reefraff
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///t/394041/gun-bans-dont-work-and-here-is-an-example#post_3506879
I understand. But once you pull that weapon, you are essentially taking the law into your own hands. The Walmart shooter becomes "the bad guy". What's the point in drawing your weapon if you don't plan to use it? If you're standing there weapon drawn, and this guy pops out and is pointing his gun at someone besides you, if you confront and act upon shooting the guy, you aren't protecting yourself, but his intended victim. Therefore, you now place yourself in the same position as that of a police officer. Unfortunately, the majority of CCW's don't have the mental capacity or proper training to handle these types of scenarios. You may well be proficient enough with your weapon to hit the assailant, but you also may hit another innocent victim in the process. What happens if you miss, and he starts firing back? Do you stand your ground and start unloading that 17-round clip (no telling where the bullets may go), do you run and hide, do you start retreating at the same time you're still shooting? Remember, we're not talking about home intrusion, or a one-on-one confrontation with a guy trying to rob you or break into your property. This is against some crazed nutjob that has one or more weapons, possibly bullet-proof armor, and absolutely no fear because his ultimate goal is to kill as many people possible before someone shoots him, or he simply shoots himself. This isn't standing there calm and complacent, shooting some paper target. This is intense pressure, you shooting at a living human being.
How often do you shoot your weapon? Once per week, once per month, every three months, longer? I'm usually pretty accurate with hitting center/close to center 90% with my 9mm. I've gone several months without shooting it, and when I do go back, my first 20-30 shots I'm hitting down and to the right of center (This is shooting at a paper target at 15 feet away). It's a fixed-sight weapon, so there's no site adjustments that can get knocked off. It's just from improper stance, holding of the gun, and probably my mis-judging of distances as I've gotten older. If I was carrying my gun and had a confrontation similar to the Walmart scenario, I'd probably say that I would have a good chance of completely missing my target, especially if this guy was further than 15 feet away. It's not just because I'm facing this adrenaline rush having the thought of shooting a person who is most likely shooting at me, it's because my skills are simply not proficent enough to handle the situation. This is what you face with 95% of concealed carriers. I have friends who have CHL's, and they tell me that they probably only shoot once per month, if that. They say it's due to lack of time, having to drive out to the firing range (the majority of ranges in the SA area are at least 30 - 45 minutes from my home), and also cost of ammo ($15 - $18 for a box of 50 rounds, if not higher). So again, unless your skills are honed, and you practice firing your weapon on a consistent basis, then all you have is a false sense of security hidden under your jacket.
I'd bet the person being drawn down on would be thankful there was someone there with a gun.
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///t/394041/gun-bans-dont-work-and-here-is-an-example#post_3506879
I understand. But once you pull that weapon, you are essentially taking the law into your own hands. The Walmart shooter becomes "the bad guy". What's the point in drawing your weapon if you don't plan to use it? If you're standing there weapon drawn, and this guy pops out and is pointing his gun at someone besides you, if you confront and act upon shooting the guy, you aren't protecting yourself, but his intended victim. Therefore, you now place yourself in the same position as that of a police officer. Unfortunately, the majority of CCW's don't have the mental capacity or proper training to handle these types of scenarios. You may well be proficient enough with your weapon to hit the assailant, but you also may hit another innocent victim in the process. What happens if you miss, and he starts firing back? Do you stand your ground and start unloading that 17-round clip (no telling where the bullets may go), do you run and hide, do you start retreating at the same time you're still shooting? Remember, we're not talking about home intrusion, or a one-on-one confrontation with a guy trying to rob you or break into your property. This is against some crazed nutjob that has one or more weapons, possibly bullet-proof armor, and absolutely no fear because his ultimate goal is to kill as many people possible before someone shoots him, or he simply shoots himself. This isn't standing there calm and complacent, shooting some paper target. This is intense pressure, you shooting at a living human being.
How often do you shoot your weapon? Once per week, once per month, every three months, longer? I'm usually pretty accurate with hitting center/close to center 90% with my 9mm. I've gone several months without shooting it, and when I do go back, my first 20-30 shots I'm hitting down and to the right of center (This is shooting at a paper target at 15 feet away). It's a fixed-sight weapon, so there's no site adjustments that can get knocked off. It's just from improper stance, holding of the gun, and probably my mis-judging of distances as I've gotten older. If I was carrying my gun and had a confrontation similar to the Walmart scenario, I'd probably say that I would have a good chance of completely missing my target, especially if this guy was further than 15 feet away. It's not just because I'm facing this adrenaline rush having the thought of shooting a person who is most likely shooting at me, it's because my skills are simply not proficent enough to handle the situation. This is what you face with 95% of concealed carriers. I have friends who have CHL's, and they tell me that they probably only shoot once per month, if that. They say it's due to lack of time, having to drive out to the firing range (the majority of ranges in the SA area are at least 30 - 45 minutes from my home), and also cost of ammo ($15 - $18 for a box of 50 rounds, if not higher). So again, unless your skills are honed, and you practice firing your weapon on a consistent basis, then all you have is a false sense of security hidden under your jacket.
I'd bet the person being drawn down on would be thankful there was someone there with a gun.
