Intimidation Or Indecision

The above is a video from The Yankee Marshall, who I greatly enjoy watching on the YouTubes. However, we do differ on "intimidation factor". YM isn't saying to wave your gun around and hope the bad guy runs away, but rather they may change their mind in the time between your draw and "kaboom".

I don't buy intimidation factor because, since I practice drawing and firing over a "flash sight picture" or point-shooting from 7 yards and in, the baddie isn't going to get much chance to think anything other than "ow". And since we're talking solely about self-defense, the only time we draw our weapon is when we're in danger of death or grievous injury (as written in my state law, which doesn't contain "castle doctrine" or even a "stand your ground" law.). In that situation, I would draw and fire--not draw, wait for a second, then fire. Especially if the baddie is so close that he can see down the bore. If I'm at contact distance, which is where most hands-on crimes occur, I'm going to draw and fire as fast as humanly possible. As far as I'm concerned, the baddie had ample opportunity to make better decisions in his life. I'm not going to give him/them any extra time to reconsider. Also, they can't look down the bore because I aim center of mass--not at the head.

And don't think for a second that I'm chomping at the bit for a chance to flatten a baddie. I'm just of the mind that if I pull a lethal weapon in response to a lethal threat, I'm pulling the trigger. I think pointing a gun has just as much chance of further escalating the situation as it does to cause the baddie to flee. I've been in a number of ambushes on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border, but never mugged, so I guess I can't speak from experience. Pointing guns at the Taliban certainly didn't make them flee; even when ours were M2s on gyroscopically stabilized mounts that were accurate for absolutely incredible range; and even when those guns cut them down in droves.

All that said, I still think TYM has the right idea about concealed carry and guns in general. He's a funny guy and I highly recommend watching his channel. I just differ with him on this point.