The first class i took they will set you up for a malfunction because they load the mags or volunteer. So they can set you up? I saw this over 90 % of the time when a rifle AR-AK malfunctioned everyone turned the ejection port up so they could see inside, which was the opposite we were suppose to turn the port down and re rack no bang lock her back? Training is never finished?
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Welcome to the family and god bless you.
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Great message glad you posted it
Following the basics is a must
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I had a ND with a 1911 once, and only once. Took a chunk out of the concrete about 2 feet in front of my toes. It both scared and embarrassed me. I packed up and went home for the day, but I remember the lesson to this day. Always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction.
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With a broken extractor you can pull that charging handle a dozen times and chances are the round is not going to be removed from the chamber. You must visually inspect the chamber before dropping the hammer whether one sees a round eject or not.
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You handled it perfectly explaining to him in detail what happened and what shouldâve been done. Youâre lucky to have a son that likes to train like that with you.
An experience like that has a way of searing its way into oneâs memory
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Note I am NOT criticizing your âHomeâ procedure here.
It sounds âSafeâ.
But if you do not feel confident in keeping a round in the chamber - at home - you
probably need more training.
1 - Gun fights happen âReallyâ fast - at âLight Speedâ
The 2 seconds it takes to chamber a round can be the diff btwn Life and Death.
FBI Data/Rule of 3âs - most gun fights are:
- Inside of 3 Yds
- Last 3 Seconds
- Fire 3 Rounds
2 - Not to mention - in home - Racking the slide may give away your location/position.
One solution - Keep your âHouse gunâ in a holster to avoid an AD by trigger press.
For more safe gun handling techniques I recommend find an IDPA match near you, you can usually go watch
free and talk to people, for free, who âReallyâ Do know proper âgun safety/handlingâ.
Me - State and DHS Certified Firearms Instr.
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I suspect it would take longer to kick my door open than it would for me to rack a round. Probably take longer for me to unholster the firearm also.
I donât leave a round in at home as there are cats here, and mine weighs about 3x or more lbs. than the trigger pull, and if she stepped on the weapon when itâs on my desk, it is conceivable that she could fire it. I really doubt she could benefit from training on that subject. Furthermore, I donât always have pants on at home, so I canât really have the firearm on my person at all times when Iâm at home. I do take it with me to the bathroom though, so thereâs that.
As for giving away my location, I live in a condo, think 2 bdr. apartment, and thereâs only one entrance. Standing in the doorway, you have the âlivingroomâ on the right and the kitchen on the left, both wide open. In front of you is a hallway, with a clear view all the way to the back bedroom. The bathroom and my room are off the hall on the right. Not really anywhere to hide, as the walls are tissue paper and plaster.
Again, kicking the door open will give me enough time to grab either my handgun or shotgun and rack a round in. I live in my room, and donât use the livingroom at all, although I do use the kitchen. When you add in that Iâm pretty much a cripple, and need a cane to walk, my options are fairly limited. I figure I could lean against the door frame to use the shotgun, but for the handgun, my entire body will be exposed before the gun comes into play, simply because my room is on the side of the hallway to where my right side comes out of my room first to face the door.
Just the way it is.
EDIT: I do want to make clear Iâm not disparaging anything you said. More training is always a good thing, and there is no doubt about that. I just wanted to point out that âhome safetyâ is situational at best. Where I live thereâs my roommate/landlord, his itty bitty kitty, my monster cat and me. Thatâs it. in the years Iâve been here, there has been 3 visitors. My best friend came over once, and twice Iâve had medical professionals come in. Thatâs it. No kids, and no other visitors. Thus, I donât feel the need for a lock box, trigger lock or gun safe.
I just try and balance ease of access with safety - donât want kitty blowing a hole in my computer.
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It took me a while til I felt comfortable with a round in the chamber. Blood thinners made me feel vulnerable. Now I not so afraid. Iâm safe. Itâs safe. I have 4 safeties on my gun.
