[coldshot03/04]

Would you have the guts to pull the trigger if and when needed to stop a BG?

[buford1]

In a heartbeat.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Yep.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[faustulus]

I would, but it would be hard to live with later.

[Schuey2002]

Yes.

[Pendragon]

Is this a joke?

You are taking a poll on a web site that caters to gun owners, martialartists, shooters, libertarian types and other rugged indiviuals of various shades and you are wondering if anyone has the guts to shoot a bad guy if it is needed?

I think that for over 80% of the people here, it is a forgone conclusion. If a bug is under my shoe, will i squish it? If I fish bites my hook, will I reel him in?

[Dilettante]

I'm more interested in knowing what would the BG have to do to get you to shoot him?
Obviously you don't want to make a mistake, but you also want to stop him before he seriously hurts anyone.

[New_comer]

BG's life vs. mine and/or my loved ones??? :confused:

No contest... :rolleyes:

[swampsniper]

DILETTANTE, there are a number of things a BG could do, first, of course, is coming through my door at 3 am, wait a minute, maybe thats not first maybe? I would just have to hope I (you) will continue to know it when I (you) see it. It is always a judgement call. You just pray for a grand jury not packed with liberals.:D

[Beav]

Yes....

I have a harder time deciding what to eat for dinner most nights.

[RTFM]

Center mass.

[einnor1040]

Chestshot.

[Ed Brunner]

If you had to do it, if it met your reasonable standards for use of lethal force, you could feel bad for the rest of your life if you wanted to. Otherwise you could see it in a realistic perspective. Why would you feel bad when the bad guy's action got him killed and your action saved your life and/or someone elses?

[Boats]

I have already pulled the trigger multiple times on Iranian fanatics in the Persian Gulf. So yeah.

A tougher question would be, "Who is prepared to knife someone?" That is up close and personal.

[fish2xs]

>> I have already pulled the trigger multiple times on Iranian fanatics in the Persian Gulf. So yeah.
>>
>> A tougher question would be, "Who is prepared to knife someone?" That is up close and personal.

...well boats??? Don't keep us in suspense! Have you knifed someone?

I will assume that given the appropriate scenario, you would.

PS. did you fire from a ship or from shore?

[Keeper]

I put not sure because there was no situation given. If my life is in danger or my families life is in danger then without a doubt I could do it. There are other situations I know I would hesitate. If I found a guy in my house holding nothing more than my stereo or a kid trying to break into my car I would not put a hole in them as long as they left ASAP. It is hard to know what would happen in any given situation. The closest I have ever come to shooting something other than when hunting or punching paper was a dog when I was taking a walk with my children. I could have done it but I am glad I did not because the dog backed down as soon as the owner showed up.

[Fastlane]

That question was answered 30 odd year's ago in Nam, now most nights I ask myself who was the BG.

[buzz_knox]

I wouldn't carry or own weapons for defense if I hadn't already answered that question.

[brownie0486]

Like Boats,
I've pulled the trigger on some BG's in the name of the US.

I also like his question about the knife. It is entirely different with a blade than banging another from distance [ even 3 feet in startle mode ].

Boats:-----------Rock on sir

Brownie

[fish2xs]

>> He later joined the Fresno, California police department.

...so now he gets paid to cower and do nothing? So much for "to serve
and protect". Save that slogan for ziplock freezer bags...

[TarpleyG]

If you are not 100% sure that you could, you shouldn't be carrying.

GT

[KRAUTGUNNER]

If BG threatens me with lethal weapons at home, he dies by disintegration (12/76; Federal 000-Buckshot)!

On our streets, I would get killed, because it is illegal to pack heat in this ****ing liberal heap of manure called Germany!!! :cuss: :banghead: :barf:

[brownie0486]

TarpleyG :

One is never 100% sure they can pull the trigger until that fateful moment arrives.

