What's your worst shooting-related nightmare?

vanfunk · February 10, 2000, 06:41 PM

Here's mine, but first know that it is implausible and is not a true reflection of my tactical mindset(disclaimer mode off):
OK, I'm standing in the middle of a tree and hedge-lined road. Escape is impossible. I'm armed with my Walther PPK, 7 rounds(FMJ) in the gun, backup mag in my pocket. The unidentified evil entity is barreling down the road towards me in a black Cadillac. I panic, and start shooting at the car when it's about 150 yards away. The bullets are just dribbling out of the gun, at approximately 300-400 fps. I have to hold at about 25* from horizontal to "rain" my shots down on the car. They bounce harmlessly from the skin of the onrushing vehicle. At about 25 yards distance, the rounds(I'm now on my 2nd mag) just start to star the windshield with impact, but do not penetrate to injure the driver. At five yards, with the car approaching me at 60 miles an hour, I think about turning my last round on myself...and then I'm awake.
Hmmm, not enough penetration, lets see, what could that be about... and to think I have a degree in clinical psychology.
BTW, I kept my father's .460 Weatherby Mag in the bedroom for a few days after that one. Lest you ask, my wife and I are getting along just fine, thank you.

Dave R · February 10, 2000, 06:53 PM

Vell, now (Freud accent on) it appears you haff a deep-seated neurosis vit fear of the inadquacy of penetrative ability of ze .380 round. I vould conzider two courses of therapy:

1) Trade in dat fine Cherman-engineered PPK on a Glock mini-.40, vich is nearly the zame zize and has mach more FPE.

2) Try some reality therapy. Obtain a vindshield and other major automobile subassemblies (door?) from a chunkyard and shoot zome .380 rounds at zem and zee for yourzelf how dey penetrate. Den your subconscious vill no longer vorry--your superego vill know vat zey will do. (Return ze auto parts zo as not to litter ze environment.)

fyrfytrj · February 10, 2000, 07:39 PM

This one is reoccuring--I have a Glock 22 .40 cal. Either the bullets do not penetrate the BG or my trigger finger is too weak to pull the trigger. The latter happens much more frequent. Whats up with not being strong enough to pull the trigger???? That concept has always freaked me out, but i never told anyone--fearing whatever...

Rome · February 10, 2000, 07:52 PM

Not a shooting nightmare but a bad one none the less. I've been at the range all evening and on the way home I've parked my vehicle at the local mini-mart to run in a grab a gallon of milk. I'm only in there for five minutes when I see some kid driving my van out of the parking lot......complete with weapons, ammo, cleaning equipment, neatly packed in their case in the back. I actually woke up with the horrible sinking feeling in my gut! I'm glad this dream didn't continue as I don't know how I would have been able to tell the cops and am embarrased just thinking about it.

RikWriter · February 10, 2000, 08:13 PM

I guess the weirdest shooting-related nightmare I had was when I was much younger, I dreamed I was being attacked by terrorists and the Ingram MAC10 I was shooting back at them with suddenly turned into a water pistol.

Pilate · February 10, 2000, 09:01 PM

I dreamt I was in a gunfight with an older, more experienced shooter. I was armed with a newly purchased Kimber Ultra Carry (6 round magazines) and my opponent was armed with a Glock 17 (17 round magazines). At about 30 feet, he beat me to the draw and began firing. I drew and returned fire. Every one of his shots hit me in one place or another, and I went down. I hit him with 2 shots out of 7, and attempted to reload while lying on my back, still being struck with 9mm slugs. I got the fresh mag into the gun and racked the slide. The first round crashed into the ramp and jammed. All the while I felt bullets hitting me and could feel cool liquid drops of my own blood spattering my face. I racked the slide again with blood-soaked hands and the round went home. I lined up the sights right on his face and fired. The .45 slug struck him right in the cheekbone just as I saw his slide lock back. He screamed and clutched his face and dropped the Glock. With my five rounds at the ready and his zero, he looked at me and said "go ahead and take your shot". I lined up the sights, and before I could squeeze the trigger, he fell dead, right on his face. I woke up with my heart racing and drenched with sweat. In reality, I had similar problems with the Kimber that I could not overcome with my own tinkering. It's no longer with me.

