Would you have the Guts?

[Boats]

...well boats??? Don't keep us in suspense! Have you knifed someone?

I will assume that given the appropriate scenario, you would.

PS. did you fire from a ship or from shore?

I have never knifed someone, though I did hit a guy with a beer bottle in Darwin Australia once.

I would use a knife if I had to, after all, I was a Boatswain's Mate and we used to be about the only ones allowed to carry something "dangerous" while aboard. I have lived with serious folding knives for a long time now and can wield one fairly effectively. I'm no Brownie, but my AFCK will be there in a pinch if necessary.

Ma Deuce was the rig I fired at Iranians in three wild encounters. The .50s were temp mounted on my old destroyer during the Iran-Iraq War, so I haven't really "pulled" the trigger so much as "depressed" it. I still don't know if I personally hit anyone, but as a unit we greased some by turning their cigarette boats into fiberglass confetti.

 

[MJRW]

I wholeheartedly believe so. However, I don't want to have to truly find out if I'm right or wrong. So, I voted not sure. Until that moment when the trigger is squeezed, it is 100% a belief.

 

[AZLibertarian]

I agree that as much as we all practice and think through each "what if" scenario about facing a BG, no one really knows until you're there. The adreneline, disbelief this is actually happening, and all kinds of other uncertainties make me believe that actually having "the Guts" is not a certain thing. I hope I'll never know if I do.

 

[coldshot03/04]

Nope No Joke.

I read in an article that under pressure one seems to get VERY nervous and the "What if Factor" kicks in.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Yes. I learned that I could months after the academy when, on a vehicle stop, the driver, despite clear verbal commands reached into the pick-up truck for something. If he had come out with anything looking like a gun, he would have been dead.

Neither of us wanted to kill him (just a teenager), but the thought of taking a human life scared the daylights out of us. That's a good, normal, healthy reaction. Virtually every person I spoke with have that same response and was grateful for deescalation. Second time drawing a person is easier and it does get easier. Happily, I've never shot anyone and like Dirty Harry says, "A man's got to know his limitations." Guess I know my limitations.

 

[illuminatus99]

I wouldn't carry a weapon I wasn't positive I could use if I needed to.

 

[Mostly Harmless]

Been there. Done that.

FWIW it was easy to identify the BGs -- they started shooting first. But still very hard not to assume the deer in the headlights stance (which would have been closely followed by assuming ambient temperature)...

As for knives, they're very up close and personal and also very messy. However, speaking from experience, I'd rather be alive and messy than dead and messy.

J.
When I find who it was who cursed me to live in "interesting" times, I'm going to open a family-sized can of Whoopa$$

 

[Kestryll]

Somebody may have said this already but you need parameters.
BG going out the door with my VCR or stereo, no.
BG who appears intent on harming me and mine, YES.
BG who has or is harming my Wife, YES, one in the leg. I'll finish him with the blade, law and right or wrong be damned. You do NOT mess with my Wife.

I know some will take issue with the last comment there, oh well.
I am fully aware of the consequences of such actions and am willing to suffer the repercussions from them. My Wife is sacred to me and any who visit harm on her I will make every effort to insure their death is as slow and painful as possible. And then I would have to pray that God would forgive my lack of faith in not trusting vengance to Him.
Sorry to rant but I know someone will have comments.

 

[Jack19]

Why would someone carry a weapon and then answer "no," or "not sure" to this poll?

If you don't have the willingness to use it, or if you aren't sure, don't carry it. When the bad guy is seeking to do you harm is not the time to be engaged in deep philosophical thought about whether his life is more important than yours.

Shoot him, be secure in the knowledge that he would have killed you and that you acted rightly, and then get on with your life.

 

[willyjixx]

i have faith in my abilities

but there is always that fear in the back of my mind. what if i cant pull the trigger. my answer is to train, train, and train more. 2nd is respect and fear what i am training myself to do. i must always respect human life an the training i have. i must always fear humanity an the actions i will take.

i have no use for braggards who gloat about there abilities an wait for the day when they can blow someone away.

if i have to shoot someone to protect my life an my well being or that of my family an friends i will have to mourn the loss of life an the actions i had to take. but in no way will i feel sympathy or sorrow for the scum that made me do the deed.

using a knife means that SHTF an i hope my adrenaline is pumping an my judgement is obscured by my instincts of fight or die that i dont concern myself with the gore an mess of what is left............maybe to add to the list of tactical gear are super absorbant light weight wet napps to clean up after a nasty knifing

 

[Mike Irwin]

If I didn't think that I did, I wouldn't be carrying a gun in the first place.