Saw too many wet behind the ears boys in the service who at the first firefight did nothing. Most, when confronted with death for the first time, will freeze and not react at all.

These were men who had been trained to kill the enemy as thats what they were going to be doing.

Most civvies won't know they can and will until that moment of truth when they see the elephant for the first time. That said, most went on to become good soldiers after the first firefight and the initial realization that yes, thjey were in a place that could get them killed if they did not react immediately.

Happens to the best of them.

No one who hasn't been there already can say how they will react, but the odds are not in the civvies favor [ relative acting on the threat ] on the first go round.

Brownie

[J Miller]

KRAUTGUNNER,

Sounds like me in Illinois. In my home I'm covered, but out in the street I can't cary so I'm screwed if anything happens.

As for the topic, years ago I used to drive armored trucks. I made up my mind that if bg wanted the money and I believed my life was not in danger, then I would not shoot. But if I felt my life was in danger, the rules would then change and I'd shoot.
Never had to. But I still feel the same way.

I know what it is like to kill animals, and to a certain extent I consider predatory humans animals. So as for mental preperation, it's done.
As for physical preperation, due to injuries, I could not defend myself by hand to hand, neither can I run away. My right side is week and semi non functional, I can't run, period. So if a bg came into my home,.........
.....I let you know if it ever happens.

[Duncan Idaho]

It's not about guts, it is about survival. Even invertebrates have sense enough to fight when threatened. The BG had the chance to save his own life at his momma's knee. When she told little Johnny to be a good boy, he should have %&*#$*@ listened.A tougher question would be, "Who is prepared to knife someone?" That is up close and personal.Whatever it takes, whenever it takes it.

[Boats]

...well boats??? Don't keep us in suspense! Have you knifed someone?

I will assume that given the appropriate scenario, you would.

PS. did you fire from a ship or from shore?

I have never knifed someone, though I did hit a guy with a beer bottle in Darwin Australia once.:D

I would use a knife if I had to, after all, I was a Boatswain's Mate and we used to be about the only ones allowed to carry something "dangerous" while aboard. I have lived with serious folding knives for a long time now and can wield one fairly effectively. I'm no Brownie, but my AFCK will be there in a pinch if necessary.

Ma Deuce was the rig I fired at Iranians in three wild encounters. The .50s were temp mounted on my old destroyer during the Iran-Iraq War, so I haven't really "pulled" the trigger so much as "depressed" it.:D I still don't know if I personally hit anyone, but as a unit we greased some by turning their cigarette boats into fiberglass confetti.

[MJRW]

I wholeheartedly believe so. However, I don't want to have to truly find out if I'm right or wrong. So, I voted not sure. Until that moment when the trigger is squeezed, it is 100% a belief.

[AZLibertarian]

I agree that as much as we all practice and think through each "what if" scenario about facing a BG, no one really knows until you're there. The adreneline, disbelief this is actually happening, and all kinds of other uncertainties make me believe that actually having "the Guts" is not a certain thing. I hope I'll never know if I do.

[coldshot03/04]

I read in an article that under pressure one seems to get VERY nervous and the "What if Factor" kicks in.

[4v50 Gary]

Yes. I learned that I could months after the academy when, on a vehicle stop, the driver, despite clear verbal commands reached into the pick-up truck for something. If he had come out with anything looking like a gun, he would have been dead.

Neither of us wanted to kill him (just a teenager), but the thought of taking a human life scared the daylights out of us. That's a good, normal, healthy reaction. Virtually every person I spoke with have that same response and was grateful for deescalation. Second time drawing a person is easier and it does get easier. Happily, I've never shot anyone and like Dirty Harry says, "A man's got to know his limitations." Guess I know my limitations. :)

[illuminatus99]

I wouldn't carry a weapon I wasn't positive I could use if I needed to.

[Mostly Harmless]

Been there. Done that.

FWIW it was easy to identify the BGs -- they started shooting first. But still very hard not to assume the deer in the headlights stance (which would have been closely followed by assuming ambient temperature)...

