hypothetical situation - what would you do?

NcongruNt · #1

So I've been thinking this hypothetical situation over for about the past day and have not come to a conclusion, so thought perhaps I would ask everyone here to see what they thought.

Say that you're walking downtown with your wife/girlfriend, and a mugger gets the drop on you. He's got a handgun trained on you, and is telling you to hand over your wallet and valuables. He then asks for your leather jacket, which is acting as concealment for your shoulder-holstered pistol. What do you do?

HighVelocity · #2

I'd reach into my pocket and hit the go button on my shot timer.

j1132s · #3

I would just give him my jacket and gun (if he want that too).

You see, I don't carry w/ a shoulder holster, so I can't figure out a way to draw on him. Now,if I'm carrying OWB, then I might do something different.

This reminds me of this month's PSC IDPA stage where a no-shoot is used as a target... so are we supposed to get behind the wife and... I digress

jimlongley · #4

I think some sort of distraction as you access your holster is in order. The problem here is that either he is going to shoot you when he sees the gun, in which case you might as well try to draw against the trigger, or he is going to take your gun, in which case you might as well try to draw against the trigger because he's likely to shoot you when he takes it anyway.

txinvestigator · #5

His distance from me will determine what action I take.

NcongruNt · #6

txinvestigator wrote:His distance from me will determine what action I take.

In the scenario that's going through my head, it's about 3 feet.

ScubaSigGuy · #7

If he's within 3 feet he's already made a mistake and depending on his stature and demeanor I would probably look to disarm him before drawing. The key is to make him reactive to your movement. Depending on his proximity to your wife of course. There are alot of options here and many unknowns in your scenario but anyone getting within three feet of you, while holding you at gunpoint isn't too bright.

ScubaSigGuy · #8

Just to be clear... if he doesn't ask for the jacket, I probably let it go. I can replace everything anyway. But, I think that he may panic when he sees your gun and then it's downhill from there. I wouldn't be willing to risk that.

lrb111 · #9

Begin to comply, by saying "Ok" Let me get it off... as I drop the right shoulder back.

Holding the left lapel in in my left hand, as the jacket drops off the right shoulder and the right hand is free.

At this point he should not be able to see the right hand, or covered pistol as I get it in hand. I will be using the jacket almost as a visual shield and distraction on my left, that is now completely in between the two us..

As he reaches to take it, there should be enough adrenaline running to show him the fastest magazine emptying, tactical reload performance he has ever seen.
If he hits me in the heart, he will still catch 21 Hydrashoks before I go.

Thane · #10

Drop your wallet, keys, and whatever other small items he's demanding.

Seriously. Drop them on the ground. Get stuff to scatter.

That will give you time and opportunity (hopefully) to get to your weapon. Even if it doesn't, it makes him have to bend down to get the items, which gives you an ideal chance to kick his head in (literally).

I normally carry IWB, behind my wallet. I've thought that bit over, and here's what I've come up with:

1) As I'm pulling the wallet out, I grab my shirt with two fingers and un-tuck it.
2) Transfer the wallet to my left hand to give it over, while moving my right hand backwards somewhat, back toward my gun.
3) "Fumble" the wallet, dropping it on the ground, and probably giving it a little "toss" towards his feet as I'm doing so. Sending it directly toward his feet will force him to either crouch down considerably to get it, or back up. Either is in my favor, as it forces him to respond to my action, not vice versa.
4) In the space he looks down, and hopefully reaches for the wallet, I'm drawing.
5) What happens next depends on whether he wants to fight, or run. Hopefully, I'll remember to order him to leave the wallet there, and to get out of Dodge City. If he doesn't comply, well, now he's not the only one with a gun out, and the odds don't look good for either of us.

If he's already gotten the wallet and is demanding the coat (and I don't have my own weapon out), I've let it go too far, and responded instead of acting. I really have little choice at that moment, other than to hope he's satisfied with the coat too. If I DO have my weapon out and he demands the coat, he's just stupid.

In short, don't react, but have a plan of action already, "just in case." Plans are a lot easier to adapt on the spot as needed if they're already somewhat formed. If you don't have anything planned out, you're just "along for the ride" at best, and seriously hurt otherwise.

stevie_d_64 · #11

HighVelocity wrote:I'd reach into my pocket and hit the go button on my shot timer.

So fast I'd probably scare myself!

AV8R · #12

HighVelocity wrote:I'd reach into my pocket and hit the go button on my shot timer.

That's what I call "going on autopilot"!

stevie_d_64 · #13

lrb111 wrote:Begin to comply, by saying "Ok" Let me get it off... as I drop the right shoulder back.

Holding the left lapel in in my left hand, as the jacket drops off the right shoulder and the right hand is free.

At this point he should not be able to see the right hand, or covered pistol as I get it in hand. I will be using the jacket almost as a visual shield and distraction on my left, that is now completely in between the two us..

As he reaches to take it, there should be enough adrenaline running to show him the fastest magazine emptying, tactical reload performance he has ever seen.
If he hits me in the heart, he will still catch 21 Hydrashoks before I go.

Both you and "Thane" have come up with a couple of good technical solutions to this "senario"...

"Txi" did bring up a good point about the distance issue as well...

Bottom line, its still a serious judgement call you'd have to make on the spot, and there is really no right or wrong answer here in my opinion...

The reasonable decision about it being an imminent threat to you and whomever is with you has already been made...And you didn't make it...

The decision you will actually have to make is draw, or die...No one will make that one for you...

NcongruNt · #14

Thane wrote: In short, don't react, but have a plan of action already, "just in case." Plans are a lot easier to adapt on the spot as needed if they're already somewhat formed. If you don't have anything planned out, you're just "along for the ride" at best, and seriously hurt otherwise.

Which is why I've been thinking about this and asked the question here.

stevie_d_64 · #15

NcongruNt wrote:
Thane wrote: In short, don't react, but have a plan of action already, "just in case." Plans are a lot easier to adapt on the spot as needed if they're already somewhat formed. If you don't have anything planned out, you're just "along for the ride" at best, and seriously hurt otherwise.
Which is why I've been thinking about this and asked the question here.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

This would be a very boring place if we stopped asking questions, probing for responses, illustrating the absurd, by being absurd...