Longish four-part post I found interesting:
FOUR AGAINST ONE
Situational awareness, training, concealed carry even the odds
By Danny O. Coulson
Spring, 2007 my wife and I drove from home near Fort Worth, to visit family in New Orleans. I carried a CAR-15 in the trunk of our Honda Ridgeline, secured my H&K P-7 in the glove compartment and armed myself with a vintage Browning P-35, my weapon of choice since serving on the Hostage Rescue Team.
Our journey to Louisiana was uneventful and our return on a warm Sunday afternoon started as a leisurely drive, until the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area on I-20. My wife wanted some bottled water. I pulled into a service station on the north side of I-20. We had fuel, so I bypassed the pumps, to park and run into the mini-mart. As I pulled past the pumps and store entrance, I noticed a bandit barrier protecting the cashier. My antenna went up: There was enough concern over robberies, to protect their employees. Better be alert.
>"Four-part" should read "multi-part"
On Alert!
With no parking near the door, I pulled to the far left end. I noticed a dumpster just to the far left of the building; Leaning against it was an individual wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. His arms were crossed and he watched us intently. “Better watch this one,” I thought—“too hot for a hooded sweatshirt.”
I nodded toward the dumpster and under my breath said to my wife, “I don’t like that one.” We entered, purchased water and exited the front door to return to our truck. I took my wife’s arm and steered her toward the center of the lot, toward the pumps, not along the sidewalk. I wanted space, for time to react if necessary. Our route to the truck was a gentle ark, letting me visually cover most of the parking area. Using the sidewalk between parked cars and the mini mart would have been seriously impeded my ability to see a threat before it was upon us. Training and experience have taught me to rapidly close with an opponent in a CQB (close quarter battle) situation and give him little time to react. In the HRT, our CQB philosophy was “speed, surprise and violence of action.” We always wanted to launch rescue operations as close to the subjects as possible, to maximize our tactical advantage and firepower. Were I to be attacked I needed to reverse that, to gain space and time and rely upon my firearms skill to prevail.
As we approached the truck, the individual still stood by the dumpster, arms still crossed, watching us intently. His gaze did not leave us as we approached the truck. I opened the passenger door and told my wife, “get the pistol.” I walked behind the truck and thought for a second about retrieving the CAR-15, but did not because I had not been threatened and did not want to alarm customers. But suspicions would change to threats in seconds.
The Trap
As I turned the rear corner of the truck, the man in the sweatshirt (“Subject One”) started walking briskly to my left in the direction of the pumps, never taking his eyes from me. There was no doubt in my mind he was trying to circle behind and very likely put me in an “L” situation with a confederate. In a CQB situation putting your opponent in the “L” or crossfire is the ultimate tactical advantage. It takes more time to write about this experience, than the fractions of seconds of the actual events.
Most people would react by immediately getting to the safety of the car and locking the doors. That never entered my mind. If an assault unfolded, as I could see it beginning, I did not want to be in my truck trying to put it in motion when an aggressor approached my truck, gun in hand: That would put me at the mercy of my attacker(s). With attackers in such close proximity, my weapon would not have served me well especially if two attackers approached from opposite sides of the truck.
To Fight Back
My thought was to engage head-on, outside my vehicle. Chances of survival would be better if I neutralized the threat at a distance. I immediately opened the driver’s door and drew my weapon from the DeSantis Holster that holds the P35 “cocked and locked.” I positioned myself behind the open door, and removed the safety. Gun now held low behind the door in both hands, I started turning my head back and forth between subject number one and in the direction of the dumpster. If there was to be a fight I wanted it on my terms and I wanted as much cover as possible. Immediately Subject Number Two appeared from behind the dumpster, pulling a ski mask over his face as he moved directly toward me. I looked back and forth from Subject One to this new threat. I presented the Hi-Power with the dot of the front sight aligned on the chest of Subject Two. I thought I would engage Subject Two with a double tap and then engage Subject One with two shots and then re-evaluate. I could not see the hands of Subject Two as they were hidden in what appeared to be a large pocket in the front of his sweatshirt. Based on the action of the two of them and the fact that Subject Two now wore a ski mask as he quickly moved toward me, there was no doubt that our lives were in danger.
