Ethical Dilemna?

I have no qualms shooting in self defense. In my 57 years, I came close one time. A guy pulled a knife on me one evening when I was tending bar. I withdrew the handgun from beneath the bar and took aim. He fled, because in the "stone-paper-scissors" of real life, gun screws knife. Would I have shot him if he had come any close? Oh, hell yes. If it's my life or someone else's that is trying to threaten me, it's hoo-rah for me all the way.

I have taken a gun downstairs a couple of times to investigate a funny banging in the basement, which turned out to be a (1) raccoon and a (2) possum. In both instances they merely got the broom escort out of the house.


I cannot see killing something or someone that presents no danger and that is not trying to kill or seriously injure me. Not even a possum. I wouldn't kill for property either unless it was a survival situation. But when it's my life or the life of the person who is trying to take mine, hey, they've already demonstrated that they don't value life all that greatly, so they really shouldn't care if I shoot them.

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Originally Posted by OctagonGecko729

Like Don said. If you pull that weapon out you are stepping through a door that can not be shut and nothing can be predicted once you go through it. The idea of pointing a gun to intimidate or shooting someone to injure is not the best idea in the world. If you can point that gun to intimidate then you do not need to pull it. If you can shoot to injure then you do not need to pull it. For me, when the firearm comes out I am going to take someone's life.

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This is exactly how I feel! You just said it better :)

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Originally Posted by sorraia

My husband and I actually have an "abort word" now for this very reason. We came up with it after talking to others who have been in similar situations as us. If you are in a situation where it is dark, you cannot visually identify the person, and they are coming at you, there may not be time to ask "Who are you?" and get a satisfactory answer. My husband may come home in the middle of the night, sometimes leaves the bedroom at night (he'll get restless legs and leave the room so I can sleep), and after our dealings with the bad neighbors (LONG story), we decided that "abort word" was a good idea.

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This is definitely a good idea, its called challenge and reply/response. Its used to identify a friendly. Heres an example of it in action. You hear someone enter the house without unlocking the door, its dark, your groggy, you grab your firearm and hold up in the room. You then call out "blue" and your teenage son who just snuck out for a night of partying without you knowing replies "Zebra" and you avoid a catastrophic event.

This thread is really making me think about things differently. It definitely makes a HUGE difference that i have very little experience with guns. All of you guys who own them are making me think about things in a different perspective. You all sound very responsible about it, the way id hope gun owner should sound lol.

Brandi the thing about kids usually B&E is another thing i didnt really think of. Ive done some pretty dumb things before. Not saying id ever break into a house with intent to steal, but yea, i wouldnt want to get shot for one stupid mistake haha.

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Originally Posted by MrLang

Agree with Doolittle


I'd probably take a less than lethal shot to the back of the knee and then beat them to a pulp with my fists until the cops showed.

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in conceal carry class here in utah they teach you IF you HAVE to shoot, shoot to kill. make sure you really have to shoot. a less than lethal shot will land in in court for the rest of your life facing legal and finacial battles.....

a guy exiting out your back door with $300 worth of stuff is not worth it. thats why there is homeowners insurance. i have a loaded .357 in my nighstand drawer and if someone comes in at night when i cant see if they have a weapon, my kids are home or in the day and i see they have a weapon, i wont hesitate to shoot them, repeatedly.

also, on the issue of someone leaving out the back door, NEVER shoot someone from behind. you cant prove life threatening situation when someone is going AWAY from you....

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

This thread is really making me think about things differently. It definitely makes a HUGE difference that i have very little experience with guns. All of you guys who own them are making me think about things in a different perspective. You all sound very responsible about it, the way id hope gun owner should sound lol.

Brandi the thing about kids usually B&E is another thing i didnt really think of. Ive done some pretty dumb things before. Not saying id ever break into a house with intent to steal, but yea, i wouldnt want to get shot for one stupid mistake haha.

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How you view it depends on your life experiences. I was raised in a very small town. Kids were always breaking into summer cabins, and sometimes homes. But most of the time they weren't doing it to steal or hurt anyone. They did it because they were bored and too stupid to think of something more productive to quell their boredom. This doesn't make it ok, but it also isn't a death penalty offense.

If I were raised in South Central where a lot of the kids are just as dangerous as the adults, if not more so, then I'd probably have a different perspective.

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Originally Posted by carlson

next two are loaded with rock salt

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I didn't even know this existed. That would be ROUGH!

If I were still in Texas, yes I would. Here in Connecticut? No. In Ct you will go to jail. In CT you will go to jail and more than likely be sued unless they were about to commit bodily harm. If someone breaks into your house at 2am and your dog bites said person, you can and surely will be sued. You will not win that lawsuit either. CT law breaking into someones home is not a criminal act in upon itself.
In TX they just have to be on your property. Any time, any day. :gj:

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

If it was legal and I had a safe shot, I'd possibly pull the trigger on a thief in my own home.

However I know of no where in the US allows you to pull the trigger on someone who is outside your home with stolen goods and is running away from you.

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Texas. If they are on your property, you have the right to shoot. No matter what their intent is.

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Originally Posted by TessadasExotics

If I were still in Texas, yes I would. Here in Connecticut? No. In Ct you will go to jail. In CT you will go to jail and more than likely be sued unless they were about to commit bodily harm. If someone breaks into your house at 2am and your dog bites said person, you can and surely will be sued. You will not win that lawsuit either. CT law breaking into someones home is not a criminal act in upon itself.
In TX they just have to be on your property. Any time, any day. :gj:

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Hey im in CT too! Hi neighbor!

So what youre saying is i should live in Texas haha...