So, there’s been a few discussions amongst some gunnies about when is it ok to use lethal force on stuff. On the Florida Open Carry Facebook page, there’s a pretty lengthy discussion going on about when do you clear leather.
One, when you follow through with your shot is entirely dependent on the situation. The best gunfight is the one you’re not involved in and if you can remove yourself safely from the situation, that’s probably the best bet. Probably. Sometimes it isn’t.
The thing is we can role play all we want on the perfect situation where the bad guys come storming in, shooting into the ceiling to let us know they mean business and we take them out one by one from our concealed position behind the Cheetos (well, according to the anti’s, that’s what we do). The reality is that we’re probably not going to get much warning should that time ever unfortunately come.
That is why the decision to pull the trigger comes way before you actually need to. Let’s be honest, protecting yourself via firearm means that, if need be, you are going to throw a projectile at high velocities in an attempt to penetrate a human body with the express intention on causing enough damage to incapacitate. There’s a very thin line from ‘down’ and ‘down for good’. You are not responsible for the early revocation of your attacker’s birth certificate, they are based on their decision to put you into harm’s way. You will, however, have to deal with the results of your actions for the rest of your life. If that’s not something you think you can do, then carrying a firearm is not for you.
If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in this situation, there will also be legal ramifications. You may have pissed off family members who don’t believe their choir-boy of a son (or daughter) would have hurt a flea and thus consider you a murderer. You’ll be in the news. Neighbors & coworkers will talk.
All these things you need to consider up front, well ahead of time. The last thing you want is for your luck to run out and find yourself unable to pull the trigger, putting yourself in a deadly situation. It’s not fun, it’s not a happy thought, and it’s not something gunnies boast about, but it is part of the whole gig.
Food for thought.