This was to be a brazen assault for purposes unknown. I feared for our lives. The Browning has a two-stage trigger: I took up the slack and was about to engage. Subject Two was within 10 yards of my protected position when subject Number One screamed “No, No, No.” With that, both subjects whirled and sprinted back toward the dumpster and disappeared. I locked and closed the door to the truck and told my wife “if they come back, shoot them through the window.” I then made a wide arc to the left of the dumpster and observed three men in ski masks and Subject One running into the darkness.
The threat was over and we were lucky to have survived it. In discussing the event with Fort Worth Police and later with their training academy staff, they commented that I had in effect laid an ambush for the four who intended to ambush us.
(The author has extensive tactical experience as an FBI firearms instructor, FBI Sniper, FBI S.W.A.T. team commander, and creator/commander of the FBI’s HRT. He has been involved in hundreds of tactical entries, commanding scores of tactical operations. He has studied tactics and CQB with elite military units worldwide, and has recovered more than 275 hostages.)
Lessons Learned:
1. The ability to arm myself very likely saved my wife and me from great bodily harm or death.
2. Merely being armed will not save you if don’t recognize suspicious situations and position yourself for tactical advantage or escape. Your handgun will deliver suppressive fire: It will not stop bullets from hitting you. If an assailant is able to close to a near position, your weapon becomes useless.
3. In retrospect, I should have retrieved my rifle as I circled the truck: Use a handgun to fight your way to your rifle. The CAR-15 is very compact. It would have been simple to retrieve it, charge it and keep it inconspicuously near my leg. Had things deteriorated into a gun fight, the CAR-15 is an excellent equalizer.
Straws In The Wind:
Clues of an impending assault included:
--Bullet-proof glass protecting the cashier
--Subject One wearing a hooded sweatshirt on a warm evening
--Subject One watching intently as I exited my truck, and continuing to
watch my wife and I throughout
--Subject One maneuvering behind me to put me in a potential cross-fire.
--Subject Two pulling a ski mask over his face and moving briskly toward me (a definitive clue!)
Points to Remember
If possible take any escape route you create. Here, escape was not an option—I hadn’t time to enter my truck and drive away before attacker(s) could close and engage us with weapons.
Carry a large handgun: The Browning is large and intimidating. Subject Two likely did not realize I was armed, but Subject One saw and warned his companion to abort. Armed with an unobserved small handgun, I probably would have been forced to take a human life.
Confronted with any type of a threat, do not assume the attack will come from one direction. Be prepared to respond to multiple threats from at least two.
It is more important to not lose a gunfight, than to win it. Losing means that you are wounded or killed even if you shoot your opponent. You may win the battle and be seriously injured in the process. Avoid the gunfight if possible by escaping. If threatened and a safe avenue of escape is available, take it!
To not lose the gunfight, be alert, maneuver and always take advantage of whatever cover is available to you.
Do not carry a weapon without taking a state-approved concealed-carry course. You will learn little marksmanship, but much about your legal rights and obligations. If you must defend yourself, you want operate from a strong legal position. You will have much more credibility if your carry is legal.
Practice, practice, practice. You cannot just purchase a weapon, get the appropriate permit and be safe. You must be able to focus your attention on a threat and make good decisions without concerning yourself with the function of your weapon.
Practice should include firing out to 25 yards and more. Although most gun battles occur at seven yards or less, you need skill to defend yourself at longer ranges.
What a scrub, not carrying a Glock or something not ancient. And "Car-15?" I call bullshit
>>28047060
>check out my story!
Oh fuck here we go
>by Danny Colon
.....hell yeah...