Tecolote · February 10, 2000, 09:04 PM

With a Glock 19, I'm defending myself and the pistol Kbs. At other times I'm defending myself and the rounds fly so slowly that the attacker catches them in his hands.

------------------
So many pistols, so little money.

sjones · February 10, 2000, 09:05 PM

The worst nightmare I can think of would be hearing a noise in the middle of the night and see someone in your house. Its too dark to quite make out who it is and you blow them away only to find out thats its your son or daughter home unexpectly from college that you didn't know was coming home.

WalterGAII · February 10, 2000, 09:24 PM

My worst nightmare would be that Pepper, The Democrat-Biting Dog would flush a covey of simian Democrats, and there'd be 20 Democrats and I'd only have 19 rounds in my G21.

------------------
Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!

larry_minn · February 10, 2000, 09:54 PM

similar to above. I am being shot at and I can't seem to pull the trigger of my gun. I use both hands to try to pull the trigger.
And the bullets don't seem to have any effect.

Ben · February 10, 2000, 10:22 PM

My two worst shooting nightmares involved

1. My flaming liberal parents discover my arsenal.

2. Too weak to pull the trigger.

Ben

------------------
AOL IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"

Zensho · February 10, 2000, 10:23 PM

Jams - every other round jams.

[This message has been edited by Zensho (edited February 10, 2000).]

LOCHFAL · February 10, 2000, 10:34 PM

I wake up about once a month in a cold sweat after dreaming I just blundered into a sewer pipe with about fifteen bullsquid in it and I run my G17 dry with no reload avaliable. All that green crap flying at me scares the bejesus out of me.

I gotta quit playing halflife before bed.

Memphis · February 10, 2000, 10:37 PM

I've had the trigger pull nightmare too.
DA shot, can't get it back far enough to
make the hammer fly forward. Don't know if
I was too weak or the gun just wouldn't
cooperate. I think I recall pulling really hard come to think of it. Wierd that this is a common one.

Dorcas · February 10, 2000, 11:28 PM

Mine is, I'm in the post office when a gunman bursts in firing. I reach for my gun, but it's in the car as required by law.

------------------
Anyone worth shooting, is worth shooting twice...

Kframe · February 10, 2000, 11:51 PM

Call me superstitious, but a couple times I've been leaving for work and some thought popped into my head about being attacked.
So.... I went back in, got my gun, and went to work. (I'd carry all the time, but no CCW.

)
So, I have the gun with me, and could load up in a second or two if things got really bad.

Call it instinct, gut feeling, whatever; I believe in it.

One time I was driving and had a fleeting thought about a car accident.
Five miles later I put my car into a tree.

Another time I was driving and thought "Hey, I think I'm speeding a bit too much here." and I slowed down.
A minute later a cop car appeared over the next rise.

Several times I've been driving at dusk and the thought just appears:
"Hey, I bet there's lots of deer out tonight."
Lo and behold I see some deer either on the road or in the ditches in the next few miles.

When my wife got in a car wreck awhile ago she recalled that earlier in the day she had driven by another wreck and thought "I'm glad that's not me".
Four hours later she wrecks her car.

Yes, maybe it's just coincidence, or maybe I'm getting some kind of precognition or something. Who cares which one it really is?

If I get a thought about deer, ice or a wreck while driving I make a serious point of being extra-aware while driving that day. (Yes, we should always drive like the DMV examiner is riding shotgun, but do we?)
So, for the past few years I listen to my thoughts about an attack, and will bring a gun with me that day and the next.

I know, I know.
Why carry at all if you can't carry 24/7?
Well, there's this little thing I have about going to jail for no CCW. I'd rather not.

