Maybe I should mention that I do know a bit about using a firearm, myself.
Four times in my life I have used a firearm to diffuse an escalating situation.
I know I have posted about the three guys in Nashville trying to steal my girlfriend's purse at a downtown music/art thing. I told them to just let her go - they had blades - and I will give them my wallet, just let her go. I "fumbled" in my car for a few seconds and came out with my gun and fired two shots at their feet. They screamed and ran like hell. That was nothing more tan a tiny detective special wheel gun I had brought that day.
Another time I actually fired my weapon near a human being was when a dumbass "neighbor" was approaching me from about three hundred feet away shooting at me with his shotgun. I was being peppered all around, but nothing left of his birdshot at that range to do me any damage. That afternoon I was preparing for another night of watching over our stables. The night before I had shot and killed this guy's dog while it was running with a dangerous pack of feral dogs, which were trying to get to a newborn colt.
I was set up with my two million candle power spot light, which I tried first btw and my Weatherby 30-06. After his third shot I picked up my scope sighted rifle and noticed that he had layed his box of shot shells on the hood of his truck. I blew it up with one shot. Ever seen what a 30-06 from a hundred yards can do to a box of shotgun shells? Fucking amazing, even if only two or three actually exploded.
The other two times my weapon kept me from being embarrassed, I never fired the weapons. One time, driving back from the beach I picked up two hitch hikers. No big deal. You do that for "brothers" who are on foot. t was a couple and about ten minutes into the ride back to civilization, the girl in the front seat stuck a knife in my throat while I was driving, told me they were taking the car. Now this was the stupidest car I ever owned, '72 green Datsun that my wife (EX-wife at that time) insisted we buy for her. Anyway, I ended up with it and there was literally no place to hide a gun except right by the driver's near the floor. I was scared but I told them I had to stop the car and pulled out my .44 magnum, stuck in her ear and asked the guy how he wanted this to go - I know - retarded, but it was all I could think of to say. I stopped the car, they got out leaving me with her big ass knife. I tossed the damn thing out about another mile or so down the road.
Only other time, was A bunch of punks picking on one young kid down in Indianapolis. I told then to leave him alone. They started coming toward me all threatening and stuff. That day was very cold and I was wearing a large coat which concealed my 1911 in a shoulder holster. They were surrounding me when I merely fluffed my coat, revealing the fact that they were in over their heads. It was like watching light bulbs come on one at a time as they all saw what might happen, turned and ran.
The kid was fine, They had not yet hurt him, just pushed him a few times.
My younger brother was in a shoot out with some "La Paloma" gang guys and got his truck shot up. I told him I knew a guy who fix those bullet holes cheap, but he wanted those guys to know who he was and that they should steer clear of him. I did not like that, but he is a rough fucker. He makes me look a big ole puss half the time.