>>28047338
Coulson* fuck my phone
>>28047338
>>28047353
You know I think he'd laugh at that
I've been in similar situations before, but instead of potentially walking into an ambush, I always banged a 180 and left.
The author talks about avoiding a firefight being the best course of action, yet strolls into a sketchy stop and rob for his wife to get a drink.
>>28047497
The author is also a well armed former HRT agent who probably had a well developed set of instincts on what his safe threshold is
Having been to my fair share of bad neighborhoods on both coasts:
If you don't have to leave the freeway, all the
better.
He should have noped-the-fuck-out when he drove in the parking lot.
The bullet resistant glass should be a getoutnow signal.
I'll tell you a story. I was friends with this lady named "M". She was about 10 years older than me, and drop-dead hot. She had been a "model" (I'd have guessed high priced call girl, but whatever) and was being driven from a "shoot" by her photographer through Oakland. At a stoplight they were beset be the local hoodrats, who prevented them from moving, broke out the side glass of the photographer's 280 ZX, drug them out, and generally beat the shit out of them for entertainment.
She and the photographer managed to break contact, and beat feet with half a dozen hoodrats chasing them. They got to the KFC at MLK (if you've been through there you'll know, it's not too far from the Paramount or Fox theaters) she and her guy got inside the KFC and begged the employees to call the cops.
They refused to.
This was in the era before cell phone were common, but the cops eventually showed up, took a report, got a tow truck to take their now trashed car. She said straight up "I wasn't a racist before, but, sigh, I am now."
First rule of a fight: don't show up. Be somewhere else.
>>28047060
>be me
>Live near hood
>Each nice area in city is surrounded by hood
>Drive through projects on way home from college
>People wave continue on my way
>Blaring lil durk dis aint what you want
im not understanding. Ft. Worth is fucking beautiful compared to FL too
>>28047869
>First rule of a fight: don't show up. Be somewhere else.
This, more than could ever be stated.
Second rule, if the fight finds you, end it before the other guy throws a punch.
>>28047134
I've thought about that big gun vs little gun thing. I'm looking at a subcompact to go to from my CZ P-09, and my main concern is not enough ammo in a single stack for multiple attackers, but hood rats seem dumb enough that intimidation factor matters.
>>28047911
Love that song senpai
I found the "use your pistol to fight your way to your rifle" bit as a nice reminder
>>28047232
I know he used to have something he called a "CAR-15" back when he was still in the FBI and had a subject threatening his family... wonder if it's a pre-86 fun switch model...
>>28047060
>I noticed a bandit barrier protecting the cashier.
My brain imagined pic related, except that they were guarding the cashier to protect him from harm.
Then I took my autism pill.
I imagined pic
Good story op thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately I think as non Leo non fbi if I did the same thing even without shooting I'd be fucked by the long dick of the law so hard I would have wished i waited for them to throw the first punch.
I'm not sure I like how he took up the slack in the trigger - soudns like he needs to learn trigger discipline
>>28047060
How would this work out in a non-guns state, like New York? He starts out saying he was visiting family in another state and not every state allows carrying firearms in your vehicle.
>>28051038
He was an off-duty FBI.
>>28051038
He gets culturally enriched and it's another victory for gun control.
>>28047232
Either bait or retarded
>>28048025
I carry my P09 in the winter and shield in the summer. I just wear whichever gun I can conceal comfortably.
>>28050984
This 100%.
>>28047134
>Carry a large handgun: The Browning is large and intimidating.
I realize this guy knows what the fuck he's talking about, but Hi-Powers can't be THAT big, can they?
>>28053000
It's a full size handgun comparable in size to a 1911; larger than a Glock 19 and much larger than the subcompacts typically carried for self defense.
>>28047869
>ran to the KFC
why would they try to seek safety at the beasts' feeding grounds?