If I get a vibe, or something just feels off, then the balance is tipped and I feel it's worth the risk to me that day to carry illegally.

This is not the best, and I certainly do not recommend this to anyone. If you carry w/o a permit, and get caught, that's your problem and your responsibility.
-Kframe

[This message has been edited by Kframe (edited February 10, 2000).]

Dave9 · February 11, 2000, 12:40 AM

Mine would be that my wife adds up the cost of all my guns.

p220fortyfive · February 11, 2000, 12:54 AM

JULY 4, 2000

AP-COLT TO BUY SIGARMS

Medic · February 11, 2000, 02:05 AM

Having a knife at a gunfight....

[This message has been edited by Medic (edited February 11, 2000).]

George Hill · February 11, 2000, 04:06 AM

There are two dreams common with gunslingers...
One Dream is what I call the Heavy Trigger dream, and the other is the Unstoppable Evil dream. Those two often mix, and there are variations... but it comes down to those two types.
EVERY gunslinger I have talk to at length - has acknowledged these two types.

One close friend of mine dreamed his Glock fired those little plastic disks that toy guns used to fire... I my self had several dreams that my gun had the same trigger pull as those little disk guns... its heavy and nasty, and at the very end very hard to get it to click over and actually shoot.

Even the folks here who didnt mention it - I bet if they think about it - they will remember having one of these dreams.

One morning I had one of these dreams, co staring my family and I was unable to protect my family! I woke up in a cold sweat with a scream in my throat. 2 hours later I had traded off my pistol for a different one in a heavier caliber. It had that much of an effect on me.
Now that I am running seriously high quality arms in the heaviest calibers - and have trained and retrained in all my skills, I no longer have these questions, or doubts in my subconscience. And I no longer have these dreams.
If you have one, trade up to a .45 caliber Sig or HK - you'll be able to sleep well at night and each bad guy will end with a OSS.

------------------
I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some
moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would put me away!

George Hill · February 11, 2000, 04:12 AM

Kframe - excelent examples of following your instinct! Your using your internal "radar" and its keeping you out of trouble.
Your first instinct is usually the right one.
Listen to it and you will be around long enough to think what if's.

I had the same things happen to me... My biggest one was wether or not to put on my vest. It was a hot day and I was reluctant. I hadnt worn it all day. After I ate some grub - the thought hit me to put it on. Well, my safety monitor side won, and I put it on. 20 minutes later it stopped a bullet from hitting me in the heart. Didnt stop the broken sturnum - but hey... I am still around ******* people off!

------------------
I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some
moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would put me away!

[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited February 11, 2000).]

dinosaur · February 11, 2000, 05:29 AM

Since I retired I have a recurring dream that I`m still working and don`t have to!

foxfire · February 11, 2000, 05:50 AM

Recurring nightmare?
Real simple, I'm somewhere, anywhere away from home, a situation suddenly occurs and I reach for my CCW. And it's not there...

That's not just a nightmare, that's a disaster...

------------------
...defend the 2nd., it protects us all.
No fate but what we make...

theprisoner · February 11, 2000, 08:10 AM

Very strange, I have had the heavy trigger dream many times and I have met anyone else who had it until now. In fact I've never told anyone about it. I just thought it was me but I guess I was wrong. I wonder what this stems from. Interesting.

------------------
I AM NOT NUMBER! I AM A FREE MAN!

fyrfytrj · February 11, 2000, 10:03 AM

theprisoner----took the words right out of my mouth...

