Dont bring a gun to a knife fight.....

Yes, knives can be very dangerous in close quarters, but a decent powered gun with effective ammunition in the hands of someone who knows how to use it is highly effective.
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The true answer above is "both" can be highly effective, and should be given equal respect.

I think many, and obviously some gun owners here, dont give the knife the respect it deserves. I know this is a gun forum, and the gun tends to be the answer to every problem, but thats not reality either.

If you really think about it, a penetrating wound, be it a knife stab, or a bullet, are really not all that different, and both require good hits on key targets to bring about a result. Just simply shooting or stabbing away is in no way, a guarantee of stopping an opponent. Timing with a similar "hit" with either, is going to be about the same as well.

In some respects, the knife has an advantage, as it can be easier to hit those extremity targets that many give no thought to, but are just as deadly as being shot there, but even easier to cut. Those same targets will take away your gun advantage, and the ability to use that hand beyond that as well. It also starts the clock on your soon to be "short" life, if you fail to act and do something to stop the blood loss. All that on top of a continuing attack that you have to continue to deal with.

A knife can be used in multiple ways, doesnt jam, doesnt run out of bullets, and creates even more fear than a gun in many cases, especially if the victim understands what they are really facing, and isnt in denial, or overly confidant, or reliant on their favorite tool/talisman.
 
Weapons are dangerous... People are dangerous and in most instances of person on person combat it is initiative, circumstance and fighting prowess which typically dictate who is likely to prevail.. not physical strength, physical size or any particular hand weapon.
 
You could have three tours in Vietnam, advanced hand to hand combat training, decades on a police force, and shoot sparrows on the fly, but I guarantee you that guy with the knife or club had his last experience with violence yesterday, if not this morning, and you need to be aware of that.

Don't think the advantage lies with you.

And lastly, you have regulations and laws to consider immediately before the engagement. Your opponent is not going to be bothered with any of that civilized claptrap.
 
I'm not sure where everyone is getting the idea that knives aren't deadly. The main point is for a knife to be effective, the attacker has to be in contact distance. I understand the whole Tueller Drill and I know an attacker can close a distance of 20 feet in about 2 seconds. The main thing I got from the video is that the police officers failed to react to the deadly threat and some of them paid with their lives.

If someone approached me with a knife, I would probably see if I could maintain a distance by running first. Depending on where I'm carrying, drawing may allow the attacker to get within contact distance. If there were no place to run, I would draw my gun and verbally threaten that I would shoot if they came any closer. If the attacker was already at contact distance sacrifice your weak arm to fend off the knife and shoot till the attacker drops. I carry a knife on a daily basis, but I'm not about to get into a knife fight with an unknown attacker.
 
I'm not sure where everyone is getting the idea that knives aren't deadly.
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I too am always amazed at the nonchalance often given to them.

The main thing I got from the video is that the police officers failed to react to the deadly threat and some of them paid with their lives.
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That sums it up nicely, and exactly.

I would probably see if I could maintain a distance by running first.
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I agree about trying to initially maintain distance, but at some point, you have to act, and once you do, that becomes the focus of the whole thing, and you have to act with determination and decisively.

Running away, is like running from a dog, and as we saw in the video, with about the same result. You cant run (away) and fight.
 
Relying total on a hand gun to stop an attacker is a false sense of security. Propagating the myth that it will stop an attacker, has proven time and time again to be untrue. Read some of the FBI reports of shootings and you will see that often it will take 10 or 12 rounds in the perp to bring them down. Fewer rounds will kill them, but that could be hours later. Now being shot with a rifle will bring someone down, but no one I know of carries a rifle in their holster. (LOL)
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Which rifle would that be, 600 Nitro or .50 BMG? If it takes that many rounds to bring someone down, it's likely a rifle is going to be no magic talisman, either, unless it's horrendously powerful.
 
Too many people underestimate knives. Inside 15 feet I'd give the average man with the knife and the average man with the gun about an equal chance (all things being equal (and of course they aren't)). If the man with the knife is athletic and knows how to use it he can be quite deadly. Both are likely to take some serious damage in any attack/counter situation. Too many factors.

Pick your favorite, but it's like football sometimes. On any given Sunday....
 
j3ffr0 said:
Too many people underestimate knives. Inside 15 feet I'd give the average man with the knife and the average man with the gun about an equal chance (all things being equal (and of course they aren't)). If the man with the knife is athletic and knows how to use it he can be quite deadly. Both are likely to take some serious damage in any attack/counter situation. Too many factors.

Pick your favorite, but it's like football sometimes. On any given Sunday....
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I really don't understand all of these posts talking about how deadly a knife can be. No one is denying that knives are deadly, especially in close quarters. It was clearly shown how deadly a knife can be in the video.

THE POINT IS... If someone walking towards you pulled out a knife, what would YOU do? The first thing I would try to do is maintain distance by running. This will obviously depend on your speed versus your attacker's speed, as well as if there is any place to run. I am NOT trained in the art of knife fighting and I am NOT going to underestimate my opponent's knife skills. That said, I would draw my weapon and engage if the attacker did not back off immediately. You can block a knife attack with your weak hand. You will obviously take some damage, but the knife attacker cannot block your bullets. That is where the main advantage lies. The other is that the person with the knife must be within contact distance.

I guess the main take away is don't underestimate the effectiveness of knives, don't overestimate the effectiveness of your gun. If someone approaches with a knife and is within 20 feet, you better be prepared to shoot immediately because that gap can be closed very quickly. Can we agree on these statements?
 
Ive know some individuals that have trained with Bill Bagwell. Their methods and size of knives (hells bells) were enlightning to say the least. Fortunately they were good guys. But even they agreed the preferred method of attack seen most often is what they called the convict rush or something like that. It is a simple concealed approuch with a blade that is a straight on attack, like a bull rush. Jabbing straight in as they drive the victim backwards. That is why it is so very important to move at obliqu angles when accosted.
 
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God forbid

The attacker has a large broad blade knife, with proper surprise advantage, sound and quick decision making faculties etc. A khukuri stab leaves a huge permanent wound channel, a Bowie and the like as well. A lot bigger than 45/40/357/9/10mm. If you see the knife, act accordingly.

This isn't an excuse for spastic safety nazis to whimper every time they see a folder or fixed blade for that matter. The key is intention
 
THE POINT IS... If someone walking towards you pulled out a knife, what would YOU do? The first thing I would try to do is maintain distance by running.
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I noticed a couple of those guys got stabbed because they ran over uneven ground, looked back to see whether knife guy was gaining on them and then tripped and fell. But I would definitely agree that distance is your friend in that situation.
 
Not everyone can clear leather with a firearm and get the first shot off quickly. I've been practicing for years and years and I have finally come to the conclusion that God just didn't make me fast. I still practice because as slow as I am, I certainly don't want to get any slower. That said, for those of us who either by design, or lack of training cannot get the first shot off quickly, we need to be aware that the man with the knife can cover the distance of 7 yards faster than we can draw. I have to practice evasion techniques. I practice a fade away draw and fire where I'm backing away at an angle from the attacker very quickly. Hopefully this practice will buy me enough time to get my slow as Christmas draw completed and a very persuasive firearm presented for the attacker to consider. I include objects in my practice area such as chairs, etc and go the extra mile, practicing completing the draw in a backwards fall, and snap checks of my path. I understand that when I'm on defense, I'm at a distinct disadvantage. I just want to make sure my brain knows what to tell my body to do if and when I ever need to rely on it to save my life or the lives of people I am dedicated to protect.
 
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