I’d like to point out why, in an SYG situation, having a knife as a complement to a gun doubly affords protection.
Brandishing a gun is tricky, as just doing that represents a threat to someone’s life. The ability to “reach out and touch someone”. A knife, other than a throwing knife, however, has no offensive momentum, so unless you approach someone, or they approach you, by itself it is not a mortal threat.
So gun owners need to be more hesitant in brandishing their gun until they are certain of a threat, or they may break the law. However, a knife can be brandished, “saying” nothing more than “back off”.
Robbers, muggers, and knockout gamers all rely on subterfuge to close the gap with their intended victim. Either by sneaking up behind them, or feigning a non-criminal purpose to get near to them.
And this works against a concealed carry gun, but at the very first inkling of menace, a knife can be drawn, yet still be discreet so as not to cause alarm. Even if rushed, there is no hesitation to slash or stab.
this brings to mind a incident that happened in Hattiesburg Ms. about 9 years ago. A man was going into a Mugshots roadhouse to join his daughter for a birthday celebration. When he met his daughter she told him about a large group of african americans who had discussed certain things they would like to fo to her.
Enragedm the father went out and confronted the group. They surrounded him, and he pulled his gun. Someone behind him hit him in the head with a pipe, he went down, and they played the kick the honky game.
Police came, the crowd dispersed, the man was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day.
At several points, I can say I would have done something else, but the situation evolved around him...anyone could have made the same mistakes. The crime was thrown out as self defense, thanks to a ra c ist police chief, and a Mayor name of Johnny Dup ree, who is a drug free version of that famous heroic mayor of DC
I am told H’burg has even more crime now than then. How would one handle such a set of circumstances, Just grin and bear it? A knife would have been worthless. Mace and a gun? if he had gotten a shot or two off, likely all but the most addled would have run. But who knows.
The proper course of action is don’t brandish your weapon until you are ready to fire and no warning shots. If you shoot somebody make sure they are dead. And don’t trash talk em to death before you shoot.
they don’t haveto be certain of a threat. the requirements arethat they believe their lives are in mortal danger or that they could receive permanent bodily (grave) harm. they might varying in wording state to state but generally this is it. they have to believe, not know for certain. you’dhave to be shot or attacked to know for certain and then you may be dead or dying.
Within 20 feet a knife is as deadly as a gun for a fast mover.
Ever try to hit a moving target with a bullet? Not easy, and not as easy as slashing and stabbing up close.
I have seen training where a “shooter” will fire at a target as fast as they can at a target 20 feet away when he hears the ‘go’ signal from the instructor from a holstered gun. -The same ‘go’ signal starts a runner from the back of the shooter running in the opposite direction, dropping a flag at the gunshot sound.
-unfamiliar shooters will frequently miss the first shot, and the flag will be more than 20 feet away.