Are you going to shoot up the place?

[Roichlem]

Hello, INGO!

As you can see, i'm still fairly new around here. I've been lurking the site for several months but i rarely post. I want to be more active in the community here so i thought i'd share a story on my first negative OC experience.

About two weeks ago i got my LTCH in the mail. it only took about three weeks with the L1 process and i was extremely excited to be able to carry and exercise my 2A rights. Around 5pm, my girlfriend and i were cruising around town and i noticed i needed to fuel up my car. I pull into a circle k station and proceed to fill up (thank god the super bowl is over and gas dropped down 50 cents). after my car was full and before we left the station, i decided to go inside to grab some snacks for movie night with my ol' lady.

i browse the aisles for a bit and grab a bag of my favorite snack, hot 'n spicy pork rinds and a bag of funyons for the misses. since that was all i was after i walk up front. the lady at the register was very nice, she had a bright smile and a plesent attitide (i dont think she had noticed my OC taurus PT1911). I handed over some cash for my snacks- and thats when i noticed a man had cut through the line that had formed behind me and stood very close to my right side. at this point i started to get a tad nervous. This guy was quite a bit bigger than i was, I'm only 5'8'' and he stood maybe half a foot taller than me and looked like a fairly strong guy. Just as i turn to look at this guy, he says "so, are you going to shoot up the place?". i didnt know what to do, before i could say anything the lady had said "Does he have a gun???"

at this point i was afraid of two things, getting the cops called on me for "man with a gun" or having this guy try and grab at my sidearm. The register girl didn't seem nervous, though. what i did might not have been the best idea, but i turned a little to the left so she could see my 1911 was firmly in its holster where it belongs and i simply said "yep, i've got my 1911 on my hip. i wouldn't worry, I'm licensed to carry". i grabed my change from her, shot the guy next to me one last look, and walked out of the store thankful that no more of a scene had been caused.

Im still new to carrying, so any tips on how to handle the situation better would be greatly appriciated. let me know what you think, INGO.

 

[printcraft]

 

[GBuck]

I think the guy is lucky. I don't take too kindly to idiots invading my space, especially by my firearm, and trying to give me for exercising my rights. I'm not saying I'da shot the guy, but I definitely would have made sure he was aware he needed to move, FAST. I also would have made it a point to embarrass him and educate the others standing there.

 

[Scutter01]

I highly recommend that you get yourself to some tactical training, especially if you plan to continue to open carry. It sounds like your situational awareness was severely lacking. It also sounded like you had absolutely no idea what to do about someone who was suddenly on top of your carry-side. Those two things are eventually going to add up to a Bad Day.

You're about to be hit with a LOT of comments, and you're not going to like some of them. Better brace yourself.

 

[GBuck]

I highly recommend that you get yourself to some tactical training, especially if you plan to continue to open carry. It sounds like your situational awareness was severely lacking. It also sounded like you had absolutely no idea what to do about someone who was suddenly on top of your carry-side. Those two things are eventually going to add up to a Bad Day.

You're about to be hit with a LOT of comments, and you're not going to like some of them. Better brace yourself.

That's what I was alluding to.

 

[Scutter01]

That's what I was alluding to.

The alluding eluded you.

 

[goinggreyfast]

I highly recommend that you get yourself to some tactical training, especially if you plan to continue to open carry. It sounds like your situational awareness was severely lacking. It also sounded like you had absolutely no idea what to do about someone who was suddenly on top of your carry-side. Those two things are eventually going to add up to a Bad Day.

You're about to be hit with a LOT of comments, and you're not going to like some of them. Better brace yourself.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[Roichlem]

Scutter, I take pride on my situational awareness. I had noticed the guy approaching but i thought he was just going to get in line behind me like the other people had, what i did not expect was for him to just keep moving foreward and come to stand RIGHT next to me. If the lady at the counter had acted differently or seemed scared i would have responded differently, but the the way she asked "does he have a gun?" she didnt seem scared only curious. once the guy was next to me i wasnt sure what to do. if he had persisted in talking crap about my gun i would have politely said that i am well withen my rights to carry, or if he had reached for i would have pushed him away. what would you suggest i do as far as training for this kind of situation?

