I frequently make up situations in my mind when I would need to use that weapon so I am prepared already when one of those situations happens. Mental preparedness is vital so one doesn't hesitate using the weapon - hesitation will get you killed.
Never use a firearm to try to threaten instead of pulling the trigger. Doing that will also get you killed. If my firearm is in my hand, I'm pulling the trigger more than once right then.
Someone sent me a situation that happened in Florida. A cop and his police dog were killed. Cops caught up with the killer and killer fire gun at those cops. After that was over, a reporter asked the sheriff why they shot the killer 68 times. The sheriff said, “We ran out of bullets.”
The coroner listed the death as a natural death. He was asked why that was the reason. Coroner said, “If you get shot 68 times, you are naturally going to die.”
That’s my biggest draw back - mentally, I still recoil from the idea of shooting a person. Granny drilled it into me never point a toy gun or even toy stick used as gun at a person.
If I happen to be angry at them maybe. Even though I try to mentally prepare to do it, I still am afraid I would hesitate. Course, if my grand kids were around, I’d probably be more ready to shoot an intruder.