill can be proven. Every day I try to simulate different scenarios and determine how far Im willing to let a threat get before deciding to pull the trigger

if it's just shouting, then I can turn and walk away. I'm going to have a hell of a hard time asking a jury to let me remain a free man because I shot someone who was yelling at me.

If I am cornered and try to walk away, the other party is either going to let me walk, or they will turn the confrontation physical and try to stop me from walking.

 

[Chainfire]

My ongoing plan is to continue train and practice so that if the unthinkable happens, I will not have to think about the mechanics of defending myself or someone around me, and be free to analyze the situation around me.

I Keep up with the laws of my state, and will always retreat, if retreat is possible. (though I am in a stand your ground state) I will put up with unlimited lip, I won't be drawn into incidents like road rage, but stay cool, and be aware of my surroundings. I will not insert myself in to other peoples business, but be prepared to defend my or my families life. I have no desire to be a cop, and would ignore any situation that was not life and death, to me or someone else. I would far rather give up my billfold than to kill someone over it. I am a peaceful man and I have no desire to ever harm any human being. If I pull my weapon, it will be because there is nothing left for me to do, no way to avoid what was about to happen. That is the only way I could live with myself afterwords.

 

[treehugger49]

I don't entertain hypotheticals....there are too many subtle variables unique to any one given situation to come to any "pat" response.

As far as my home is concerned, my wife and I have discussed our "plan" that covers most of the home invasion variables, having designated our safe area, installed deadbolt locks on our interior doors, having our firearms, cell phones, flashlights, etc. in designated areas, rehearsing what to say on the 911 call, etc.

If anyone reading this is not familiar with Jeff Cooper's Color Code, I encourage you to alter your mindset according to this very effective awareness state of readiness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper

 

[StainlessSteel215]

My ongoing plan is to continue train and practice so that if the unthinkable happens, I will not have to think about the mechanics of defending myself or someone around me, and be free to analyze the situation around me.

I Keep up with the laws of my state, and will always retreat, if retreat is possible. (though I am in a stand your ground state) I will put up with unlimited lip, I won't be drawn into incidents like road rage, but stay cool, and be aware of my surroundings. I will not insert myself in to other peoples business, but be prepared to defend my or my families life. I have no desire to be a cop, and would ignore any situation that was not life and death, to me or someone else. I would far rather give up my billfold than to kill someone over it. I am a peaceful man and I have no desire to ever harm any human being. If I pull my weapon, it will be because there is nothing left for me to do, no way to avoid what was about to happen. That is the only way I could live with myself afterwords.

Great post Chain. Well said & agreed

 

[phildenton]

my self defense plan: stay alive, do what ever is necessary to accomplish that goal..

 

[kbd512]

My "self" defense plan is pretty simple. I will do anything in my power to avoid confrontation, stop myself from getting into situations that would require any sort of violence, and will run away from a violent criminal if at all possible.

My "family" defense plan is a little more complicated. My wife and children can't run very fast or very far. I do what I can to ensure that reasonable protections are afforded to them by my arming and training myself for unexpected criminal confrontation around the house and around our vehicles.

I refuse to shoot anyone over the theft of any piece of property, including my vehicles, except firearms. It may be legal here in Texas, but it is not moral. I will shoot criminals to prevent them from obtaining firearms through theft, but that is only because the criminal can use that firearm to injure or kill other people.

 

[Vikingdad]

I have only once been in a situation where I was threatened. A guy in a car in front of me on the highway threw a bag of trash out his window on the highway. I gave him the double-birds and he went bat-sh!t crazy, jamming on his brakes and then as I moved to pass started swerving at me (I was in a full-size Ford 4X4 truck, he was in a Geo cracker box), I just kept motoring along completely ignoring him as he screamed at me. About a mile or two up the highway we come around a corner and traffic had come to a dead stop. This nut case jumped out of his car and ran up to my door (which was locked) and started screaming at me through the 3-inch gap in the window, he demanded that I get out and I told him to come in and get me if he wanted at me so bad, he stepped up to the door and I popped the door open as hard as I could right into his face, then hit him with it again as hard as I could. Near as I can tell I broke his nose.

Traffic started moving along and drove off leaving him lying in the road bleeding.

My gun was next to me on the seat under a rag. Never touched it and it never occurred to me to.

As for planning for a potentially life-threatening encounter? I don't give it a thought. It will never, and I do mean never go down like the scenario you have in your head.

I try to maintain a high level of situational awareness at all times and stay out of situations that might turn into an unsavory encounter if at all possible. (And I no longer flip the bird at people.)

 

[John_Deer]

I can say this much, no one knows what they will do in a dangerous situation. I have carried both a gun and a knife all my adult life. I have had a job that requires you carry a knife for safety (cutting ropes or stopping dangerous machinery) since I was 13. I was a rowdy young freak. I got in many fist fights. I have toted some good butt whippings. Karma is a ***** - The person in the right usually wins. I am human. I have refused to stand down regardless of the situation. Yet, I never pulled a knife or a gun on anyone. When I have been in fear of my life a hasty retreat was a much better option. Another thing I don't do is dial 911. I have never dialed 911. I have called the police or fire department directly. The first time I called the police was the fall of 2012.

Will I use a gun or knife in the future? I don't know! My aching bones have taken a lot of the piss and vinegar from my spirit. Anymore when confronted with a younger version of myself I try to either defuse the situation or I remove myself from the situation. I see myself 20 years ago standing there and I can't bring myself to engage the young man. COPD has sapped my ability to defend myself with my bare hands. I know my options are limited. Wise men say a good run is better than a bad stand. I am a christian. Even when I have the right to use my gun if I can retreat I do retreat.

Barring a home invasion or a vicious armed robbery I don't think I will use a weapon. It's not my nature to take someones life or cause them serious injury. I pray for the resolve to keep it that way.