As for knives, they're very up close and personal and also very messy. However, speaking from experience, I'd rather be alive and messy than dead and messy.

J.
When I find who it was who cursed me to live in "interesting" times, I'm going to open a family-sized can of Whoopa$$ :evil:

[Kestryll]

Somebody may have said this already but you need parameters.
BG going out the door with my VCR or stereo, no.
BG who appears intent on harming me and mine, YES.
BG who has or is harming my Wife, YES, one in the leg. I'll finish him with the blade, law and right or wrong be damned. You do NOT mess with my Wife.

I know some will take issue with the last comment there, oh well.
I am fully aware of the consequences of such actions and am willing to suffer the repercussions from them. My Wife is sacred to me and any who visit harm on her I will make every effort to insure their death is as slow and painful as possible. And then I would have to pray that God would forgive my lack of faith in not trusting vengance to Him.
Sorry to rant but I know someone will have comments.

[Jack19]

Why would someone carry a weapon and then answer "no," or "not sure" to this poll?

If you don't have the willingness to use it, or if you aren't sure, don't carry it. When the bad guy is seeking to do you harm is not the time to be engaged in deep philosophical thought about whether his life is more important than yours.

Shoot him, be secure in the knowledge that he would have killed you and that you acted rightly, and then get on with your life.

[willyjixx]

but there is always that fear in the back of my mind. what if i cant pull the trigger. my answer is to train, train, and train more. 2nd is respect and fear what i am training myself to do. i must always respect human life an the training i have. i must always fear humanity an the actions i will take.

i have no use for braggards who gloat about there abilities an wait for the day when they can blow someone away.

if i have to shoot someone to protect my life an my well being or that of my family an friends i will have to mourn the loss of life an the actions i had to take. but in no way will i feel sympathy or sorrow for the scum that made me do the deed.

using a knife means that SHTF an i hope my adrenaline is pumping an my judgement is obscured by my instincts of fight or die that i dont concern myself with the gore an mess of what is left............maybe to add to the list of tactical gear are super absorbant light weight wet napps to clean up after a nasty knifing:D

[Mike Irwin]

If I didn't think that I did, I wouldn't be carrying a gun in the first place.


Anyone who answers NO to that question should SERIOUSLY rethink their method of personal protection.


Your poll needs one more slot, though.

"Passed the test."

[Jesse H]

Kestryll,

BG who has or is harming my Wife, YES, one in the leg. I'll finish him with the blade, law and right or wrong be damned. You do NOT mess with my Wife.

I know some will take issue with the last comment there, oh well.

Although I would feel the exact same way about anybody harming my loved ones...I've decided that I can't be around my loved ones behind bars. Just something to ponder.

[Minuteman]

Double tap to the chest...and one to the head if he's still moving in my direction.

[pittspilot]

I long ago came to the conclusion that I would feel worse about not being able to protect my family and seeing them get badly hurt or killed, then I would about having to kill a BG.

[PCRCCW]

ABSOLUTELY HELL YES! Or I wouldnt be carrying a gun or two or three :D

As far as the blade and such comments.............


DUDE! Just a tip...If you love your wife like you seem to convey, work on your temperment...your anger will get you in jail and you wont be there for her. Just a tip...If you thought you were mad then...just think how pissed yould be from jail knowing you couldnt do a DAMN thing.

Food for thought..............

Shoot well

[coldshot03/04]

I know of a case here in Opelika Al. Where a cop emptied his pistol and missed the bad guy. The bad guy shot his wife then himself in the head. All that training down the toilet. Strange huh?

[narmer71]

I have fired at the enemy and been fired on and hit. Look at the stats on the number of combat vets in Vietnam who used their weaspons and you'll see a much higher percentage than in Korea which is higher than American combat troops in WWII.

It's easy for anyone to fire when he is being fired upon. It may be harder if you are not being fired on but we saw no difference.