February 10, 2000, 06:41 PM	#1
vanfunk Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 1999 Posts: 462	Here's mine, but first know that it is implausible and is not a true reflection of my tactical mindset(disclaimer mode off): OK, I'm standing in the middle of a tree and hedge-lined road. Escape is impossible. I'm armed with my Walther PPK, 7 rounds(FMJ) in the gun, backup mag in my pocket. The unidentified evil entity is barreling down the road towards me in a black Cadillac. I panic, and start shooting at the car when it's about 150 yards away. The bullets are just dribbling out of the gun, at approximately 300-400 fps. I have to hold at about 25* from horizontal to "rain" my shots down on the car. They bounce harmlessly from the skin of the onrushing vehicle. At about 25 yards distance, the rounds(I'm now on my 2nd mag) just start to star the windshield with impact, but do not penetrate to injure the driver. At five yards, with the car approaching me at 60 miles an hour, I think about turning my last round on myself...and then I'm awake. Hmmm, not enough penetration, lets see, what could that be about... and to think I have a degree in clinical psychology. BTW, I kept my father's .460 Weatherby Mag in the bedroom for a few days after that one. Lest you ask, my wife and I are getting along just fine, thank you.

February 10, 2000, 06:53 PM	#2
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,405	Vell, now (Freud accent on) it appears you haff a deep-seated neurosis vit fear of the inadquacy of penetrative ability of ze .380 round. I vould conzider two courses of therapy: 1) Trade in dat fine Cherman-engineered PPK on a Glock mini-.40, vich is nearly the zame zize and has mach more FPE. 2) Try some reality therapy. Obtain a vindshield and other major automobile subassemblies (door?) from a chunkyard and shoot zome .380 rounds at zem and zee for yourzelf how dey penetrate. Den your subconscious vill no longer vorry--your superego vill know vat zey will do. (Return ze auto parts zo as not to litter ze environment.)

February 10, 2000, 07:39 PM	#3
fyrfytrj Member Join Date: December 29, 1999 Posts: 27	This one is reoccuring--I have a Glock 22 .40 cal. Either the bullets do not penetrate the BG or my trigger finger is too weak to pull the trigger. The latter happens much more frequent. Whats up with not being strong enough to pull the trigger???? That concept has always freaked me out, but i never told anyone--fearing whatever...

February 10, 2000, 07:52 PM	#4
Rome Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2000 Location: Connecticut Posts: 420	Not a shooting nightmare but a bad one none the less. I've been at the range all evening and on the way home I've parked my vehicle at the local mini-mart to run in a grab a gallon of milk. I'm only in there for five minutes when I see some kid driving my van out of the parking lot......complete with weapons, ammo, cleaning equipment, neatly packed in their case in the back. I actually woke up with the horrible sinking feeling in my gut! I'm glad this dream didn't continue as I don't know how I would have been able to tell the cops and am embarrased just thinking about it.

February 10, 2000, 08:13 PM	#5
RikWriter Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 1999 Posts: 2,106	I guess the weirdest shooting-related nightmare I had was when I was much younger, I dreamed I was being attacked by terrorists and the Ingram MAC10 I was shooting back at them with suddenly turned into a water pistol.

February 10, 2000, 09:01 PM	#6
Pilate Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 1999 Location: Connecticut Posts: 173	I dreamt I was in a gunfight with an older, more experienced shooter. I was armed with a newly purchased Kimber Ultra Carry (6 round magazines) and my opponent was armed with a Glock 17 (17 round magazines). At about 30 feet, he beat me to the draw and began firing. I drew and returned fire. Every one of his shots hit me in one place or another, and I went down. I hit him with 2 shots out of 7, and attempted to reload while lying on my back, still being struck with 9mm slugs. I got the fresh mag into the gun and racked the slide. The first round crashed into the ramp and jammed. All the while I felt bullets hitting me and could feel cool liquid drops of my own blood spattering my face. I racked the slide again with blood-soaked hands and the round went home. I lined up the sights right on his face and fired. The .45 slug struck him right in the cheekbone just as I saw his slide lock back. He screamed and clutched his face and dropped the Glock. With my five rounds at the ready and his zero, he looked at me and said "go ahead and take your shot". I lined up the sights, and before I could squeeze the trigger, he fell dead, right on his face. I woke up with my heart racing and drenched with sweat. In reality, I had similar problems with the Kimber that I could not overcome with my own tinkering. It's no longer with me.

