Never again....

[someonetyping]

Ok here we go:

1. Granted I may have been a bit dramatic with my word usage. Tried to make it at least a good read.
2. The place is called Aunt Bee's or Aunt B's. Its somewhere on I-45 in Houston between the north 610 loop and the north beltway-8. Not too familiar with the area.
3. Granted I should have called the cops immediately! But as I have read in many other posts, when something like this occurrence is going on, your not thinking too straight.
4. I dropped the clip and pulled the round out. I put the pistol and the clip in the center console separate. I put the round in the door pocket to put it back in the clip later.
6. Maybe the police were trying to "break" us down about saying we're going to jail. I don't know. It feels kind of like the same story about the guy in Houston who had his pistol taken away from him at the movie theater for some supposed "sexual" acts in the parking lot when the cops kept telling him he was going to jail and his should forget about college because he's now a felon etc. etc. etc. etc. Maybe just some police tactics. I am not sure.
5. I did figure out that the wrecker was in fact just a helping hand in the ordeal.
6. I don't carry with a round in the chamber because there is no "safety" on my XD. Just the trigger safety and grip safety. I don't want to risk a round going off if I have to pull it out.
7. I took the class from a very knowledgeable individual. One of his good friends helped write the items pertaining to the CHL program when it started.
8. This is why this section is called NEVER AGAIN.....
9. I learned my lesson of what to do and most importantly what not to do.
10. Every line is an absolute fact. Regardless if someone believes it or not.
11. All I hope is that someone reads this and makes sure this doesn't happen to them.
12. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. I saw one of the cops in the matter later at a gas station (Vallero) and was talking to him about it. He remembered me and was telling me that I should have called them immediately. I had every right to pull my pistol, but don't forget to keep thinking straight after the matter is over.
14. Effectively spraying that many people with pepper spray would have been at best a shot in the dark.
15. We were just released and told to go home.

If I forgot a post with a particular subject matter to cover, i apologize.

[Humanphibian]

do yourself at least ONE favor....keep that round in the chamber. That gun will be nothing more that an expensive club if things get up close, personal, and nasty real quickly.

That gun WILL NOT DISCHARGE UNLESS YOU DELIBERATELY PULL THE TRIGGER. (psst...there are NUMEROUS safeties built into that gun, and.....a Master Arm Switch between your ears)

and one last thing...when you get that "feeling" listen to it. God blessed us with a "sixth sense"....it's call intuition. It is amazing how many stories like this include something in the beginning to the effect of "things just didn't feel right"....yet the person(s) involved ignored their gut.

[gregthehand]

I agree about keeping a round in the chamber. The XD is very safe and won't go off until you pull the trigger. In a stressful situation you may not be able to chamber a round. Think about it like this. Suppose one of those guys attacked you from behind and pulled a knife with the aim to stab you. You're trying to not let him stab you so your non-gun hand is pushing him away or around his wrist. You pull your pistol, but ooppss, it's a very short club.

[someonetyping]

Yeah I guess I will start keeping one in the chamber. I live outside the city limits on some land and have a shooting range where I have practiced with many rounds getting my gun out racking one in and putting rounds on target as quickly as I am able, but I do absolutely agree with yall's reasoning; it can potentially (depending on any given scenario which we will never be in charge of constructing) be just a short club... And an extremely short club at that. Now as I think about it more and more with the feedback of this post, I was fortunate to be able to rack one in. For all I know I could have been tapped in the back of the head with a lead pipe by this fellow's associates before I even knew I needed my firearm.

I wasn't going to post the story but I'm glad I did. I thought I had figured out all I needed about how to better handle this situation and others that hopefully never come. Thank you all for your input. Even those who feel my post is fictitious for whatever their reasoning may be.

[Humanphibian]

first off....welcome aboard!!!

Secondly....glad it all worked out. Taking incidents such as this, as embarrassing as they may be sometimes....and putting them out there for a "Post Incident" discussion is one of the MOST educational things that you can do. This board is full of information. Full of people that have walked the road you have walked. And full of people that respond (and train those that do) to these situations for a career. Running through your story with those on the board will inevitably highlight things that you could have done, should have done, and even some things that could have been grave mistakes/oversights. But the best thing is....you come away from it more educated and have a better "tactical mindset"....FOR FREE!!!!!

again, welcome aboard!