Anyone who answers NO to that question should SERIOUSLY rethink their method of personal protection.


Your poll needs one more slot, though.

"Passed the test."

 

[Jesse H]

Kestryll,

BG who has or is harming my Wife, YES, one in the leg. I'll finish him with the blade, law and right or wrong be damned. You do NOT mess with my Wife.

I know some will take issue with the last comment there, oh well.

Although I would feel the exact same way about anybody harming my loved ones...I've decided that I can't be around my loved ones behind bars. Just something to ponder.

 

[Minuteman]

Double tap to the chest...and one to the head if he's still moving in my direction.

 

[pittspilot]

I long ago came to the conclusion that I would feel worse about not being able to protect my family and seeing them get badly hurt or killed, then I would about having to kill a BG.

 

[PCRCCW]

ABSOLUTELY HELL YES! Or I wouldnt be carrying a gun or two or three

As far as the blade and such comments.............


DUDE! Just a tip...If you love your wife like you seem to convey, work on your temperment...your anger will get you in jail and you wont be there for her. Just a tip...If you thought you were mad then...just think how pissed yould be from jail knowing you couldnt do a DAMN thing.

Food for thought..............

Shoot well

 

[coldshot03/04]

I know of a case here in Opelika Al. Where a cop emptied his pistol and missed the bad guy. The bad guy shot his wife then himself in the head. All that training down the toilet. Strange huh?

 

[narmer71]

I have fired in the republic of South Vietnam

I have fired at the enemy and been fired on and hit. Look at the stats on the number of combat vets in Vietnam who used their weaspons and you'll see a much higher percentage than in Korea which is higher than American combat troops in WWII.

It's easy for anyone to fire when he is being fired upon. It may be harder if you are not being fired on but we saw no difference.

If we took one round we sent back thousands. As Patton said, "you'll know what to do."

If we heard noises at night we formed a circle and fired 360 degrees in all directions.

 

[narmer71]

It's a reflex

no thought involved. All creatures have survival instinct. People are no different.

 

[sturmruger]

Done Deal

I have chosen to protect my life and the life of my family. Anyone that comes close to endangering that will find themselves in the hospital. I would not hesitate to shoot. I know animals and humans are completely differant, but as many animals as I have shot. I think I would try to just focus on how I am trying to remove a pest. I think hollywood over dramatizes all of the people that are sitting there trying to work up the courage to shoot. The only way I can shoot here in IA is if I am in eminent fear of my life or someone elses. I won't hesitate.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Absolutely.

Did it once and hope never to have to again. But I wouldn't pause at the moment of decision if it comes to me or my loved ones.

After my one time, for about three weeks I had a case of the nerves real bad, but they went away and now? Not a doubt in my heart or head.

 

[Byron Quick]

I've been in several situations where it was down to fractions of a second: shoot/hold my fire. I wasn't nervous. I simply didn't want to kill someone unless absolutely necessary. In one, my assailant dropped his weapon when he realized I was drawing a handgun. In another, the old drunk with his hand in his jacket pocket threatening to shoot me fell down and I jumped in my truck and left before he regained his drunken feet.

Another idiot did the same thing with the hand in the coat pocket thing. He was a brawler, but I knew him and he carried a knife. Never knew him to carry a gun. A friend of mine killed him a year or so later. Same guy tried to break down a friend's door at a boarding house. We were calmly waiting on him to succeed. My buddy had a shotgun pointed at the door...I had a FN HP.

Several other events. I don't get the shakes until after I'm safe.

Yeah, I can do it. I don't want to do it, as I believe my past actions demonstrate. But I won't feel bad about it, either.

I will not knowlingly give anyone a cause or even an excuse for assaulting me...I will defend myself to the degree that I feel to be necessary.

 

[Cosmoline]

If someone was placing my life or the life of another in imminent deadly peril without just cause, it's a no brainer. The point of self defense shooting is that if you FAIL to shoot, someone is probably going to die. Mostly likely you. So you'd better. It's not even about "guts."

A more interesting question might be would you kill someone sitting down eating his dinner at a distance, as you might be asked to if you were a soldier fighting a war.

 

[boogalou]

Only in the gravest extreme?

Yes

 

[cool45auto]

Yep.

 

[Combat-wombat]

Yes, I would.