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Shootings echo for the few who have fired guns in self defense
St. Louis Post Dispatch ^ | April 28, 2013 | Jesse Bogan

Posted on 04/28/2013 8:20:16 AM PDT by Second Amendment First

The threat emerged here in the evening darkness, as John Wolf was out for a walk on the fringe of his working-class neighborhood. The threat was a suspicious man, also on foot, coming right at him.

Wolf crossed the street, breathed easier and kept going. Soon enough, though, the same man sneaked behind Wolf and stuck a .38 caliber revolver into his neck.

“He must have told me he was going to kill me 10 times,” said Wolf, 59.

Unbeknownst to the robber, Wolf had his own .40-caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol hidden under a loose hanging shirt. And so there, on May 4, 2010, near the 1300 block of Eagles Way Court, Wolf had a decision before him that only a fraction of gun owners make.

For all the attention that is placed on the nation’s estimated 300 million firearms, most guns rest in cases, drawers and safes. Few are holstered. Few get used to actually stop a threat. Even armed soldiers and police officers often go entire careers without firing a shot on duty.

But Wolf is the kind of avid gun collector who had worked through in his head how he might react in exactly this situation. Even so, in that moment, he wondered.

Would he cower? Could he regain control quick enough? Was it worth the risk? Or would he get shot in the back walking away if he went along with the robbery?

Wolf began by playing along. He handed over his wallet. Then he asked if he could have his license back. The distraction gave Wolf the precious split second in a stick-up he needed to pull his own weapon, rack a round into the chamber and tell the robber to drop it.

(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; secondamendment
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To: outofsalt

DIXIE DERRINGER in .22 magnum. The .22lr cylinder is shaped differently, pinched in in the front more ... the frame will accomodate either .22lr or .22 magnum, but the cylinders must be longer than a .22lr only derringer.


41 posted on 04/28/2013 10:40:51 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: Second Amendment First

I find the backstory of Wolf’s assailant interesting, that is to say, disgusting, especially in light of the criminal action he took.


42 posted on 04/28/2013 10:41:17 AM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: Second Amendment First

I like to keep up with what the liberals are saying. Last night on PBS, the show “Need to Know” hosted by the ultra lib Ray Saurez had as guests three 2nd amendment “expert scholars”.

One was a woman, Joyce Lee Malcolm of George Mason Univ. Law School and I was expecting her to be the worst of them! Boy, was I wrong!

She was outstanding and put the 2 lib professors in their place with history and facts. She had them stuttering a couple times. She said owning guns is an ‘individual right’ and for the weak, old guns were an ‘equalizer’.

Here is one of her recent articles, and IIRC she has a book also.

Joyce Lee Malcolm: Two Cautionary Tales of Gun Control

After a school massacre, the U.K. banned handguns in 1998. A decade later, handgun crime had doubled.[snip]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323777204578195470446855466.html


43 posted on 04/28/2013 10:45:15 AM PDT by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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To: MHGinTN

He (the perp) gets a government handout windfall, spends it all, is awaiting a next installment. He’s broke in the meantime, so decides to make a stop at the thug’s idea of a mobile ATM-another human. Potential cost of transaction in his mind-the human’s life. No big deal, after all, the government itself has sanctioned his receiving free money from the extortion of those who worked for it.


44 posted on 04/28/2013 10:46:35 AM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: Second Amendment First
if it comes out, it better bark...
45 posted on 04/28/2013 10:52:29 AM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: mrsmel

Well and truly stated ... sadly. Look what America has become with democrips at the helm too often. I wonder, will anyone realize democrips want America to look like Detroit? Maddy Halfbright let the cat out of the bag long ago, but folks just weren’t paying attention to anything but the lies from the media, enemy of the Republic.


46 posted on 04/28/2013 10:55:47 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: Mouton

The Glock is striker fired, not double action. He probably did not have a round in the chamber because Glocks do not have an external safety. For this reason, some people choose to carry them with a magazine inserted but with no round chambered because they fear an accidental discharge. Of course, if makes more sense to have a round chambered and ready but some people choose not to do so for the reason stated.


47 posted on 04/28/2013 10:59:07 AM PDT by 3Fingas (Sons and Daughters of Freedom, Committee of Correspondence)
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To: 3Fingas

correction — ....Of course, it makes more sense to have a round chambered and ready....


48 posted on 04/28/2013 11:00:53 AM PDT by 3Fingas (Sons and Daughters of Freedom, Committee of Correspondence)
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To: mad_as_he$$

That really won’t help in this case, as you are not practicing your quick draw or shooting someone, but *acting*, trying to figure out *realistically* the time intervals when you can use your weapon when faced off with an armed mugger.

Even both being armed with bananas (the Glock .40 banana), will work in this case.

The emphasis is where the mugger is focused, what he is paying attention to, when he is vulnerable to you, how much time to get your banana, make sure it is off safe, etc.

You are trying to tactically calculate fractions of a second for advantage. You are looking for an opening, like a boxer.