[silverbear]

OK, apologies for the "cool story bro" comments, but at first read, it really did sound like a "cool story bro" post.

Anyway, welcome aboard, load one in the chamber, carry on.

[cdc101]

Sounds like a very exciting ordeal to say the least. Out of all the things that did or did not happen, then end result was positive. Now, take what you learned here and apply it and all SHOULD be okay for you in the future.

Also...KEEP THAT XD CHAMBERED! I carry one in the chamber plus a full magazine at all times. The XD will not fire unless ALL the safeties are activated at the same time...which means, you have to have the grip safety engaged, AND the trigger safety is engaged, AND you have pull the trigger.

[NTexas_V-Star]

cdc101 beat me to it.

I carry an XD .45 4" Compact...one in the chamber with a topped off magazine. I've never once worried about the pistol going off. Despite not having a traditional safety, this pistol is one of the safest I've ever handled. In my eyes.

To quote many on this board, though, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

[starrbuck]

I agree with all the others here and always carry my XDs with a round in the chamber. You may not have time to chamber one when you need it.

[rdcrags]

do yourself at least ONE favor....keep that round in the chamber. That gun will be nothing more that an expensive club if things get up close, personal, and nasty real quickly.

Welcome. I guess you got the message from the "one in the chamber gang", in spades. I am one of them. They convinced me a long time ago. I really appreciate the experience and advice from many who paticipate in these chats. I'm confident that you will, too. Stay tuned.

TX CHL 1997
CO CHP 2005

[dicion]

I have eaten many times at Aunt B's, and have to say, it's a great restaurant when you're working late like me and my crews frequently do in that area.

Don't blame the restaurant for the behavior of it's patrons. The Staff there has never been anything but nice to me and my crews.
The food is great, even if the place is a little run down.

Instead, blame the area the restaurant is in. I-45 and Tidwell is not known to be an area you walk around at night alone...

I'm not going to go over the woulda/shoulda/coulda's, that has already been taken care of above, but Do Not blame the restaurant for the behavior of their patrons, something they have absolutely no control over.

[someonetyping]

I don't blame the restaurant. The ladies I did speak with that worked there seemed nice enough to us at least. After all I'm sure they were the ones who told the cops what actually happened and the story we were telling the cops was actually true. But you are right, that strip center is in a pretty bad area. There were all kinds of people just walking around in the shadows etc. I don't think I would eat there after dark at least.

[juggernaut]

I'm not going to go over the woulda/shoulda/coulda's, that has already been taken care of above, but Do Not blame the restaurant for the behavior of their patrons, something they have absolutely no control over.

If he was suing the restaurant then blame would be important. However, if he's relating a true story, and there are a series of similar true stories, then blame isn't important. It sounds like a good area to avoid without having to blame anyone.

[dicion]

If he was suing the restaurant then blame would be important. However, if he's relating a true story, and there are a series of similar true stories, then blame isn't important. It sounds like a good area to avoid without having to blame anyone.

Oh, I agree, is it not the best of areas, definitely avoid if if you can. I only go there because I have to, for my job, when I'm working in the area late at night (one of the reasons I got my CHL).

[gigag04]

They closed ground within about twelve feet so I pulled my XD-40 subcompact and racked a hollow in. Letting them know we will be leaving unharmed.

Pulled from where? What type of holster/carry method are you using?

"racked a hollow in" - Tone is super hard to over the internet...I read this as you think this was some sort of cool, lets get ready to do this, type thing. However, I could be mis reading it. Seems like a dangerous attitude...def just my opinion though.

What exactly does "letting them know will be leaving unharmed" mean? What actions did you take after you "racked a hollow in" ?



My unsolicited advice - get a good holster, chamber a round, and break your post content into chunks to make it easier to read.

Obv, now you know to call the cops. I would say something to the effect of "I am a CHL holder and just had to draw my weapon to defend myself from 5 guys trying to attack me. I was at "Aunt B's" and now quickly leaving in my vehicle - where can I meet an officer to safely make a report? I am wearing XXXX and driving XXXXX bearing LP XXX-XXX and am currently at XXXXX intersection. My DL # is XXXXXXX.

The identifying info is so that the dispatcher can run you while the officer goes to meet you. This will HELP him know that you are clear of warrants, and that you have a valid CHL. Their dispatchers will most likely check to see if you are in the PD's records system for anything, giving further info to the officers.