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Always had one in the tube, at 1st had firearms with manual safeties, next decockers, now whatever
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Good that you have thought this thru to the extent that you have.
You are more astute/aware than most.
Many/âMostâ people Donât.
Some other thoughts - based on your situation - again for your âConsiderationâ:
âPistolsâ with Safeties - Opinions vary widely here but from a LOT of experience
I learned it depends on what you practice with. When I practiced with a safety on my
gun - it became an automatic-move to click it off âon the drawâ ie no time lost.
Lights:
-
You dont want to turn on All your lights - you donât want an intruder to see âYouâ.
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The one thing - for sure - you need is a good Tactical Light - With a Tail-Cap switch.
They are "Veryâ handy for many uses. -
Streamlight and Surefire are good ones. A lot of Cops and SWAT use.
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Both are Pro-grade. I have probably 5-6 of them here.
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Even Better a Gun-Mounted light. Say minimum 300 lumens.
For an intruder situation:
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You âMUSTâ ID whoever it is coming and try to Not let them see you.
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Note with a good gun-mounted-light you can point it down at the wall toe-molding/floor interface
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and usually see/ID what you need to in a hallway. Same using a hand-held light - Say âFBI Holdâ.
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You can usually get enough âSplashâ to ID who is in the hallway.
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So âNotâ pointing the gun level ie toward a wall/straight down a hall etc while searching.
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So an AD will Not go thru your front door and outside.
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And you donât want to point a gun at a friend coming down your hallway.
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If you have someone living below you - point at your ceiling/wall interface when searching.
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In Actual Defensive Shooting - ie The âReal Thingâ
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Strange things happen to your mind and body - that you âshouldâ learn and practice-for
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to have a good chance to defeat a determined attacker.
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IDPA Matches allow for Accommodation and Allowances for the Disabled.
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It is more like Gun Fight Practice than a Competition.
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So âsomeâ of the stress of a real fight is present.
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If you have never had to practice that way - it is well worth it to check it out.
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You will learn some CQB - Close Quarter Battle Tactics. Good for Home Defense.
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OR have a Certified Defensive Pistol Trainer come to your home and train you there.
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You can find some on the NRA web site.
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Or meet someone at an IDPA MATCH - They will usually know who trains in your area.
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Talk to the local IDPA match director - he will know.
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These matches are usually sponsored monthly by a local gun club. See the web site IDPA.
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Note - just getting a Permit is good but is NOT - âReal Trainingâ.
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Also - look up wall-penetration tests for 00 Buck and 9mm - Utube - its about the same.
-
1 - â00 Buck Roundâ is equal to 9ea - 9mm rounds all the way thru ALL Sheetrock walls.
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I have seen 9mm go thru 5 walls+
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Both will go thru âALLâ your walls and perhaps All your neighbors.
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Even HP rounds.
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So - Study/Consider - NOW your Safe Lanes of Fire considering your neighbors.
Some, In Home, âTacticalâ Defensive Position/Shooting:
- Full âBook Casesâ can make good bullet stops - maybe against your bedroom wall facing the LR.
- Stay behind it and fight from there. Make them âcome to youâ down a narrow hall way.
- While âyouâ are mostly âcoveredâ/protected by the book case - loaded full.
- Only expose just enough of âonlyâ your upper body so you can get a shot or 2 off down the hallway.
- Donât âcrowdâ the wall - back-off the corner at least 1 arms length. Only expose your gun barrel and your right eye.
- Donât stick your gun past the wall/corner where someone can grab it.
Another option - for you - might be to stage a gun in the Kitchen and 1 in the Bed Room.
âIâ stage a Revolver in my shower in a ZipLoc bag, and have a loaded AR in the corner - hidden.
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Consider a Short Barrel Rifle (Say 5",7" Barrel) or PCC for your Home Defense gun.
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In the AR Platform you can chamber a round and have the Safety ON
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But click it off really fast - as part of your actual shooting move.