If we took one round we sent back thousands. As Patton said, "you'll know what to do."

If we heard noises at night we formed a circle and fired 360 degrees in all directions.

[narmer71]

no thought involved. All creatures have survival instinct. People are no different.

[sturmruger]

I have chosen to protect my life and the life of my family. Anyone that comes close to endangering that will find themselves in the hospital. I would not hesitate to shoot. I know animals and humans are completely differant, but as many animals as I have shot. I think I would try to just focus on how I am trying to remove a pest. I think hollywood over dramatizes all of the people that are sitting there trying to work up the courage to shoot. The only way I can shoot here in IA is if I am in eminent fear of my life or someone elses. I won't hesitate.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Absolutely.

Did it once and hope never to have to again. But I wouldn't pause at the moment of decision if it comes to me or my loved ones.

After my one time, for about three weeks I had a case of the nerves real bad, but they went away and now? Not a doubt in my heart or head.

[Byron Quick]

I've been in several situations where it was down to fractions of a second: shoot/hold my fire. I wasn't nervous. I simply didn't want to kill someone unless absolutely necessary. In one, my assailant dropped his weapon when he realized I was drawing a handgun. In another, the old drunk with his hand in his jacket pocket threatening to shoot me fell down and I jumped in my truck and left before he regained his drunken feet.

Another idiot did the same thing with the hand in the coat pocket thing. He was a brawler, but I knew him and he carried a knife. Never knew him to carry a gun. A friend of mine killed him a year or so later. Same guy tried to break down a friend's door at a boarding house. We were calmly waiting on him to succeed. My buddy had a shotgun pointed at the door...I had a FN HP.

Several other events. I don't get the shakes until after I'm safe.

Yeah, I can do it. I don't want to do it, as I believe my past actions demonstrate. But I won't feel bad about it, either.

I will not knowlingly give anyone a cause or even an excuse for assaulting me...I will defend myself to the degree that I feel to be necessary.

[Cosmoline]

If someone was placing my life or the life of another in imminent deadly peril without just cause, it's a no brainer. The point of self defense shooting is that if you FAIL to shoot, someone is probably going to die. Mostly likely you. So you'd better. It's not even about "guts."

A more interesting question might be would you kill someone sitting down eating his dinner at a distance, as you might be asked to if you were a soldier fighting a war.

[boogalou]

Only in the gravest extreme?

Yes

[cool45auto]

Yep.

[Combat-wombat]

Yes, I would.

[aquapong]

If you can't answer yes to that question you're better off leaving all your guns in the safe.

[duckfoot]

yep

[The Silver Bullet 1719]

Yes

[Hot brass]

And I hope that I would be in the right:(

[Moparmike]

When I get a carry and a CCW, yes if the situation warrants it. I wouldnt ponder the correctness of the shooting until afterwards. The only thing I would be thinking about (hopefully) is "Does he mean me harm?" If the answer is yes, then the shooting will happen.

I have only had the shakes after a wreck when some idiot Hispanic male decided that a red-light meant "Hit Moparmike as he passes with the green." I performed with instinct then flawlessly, and I can only hope that I do so in all future "immediately stressing" occasions.

I dont get into knife fights, I am pretty sure I would rather be shot than stuck.

[Dilettante]

(SaxonPig describes an old acquaintance)
I used to work with a guy who bragged about packing a gun and how he would blow somebody away if he got the chance. Well, he was working in a grocery store a couple years later and it got robbed. He pulled his gun, and then cowered in the back room watching the robbery go down.

To me, the guy's bragging already suggests that he's a coward and knows it.

I'm a coward too...but I'm not self-conscious about it. ;)

[CZ-100]

Yup.. If the situation warrants it BANG, BANG, BANG.

[taoshooter]

I had someone break into my house once a long time ago and put a shotgun to my head - lucky for me they didn't pull it just took stuff and left - - I got into guns real quick - - Now, would I pull the trigger? You bet, and I'd keep on pulling it till the bad guy stopped moving.