 

[GBuck]

The alluding eluded you.

ELUDE THIS!

 

[ZS84]

Well let me start by saying that I am happy you are carrying. I am from Columbus as well and I am glad to see others who carry. What gas station were you at? I have never had any problems in town besides some really nervous looks from time to time. Thanks for not doing anything crazy. If you ever want to have a conversation with some person like this (trust me your head will most likely hurt when the coversation is done ) step out of line and represent us well. You did not handle this in a bad way just be sure you are using situational awareness. Sounds like this guy was too close and in your personal space. I don't like it when people stand that close to me, especially if they seem like a threat or have a problem with me. But this just may be me.

 

[GBuck]

what would you suggest i do as far as training for this kind of situation?

Learn to not let ANYONE get that close to you without your permission. Also, you should know what you're going to say to people when asked or attacked similarly about your gun.

I agree, as someone new to carrying a weapon, you should probably seek some firearms, firearms retention and indiana firearms law training. There are many site advertisers on INGO that teach these courses.

 

[goinggreyfast]

Sounds like this guy was too close and in your personal space. I don't like it when people stand that close to me, especially if they seem like a threat or have a problem with me. But this just may be me.

It's not just you ZS. Based on the OP, it sounded that way to me as well. Situational awareness includes preparing ahead of time how to respond to tough questions by people like this "Billy Bada**" who asked him if he was going to "shoot up the place."

 

[Roichlem]

I was at the Circle K on 17th street and Central. I was aware that he was coming to stand in like, but i just was not prepaired for him to come that close to me and start saying things like that. I dont believe he was threatining me, he may have even been trying to make a joke but i wasnt willing to take that risk. i let the clerk know i was withen my rights to carry and i quickly left before anything happened.

 

[ATM]

...i grabed my change from her, shot the guy next to me

...one last look, and walked out of the store thankful that no more of a scene had been caused.

Oh.

 

[eldirector]

Personally, I think you did fine. Nobody got hurt, and your GF got her Funyons.

Yeah, training and practice will certainly make you feel more comfortable handling these minor annoyances. Might even help if something really does go down.

As far as handling meatheads like that guy, I don't bother with wasting more time than needed. A simple "No" to him, and a "Thanks, have a nice day/evening/whatever" to the clerk, and I'm on my way.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

First you:

then say "Deal with it" (while putting on the glasses)

and then

on your way out

 

[goinggreyfast]

...The register girl didn't seem nervous, though. what i did might not have been the best idea, but i turned a little to the left so she could see my 1911 was firmly in its holster where it belongs...

Let me ask you this. When you "turned" to show register girl where the gun was, did it also accomplish turning your strong side (with the gun) away from the guy questioning you or did it further expose the sidearm to him?

 

[Roichlem]

As far as getting training, i would jump at the oppertunity. Im always very safe around firearms having grown up around them. I am a huge advocate of constant trigger discipline and general firearm safety. the only thing i knew to do if he had reached for my firearm (which he didnt seem like he was but you never know) would be to grab his hand and force it down to keep my firearm in its holster and use my left elbow to knock im away or down.

 

[Roichlem]

goinggreyfast, it is exactly as you had said and that was another reason i did it. the guy was on my right side, the same side with my firearm. when i turned to the left, it brought the firearm further from him and allowed me to put my arm down by my side- between him and my gun.

 

[Scutter01]

Scutter, I take pride on my situational awareness. I had noticed the guy approaching but i thought he was just going to get in line behind me like the other people had, what i did not expect was for him to just keep moving foreward and come to stand RIGHT next to me.

And what if he just kept coming until he grabbed your gun (or tried to)? You already said that he did something you weren't expecting. How would you have reacted? Have you practiced it? That's where training comes in. "i didnt know what to do" is what you said and that should raise giant alarm bells in your head.

I'm not trying to second-guess what you did; I wasn't there. But you did ask for suggestions.

ETA: I'm also not necessarily referring to gun handling skills. Check out the force-on-force classes available in our Tactics and Training section. I also recommend (to everyone) that you take martial arts classes. Actual martial arts, not "pretend to kick me for five minutes and I'll give you a pretty-colored belt".