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newerguy · January 14, 2007, 10:10 AM

You'll see a range of opinions out there on this. I'll offer these thoughts.

If you are facing down a guy with a gun, you are almost certainly NOT going to be able to draw and fire before he shoots you. You are proably putting your self in more danger by going for your gun. If it's a knife, and the guy is upclose, same thing. You are getting cut before you get your gun out. (I've taken knives away from people twice. I've been luckly. I've been taught to do it. I had practiced it. I haven't done it in years. I would rather not ever do it again. It's almost certainly safer than trying to draw. If you get you hand cut up, it's better than being stabed in the chest, stomach, or an artery.)

If you have a revolver or derringer in your pocket, and you hand on it, you have a significant advantage over a person having a gun in a holder.

I'm not likely to have more than $100 in cash (probably much less) on me, plus three credit cards, that might cost me $50 bucks each if they are used before I can cancel them. I've got a $150 (replacement cost) cell phone. My drivers license will cost me $8 bucks to replace. My work ID will cost me $20. My wallet cost me $9. That's $437, if they take my entire wallet and cell phone. My lawyer charges $450/hr. That's high for a criminal defense lawyer, but that's what he charges (nominally). He's a friend, I don't know what he'd charge me. Figure your run of the mill defense lawyer's going to get $200 per hour, and I can't imagine them not asking for a non-refundable retainer of $1000, right off the bat. I'd love for a defense lawyers to give a ball park fee for working a shooting that never even makes it to arraignment, or one that never goes to trial. Till then, I guessing $1000 minimum. So, besides the moral cost of taking a life, shooting a mugger, even when legally justified, will cost me at least $650 net, a night at the police station, possibly my gun, possibily my license. And, if the DA comes after me, a criminal defense lawyer I know was getting $100k for a homicide defense that goes to trial as of about ten years ago. I don't know what his rates are now.

January 14, 2007, 10:10 AM	#7
newerguy Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2005 Posts: 218	You'll see a range of opinions out there on this. I'll offer these thoughts. If you are facing down a guy with a gun, you are almost certainly NOT going to be able to draw and fire before he shoots you. You are proably putting your self in more danger by going for your gun. If it's a knife, and the guy is upclose, same thing. You are getting cut before you get your gun out. (I've taken knives away from people twice. I've been luckly. I've been taught to do it. I had practiced it. I haven't done it in years. I would rather not ever do it again. It's almost certainly safer than trying to draw. If you get you hand cut up, it's better than being stabed in the chest, stomach, or an artery.) If you have a revolver or derringer in your pocket, and you hand on it, you have a significant advantage over a person having a gun in a holder. I'm not likely to have more than $100 in cash (probably much less) on me, plus three credit cards, that might cost me $50 bucks each if they are used before I can cancel them. I've got a $150 (replacement cost) cell phone. My drivers license will cost me $8 bucks to replace. My work ID will cost me $20. My wallet cost me $9. That's $437, if they take my entire wallet and cell phone. My lawyer charges $450/hr. That's high for a criminal defense lawyer, but that's what he charges (nominally). He's a friend, I don't know what he'd charge me. Figure your run of the mill defense lawyer's going to get $200 per hour, and I can't imagine them not asking for a non-refundable retainer of $1000, right off the bat. I'd love for a defense lawyers to give a ball park fee for working a shooting that never even makes it to arraignment, or one that never goes to trial. Till then, I guessing $1000 minimum. So, besides the moral cost of taking a life, shooting a mugger, even when legally justified, will cost me at least $650 net, a night at the police station, possibly my gun, possibily my license. And, if the DA comes after me, a criminal defense lawyer I know was getting $100k for a homicide defense that goes to trial as of about ten years ago. I don't know what his rates are now.