Coulda turned ugly....

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  • TexasRedneck

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    Jan 23, 2009
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    New Braunfels, TX
    I'm sitting here in a hotel in Farmer's Branch, Texas - 5:30 am, having been awakened at 3:30 this morning by the sound of my hotel room door being handled as someone tried to enter. I'm a VERY sound sleeper, so it was a pretty intense attempt.... Given the time, I figured it was a drunk idiot at the wrong door. A few minutes later, the door "pops" open against the security lock. I go to full SHTF alert, roll out of the bed, grabbing my Colt Double Eagle as I do so.
    Funny what goes through your mind at times like this. As I rolled out, my mind was cataloging my choices - the P238 or Colt - obviously, the Colt won due to size and round capacity. But even more surprising was that I was perfectly aware that I was picking up a double action vs. one of my SA 1911's, so I knew there was no reason to cock it - which helped (in my mind) alleviate a reflex shot until I KNEW it was time to shoot. I back into a corner by the phone, touch dial the front desk to tell 'em what's going on, then call 911. Needless to say, I keep my voice *very* low, inform the dispatcher as to room number, general room location and the fact that I am an armed CHL holder.
    Within minutes, the dispatcher is telling me she has 2 officers outside my door, and to please come out and leave the gun in the room. I tell her I will as soon as I put pants on.:D Cops are cool - I hand 'em my ID and CHL license, and one stays with me while the other one clears the area further. We talk "shop" a bit (I'm former SO, 2 BIL's a nephew and a son are current LEO's), and his partner comes back and tells us the front desk had screwed up and checked someone else into my room!
    Coming up out of deep sleep like that isn't conducive to proper deductive reasoning - I readily admit to being on "autopilot", but it's a scenario that I've played out after 30+ years of being on the road, and have only had one other incident back in the late 70's - THAT time, it WAS a "bad guy", but he backpedaled as soon as that old 357 of mine nailed the doorjamb next to his head (yeah, I missed). I'm just glad that I didn't pop a cap on the guy the 2nd time. Can't say exactly *why* I didn't, other than my subconscious said it wasn't time to start the dance yet - and I'm glad I listened. The cops were pretty interested in the DE - neither had seen one before, and were surprised that Colt had made a DA 45. Me, I was glad to have had it - no worries about manually cocking it, or grabbing it up coming out of a deep sleep like I did and accidentally triggering off a round on a cocked SA.
    In retrospect, I wasn't scared - I was ready to take it to the next level if needed, but I stayed in control and took the proper steps. I have no doubt that it's because I've played the scenario out countless times in my mind, but I was still grateful to find that my instincts kicked in and executed my mental plan.
    Front desk called shortly after the cops left, and there's no doubt that the young lady realized just how badly she'd screwed up, and how close it came to being a deadly mistake. Profuse apologies and a comped room for both nights (even though I told her it wasn't necessary) - and it was obvious the cop had impressed on her that I was armed and prepared to shoot, because she kept saying "Thank you for not shooting him!"
    Oh, well - I'm too ugly ta need much "beauty sleep" anyways.....;)
    ARJ Defense ad
     

    Texas1911

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    Austin, TX
    Yikes.

    I bet that clerk quadruple checks before booking more rooms, if she doesn't already have a complex from it.

    That and it would have sucked to have shot someone that wasn't honestly trying to do anything ill-willed.
     

    GM.Chief

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    Mar 16, 2009
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    Wow...good job on keeping a cool head in an odd scenario. Glad all worked out for the best. I agree with Alan on this one, it would've sucked to have shot someone who was innnocent and just trying to go to bed themselves. Hope the other guy got a comped room as well, probably scared the crap out of him too (maybe even literally)...lol I know it would've me.
     

    TexasRedneck

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    The other guy had no knowledge of what was going on on the other side of the door. I never said a word or made any more noise than necessary - if it WAS a bad guy, I didn't want to give out ANY inkling as to my location OR status.
    Had he known, yeah - it'd been time for new undies, I think.;)
     

    cuate

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    Jan 27, 2009
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    Comanche Co., Texas
    Years ago in Grand Prairie, armed thugs knocked on a motel door, informed occupants that he was the Manager and needed to talk to occupants. Door was opened, occupants killed with shotgun and robbed.

    Moral:

    Pistol in hand, away from the direct possible line of fire through door, "I'll see you in the morning in the office when its daylight, and I am dressed and awake" !
     

    TexasRedneck

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    Jan 23, 2009
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    New Braunfels, TX
    Years ago in Grand Prairie, armed thugs knocked on a motel door, informed occupants that he was the Manager and needed to talk to occupants. Door was opened, occupants killed with shotgun and robbed.

    Yeppirs. Another ploy is ta have a gal knock on the door, occupant answers, an' her partner swings around the corner an' takes ya out....
     

    DCortez

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    Jan 28, 2009
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    Houston, Cy-Fair
    One rainy Louisiana night, about 13 years ago or so, I checked into mom & pop motel. I was pooped, had been on the road days, servicing a company's remote sites from Lake Charles all they way down to Venice.


