Fight or Flight?

[bonnier-admin]

Two stories that ran in CW recently have stirred the debate regarding the pros and cons of carrying a gun onboard. Webb Chiles tells a chilling tale of an encounter with pirates off Indonesia in A Close Call With Pirates, while I raised the subject in a story I wrote about preventing onboard theft, Several Ounces of Prevention. So, lets hear it. Do you think a gun is good thing to have onboard or not?
Bill Springer
Senior Editor
Cruising World

[BrilliantStar]

This breaks down into five questions.

Whether to own a gun -- don't unless you are trained to use it and are prepared to kill someone on purpose or by accident (including you).

Whether to carry a gun aboard -- don't unless you are willing to comply with the laws of the countries you visit and are prepared to never see it again.

Whether to brandish a gun -- don't unless you are prepared to draw fire to yourself or someone you care about.

Whether to fire a gun -- don't unless you are confident of a quick and complete up close and personal kill of all the threatening people involved regardless of age or gender.

Whether to dump all the evidence and run like hell -- do, "due process" doesn't exist (American Style) anywhere in the world.

One other thought. Be prepared to throw up afterwards. Close range gunfights blow a lot of blood and guts around -- this ain't TV

[westwind6371]

BrilliantStar is spot on!

I own several pistols, am licensed to carry and do regularly.
I regularly maintain my proficiency with all the weapons I own.

However, my advice to those considering taking a gun onboard, is "Don't do it, unless you trained, and skilled in its use." A firearm in the hands of an untrained/unskilled person is more dangerous than not having one onboard!

Dave

[SV Copacetic]

I agree with much of what BrilliantStar said, but not entirely.

Whether to own a gun -- don't unless you are trained to use it and are prepared to kill someone on purpose or by accident (including you).

There are no firearms "accidents" only negligence.

Whether to brandish a gun -- don't unless you are prepared to draw fire to yourself or someone you care about.

Brandishing is always a bad idea. Don't draw unless you believe deadly force is morally and legally acceptable. In other words, if I draw, I'm firing.

Whether to fire a gun -- don't unless you are confident of a quick and complete up close and personal kill of all the threatening people involved regardless of age or gender.

In some situations it may be better to go down fighting. Once you surrender you have lost all control of the situation and the criminals may do with you as they wish.

One other thought. Be prepared to throw up afterwards. Close range gunfights blow a lot of blood and guts around -- this ain't TV

Absolutely true, but I'd rather be alive to throw up.

[franksears]

If the conditions were correct I would be sailing/motoring like a mad man, not in a straight line... and firing my flare gun at the pirates boat till I ran out... and I have a lot of flares....