February 10, 2000, 09:04 PM	#7
Tecolote Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Posts: 1,994	With a Glock 19, I'm defending myself and the pistol Kbs. At other times I'm defending myself and the rounds fly so slowly that the attacker catches them in his hands. ------------------ So many pistols, so little money.

February 10, 2000, 09:05 PM	#8
sjones Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: waxahachie,Texas Posts: 308	The worst nightmare I can think of would be hearing a noise in the middle of the night and see someone in your house. Its too dark to quite make out who it is and you blow them away only to find out thats its your son or daughter home unexpectly from college that you didn't know was coming home.

February 10, 2000, 09:24 PM	#9
WalterGAII Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 1999 Posts: 1,517	My worst nightmare would be that Pepper, The Democrat-Biting Dog would flush a covey of simian Democrats, and there'd be 20 Democrats and I'd only have 19 rounds in my G21. ------------------ Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!

February 10, 2000, 09:54 PM	#10
larry_minn Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 1999 Location: Minnesota, wow Posts: 220	similar to above. I am being shot at and I can't seem to pull the trigger of my gun. I use both hands to try to pull the trigger. And the bullets don't seem to have any effect.

February 10, 2000, 10:22 PM	#11
Ben Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,533	My two worst shooting nightmares involved 1. My flaming liberal parents discover my arsenal. 2. Too weak to pull the trigger. Ben ------------------ AOL IM: BenK911 ICQ # 53788523 "Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"

February 10, 2000, 10:23 PM	#12
Zensho Senior Member Join Date: November 16, 1999 Location: Northern California Posts: 233	Jams - every other round jams. [This message has been edited by Zensho (edited February 10, 2000).]

February 10, 2000, 10:34 PM	#13
LOCHFAL Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Posts: 211	I wake up about once a month in a cold sweat after dreaming I just blundered into a sewer pipe with about fifteen bullsquid in it and I run my G17 dry with no reload avaliable. All that green crap flying at me scares the bejesus out of me. I gotta quit playing halflife before bed.

February 10, 2000, 10:37 PM	#14
Memphis Member Join Date: January 25, 2000 Posts: 34	I've had the trigger pull nightmare too. DA shot, can't get it back far enough to make the hammer fly forward. Don't know if I was too weak or the gun just wouldn't cooperate. I think I recall pulling really hard come to think of it. Wierd that this is a common one.

February 10, 2000, 11:28 PM	#15
Dorcas Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 1999 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 192	Mine is, I'm in the post office when a gunman bursts in firing. I reach for my gun, but it's in the car as required by law. ------------------ Anyone worth shooting, is worth shooting twice...

February 10, 2000, 11:51 PM	#16
Kframe Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 1999 Location: MN Posts: 481	Call me superstitious, but a couple times I've been leaving for work and some thought popped into my head about being attacked. So.... I went back in, got my gun, and went to work. (I'd carry all the time, but no CCW. ) So, I have the gun with me, and could load up in a second or two if things got really bad. Call it instinct, gut feeling, whatever; I believe in it. One time I was driving and had a fleeting thought about a car accident. Five miles later I put my car into a tree. Another time I was driving and thought "Hey, I think I'm speeding a bit too much here." and I slowed down. A minute later a cop car appeared over the next rise. Several times I've been driving at dusk and the thought just appears: "Hey, I bet there's lots of deer out tonight." Lo and behold I see some deer either on the road or in the ditches in the next few miles. When my wife got in a car wreck awhile ago she recalled that earlier in the day she had driven by another wreck and thought "I'm glad that's not me". Four hours later she wrecks her car. Yes, maybe it's just coincidence, or maybe I'm getting some kind of precognition or something. Who cares which one it really is? If I get a thought about deer, ice or a wreck while driving I make a serious point of being extra-aware while driving that day. (Yes, we should always drive like the DMV examiner is riding shotgun, but do we?) So, for the past few years I listen to my thoughts about an attack, and will bring a gun with me that day and the next. I know, I know. Why carry at all if you can't carry 24/7? Well, there's this little thing I have about going to jail for no CCW. I'd rather not. If I get a vibe, or something just feels off, then the balance is tipped and I feel it's worth the risk to me that day to carry illegally. This is not the best, and I certainly do not recommend this to anyone. If you carry w/o a permit, and get caught, that's your problem and your responsibility. -Kframe [This message has been edited by Kframe (edited February 10, 2000).]

