# I've wrestled the pistol away from my assailant. What now? \[questions about handgun use\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683 "2011-08-30T21:58:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/21 "2011-08-31T16:04:48Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > In the meantime, I’d encourage spending an afternoon at a shooting range. I feel like shooting is one of those basic skills everyone should know a little bit about. I do not own a gun. I don’t plan to own a gun. Yet last winter, my SO and I took a 2 night class (8hrs, including 2hrs on a range) on handgun safety and handling. I took it pretty much for the “Ok, I have the gun, now what the heck do I do with it” factor. I still don’t think I could shoot a person, but paper targets now fear me. I am fairly comfortable with the idea that I could, with a few minutes to look it over, figure out how to engage the safety and/or remove the ammunition from most common handguns, without being a hazard to myself or others. It was a pretty good use of $35, and I highly recommend something like this to anyone that is unfamiliar with handguns and has a couple of free evenings. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/22 "2011-08-31T16:41:57Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Here’s a quick [tutorial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adnXzutxWcQ#t=0m27s). Well, most of us aren’t Jet Li. heh. Removing the slide on some guns is mighty tricky. My Sig Pro, for example, requires a pretty elaborate dance: remove the magazine and clear the chamber if necessary. Pull the slide back and lock it. Now, grip the slide by fully grasping around it with your right hand, so that your wrist is against the back of the handle, preventing the slide from moving forward. Slowly ease the slide forward until the visible notch on the left side is just above the slide lock lever. With your left hand, reach around to the right side of the frame and push in on the opposite side of the slide lock lever. It will release with a little “click”. Bring your left hand back around to the left side and pull the slide lock lever completely out of the frame. Set aside. Slowly ease the slide forward again, releasing spring tension, until the slide is back in its normal position. The slide is now free and can be slid off the front of the gun easily. Glocks are a whole lot easier to break down. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/23 "2011-08-31T17:44:54Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’m glad this is not a “need answers fast” thread. Did you see the first line of the OP? In Ohio, you would be committing a crime yourself if you immediately shot a bad guy after disarming him. If you’re no longer in imminent danger of injury or death yourself, most states don’t let you ventilate the bad guy right after turning the tables. Once he’s woken up and is coming at you with a knife, you could shoot him if you reasonably had no other alternative. But be prepared to explain yourself to police, a prosecutor and, if you weren’t too persuasive, eventually a judge or jury (if you choose to testify). ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/24 "2011-08-31T17:46:33Z")
This seems like a excellent situation to use self-defense tactic #3 otherwise known as running away. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/25 "2011-08-31T18:03:25Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > 1. I don’t have time for a full gun safety course, since this guy has woken up and is now coming at me with a knife, but is there anything else I should know? You had to **wrestle** the weapon from an unconscious assailant? :eek: I would question if you have the muscle strength to rack the slide or even pull the trigger on most consumer grade automatics. In all seriousness, take a gun safety course. You won’t have to acquire a firearm and you won’t be forcefully indoctrinated into the cult of firearm worship. What you will gain is some knowledge about firearms that is powerful to have regardless of you ever having any interest in owning one. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/26 "2011-08-31T21:44:00Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > … In Ohio, you would be committing a crime yourself if you immediately shot a bad guy after disarming him. If you’re\*\*\* no longer in imminent danger of injury \*\*\*or death yourself, most states don’t let you ventilate the bad guy right after turning the tables. Once he’s woken up and is coming at you with a knife, you could shoot him if you reasonably had no other alternative. But be prepared to explain yourself to police, a prosecutor and, if you weren’t too persuasive, eventually a judge or jury (if you choose to testify). (bolding mine) jbdivmstr > [@](#): > > Pull the trigger until it stops going, “BANG”! … When it comes time to account for your actions, there’s only ONE SIDE to the story, YOURS. \ “And after I wrestled the gun away from him he charged me as if to try and get it back. I was afraid that he might, so I shot him.” End of story. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/27 "2011-09-02T03:00:35Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > If you wrestled the gun away from someone, you already won. It’s perfectly reasonable to either shoot him or beat the daylights out of him, to make sure the fight stays over. I’d go with bludgeoning, since youre already in grappling range and unfamiliar with how to fire a gun. Not so much. Once the guy is unarmed, you cannot shoot him or pistol-whip just because he pissed you off. You’ll go to jail beside him. If you did the disarm correctly, he’s going to have a broken bone or two and be down on the ground stunned or unconscious. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/28 "2011-09-03T08:33:36Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Not so much. > > Once the guy is unarmed, you cannot shoot him or pistol-whip just because he pissed you off. You’ll go to jail beside him. > > If you did the disarm correctly, he’s going to have a broken bone or two and be down on the ground stunned or unconscious. Yeah, I would bet that if it was _ **you** _ doing the disarm, the bad guy is probably gonna need some serious medical attention, maybe even a few days in the hospital. _ **But** _, not _everybody_ is a Black Belt _ **and** _ a Taekwondo instructor, Clothahump. 😉 But just for the “sake of argument”, (and assuming there aren’t any “witnesses”, of course) I’m still going to give some serious thought to removing the possibility of the bad guy learning from his mistakes and doing a better job, the next time he decides to commit whatever crime he was attempting in the first place. Know what I mean? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/29 "2011-09-03T17:22:52Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Trying not to repeat too much what has already been written in the thread… > > For your 1st question—How to render a semi-auto pistol safe—releasing the magazine and then fully retracting the slide to eject any cartridge in the chamber, is in your case what you want to do. Double check the chamber either visually or by touch to ensure that the cartridge was extracted from the chamber. \ kid of agree kind of disagree. i’m pulling the magazine. but then i am clicking away at shit for brains right between the eyes to ensure that there is nothing in the chamber. but i am holding on to the magazine just in case. and for goodness’ sakes i ain’t visually checking the chamber to see if something is in there or not. i can satisfy my curiosity by pulling the durn trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683/30 "2011-09-03T17:40:02Z")
I’m probably repeating some answers, but what the hell. > [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > 1. Let’s say it’s a semi-automatic and I want to make it temporarily safe as quickly as possible by removing the magazine and any chambered rounds. Where will I find the magazine release? Obviously, it’s different on every weapon, but I believe there’s some degree of standardization, right? The magazine release is typically on the left side right by the thumb. Simply depress it and if the magazine does not fall out on its own (not all do) pull it out. some have the release on the butt of the grip, latching into the bottom rear of the magazine, but that is very uncommon on newer handguns. > [@](#): > > Secondary questions: can I just pop out the magazine and rack the slide, and I’ll be good? Do most semi-autos have a similar slide? Does that work like it does in the movies? Yes, provided you remove the magazine first. If you don’t you’ll simply chamber the next round. While the slides may differ (blowback-action slides are lighter but have much more resistance due to the heavier spring, for example) operating the slide through its full travel will always eject a round from the chamber. Little-known fact: if someone is pointing a gun at you and you have the ability to reach it, simply grabbing it by the slide and taking it out of battery will render it incapable of firing. With some it’s as simple as putting your hand on the end of the muzzle and pushing in. I wouldn’t recommend trying this, mind you, but it does illustrate how easy it is to disable a semi-automatic handgun, at least temporarily. If you practice you can disassemble a police-issue Beretta in about a half a second while it’s in his hand, take the slide right off the weapon. I’ve seen it done by my SPs during weapons training. But I digress. Anyway… > [@](#): > > 1. Let’s say I really need to shoot something, but I’m worried the safety might be on. Where is the safety likely to be? Again, I know it’ll be different on every gun, but there is standardization in this as well, right? Once I’ve located the safety, how do I tell whether it’s engaged? How do I disengage it? That’s much more complicated. It varies from weapon to weapon, and a great deal of modern handguns have no external safeties. If you take a Glock off the guy there is no external safety. Some, but not all SigSauers and HKs have external safeties. Almost all Rugers have them (excepting the LCP). Revolvers have no safeties unless you’re being attacked by a guy with a rare and expensive Webley-Fosbery. > [@](#): > > 1. Just how standardized are the mechanisms discussed above? If I don’t see them where I expect them, where else should I look? They are not standardized at all. This is part of the reason that gun people like having many different guns, because they’re all different. > [@](#): > > 1. I don’t have time for a full gun safety course, since this guy has woken up and is now coming at me with a knife, but is there anything else I should know? If you don’t know what he has we can’t be specific, so use your best judgment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-wrestled-the-pistol-away-from-my-assailant-what-now-questions-about-handgun-use/594683.md?page=1)