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Practice some and it becomes âAutomaticâ. But the Cat cannot do it
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Even with training
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MUCH easier to handle and shoot than a Shotgun or Pistol and a Lot more capacity.
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âHearingâ if you DO fire a shotgun or pistol in your home - you will NOT be
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able to hear âAnythingâ for say 5min + , how do I know?
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So you will not be able to hear what 911 is telling you if you call them -
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Solution? - I now keep Electronic Ear Muffs by my gun -
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They enhance normal hearing but suppress gun shots.
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end
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Be careful.
I said the exact thing,⊠with training and practice you automatically disengage the safety on the draw and no time lostâŠ
and it was distorted into 'you should not handle firearms on âautopilotâ (which is a totally different thing⊠and mindless, without thought.)⊠claiming my comment showed being unsafe.
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Had this exact same thing occur to me in basic training. Got a really good chewing out from the Drill Sergeant (when they were still allowed to yell profanities at imbeciles like me) but when he realized it actually was the weapon and not the idiot behind the trigger he apologized.,.but of course I did something else stupid and had to âdrop and do 20â before anything else. Great timesâŠI miss those days.
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My cats know how to use my pistols . I think theyâre planning to cash in on the life insurance policy though 
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Donât let anyone tell you different.
Your physical moves to your gun, draw, present etc. must be practiced to the point they are Automatic
- (except/âup tooâ) the trigger pull. The Shoot - No-Shoot Decision Point.
In a âRealâ Confrontation you need most if not all your mind (Brain processing power) to concentrate on what is happening and how do I avoid or stop it.
Is this a deadly threat ?, how many are there?, does he have a gun, knife, do I have time to respond, ???
do I need to use deadly force, can I just leave/escape, can I get to âCoverââŠ,⊠??? on and on.
Since most attacks are usually ambushes - You are typically Not going to have time to âThinkâ about the mechanics of how to get to your gun, position hand, draw, keep finger off trigger, bring gun to what position, etc etc.
Your brain will already be overloaded with - is this a deadly attack? Should I respond, Find Cover 1st, etc etc.
All those physical moves must be well practiced ahead of time/âAutomaticâ/on âAuto Pilotâ so your mind can concentrate on whether to shoot or not or evade, escape etc.
Otherwise you can go into âvapor Lockâ and freeze up or fumble it etc. with information overload to your brain that
has already been traumatized by being under attack.
Of course if you are already being âShot-Atâ it can often make these decisions easier.
( ie âMyâ typical past experiences.)
Been âShot Atâ a few times.
Usually 1st - if possible - âMoveâ, find âCoverâ and shoot from there.
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Indeed.
I have carried for over 30 years, and have also been involved in firearms training and was an armorer.
The issue about âautomatic with training and practiceâ which is what I stated, and to explain that there is no time lost during the draw when there is a manual safety (some people think there may be lost time)âŠ
and the other âcommunity memberâ decided to alter that and use a different word âautopilotâ (which means without thought), and make false accusations regarding unsafe firearms handling. Words matter, words have meaning, and I still say that individual had the intent to cause problems.
I agree with you, just pointing out⊠be careful, there are others that might be âoffendedâ by your commentâŠ
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Thanks for the warning.
I may have to look for another term to describe Muscle Memory for Speed and to Free Up your mind for Critical Thinking.
I teach the âDrawâ to a Defensive Position as a 5 step process.
Then tell the student, in a light hearted way to, âNow go home, practice those exact moves 1000 times and come back and see meâ. Then go on to cover most of the standard XCQB Defensive Positions.
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Hereâs just a thought for your situation. Why not invest in a wheel gun? This way your watch cat wouldnât be able to accidentally send one downrange and even if it was to knock it completely off the desk, almost all revolvers now have a falling block safety system that prevents hammer strike firing. Then you would always have one in the chamber and solve the issue with your guard cat all at once!
Stay safe, train often, let those you love know it very often!
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