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How close would you let a potential assailant come before you defended yourself from the threat?
It's a subject that we all should think about. Studies indicate that most shootings take place at between 7 and 10 feet. Yet, at the range, I see lots of folks with their targets at the extreme rear of the range and they are banging away with gusto. I've heard disparaging remarks made by some shooters that I'll have to wait until my attacker gets close enough so that I can actually hit them. There's a lot of truth in that. Then we need to consider what the prosecutor will say at our trial. If you shoot an assailant at say, 50 yards and they weren't displaying a weapon, you might be going to jail. If they were shot by you at say 10 feet and they have a knife clutched in their cold, dead hands, then chances are you may receive compliments on a tight grouping. Threat potential is critical when considering deadly force. The law looks closely at those dynamics. One of the reasons that cops get prosecuted for some shootings is that the subject of their gunfire is running away from them and that doesn't constitute a threat. There was a time when cops could shoot a "fleeing felon" but that law was overturned many years ago. There are other considerations. For example, I'm an old guy. I'm fat and clearly out of shape (yet oddly, I'm very attractive to women of all ages). So, if I was forced to defend myself by putting three into the chest of some assailant, a prosecutor would take my age and other factors into account before charging me. If you are a husky young lad who could outrun a nice wielding attacker, that might be a consideration. Perhaps you are a young lovely and unable to run because of your 4" heels and extremely short skirt, those are considerations. The point here is have you considered all the reasons that you carry a handgun and under what circumstances you'd use it? Killing someone with a gun isn't like a video game. They moan and call out as they are bleeding out. They bubblegum themselves. It's not glamorous and no one high fives you. Folks distance themselves from you (unless you are a Marine in combat, then it's all different.)
It's all about defense. If you can run away, do so. If you can't, make certain that you know what you are doing and no bystanders are at risk and finally that your attacker is armed and you are in danger of losing your life.
So how close do you let them get?
 
there's sooooo much more than just how close they are. If there a guy in a dead sprint, yelling about how he's gonna kill me, doesn't matter in my mind how far away he is, I'm drawing. I obviously can't just turn heel and run because he's already got a full head of steam and if he actually makes contact, I'm going down like a sack of potatoes.
 
Without real world experience to compare, heroics or bravery in ones own mind may prove different in reality.
The distance I would like to suppose, and what may be defensible in court, are unfortunately, many yards apart.
Only the circumstance of the moment will speak the truth, even then, if I survive, the story likely loaded, in hindsight, with: "I should have", or maybe; "I shouldn't have".
As for the law, they likely want you to be half dead or missing body parts before you resign to use lethal force.
I don't think so!
 
How's that saying go?

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."

If my life is in danger, if able to, I will act to defend it. You and the attorneys can work out the details later, but only if you are still alive.
 
I say keep it simple. Practice real-world situations as much as possible and imagine urself actually in that situation as you practice. Use any real shootings or situations u see on internet or anywhere really as examples.

Don't get good at relaxed slow fire and your body/mind behave completely differently in the real world situation (which is pretty much never relaxed slow fire). U want to react with control and confidence and be able to shoot quickly and accurately in any real-world scenario. Think of an airline pilot who has practiced possible emergencies 100s of times. When the real thing comes he doesn't have to think about what to do.

Also whoever is with u make sure they know that one of their jobs is to get it on video if possible. It's very likely someone else will have it on video and they may wish to paint you as the bad guy.
 
It's not the cops, the DA, or a Judge that you have to convince of your innocence or motives. You have to convince a jury of 12 dummies, and I'm VERY good at convincing people... especially average dummies. No "summary trial" in front of only a Judge (Michael Strickland's error)... bring on that jury trial!


;):s0155:
 
How close would you let a potential assailant come before you defended yourself from the threat?
It's a subject that we all should think about. Studies indicate that most shootings take place at between 7 and 10 feet. Yet, at the range, I see lots of folks with their targets at the extreme rear of the range and they are banging away with gusto. I've heard disparaging remarks made by some shooters that I'll have to wait until my attacker gets close enough so that I can actually hit them. There's a lot of truth in that. Then we need to consider what the prosecutor will say at our trial. If you shoot an assailant at say, 50 yards and they weren't displaying a weapon, you might be going to jail. If they were shot by you at say 10 feet and they have a knife clutched in their cold, dead hands, then chances are you may receive compliments on a tight grouping. Threat potential is critical when considering deadly force. The law looks closely at those dynamics. One of the reasons that cops get prosecuted for some shootings is that the subject of their gunfire is running away from them and that doesn't constitute a threat. There was a time when cops could shoot a "fleeing felon" but that law was overturned many years ago. There are other considerations. For example, I'm an old guy. I'm fat and clearly out of shape (yet oddly, I'm very attractive to women of all ages). So, if I was forced to defend myself by putting three into the chest of some assailant, a prosecutor would take my age and other factors into account before charging me. If you are a husky young lad who could outrun a nice wielding attacker, that might be a consideration. Perhaps you are a young lovely and unable to run because of your 4" heels and extremely short skirt, those are considerations. The point here is have you considered all the reasons that you carry a handgun and under what circumstances you'd use it? Killing someone with a gun isn't like a video game. They moan and call out as they are bleeding out. They bubblegum themselves. It's not glamorous and no one high fives you. Folks distance themselves from you (unless you are a Marine in combat, then it's all different.)
It's all about defense. If you can run away, do so. If you can't, make certain that you know what you are doing and no bystanders are at risk and finally that your attacker is armed and you are in danger of losing your life.
So how close do you let them get?
I carry a .410 revolver loaded with 7 1/2 shot so it's gotta be pretty close.




not really
 
Yes it would. At 21 feet a knife wielder is considered within close proximity. How about if he/she were simply displaying it at you?

