When to Draw

[Ga9mm]

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine yesterday, and this came up. What factor pushes you to the point that you would draw your weapon on someone? I was in a situation not too long ago, and drew on someone. I shouldn't have done that. In that particular setting, I shouldn't have done it because I didn't need to fire it. For me, that's the deciding factor: Don't draw unless you intend on pulling the trigger. YMMV, but if I'm put in a situation that I can get out of without pulling a trigger, then I can get out of it without waving a gun around. I think it presents too many chances of liability. Mainly, I wouldn't want to draw in an altercation that didn't call for it, cause the antagonist to draw, and someone end up getting shot and/or killed when it could have been avoided, regardless of who started it. I carry a weapon in case there's something I can't handle without it. If I can, then I don't use my weapon. If I can't, then it's there and ready.

I know that every circumstance is unique, and there's no way to say for sure what will happen, if anything does. I'm curious about what others think of when to do it.

[dendrokeeper]

If somebody is trying to harm me or my family I will draw. Period. If my gun is drawn, I am more than likely going to fire as that is my last resort after ALL other options have failed.

[NCjones]

Very simple. When you feel like your life is in danger. I don't necessarily see it as a draw/don't draw situation. There's been several times when I unsnapped my piece and had my hand on the but and no one knew. I was at a friends pizza joint once about 11:30 PM waiting on my order and four thugs in baggy pants and gangster look walked in and just stood around (SW Houston). The guy asked if he could help them and they said no. At the time I was carrying a 1911 in a shoulder holster. I had my arms crossed with my hand inside the jacket. Hand on the grip and unsnapped just in case it turned ugly.
The pizza guy was a friend and noticed that I didn't take my order and leave and that my hand was inside my coat. He thanked me for hanging around until they left.

Note that your life doesn't have to actually be in danger. but the standard is that if a reasonable person would FEEL that their life is in danger under those circumstances.

All of our laws are based on the presumption of what a "reasonable person" would do in that circumstance.

1) Your life is in danger
(someone is trying to kill you)
2) You are in danger of serious bodily injury.
(Punk with a baseball bat/brick/bare hands is beating you)
3) You (reasonable person) feel that your life is in danger.
(Punk points a BB pistol at you and you believe it is a real gun)
4) You (reasonable person) feel that you are danger of serious bodily injury.
(Punk is enraged and has a baseball bat and is coming towards you screaming he's gonna whip your ass)

Remember that most likely a DA and then maybe a jury will decide what is "serious bodily injury". For instance, if you are 200 lbs, 6 foot 6 and an expert in Judo and some skinny kid, 100 lbs soaking wet approaches you and threatens to whip your ass then more than likely a reasonable person wouldn't fear bodily injury. On the other hand, if hulk hogan is coming after you, you might be justified in drawing and firing.

In North Carolina the same right to defense of self applies to "another person". So if your wife/daughter/whatever is threatened you have the right to use the same amount of force in their defense.

[Ga9mm]

That's what I was getting at, or trying to. If I can diffuse a situation without using a gun, then I will. If it comes down to the safety of my family or me, and anyone I'm with, then it comes out. I think I've just been neating myself up the past few days about drawing when I didn't really need to.

[DarrellM5]

I will only go for my pistol if I believe it's necessary to save the life of my family or myself. I will make the conscious decision to shoot prior to drawing my pistol. I have no intentions of displaying it to attempt to diffuse a situation.

[dendrokeeper]

In many places, diffusing a situation with a handgun will get you charged with brandishing.

[tcox4freedom]

Originally Posted by dendrokeeper

In many places, diffusing a situation with a handgun will get you charged with brandishing.

Not to mention, pulling out your gun may actually have the opposite effect and escalate the situation.

I see nothing wrong with what NCjone did at the pizza place AND I personally think it was the right thing to do. (Good job NC.. You probably kept that guy from being robbed or worse.)



As for me---
My gun stays put until I feel the threat of death or extreme bodily harm is immanent and/or currently underway. I've been on "BOTH" sides of a confrontation where "drawing/brandishing" a gun actually escalated the situation. (I thank God I have not been in that type of situation for years.)

[Booga]

I've never had to draw my weapon before, but I have had situations where I was on red alert.
The worst was when I had to confront some strangers on our property. Nobody gets to my place without intending to be there. The encounter went as well as it could, and while they did not leave(didn't ask them to leave), I determined they were not a problem. Still, stress levels were pretty high during the start of the event.

[airbornerangerboogie]

If your going to talk, talk, if you going to shoot, shoot.

[gonzomedic]

For myself I would only draw my weapon if need be.If someone is verbally abusing me,then no I wouldn't draw.Only if my life,the lives of my family are in jeopardy.JMHO