>>28051065
Retired FBI I think, actually
So I read this, and initially went
>eh, nothing too special
>Maybe 2 potentially useful points in the whole thing
Coming back to it, though, I'm really disappointed in the author. He puts himself and his significant other in an obviously shitty situation, then claims it was fuddlore that shielded him
>muh angles
>muh big gun
>muh other guns
So, when it comes down to it, the only redeeming element was that he did not have to fire a single shot to diffuse the situation.
At the same time, he could probably have completely avoided it given his situational awareness.
At the end of the day, this actually sounds like some /k/-tier fantasy operating with the convenience of no police report to corroborate OP's story. As we say in the business...
F A K E & GAY
A
K
E
&
G
A
Y
saged
>>28055931
Yeah you sound like you have more credibility than an HRT operator
>>28047060
>Hanging out by dumpster
>Backup for M'Boy
>Slingin that Shit
>Whitey pulls in
>-shrug-
>Damn this boring
>Homey crazy
>steps up to white girl
>wait what?
>whitey pulls gun
>"NO, NO, NO!"
>we gone.
>damn, even outside
>the hood crazy
>>28056668
Ayyyyyyy
>>28056371
It was masturbatory, which is to say pointless. Doesn't matter if he was HRT or any other flavor of alphabet soup, anon
>>28050914
black people are pretty /fit/ for a race that doesnt even hit the weights as much as other people. or is that an illusion because the darker you are the more your muscle reflects off light, which is why body builders spray tan like fegs before a comp.
>>28053000
your average person will generally get freaked out at the sight of a gun being drawn because of their actions. even thugs who have guns will usually bail out because gun fire=loud which draws police attention.
>>28050985
What?
>>28056371
FBI is a shit
>>28047115
>tactically tacticalled my tacticality with tactical tactitions
For fucks sake why not just say you're a fucking operator.
>>28058949
Two words: Selective Breeding
>>28059127
I'm not sperging about his finger being on the trigger to shoot, but at that point he was still moving and might have wanted to keep the booger hook off the bang pedal for a bit longer, not take up first pressure - it's a hnadgun, not a static fireing position with a rifle
>>28056371
Well, I certainly have more sense than that old FBI faggot because I don't stop in shifty looking gas stations for a bottle of water.
also this nigga brought a fucking arsenal for a long road trip but not a case of water? the fuck?
>>28060361
That sounds like /k/ personified
Good read OP.
9/10
>I'm FBI
>I`m completely incontinent and pulled off the freeway to take a piss.
>I hate niggers and I have to walk by a nigger to take this piss.
>I tactically swoop around him like a retard making it obvious I`m scared and about to wet myself.
>On the way by I whispered to my wife something about niggers.
>On the way out I stand in the parking lot for 5 minutes thinking about grabbing my assault rifle and drawing down on this nigaboo.
>Thats when I realize This whole parking lot is filled with coons and this must be what it's like in the ghetto.
>I pulled out my pistol and started muzzle sweeping every Blackey Chan I could find.
>Pretty sure they where trying to rob me, also tactical tactics.
Cool
I generally avoid areas like that
I'd prefer not to fend off a veritable horde of Dindus
My carry Gun only holds 7 rounds!
>>28047772
Yes, but his wife isn't a well-armed former HRT agent and becomes a liability in a situation like that. If I pictured the situation right, his wife would of been right in the crossfire if a fight broke out. I agree with the other anon. The smart thing would of been to just keep driving and stop for a drink somewhere else.
>>28056371
>Yeah you sound like you have more credibility than an HRT operator
Reminder that chris kyle claimed to habe gotten in a gun fight at a gas station and sniped people from the superdome during kristina.
Operators can lie too broseph.
Good thread for a bit of debate, anyway
>>28047098
>I positioned myself behind the open door, and removed the safety
And then the hammer, strut and mainspring fell out of the frame, along with the ejector
kekekekekekekek
>>28061703
Fucking lol
>>28047869
Why the fuck wouldn't you just hit the gas and explain later?