[m.i.sanders]

I would not hesitate unless the BG had a hostage or I didn't have a clear shot. I really wouldn't want an inoccent caught in the line of fire.

[ShaiVong]

Yep. Byron, I LOVE your sig. :D

[Cosmoline]

"He pulled his gun, and then cowered in the back room watching the robbery go down. "

That actually sounds like an excellent idea. CCW weapons are not for offense. They are very short-range defensive weapons. The best bet in such a situation may well be to hide, with your firearm out in case you are found. I'd do it in a heartbeat. The only way I'd take the offensive is 1) if I had my rifle and 2) if the bad guys are pointing their weapons at somebody AND I had a good shot. Otherwise I WILL run and hide and they can take their money and run with my blessing.

Be a coward. Shoot only when you have to, and don't be afraid to use dirty tricks if you or another are faced with imminent deadly peril. For example, if you have a shot at the back of a BG's head and he's about to shoot someone else, take the shot. Or run away and hide if you're worried about legal issues. But don't, whatever you do DO NOT announce yourself and your firearm like some fool from a cowboy flick.

[Mornard]

In defense of my family, and especially in my home, I"d say yes. To stop a robbery, not so sure.

Having taught martial arts for a couple decades, conflict no longer startles me - (of course, after growing up with an older brother, I could say the same thing...)

pulling the trigger is serious ???? - I've drilled, thought it through, trained on it - so I sure as hell hope so, and I'd like to think I'd sleep pretty well that night, too.

"two to the body, one to the head, make sure the bastard ends up dead..."

[Ala Dan]

YES WITHOUT ANY HESITATION

Provided that the situation warranted it!:D

Best wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[4 eyed six shooter]

Yep, then I would go out and get a large bloody steak to celabrate being alive and victorious!
Good shooting, John K

[KT-P32]

Yep, But, Do not forget the living Hell that you Will go through after using your handgun. (Court, lawsuits, etc. etc). My friend lost everything he owned for a lawyer and still spent one year in the pen. He has no right to own a gun or even vote anymore. The guy shot him 1st. Whats the deal?:confused: :cuss:

[HBK]

That's BS, man. How can he get shot first and STILL go to jail for a year? I freaking WORRY about our criminal justice system.:fire:

[Valkman]

I've asked my wife this question as she wants to get into shooting and getting a CCW. While I love it that she wants to do this I was afraid that she wouldn't use it, she assures me that she would and I know I would. There's 2 votes! :)

[swampsniper]

Big thing to teach a lady or newcomer is , never bluff. If you will not shoot for Heavens sake don't wave a gun around for BG to take away and use against you.

[Amegatek]

If it comes down to the BG or me/my family being hurt/killed, BG is definitely going down. So yes.

[ZekeLuvs1911]

If my life or a loved ones depends on it....you bet. Double tap!

[Coronach]

Him or me?

Me.

Mike

[FedDC]

This is a decision that must be made well ahead of the time that it will be used. It must be thought about in literal terms, not hypothetical. For instance...I see BG...BG has Gun/ Knife/Brick...I identify myself and order compliance...negative results...shots fired. If this is not worked out in your mind ahead of time, you will have issues. Even if it is only mental, rehersal is the key. The mind can do amazing things and it can go place that it has already been a lot better than it can pave new ground. Also it is essential that you mentally prepar for the aftermath. If you prepare yourself to be all sad and weepy about it, you will feel bad and cry, but if you prepare yourself to deal with it, you will.

[Griff]

If the BG has gotten past the fence, claymores, infrared heat-seeking lasers and video system, multi-lingual warnings and disclaimers, dogs, level 10 force field, and my wife, I'd have to say "fair game". Yep.

[Blackhawk]

It's not a question of guts.

It's a question of duty.

I have a duty to survive.