What’s the precise definition of “defensive gun use” (DGU)? And I’m not looking for a long paragraph. Just a simple definition.Like Robb, I agree that the question is nowhere near as simple as it seems. You can get really abstract, in that the entire Second Amendment is a Defensive Gun Use - the fact that we are armed as a people keeps an overreaching Federal government at bay. Obviously any of the Dead Goblin Count stories would count as a DGU; similarly any number of instances posted where a goblin was shot but didn't die - or was simply scared off. But how do you quantify the instances where someone might reach for a gun - which is never seen nor drawn - and the goblin suddenly has other thoughts?
I've shared one of my DGUs before, but in a nutshell I was camping with a group of friends when a neighboring camper ventured over with a chainsaw. We had a rather large pile of wood stored for our weeklong camping trip, and they offered to help us cut it up. Given that all we had were a couple bow saws, we were happy to get the mechanical advantage, and offered up some of our beer (when they were done) as "payment". About halfway through the task, they started swinging the chainsaw around in an unsafe manner, and when asked to stop, they replied that they could do anything they wanted, they had the chainsaw.
I went into my tent and took the Smith & Wesson model 36 out of the shoulder rig and put it into a plain black leather belt holster. I exited the tent and didn't say a word about the gun; in fact, I didn't even talk to the two other campers who had the chainsaw. But they turned off the chainsaw in a manner of minutes; one of the guys stayed and drank beer with us, the other - the one with the chainsaw and the attitude - went back to their campsite. My gun was never drawn, never even alluded to, yet I'd count that as a DGU - it had the desired effect of leveling the playing field with regard to deadly tools.
So, what's your answer to the question?
That is all.
3 comments:
I'd call defensive gun use "employment of a firearm to end, avoid, or escape a dangerous situation."
To me the purpose of a defensive weapon isn't to kill an attacker, it's to either get them to stop attacking or to get away from them so they can't attack. "Employing" a gun can mean visibly carrying it, drawing and aiming it at an attacker, or firing it. Its simple presence may end the situation. If not, firing it is more likely to work.
Last year when gangs were attacking people leaving the Wisconsin State Fair there was a lot of talk on the gun boards about how much ammo was enough to take on a mob. I think that's the wrong question for a defensive situation. The question is how much ammo do I need to clear a path to escape? Taking down a mob isn't my job.
There is a corollary to the story of a pair of hikers in the woods, with one wearing sneakers instead of hiking boots in case of bear attack. The objective of the one wearing the sneakers is not outrunning the bear, but of outrunning the other hiker.
That corollary is the riddle of how many bullets it takes to disperse a gang of attackers, with one attacker challenging that you do not have enough bullets to take down all of the attackers. The correct response is that you have more than enough to take down the challenger and to start on whomever chooses to remain.
Think about that when someone suggests that you do not need to carry rounds to reload, arguing that "most" gunfights do not require reloading. When the attackers realize that you are out of ammunition and some of them are still there, you may have a very big problem. The initial firing of your weapon, hitting your target with practiced and skilled intent, sends a strong message that you are willing to do what it takes to survive. Skillful reloading, and appearing to be able to reload again, sends a stronger message.
i think pretty much every 'situation' can be simplified down to 'force'. Someone forcing me to do something, or someone using force to prevent me from doing something. If someone is applying their force onto me, then I believe Defensive Action is authorized, up to and including Defensive Weapons Use.
i think weapons are tools to be used against unwanted force.
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