February 11, 2000, 12:40 AM	#17
Dave9 Member Join Date: November 8, 1999 Posts: 70	Mine would be that my wife adds up the cost of all my guns.

February 11, 2000, 12:54 AM	#18
p220fortyfive Member Join Date: December 8, 1999 Posts: 50	JULY 4, 2000 AP-COLT TO BUY SIGARMS

February 11, 2000, 02:05 AM	#19
Medic Member Join Date: February 8, 2000 Posts: 96	Having a knife at a gunfight.... [This message has been edited by Medic (edited February 11, 2000).]

February 11, 2000, 04:06 AM	#20
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: Lapoint, Utah Posts: 11,479	There are two dreams common with gunslingers... One Dream is what I call the Heavy Trigger dream, and the other is the Unstoppable Evil dream. Those two often mix, and there are variations... but it comes down to those two types. EVERY gunslinger I have talk to at length - has acknowledged these two types. One close friend of mine dreamed his Glock fired those little plastic disks that toy guns used to fire... I my self had several dreams that my gun had the same trigger pull as those little disk guns... its heavy and nasty, and at the very end very hard to get it to click over and actually shoot. Even the folks here who didnt mention it - I bet if they think about it - they will remember having one of these dreams. One morning I had one of these dreams, co staring my family and I was unable to protect my family! I woke up in a cold sweat with a scream in my throat. 2 hours later I had traded off my pistol for a different one in a heavier caliber. It had that much of an effect on me. Now that I am running seriously high quality arms in the heaviest calibers - and have trained and retrained in all my skills, I no longer have these questions, or doubts in my subconscience. And I no longer have these dreams. If you have one, trade up to a .45 caliber Sig or HK - you'll be able to sleep well at night and each bad guy will end with a OSS. ------------------ I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would put me away!

February 11, 2000, 04:12 AM	#21
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: Lapoint, Utah Posts: 11,479	Kframe - excelent examples of following your instinct! Your using your internal "radar" and its keeping you out of trouble. Your first instinct is usually the right one. Listen to it and you will be around long enough to think what if's. I had the same things happen to me... My biggest one was wether or not to put on my vest. It was a hot day and I was reluctant. I hadnt worn it all day. After I ate some grub - the thought hit me to put it on. Well, my safety monitor side won, and I put it on. 20 minutes later it stopped a bullet from hitting me in the heart. Didnt stop the broken sturnum - but hey... I am still around ******* people off! ------------------ I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would put me away! [This message has been edited by George Hill (edited February 11, 2000).]

February 11, 2000, 05:29 AM	#22
dinosaur Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 1999 Location: NE Pa. Posts: 1,247	Since I retired I have a recurring dream that I`m still working and don`t have to!

February 11, 2000, 05:50 AM	#23
foxfire Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: Tennessee Posts: 692	Recurring nightmare? Real simple, I'm somewhere, anywhere away from home, a situation suddenly occurs and I reach for my CCW. And it's not there... That's not just a nightmare, that's a disaster... ------------------ ...defend the 2nd., it protects us all. No fate but what we make...

February 11, 2000, 08:10 AM	#24
theprisoner Member Join Date: July 4, 1999 Posts: 78	Very strange, I have had the heavy trigger dream many times and I have met anyone else who had it until now. In fact I've never told anyone about it. I just thought it was me but I guess I was wrong. I wonder what this stems from. Interesting. ------------------ I AM NOT NUMBER! I AM A FREE MAN!

February 11, 2000, 10:03 AM	#25
fyrfytrj Member Join Date: December 29, 1999 Posts: 27	theprisoner----took the words right out of my mouth...