I think I could differentiate intention from behavior. If by display you mean brandishing/threatening? In that case I could display a shiny red dot from the crimson trace on his chest.
 
Had a karate instructor that could cover 21 feet and strike palm first at your face without touching you before your brain could tell you to block 99 times out of 100.

Most people with ill intent and a knife hidden can do a lot of damage to you before you can recognize it, draw and shoot.

Im pretty sure the myth busters did a segment on the 21 foot rule.
 
How close would you let a potential assailant come before you defended yourself from the threat?
It's a subject that we all should think about. Studies indicate that most shootings take place at between 7 and 10 feet. Yet, at the range, I see lots of folks with their targets at the extreme rear of the range and they are banging away with gusto. I've heard disparaging remarks made by some shooters that I'll have to wait until my attacker gets close enough so that I can actually hit them. There's a lot of truth in that. Then we need to consider what the prosecutor will say at our trial. If you shoot an assailant at say, 50 yards and they weren't displaying a weapon, you might be going to jail. If they were shot by you at say 10 feet and they have a knife clutched in their cold, dead hands, then chances are you may receive compliments on a tight grouping. Threat potential is critical when considering deadly force. The law looks closely at those dynamics. One of the reasons that cops get prosecuted for some shootings is that the subject of their gunfire is running away from them and that doesn't constitute a threat. There was a time when cops could shoot a "fleeing felon" but that law was overturned many years ago. There are other considerations. For example, I'm an old guy. I'm fat and clearly out of shape (yet oddly, I'm very attractive to women of all ages). So, if I was forced to defend myself by putting three into the chest of some assailant, a prosecutor would take my age and other factors into account before charging me. If you are a husky young lad who could outrun a nice wielding attacker, that might be a consideration. Perhaps you are a young lovely and unable to run because of your 4" heels and extremely short skirt, those are considerations. The point here is have you considered all the reasons that you carry a handgun and under what circumstances you'd use it? Killing someone with a gun isn't like a video game. They moan and call out as they are bleeding out. They bubblegum themselves. It's not glamorous and no one high fives you. Folks distance themselves from you (unless you are a Marine in combat, then it's all different.)
It's all about defense. If you can run away, do so. If you can't, make certain that you know what you are doing and no bystanders are at risk and finally that your attacker is armed and you are in danger of losing your life.
So how close do you let them get?

Clearly I would ask my assailant to cease their attack until I came up with a cogent calculation of how close to let them get to me before I opened fire. This of course based on threat of grievous bodily injury or death, location, potential for after-action lawsuits, and public opinion. If the assailant didn't represent enough of a potential threat then I would kindly ask him to leave the area until such time as they decide to attack me under more favorable circumstances.
 
there's sooooo much more than just how close they are. If there a guy in a dead sprint, yelling about how he's gonna kill me, doesn't matter in my mind how far away he is, I'm drawing. I obviously can't just turn heel and run because he's already got a full head of steam and if he actually makes contact, I'm going down like a sack of potatoes.
You've just made my point. Obviously, if he/she is charging you and /or makes contact, it's probably a good idea to be ready to defend yourself.
 
Had a karate instructor that could cover 21 feet and strike palm first at your face without touching you before your brain could tell you to block 99 times out of 100.

Most people with ill intent and a knife hidden can do a lot of damage to you before you can recognize it, draw and shoot.

Im pretty sure the myth busters did a segment on the 21 foot rule.
Yea it's a a good point about the karate guy cuz in that case u know it's coming and that's one thing, but often this stuff comes out of the blue. Myself I was close to 1 armed car jacking in 2020, one in 2019 (helped chase the Bastid down), and one man beating on a naked petite woman in 2019. All of which came out of nowhere with zero warning. None required firearms thank goodness. Situational awareness dictates a lot about what your responses can be. If ur sleepwalking ur at a huge disadvantage. If u are aware you often have many options of how to respond even if it is an unexpected thing.

Jeff Cooper's 4 color situational awareness system is critical imo. For example in this situation in Sandy OR the lady tried to slash the guy's throat. If he was in condition orange/red he could have easily stopped her knife hand. But he went back to condition white after the lady left (she came back with a knife).
 
Yea it's a a good point about the karate guy cuz in that case u know it's coming and that's one thing, but often this stuff comes out of the blue. Myself I was close to 1 armed car jacking in 2020, one in 2019 (helped chase the Bastid down), and one man beating on a naked petite woman in 2019. All of which came out of nowhere with zero warning. None required firearms thank goodness. Situational awareness dictates a lot about what your responses can be. If ur sleepwalking ur at a huge disadvantage. If u are aware you often have many options of how to respond even if it is an unexpected thing.

Jeff Cooper's 4 color situational awareness system is critical imo. For example in this situation in Sandy OR the lady tried to slash the guy's throat. If he was in condition orange/red he could have easily stopped her knife hand. But he went back to condition white after the lady left (she came back with a knife).
Wow, I just watched the video and read the article about the Taco Bell slasher. I know Taco Bell isn't good for you, but WTF!!!??? :eek::eek:o_Oo_O
 
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