49 posted on 04/28/2013 11:22:43 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Best WoT news at rantburg.com)
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To: outofsalt

Jeff Dunn did a great reveiw of the Charter Dixie Derringer. I have carried the North American Arms version as back-up for years. The NAA version has ‘rest’ positions between the firing chambers, so the weapon can be carried with five but the hammer resting in a non-chamber positon. To fire, pull the hammer back and a chamber rotates into position.


50 posted on 04/28/2013 11:28:08 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: Second Amendment First

Two comments regarding Mr. Wolf. First, carry in Condition 1, loaded, round in the chamber, and safety off.
2. Mr. Wolf was very lacking in SITUATION awareness. It is not SITUATIONAL awaremness. One is aware of the situation, not the situational, whatever a situational is.


51 posted on 04/28/2013 11:28:09 AM PDT by Rannug ("God has given it to me, let him who touches it beware.")
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To: MHGinTN
I've carried the NAA version sometimes. Good for deep concealment, and better than mace if things go bad. Not much use for heroically stopping a dozen bad guys, but neither is my J-frame...


52 posted on 04/28/2013 11:37:58 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Liberals are like locusts...)
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To: Second Amendment First

“...the man who attacked Wolf was dead on the grass, shot two times through the back. The assailant’s finger was resting on the trigger of a rusted chrome revolver, records show. One cartridge was spent; three rounds appeared to have misfired.”

Wolf used up a lot of luck that night!


53 posted on 04/28/2013 11:42:28 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Liberals are like locusts...)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

I have been in two gunfights. I ALWAYS look for the best advantage I can.

Be polite,
Be sure,
and have a plan to kill every person you meet.

BTW many experts are now saying one of the best training tools for practicing clearing your own home is with airsoft.

http://full-contact.military.com/2012/11/09/tactical-firearms-training-airsoft-home-defense-drill/


54 posted on 04/28/2013 1:12:46 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$

I disagree, for the simple reason that “hunting for criminals” is far riskier than letting them come to you.

Tactically, I would prefer to be at the end of an unlit hallway, mostly inside a room, aiming up from the floor. From this position there is almost no way for them to enter the other end of that hallway safely, unless they have hand grenades.

Typically, they will enter the other end at 75-100% erect, looking and aiming for a target at about the same height. And if they’re really dense, they will try to come in tight around the wall, which doubly fails because I will see them before they see me, and bullets can pass through most interior, non-brick walls. Even when they see me aiming up at them, they still have an awfully long delay before they can aim lower effectively.

Even if they take their time coming to me, I can be patient, because every sound they make will increase my advantage.

If I have pests, I call the exterminator. If I need my house “cleared”, I call the cops. If I want to take out an armed robber, I want to do so on my terms.


55 posted on 04/28/2013 2:15:52 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Best WoT news at rantburg.com)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
So be it. I have been in shoot houses where the kids rooms were separate from the Master by a great distance. Your proposed method leaves the bad guys to do what they want to the kids while you wait for them.

Many gun ranges now have the capability to come to your home and film it and then put you in a simulator to see the best ways to clear your house. Ala Star Trek Halodeck.

I am also an advocate of active closure. I am certain we do not see eye to eye on that either.

I guess we agree to disagree. Hope neither of us have to experience a home invasion or burglary.

56 posted on 04/28/2013 3:49:02 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: AuntB

Thanks for that WSJ column - good info, and another professor to put up alongside John Lott.

Found her at http://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/malcolm_joyce


57 posted on 04/28/2013 3:52:29 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
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To: mad_as_he$$

I absolutely agree with that hope. I also know that arguments about tactics never end, so most any disagreement is often an impasse.

As an aside, there are two things of great concern on the subject. The first is the criminal technique that began in the San Diego area, of the “knock home invasion”, in which a team often of two invaders with a car and two others on the street in a second car. One of them knocks on a door, and if someone answers, they say something nonthreatening and leave. If no one answers, they break the door down.

The technique moved up the coast and is now moving inland rapidly, so it will probably be national sooner rather than later.

The other is the major problem, with about 20 million Oxycontin abusers, some percent of them addicts, who are now very rapidly moving to cheap Mexican heroin, because the Oxy has been reformulated to make it harder to abuse, and heroin is much cheaper. The changeover to heroin started in the Kentucky to Virginia region and happened overnight. And now the Chicago suburbs have a 220% increase in heroin arrests.

Large numbers of junkies are a major pain in the butt, and will in turn cause a crime wave.

The 20-teen years may soon be called “the home invasion decade”.


58 posted on 04/28/2013 5:17:54 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Best WoT news at rantburg.com)
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To: Colorado Doug

A derringer revolver.

http://www.kygunco.com/charter-arms-dixie-derringer-22-lr-revolver-1-18-5-shot-stainless-27369


59 posted on 04/28/2013 6:56:00 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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To: Mr Rogers

What’s the grip?


60 posted on 04/28/2013 7:10:37 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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