I had the worst dream last night - I had to use a gun but...

[elChupacabra!]

Last night I had one of the worst dreams I've had in a long time.

In the dream, I was at home, hanging out with our neighbors and my wife. I had 2 or 3 beers, not enough to get me messy but we were enjoying ourselves and having a good time, and we were safe where we lived, not driving anywhere.

This guy who I knew from high school (random, right?) came in and started acting rowdy. He said he was going to shoot us, and I started taking him seriously - nothing will kill a buzz faster than a death threat. He left, and I started to get nervous. By the time he got back inside from his car with a rifle, I knew it was about to hit the fan - I had retrieved my HK P2000, and when he pointed the rifle at my wife, I shot him (and it was an even worse dream because I couldn't obtain a good Isosceles stance, couldn't push the gun out in front of me, my whole position was all weak and unsure and when I pressed the trigger it felt like it took forever for the gun to go off and I didn't know if I even hit him... I HATE dreams like that). I shot him 3 times and he went down. We called the police, told them what had happened, we were all so scared. He was definately dead.

I live in Tennessee, which is, fortunately, a Castle Doctrine state. So even though I was very badly shaken, I knew it would be ok because he invaded our home with a weapon, there were plenty of witnesses, it was cut and dry - until the officer saw the empty beer cans and realized that I had been drinking. The officer told me that, since I had been drinking (and even though I wasn't acting under the influence of alcohol, wasn't intoxicated, probably wasn't even a .08), I was under arrest and wasn't protected by the Castle Doctrine's laws on self defense in the home. I was taken away in cuffs and knew I was in deep trouble.

I woke up with the worst feeling you can imagine, and the worst part is, it made me wonder... what if that actually happened? How would the law look at someone righteously defending their lives if they had been drinking? Sometimes I do enjoy a couple beers or glasses of wine, though NEVER when I'm around ANY guns for ANY reason, and I NEVER drive afterwards... so it's legal and safe for me to do so, but what if I had to defend my home afterwards? I've never considered that before... what would happen? How would the law and courts look at someone in that situation?

Now, I DO NOT want this to come across as "Hey guys is it ok to drink and shoot?" because I am so firmly at the other end of the spectrum - I am always STONE COLD SOBER ANYTIME I touch a firearm, even to clean it, period, period, period. PLEASE don't come back and say "never drink and shoot, you're an irresponsible idiot" or anything like that because that's NOT what I'm advocating. I'm merely asking, if someone is lawfully enjoying alcoholic beverages in moderation in the safety of their own home, and had to legitimately use a firearm to defend said home, what would happen?

Thanks for your perspectives. I'm really interested in this one. That dream really shook me up.

 

[CountGlockula]

Stop playing shoot 'em up video games before going to bed.

 

[elChupacabra!]

Stop playing shoot 'em up video games before going to bed.

Hey, that's not very nice, I'm being serious... and I haven't played a first person shooter in years, haven't had the time or desire... - in fact, I sold my xBox to buy a rifle, so believe me, any shooting I do these days is REAL first person.

Seriously though, I really want to know what yall think. This is a serious question, I'm not joking or trying to get a ruse out of anyone.

Besides, plenty of people have bad, vivid dreams about having to use a gun, and this wasn't my first - but it might have been one of the worst.

Thanks for your sincere replies.

 

[redneckrepairs]

Such dreams are not uncommon for new gunowners . In fact an informal study of new officers found that most withing a year or two had had a nightmare involving shooting someone , and in most times their handgun was innefective , either it jammed or had no effect if it worked . You can study , learn , and do your best , and the more you do the more you will dream , ( all the officers i speak to were not only new but qualified high in the class and the dept ) . After some years the dreams stop is all i can say .

 

[357WheelGun]

I do not know about the specific law in such cases, but I would think that with a witness who could corroborate the threat and a test showing that you were under the legal limit any lawyer with half a brain would be able to successfully defend the case.

 

[CountGlockula]

elChupacabra!-I apologize for coming across that way. But what did you do prior to the nightmare.

When we usually get nightmares, it is reflected to how the previous day went.

Did you watch a shootout in the news? Did you spend sometime at the range? Did you clean your Hk? Etc. Whenever I watch a violent movie or play video games late night, I end up dreaming about it.

 

[FCFC]

In all states, or almost all states, defending your person by use of deadly force is justifiable when in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury.

The legal reasonable fear threshold doesn't change if you are high, drunk, or jes' drinkin'.

Of course, intoxicated or impaired people don't always have a good idea of what reasonable is.

Quaff 'em if you got 'em.

 

[elChupacabra!]

CountGlockula,

Thanks for clarifying - I see your perspective now. Actually I didn't shoot yesterday, but I DID drink 2 or 3 beers after a particularly rough day at work, so maybe that's what prompted the dream

I have been spending a good bit of time at the range recently, though, as I'm getting into reloading, so maybe that has had some effect on my mindset... I do know what you mean about dreams prompting from the day before, because for a summer in college I drove a lift for Yellow Freight, and when I came back home after my first night working, I dreamed I was driving a lift for 8 more hours, just to wake up and do it again... talk about exhausting

 

[CountGlockula]

That's usually the case. But if it did bother you, maybe it's a glimpse of what can REALLY happen in that type of situation. We don't realize the aftermath of a shooting, until it's too late.

Things to consider: How much is enough to drink and plan to take a self defense handgun course/CCW course-if you haven't already.

Thanks for sharing buddy.

 

[elChupacabra!]

CountGlockula,

Good point - that's a good reason to moderate drinking that had never really occurred to me before. What if someone broke in? Would I have the wits to respond appropriately? Of course I make it a point to not get trashed too often, but every once in a while, it's nice to just let go with some friends, and my best friends happen to be our next door neighbors, which works well for all of us!

As for the CCW permit, I am a proud holder of a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit (and previously a Texas CHL as well, when I was a resident there) and make it a point to shoot very regularly to maintain - and increase - proficiency with all of my weapons, defensive guns most of all. Besides, I just love shooting, and my favorite flavor of shooting is practical / defensive drills

 

[blackcash88]

Now, I DO NOT want this to come across as "Hey guys is it ok to drink and shoot?" because I am so firmly at the other end of the spectrum - I am always STONE COLD SOBER ANYTIME I touch a firearm, even to clean it, period, period, period.

Um, didn't you just answer your own question?