Humbling Non-Encounter

Use this forum to post your experience with encounters with law enforcement, criminals, or other encounters as a result of your firearm or potential to be carrying one.

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glocksmith
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Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by glocksmith »

Yesterday, I had an encounter with Murphy's Law. It was quite embarrassing to a guy like myself, as I'm a "be prepared" type who never leaves the house without my sidearm. Anyway, long story short, it was a warmish, sunny day yesterday and I open the front door to see if it's warm enough to go sit out on the front porch. It was, so I turned back into the house to ask a family member if they wanted to join me out there. I head back out toward the now unlocked door which is open only about a half inch - when suddenly I hear a knock at the door. This annoyed me because normally I always have the front door and outer storm door locked - and I'd only unlocked it 30 seconds prior. Well, in that narrow window of time, two people I didn't recognize managed to come up on the porch. Normally I don't answer when this happens. One of the guys opened the all glass storm door so he could knock harder on the inner door....and being a windy day, the door flew open. I see a hand holding the storm door and a foot sticking in past the door frame. Now I'm getting really annoyed - mainly at myself for being so careless - so I motion to a family member to go get rid of them. Meanwhile I stepped into a side room and - perhaps over reacting but just in case - I pull my revolver from its holster and listen for anything abnormal coming from the living room. While standing there, I notice that there isn't a hint of brass colored spots behind the recoil shield. Yep, just like that I realize the revolver - which I've concealed carried for about the last 2 months - isn't even loaded. Luckily there were four loose rounds nearby and I quickly stuffed them in the cylinder. In the end, it turned out to be nothing - two guys selling some service or product. What can I say though? All this fancy gear and ammo I've invested in and, had I really needed it in a SD situation, I'd have come up short. Very short. What's worse is that I have been toting it around in my holster for the last two months - completely unaware that I was carrying an empty gun. Seems that the last time I took it to the range, I cleaned it and left it empty for a second cleaning which never happened. :oops:

Everybody check your guns right now. Don't be like me :lol:
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Curzyk
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by Curzyk »

Classic movie moment.

:shock: "Stop, or I'll shoot!" :x

:evil: "Your gun ain't even loaded, junior." :twisted:

:oops:
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502ci
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by 502ci »

Sounds kinda like one of my dreams (aka nightmare) where I have to pull my gun and fire it which then either the bullets fall out of the barrel or I keep pulling the trigger and nothing happens... :D

I gotta admit when my gun is out of my sight for any period of time I will check the cylinder for ammo...not just a glance at the back of the shell casings but pull a round out and check for that familiar hollow point... :mrgreen:
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DontTreadOnMe
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by DontTreadOnMe »

Are you saying you carried it for two months and never took it out of the holster all that time?
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Mr. Glock
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by Mr. Glock »

Every time I holster a carry gun (first time after being stored, put away for the night etc), I drop out the magazine to check it and check for a round in the chamber (or swing out the cylinder). A couple of quick seconds to prevent that error.

I learned that at TDI, where they had several stories like yours. One IIRC was 6 months with an empty gun.
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glocksmith
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by glocksmith »

DontTreadOnMe wrote:Are you saying you carried it for two months and never took it out of the holster all that time?
Yeah. I wear it in a shoulder holster, so I simply slide out of it at the end of the day. No real need for me to un-holster/re-holster it continually like I did when wearing a Glock in an OWB.

DTOM - in case you missed it in my OP, it's a revolver I'm talking about.
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DontTreadOnMe
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by DontTreadOnMe »

I saw that it was a revolver. Still, that shoulder holster can trap moisture and it'd be a good idea to at least take it out once a week, let it air out overnight and give it a wipe before reholstering.

The other benefit to this would be you'll notice more quickly if you accidentally failed to load it. :wink:
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by BEAR! »

Good reminder.

I can check my current carry blaster(credit Brian D.)by reaching down and touching it, my XD has both a loaded chamber and cocked indicator. I like those features,
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by TSiWRX »

Mr. Glock wrote:Every time I holster a carry gun (first time after being stored, put away for the night etc), I drop out the magazine to check it and check for a round in the chamber (or swing out the cylinder). A couple of quick seconds to prevent that error.

I learned that at TDI, where they had several stories like yours. One IIRC was 6 months with an empty gun.
+1.

"Administrative" isn't really administrative, when one's life is on the line.

It's a good idea - no matter what kind of weapon one's carrying - to do a proper check-up like that.
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Metal1
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by Metal1 »

Doubt that would ever happen as I check my guns before I put them on every morning.
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charliej47
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by charliej47 »

I've never done that so far, but I did have a loose mag where I had hit the release and had not re-seated it correctly.
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centermass
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by centermass »

glocksmith wrote: completely unaware that I was carrying an empty gun.
No, Sir, you were carrying a hammer.
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by gaptrick »

Thanks for sharing, and I'm almost as glad as you that you didn't need it at any time.

I don't check mine either... only when I might change guns will I confirm it's loaded. And I hate to say, there are times that I'll go past that 2 month mark without pulling a trigger. Shame, shame...

I suppose during a cleaning or an afternoon at the range one could get distracted enough to overlook the reloading. I have gone to the range and TWICE now expended all my pellets only to have to go home with and empty gun.

(... I just checked mine now though, and whew!)
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by carmen fovozzo »

No simpathy from me...One of the most unbelievable stories I have heard...never heard of anyone CC that long and not know their gun was unloaded....at least 5 rounds of ammo makes a difference in weight...Hard to believe....
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Re: Humbling Non-Encounter

Post by Newcomer »

glocksmith, I commend you for being brave enough to share this story knowing that you may get beat up here. I would say you're in the minority that would do that here. Glad things worked out.
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