    I had just settled into bed and started reading a stack of papers. The door bursts open. The moonlighting cop, who was at the front desk when I checked in, says ooops, wrong room.


    I remembered thinking ... Nice of them to violate my privacy and my rights. After that, I checked my brown butt into name brand establishments.
     

    40Arpent

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    I'd like to thank Redneck, from the bottom of my heart, for not typing that story "in" his accent. 'At thar would'er been a might painful ta read.
     

    DCortez

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    I'd like to thank Redneck, from the bottom of my heart, for not typing that story "in" his accent. 'At thar would'er been a might painful ta read.



    Defeat of Deduct go over Defense before Detail

    In English --

    The feet of the duck go over the fence before the tail.
     

    Jeff B

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    May 28, 2008
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    Texasredneck,

    I'm from the DFW area and travel on business all the time. If I were'nt from here and had to travel and stay here, I would avoid the FB area. What was a decent area is rapidly sliding into a barrio.

    Jeff B.
     

    TexasRedneck

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    New Braunfels, TX
    Texasredneck,

    I'm from the DFW area and travel on business all the time. If I were'nt from here and had to travel and stay here, I would avoid the FB area. What was a decent area is rapidly sliding into a barrio.

    Jeff B.

    I hear ya - problem is, some of my key accounts are within a mile of here, so it's a short trip in the mornings, when traffic is so heavy.

    Besides.....a li'l target practice is good, rignt?:D
     

    40Arpent

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    Defeat of Deduct go over Defense before Detail

    You'll think I'm lying, but being a Coonass, I read that as "Da feet of da duck go over da fence before da tail" the first time, without reading the proper English version. It just came naturally. LOL
     

    Scott_F

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    Jun 4, 2009
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    CSTX
    Generally if someone can open the electronic lock, they're probably not bad guys. But, in the middle of the night, you do what you do. Good job all around.
     

    blazer

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    Dec 12, 2008
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    San Antonio
    Had a blast a couple of weekends ago. my buddy who has a CHL in Arkansas came down to visit and we did a quick 2-day run down to S. Texas to bag some hogs. Everything kept taking longer than we thot. and we were going through Freer, TX at 3:00 a.m. with our CHLs, Sidearms, a boatload of various rifles, pistols, and ammo... when I unwittingly was clocked doing 38 in a 30 zone. Got pulled over and thot, uh oh! The officer came to the window, asked for my license. I was careful to turn on the dome light and my buddy and me kept our hands in sight. I informed the officer that we both had our CHL and were armed. The officer didn't ask for anything else, he shined his light around in the back of my SUV and then backup arrived. I was sure we would be outside being searched soon. Especially with all the gun cases at 3:00 am! But he came back, asked me to watch my speed, and returned my license while only issuing a warning. He was a pretty nice guy!
    Sorry to be so long, but then later that same day, my friend and I had just corned some senderos at a ranch, parked the SUV... then walked around a corner about 500 yrds to a deer blind to wait for hogs or javelinas. We had just settled in when my SUV's security alarm started honking! We both thot, "what on earth?!" Maybe some illegals or coyotees (2 legged kind) are messing with my car? We were deciding whether to check when I see a Border patrol truck go by the end of the scendero! 2 BP officers got out and walked toward us. We got out of the blind and went to meet them, rifles sidearms and all! We were careful to try and not look threatening tho! (maybe hard to do with Mini 14 and scope, w/20 rnd magazine) well, only one BP came to meet us. the other disappeared. I suspect we might have been filling his rifle scope! The BP apologized for setting off my SUV alarm, introduced himself and asked my name. then he said to have a nice day and watch out as their was alot of drug smuggling activity. seems Coyotees are cutting fences and tearing across ranches to make drug deals. Scary!
    - oh forgot most important part, we each shot a hog later that evening! so BP didn't mess up our hunt after all!
     

    Eli

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    Dec 28, 2008
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    Ghettohood - SW Houston
    Similar thing happened to my father about 30 years ago, except he dumped all 5 rounds from his .38 at the (unknowing) couple as they were coming in the door. Fortunately for them, he went for the snubbie before his glasses and managed to miss them both. The wife was screaming in Spanish, the husband grabbed her and proceeded to vacate while my father was trying to reload with a speedloader - and screaming at them to GTFO in Spanish LOL
    Cops weren't too pleased at the situation, but no injuries and no charges filed. Hotel managed tried to get my father to pay for repairs, despite the entire fiasco being their fault. Didn't happen, as you can imagine.
    Lock the security chain!!!!

    Eli
     

    hkusp1

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    Mar 25, 2009
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    DALLAS, TX
    Generally if someone can open the electronic lock, they're probably not bad guys. But, in the middle of the night, you do what you do. Good job all around.

    yea not so much ive seen master key cards sold on the web that works with any key card style hotel lock.
     
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