[redwitch]

One thing I was taught and learned from experience was that if a weapon (knife or gun) is drawn don't wait, take aim and fire. If the idiot was just foolin' around, too bad. As I said, I would be very slow to pull out a weapon without good reason. The circumstances where I would with no hesitation are (1) someone who had seriously injured me in the past came near me (there would be no chance of him hurting me again); (2) if I saw someone draw a weapon while in a heated altercation; (3) if I saw someone draw a weapon while committing a crime. As I said, if I pull it out, I'm firing immediately. I'm not going to give you a warning that I'm going to shoot, I'm not going to stand there and wait for you to pull the trigger, I'm shooting and I'm aiming to kill. A police officer can aim to disable, can (well, must) warn. A private citizen should not because the risks become too high if the "bad" guys are given a chance.

I was told repeatedly that if I'm going to pull my gun out, I dang well better be prepared to use it. I think I am. I hope I never have to find out but I do know I've gotten the best training I could, I keep as up to date on my skills as humanly possible. So, if the circumstances require me to do what is necessary, I think I can.

The people that frighten me are the ones with the attitude that pulling a weapon will deter someone else from bad behavior but they have no intention of pulling the trigger. That just gives a bad guy a chance to get the weapon and use it against you. Pull it out and use it or don't even acknowledge that you have a concealed weapon.