Am I shootin, Or the less experienced wife or the boys?
If I'm shootin.... Seven to the chest, one to the temple is going to look pretty bad on the evening news. I certainly shouldn't need to put 7 230gn HP's there, but you never know. Now while all you LEO's out there laugh, there are some/many civilians that get more practice than you do, and shoot a whole lot better, are not as stressed as you'all on the job, so please be open minded that this really can happen. -So, I'm looking to eliminate the immediate threat to life and limb. AT WHATEVER COST. If that means the perp's life, So Be It. But if the BG stops his action, drops his weapon, then I'll stop shooting.
For the wife though, not as much of a shooter as I, (although if she aims, BG=DG), she is to shoot until she feels comfortable. If that means that the guy has met his maker, So Be It.
The crappy part of all this, is that if you feel that your life is threatened, shoot to remove the threat, yet the punk lives, Prepair for the civil lawsuit.
I'd 'rather' kill the putz.
-Steve