Posted: 4/11/2005 3:15:39 PM EDT
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Hey, Im a newbe here and this is my first post. I was in a messed up situation a while back, which incidentally was the catalyst for my interest in firearms and self-defence stuff. I was wondering if any of you have been in similar situations, and what the best course of action is. I know nothing is cut and dry, but any input is appreciated. Here it goes... So, me and my friend are walking down the street in Tempe AZ, that is Pheonix, at about 10 at night(1st mistake). So were walking and out of nowhere these two gangbangers (Dark baggy clothing, hoods, and alot of red clothing) come at us from the left, pistols drawn. Theyre on us before we can react, and so there we are in the middle of the friggin street bieng held at gunpoint, I was shoved onto my knees, one of em put the pistol to my head. I just emptied my pockets(I had like five bucks). My friend, who lives there in Pheonix is having a hard time getting his wallet out of his cargo pants, so they pistol whip the living crap out of him and kick him repeatedly on the ground. I am ashamed to say it but I was literally frozen with fear. The thought went through my mind to book it, but I figured they would shoot me in the back, or shoot my freind if I got away. To add to it all there are cars driving by us on the street the entire time, of course no one stopped or called the cops even though it was plainly visible what was happening. They finally let us go, we ran off, called the cops at his house, cops came and my friend went to a hospital, cop let me drive around with him to see if we could spot the guys. After a while I said, Hell, Ive just seen a hunded people who fit the discription. Im 21 now and looking at getting a pistol for CC, any suggestions? |
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Get training....and make sure you are over the incident before packing a CCW. Being ready to carry is more than turning 21...there are some serious psychological requirements involved. Understand that carry a weapon is the biggest responsibility you can take. I recommend hitting www.packing.org There is a lot of info there specifically relating to CCW. Also may want to check out a book called "The Concealed Handgun Manual" Above all, look into certified training. Welcome to the site, stay safe, and if you have questions....ask them. There is a lot of info here. |
Is this a reflex now? Give the guy a break, for the love of God. |
I gave Cyanide the benefit of the doubt, and look what happened. 
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Bloods? Anyway, ignore the asses here. There are a lot of good guys with some good advice. Before you buy a pistol, learn how to use one safely and learn to put yourself in the proper mindset. The most dangerous weapon you can own is a sharp mind. I know that sounds like a cliche, but it's the truth. If you don't have the proper mindset to defend yourself in the first place, you won't be able to defend yourself with a firearm, much less anything else. Choose the handgun that is right for you, and ignore the caliber and trademark whores. The best handgun you can carry is one that feels comfortable in your hand and that you can get hits with reliable. The only way to figure this out is to try out a bunch of different types. That's some general advice. The AZ guys can give you specifics. |
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Tacman, sorry for the reaction, but we've had some real "winners" here lately. You and your friend were simply walking with your heads up your asses. Don't do that crap again. Next time, you might not live to type it here. For a pistol, go to a range and rent all the pistols that cops use. When you find one that you shoot well with,, get that one. Take self defense classes and know when to use a gun, and when not to. Good luck. |
WELCOME ABOARD! We need a little more info. What is your experience with firearms, if any? If the answer is none, I would recommend finding an indoor range that rents firearms. Shoot a few, see which ones are comfortable/affordable and go from there. As other posters have said, once you make the purchase, get some training and practice. 
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This happened when I was 15 yrs old, and it was a pretty nice neighborhood, or so I thought. Situation awareness is key. Avoiding situations like that is the best defense, true. Ive been training with my dad's pistols for years and am getting decent. Im finally 21, so Im shopping. Whadya think? .45 or 9mm with golden sabers? |
Get both or go see the 50k threads on 9mm vs .45 |
.45 vs 9mm........ again. |
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Dont worry about the caliber...worry about the shot placement. I dont recommend anything smaller than a 9mm neccesarily....but you will be best served to pick a weapon in a caliber you are proficient with. If you can hit the 10 ring at will with a 9mm, and have trouble staying on the paper with a .45, it doesnt take a genius to figure out which is the better choice. I cant say it enough times....shot placement is more important than caliber. A .22 that you can hit what you aim at is worth more than a .45 that you need luck to hit a target. All that being said, I have carried both .40S&W and .45 - .357Mag and 9mm, and I felt comfortable with each of those guns because I knew what I was capable of doing with them. Practice practice practice! |
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Being that you got ambushed, you'd've been no better off, & the BG might've walked off w/ a free HG on top of the $5.00 Consider yourself lucky - could've been much worse. FWIW, it pays to be aware, but also forward-thinking in one's manner & habits. Yes, walking around @ 2200 in a downtown region @ noc raises the stakes of getting gooned, but there are also some subtle things you can do. For example: I tend to be wary of walking blindly crossing an alleyway in downtown <anywhere> when I'm travelling the sidewalk, so I make it a habit look ahead & around the corner before I egress. Bums, thugs, & other types take advantage of any person who presents as unaware or ambivilent. A little bit of paranoia & practice of 'preventative' habits reduce the chances of being blindsided, & is good SOP in any environment. Listen to your instincts. They can work for you sometime. If someone seems less than savory, don't volunteer yourself to be the test case for the sake of PC-correct friendliness. If someone looks like bad medicine, then they may very well be just that, so simply avoid them. Avoiding trouble is rule #1. Nothing can make a person safe. Nothing. That great lie has been peddled long enough to become the pablum of the infantile masses. Nonetheless, it's an empty meal. Carrying, practicing, & honing yourself mentally to be able to manage your circumstances & respond appropriately to the situation at hand helps reduce the chances of being a victim. Giong to guns is a last resort when all else has failed (Emphasis intended). Look at your experience this way: you can now unqualifyingly answer to anyone who would ask why you would want/need to carry a firearm. Welcome to the side [of the 'great debate'] that cold, hard truth hath wrought. Glad you both survived. |
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Take some training, then decide what handgun you like. Be prepared to spend several hundred to several thousand dollars for training, pistol, backup pistol, magazines (don't call them clips), holsters, cleaning equipment, rangebag, concealed carry clothing, hearing protection, ammunition, targets, shooting glasses, tactical flashlights and whatever else you may need. Combat training and competition is good because it teaches you situational awareness and to act instinctively when you are threatened. |