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Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix

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LeagueOf1291

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I hope some might learn from the stupid mistakes of another, instead of from their own experience, so every now and then I like to relate this story.

A few years ago I went out, as I am wont to do, and practiced presenting from the holster and putting a couple of rounds between the eyes. Then I went back in and had a couple of beers while I finished some work in the home office. Later, I disassembled my gun for a good cleaning -- and found a round in the barrel.

You know that sick, twisted feeling you get in your stomach, while your back crawls and the hairs stand up on your head?

When I move my car across the yard to wash it, I find I have to remove my seat belt to get out -- putting on my seat belt is second-nature, and I don't even realize I'm doing it. That's how I am about checking my gun when I pick it up. Yet that time I didn't check it, and it had to be those two beers.

So, just a friendly reminder. Be careful about mixing guns and alcohol.
 
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Chaingun81

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LeagueOf1291 wrote:
I hope some might learn from the stupid mistakes of another, instead of from their own experience, so every now and then I like to relate this story.

A few years ago I went out, as I am wont to do, and practiced presenting from the holster and putting a couple of rounds between the eyes. Then I went back in and had a couple of beers while I finished some work in the home office. Later, I disassembled my gun for a good cleaning -- and found a round in the barrel.

You know that sick, twisted feeling you get in your stomach, while your back crawls and the hairs stand up on your head?

When I move my car across the yard to wash it, I find I have to remove my seat belt to get out -- putting on my seat belt is second-nature, and I don't even realize I'm doing it. That's how I am about checking my gun when I pick it up. Yet that time I didn't check it, and it had to be those two beers.

So, just a friendly reminder. Be careful about mixing guns and alcohol.
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How about the dillema of self defense at home if you had some drinks with/after dinner? Obviously, carry in public place while under influence is a huge no no, but at home it's technically legal (correct me if i'm worng). I don't get drunk and even if i did i never lose control and never become unbalanced, so i'm not afraid of what i could do. Whati am afraid of isif someone breaks into my home after i had some drinks with dinner and i'm forced to shoot him. I imagine both police and prosecutors would love to use this fact against you,even ifself defense was rightful and justifable otherwise.What's the solution here - never ever drink any alcohol even at home or keep the gun away after you had any drinks and hope that this time BG won't break in? When i go out to drink, which happens only several times a year, i leave the gun at home and just carry pepper spray and hope for best. But at home is different - anyone else ever thought about it?
 
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LeagueOf1291

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I think about it all the time. If I drink at home to the point of impairment, I'm creating a risk in the event of a confrontation at home. Sure, it's legal, but it isn't wise. Follow the old Biblical admonition -- don't be drunk.
 
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Chaingun81

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LeagueOf1291 wrote:
I think about it all the time. If I drink at home to the point of impairment, I'm creating a risk in the event of a confrontation at home. Sure, it's legal, but it isn't wise. Follow the old Biblical admonition -- don't be drunk.
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The right question here is - what counts as impairment. I have a pretty high tolerance between being 230 lbs and all my drinking practice of student years. I'm pretty sure that i can feel and act responsibly while having my BAC above the legal limit. Not that i try it often, but i also dont sit around with Brethylizer every time i decide to have some wine with steak. Now, is there any legalguidelines of what to be considered "drunk" or "impaired" in this case?
 
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YllwFvr

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At the risk of sounding like a bad person when I drink I am in control of myself quite well with a certain loss of fine motor skills of course. But when I cross the line into drunk I lose my ability to pace myself and usually within a short time I'm near to passing out.
To get to the point I'm glad you guys feel confident you could act appropriately but unless they took time getting through the door and I didn't have time to prepare myself mentally and focus my thoughts I wouldn't trust myself to make good decisions with more than three or four in me. And if I was drunk I'm sure the gun would be a very bad idea.
On that note I only get drunk at large parties with a DD and when I drink at home it's usually after work so one or two beers and I can't stay awake to open the third ;).
 
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darthmord

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Have to give Paul credit. He's right in a twisted sort of way.

But yes, I agree with the main sentiment. If I'm carrying out in public, I don't drink alcohol. Soda, tea,lemonade, or water is all I'll drink.

At home, I don't drink to excess anyways. My body is okay with a couple of drinks but beyond that, it gets unhappy with me (and since I have a very difficult time throwing up, my body will make me suffer).
 
Hawkflyer

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Very few people actually know the amount of alcohol they can consume without impairment, but one thing is certain. Everyone is impaired to some degree BEFORE they actually feel impaired. There is likely some impairment with a single beer. Can it be measured? Probably not, but for my part, when the prosecutor asked "did you have any alcohol prior to the shooting?" I want to be able to say no.

The short of it is and always has been that guns and alcohol do not mix. Old axioms exist because they have beenshown to be correctover time.

As for me, if I have a firearm in my possession I do not drink. Does this make alcohol rare in my life. You bet. Do I miss it. Nope. It does not mean I never take a drink, but it does mean that if I do, there are no loaded firearms in my hands.

I am also very much a believer in in the old flying rule, "8 hours between bottle and throttle".
 
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PaulBlart

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Aran wrote:
If two beers does that to you, maybe you should switch to wine coolers.
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us cops love wine coolers, but we hate whine. my rights blah. my liberty blahhhhh.

wine coolers have more alky than beers
 
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darthmord

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Aran wrote:
If two beers does that to you, maybe you should switch to wine coolers.
Click to expand...

Doesn't make me drunk. Makes me sick to my stomach / nauseous, especially if it was beer. Hard liquors OTOH (like vodka, rum, whiskey, bourbon, etc), those don't cause me near as much of a problem.

I suspect it has something to do with the ingredients in beer & some wines which aren't present in the hard liquors.
 
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YllwFvr

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Two beers are too many for me after work. Twelve hour shift, one hour drive each way, ya they knock me out.

Dont ask me why but even though wine coolers taste good I much prefer the bite of a nice heinekin when I want to relax. Best taste of any beer.

To continue with whatHawkflyer was saying I think some people can function better than others under the effects of alcohol. I cant with more than a few.

I know a fella, an alky, who acts the same with a 30 pack in him as being totally sober. He's on his fourth DUI and has wrecked two vehicles. BTW he used to have quite a extensive gun collection and a nickel 44 mag with red dot that was just amazing. Lost them all from the DUIs.Used to go shooting with him years ago.
 
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FogRider

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"Alcohol and guns don't mix" is way to much of a blanket statement for my taste. I know that even one beer can cause some amount of imparement, the question is how much. For me personally, the amount is negligable. My personal limit is two beers, then I stay away from guns. I know from experiencethat two is not enough to impare my judgment or motor skills to the point that I shouldn't handle a firearm. Four probably isn't either, but for me that's where I get into a gray area that I would rather stay out of. That and if I'm going to have four, I'm likely to have more. Same with hard liquor, if I'm drinking a little I'm likely drinking a lot. So, two (most likely with a meal) works for me.
 
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