My state has a twenty-one feet rule. It came about because people were whining about the police shooting people. The police put on a demonstration for several legislators and some other high ranking people. They demonstrated conclusively that if someone is coming at you from twenty-one feet with knife or club and you aren't getting your gun out and shooting now you are going to lose every time! When we passed "shall issue" laws the twenty-one feet rule wasn't forgotten!
The deputy teaching a concealed carry class was a medium sized obviously pumped up guy. By a fluke with just fifteen of us in the class I was one of the youngest and the biggest guy in the class although I am only six-two. Apparently the instructor thought I might be gung ho in my plain pocket t-shirt and jeans. He asked what I would do if somebody was charging with a knife from twenty-one feet. I told him if I could get my gun out I would empty it center mass. He went to the next guy, a tiny bit smaller, similar in other respects. "What would you do?" "Same thing." My brother wasn't any dummy either!
The deputy was definitely a bit nonplussed. "That is the right answer but most people don't know that."
Here is an episode of The Westerner starring Brian Keith and directed by Sam Peckinpah. It is primarily about guns and carrying one. It is also of interest to me because of how much they were able to get into less than twenty-five minutes of film. The entire series was available free last I knew.
Hu
