[threegun]

Do you think it would be different in Florida, or anywhere else, for that matter? How would you convince anyone that drawing your gun because someone was waving an edged weapon at you at a distance of fifty feet was necessary to protect yourself against imminent danger?

Do you think that someone would have the opportunity to harm you seriously with a knife from that distance? Do you think that you would be in jeopardy? Do you think that you would could lawfully draw your weapon if the answer to any of those questions is "no"?

I have no doubt in my mind that I would be justified in accessing my firearm in this scenario. I have even less doubt about articulating my fear of death or great bodily injury should it become necessary.

Brandishing and Aggravated Assault with a firearm goes out the window in this scenario despite the distance and (potentially temporary) lack of opportunity.

If you say you are going to kill me with this disassembled rifle then proceed to assemble, load, and aim this rifle, at what point is one justified in drawing ones firearm. Of course this is if retreat and or escape is not possible. According to the logic above opportunity isn't present until the rifle is loaded and charged.

Interesting thread. I was taught that you only bring a gun into a situation if you are going to use it. Never to show it, never to scare someone but only to use it. Using it means fire the gun. You don't have to fire the gun every single time you draw your handgun but every time I draw the sole intention is to immediately stop a threat. If the situation then changes, act accordingly. You will only have a spit second to react so if you happen to shoot someone, the facts have to be clear that you reasonably believed your life or the life of another was in danger and that's why there is someone lying on the floor dead due to lead poisoning

So you were taught that pulling equals a must shoot. Then you say you don't have to fire it after pulling every time. This is a major contradiction. So one must conclude that either you were taught wrong or that pulling always equals shooting. Since we know this is not the case I think it is safe to say that you were taught wrong. Good to see that you were able to set aside this bad teaching.

Try it this way: you only bring a gun into a situation if you would be justified in using it.

I disagree with this. How about this instead: You bring the gun into any situation that causes you to be fearful of death or great bodily injury or eminent threat thereof.