No winners gun fights

[Hambo]

I would add a caveat that the time and fortune spent winning the legal fight is subtracted from the "total win" category. It is, however, acceptable when the alternative is death or serious bodily injury.

I should have said, "wins legally by a decision not to prosecute, whether from a grand jury or the state attorney." As you point out, if there is prosecution, there are multiple ways to lose.

Useful thread.

As I get older, I realize more and more the benefits of the "just walk away" concept.

There's a current case here that I expect to result in a murder charge. The initial cause may have been some road rage, followed by an in person argument. Shooter got punched, but according to the witness the puncher was walking away when the shooter paused, then drew his gun, and lit the puncher up.

As a friend says: your ego is not your amigo.

[NETim]

"You can be absolutely magnificent in a gunfight and still die." -- Clint Smith

[Darth_Uno]

There's only one total win in the list of good guy outcomes: good guy wins gunfight, wins legal fight, and is uninjured. The rest of the possibles have one or more sucky outcomes for the good guy.

As I get older, I realize more and more the benefits of the "just walk away" concept.
/
I'd also really like to avoid a gunfight, if at all possible. I've never been in one, but it sounds like it sucks.

I've not been in one either, nor do I care to. Even the most cut-and-dry self defense seems like it can still be a huge pain in the ass because some lawyer will see $ signs and take the case because you could've just shot him in the leg (but not an artery, obviously).

I tell these young kids at work you gotta be like Batman. Plan for every possible scenario. And sometimes the best outcome for you is doing nothing, even if it's for some perceived slight on your honor. One of my favorite songs is Bobby Bare's The Winner:

And if there's somethin' that you gotta gain to prove by winnin' some silly fight -
Well okay, I quit, I lose you're the winner

[JohnO]

"You can be absolutely magnificent in a gunfight and still die." -- Clint Smith

AKA. You can do everything correctly however sometimes the bad guy gets lucky.

Don't go stupid places at stupid times and do stupid things. That tends to prevent 90+% of the bad situations one could find themselves involved in.

[Dov]

There's only one total win in the list of good guy outcomes: good guy wins gunfight, wins legal fight, and is uninjured. The rest of the possibles have one or more sucky outcomes for the good guy.

Even then your so much worse off vs being able to avoid the conflict.

I think Mas says something like there is no good outcome with firing your gun in defensive use of force, just possibly less bad ones.

[blues]

This may be one of the most important threads to be posted in a long time. (Imho.)

[parishioner]

Leading causes of losing a non-ambush gun fight (meaning there was some interaction between the participants prior to shots being fire) remain:
*not in ranked order*
1) presenting a non-functioning firearm

This is my fear of carrying with a MS.

As the saying goes, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" and I am simply not confident that I would be able to present a functional firearm, safety off, considering the highly variable nature of dangerous encounters.

This is a personal decision and am not advocating this position universally.

[valian]

This is my fear of carrying with a MS.

As the saying goes, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" and I am simply not confident that I would be able to present a functional firearm, safety off, considering the highly variable nature of dangerous encounters.

This is a personal decision and am not advocating this position universally.

That's why I never carry away from home with a gun with a manual safety.
Fifty years ago I was more naive about it. Forty years of MA and 20 years of FOF training have informed me about better choices.

[Kyle Reese]

Open carry remains a magnet for shit birds wanting a free gun. They aren't afraid of you or your gun.

Not according to the derpy open-carry advocates! Why, a holstered XD in a floppy Uncle Mike's sausage sack keeps the baddies at bay! Are you saying that the Internet is incorrect?

[Joe in PNG]

Not according to the derpy open-carry advocates! Why, a holstered XD in a floppy Uncle Mike's sausage sack keeps the baddies at bay! Are you saying that the Internet is incorrect?

"Mah situational awareness will keep me safe from gun snatchers!"