So who has ever actually used a rifle in self defense?

[Eurodriver]

Thanks for sharing guys.

[G19A3]

In my incident, I had a 870 pump shotgun instead of an AR and no shots were fired.

At the time, I lived at home with my mom, who was the owner and landlord of her house with two tenants in the same structure. One tenant above and one below us. I was home alone in our second floor apt and heard violent pounding. So hard, in fact, that I could literally feel the vibration, AND this house was of full brick construction. No screaming, just continuous, incessant pounding.

The house was in a decent neighborhood and I was momentarily shocked and was thinking, WTF is that? As logical thinking took me over, I realized it was coming from outside. (The residence below at ground level is accessed by an outside side door, made of strong thick wood with a small 10"x10" window at eye level. Although I had handguns, I decided to take out my 870, equipped with a folding stock (Don't recall if i unfolded or not, but probably did.)

I went downstairs from my second floor level and stepped out the front door and around the alley to the side of the house where the pounding got louder. In full daylight, I clearly see a guy, both feet off the ground, trying to climb into the first floor apt via the 10" door window....his head, a shoulder, and one arm already inside the window. I yelled a few times for him to climb down, which he ignores. I use one hand and grab the guy and pull him out of the window and can now see it is the estranged, and drunk uncle of the third floor tenant.

The uncle did not live there, but he was always begging his estranged relatives (my mom's third floor tenants) for money or whatever. I rarely saw the guy, but I was ready to put one in him if he made a bad move. THANK GOD I didn't have to.

Due to his drunken state, I don't think it mattered to him that I had a gauge loaded with 00Buck on him or if I had a water pistol. The third floor tenant paid for the repairs.

At that house, my mom also came home and spooked a burglar(s) as they just broke into the house and began rummaging...perfect timing(? or actually not). I don't remember if this was before or after the drunk uncle incident, but the incidents were unrelated.

I think about that uncle incident from time to time up until right before I sold that 870 (loaded out modern-like with Surefire foreend, side saddle, even back then). I think about in terms of I don't know how I held that WAAAY front-heavy, almost 10lb, 38" OAL beast with one hand, but I don't recall it being an awkward burden back then. Perhaps adrenaline or the task at hand pre-occupied me at the time. Either way, I wouldn't have been able to fire and pump with only one hand for a second shot, while grabbing the guy with my other hand. Since then, upgraded to semi-auto, 5.56mm bullpup, with WML-activatable with the same gun hand.

[Tzook]

I think there's a good chance this could be one of the more valuable threads in the history of this forum, thanks much guys for sharing and I hope others will too.

[w3453l]

zk556x45 - I'm glad everything turned out ok in the end. I can't begin to imagine all of the stress, and problems something like that could would cause. I hope everything only gets better for you and your family from here on out.

Kenneth - Good to hear that things played out the way they did. Just think what could have happened if the police showed up a few moments later than they did. I'm not sure what city exactly that happened in, but I know that out here in the bad areas police response time isn't very fast. I wonder who, and how long before that called the police.

tgizzard - That reminds me of a recent incident that was in the news. I don't remember who exactly, but I think it was an NBA player that was killed after breaking into a house. Apparently he was looking for his girlfriend. It's good you were home, and not your wife alone.

Scorpion - Thanks for sharing. I'm assuming he didn't get away with any of your belongings?

G19A3 - That reminds me of why I never liked the idea of renting out rooms/property to anyone. At least not when you are living nearby. I know some people are alright, but you never know what acquaintances they have or had in the past. Good to hear that everything came out ok.

Thanks to everyone else as well for sharing. Luckily I have never had anything of the sort happen to me. The closest was when one time I woke up very early. I was heading out somewhere, so I woke up a lot earlier than usual and it was still dark outside. The dog was going crazy moments before, but I assumed he was just barking at some animal.

I walked into the garage to see the lights on and everything looked as if someone was looking for something. The back gate was wide open as well, and the car doors were wide open too. There was a mess in the car, but the guy didn't get away with anything. He must have heard me coming in and panicked.

I was mad someone broke in and was going through everything, but then I realized how lucky I was that the guy wasn't armed or had more evil motives for being there.

Some of them just have more to lose, while others are either hopped up on something and not comprehending what's going on. Then there's the guys that just don't care and really aren't scared to test you.

C4IGrant - I still have not taken a single class whether pistol or rifle. I have been looking into starting, but I just had no idea what's more beneficial to start with. That along with limited time and money I wanted to make sure I'm doing it right. Thanks for the input.

[G19A3]

For the record, even though the pistol is vastly deficient in "stopping power" compared to any long gun (5.56, 7.62, 12G). I believe pistol skills (i.e. classes) are MUCH more important than long gun classes.

[Scorpion]

w3453l: No, he didn't. I believe he was looking to see if anybody was there before he started stealing shit.

[GTF425]

Great posts by all.

I am fortunate enough to only have drawn a handgun twice stateside, both times de-escalated without firing. Once was in a parking lot in Fayetteville as soon as I got out of my vehicle, and the other was at a gas station in Raleigh when three guys started to circle me and move in from different sides. I pump gas standing behind my vehicle, and if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have seen them until they were much closer.

Both times I was shaking after the fact and had a slight adrenaline dump. Even after years of constant deployments and training cycles, it still worked me up.

I also recently had some old guy at a gas station in Asheville try to bait me into a fistfight. I could see he was (poorly) concealing a pistol and was probably just looking for a reason to use it.

[HCrum87hc]

Thank you to those of you that have shared your stories. By the grace of God, I have not had the need to use any firearm in self defense, but I appreciate those of you that are willing to share your experiences so that we may learn from them.

[GJM]

Was out deer hunting in Kodiak Island. Charged by a brown bear. Verbal aggression was unsuccessful. Fired one round of .375 H&H, 300 grain Trophy Bonded, out of Winchester model 70, at 15 yards, stopping charge. The one shot was fatal to the bear.

Skinned bear, turned skull and hide into Fish and Game as per AK law, completed multi page questionnaire, telephone interview with Fish and Game. Matter closed.

[ubet]

Was leaving Walmart late one night, had just gotten my carry permit a couple months before. Walking through the parking lot three guys sort of fanned out and were keeping pace with me, following me. I walked until we were all clear of people then stopped and turned towards them. As I did I flipped my coat back and grabbed my pistol. They luckily all turned and scrammed and thankfully I didn't have to draw.

Was in Boise two Februarys ago, some big outdoor shopping complex, with my wife and some of her family. I'd wandered off by myself being bored. Their were two banger looking guys I noticed shadowing me. I'd cross the street so would they. Each time I went around a blind corner, they would be closer and gaining on me after they'd turned it. But by the time I'd really started to notice, I was sort of out of the shops and away from people. I'd make a corner they'd gain on me. So I just kept moving away around the building until I found a spot that I couldn't really go any further. When I'd made the last corner, I'd sped up putting distance between us. When they turned it they had a wall directly behind them and we're walking real fast. Their was zero reason any of us should be there. I turned and grabbed my 1911, I was open carrying. As I did it they stopped looked at each other then ran towards a car across the parking lot and left in a hurry.

I know you'd ask about rifles, but thought I'd share anyways.

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