Psychological Impressions
- Thread starter stargazer65
- Start date
azredhawk44
Moderator
Any .44 or .45 wheelgun with bright, shiny hollowpoints smiling back out the business end of the cylinders.
This is a fun thread, but honestlly any weapon pointed at you would be freaky. I think the look of the user of the weapon would be more of a intimidating factor. Are they holding the weapon sideways gangster style. I would probably feel more angry and better of. If they took proper hold and aim like they knew what they were doing. It would be a game on challenge.
jhgreasemonkey
New member
Revolver for sure, especially a big bore stainless beast. It plain says "I will inflict a level of damage that you don't want to know". 
Stargazer65sWife
Inactive
I feel that the semi is more menacing than the revolver because the name implies that it is faster and I could get hit with ten before the revolver would hit me with one--That's scarier. But, what is really more menacing, is seeing the little red light from a laser pointing at me.
orionengnr
New member
I like and carry both revolvers and semi-autos, both in large calibers.
I would imagine that looking at a .41 or .45 revolver, with five of the six clearly visible, would be pretty intimidating. That doesn't mean I prefer to carry a revolver; on the contrary, I carry a 1911 or other .45acp (Kahr P45).
Bottom line--I carry something that I like and can shoot well. I don't select a carry weapon for it's intimidation value. If I need to present it, we have progressed beyond the "show and tell" phase.
I would imagine that looking at a .41 or .45 revolver, with five of the six clearly visible, would be pretty intimidating. That doesn't mean I prefer to carry a revolver; on the contrary, I carry a 1911 or other .45acp (Kahr P45).
Bottom line--I carry something that I like and can shoot well. I don't select a carry weapon for it's intimidation value. If I need to present it, we have progressed beyond the "show and tell" phase.
DAVE RICHHARDS
New member
Tough question. When I was younger and did personal protction work I carried some sort of short barreled .357. Although I did have to draw the gun I never had to use it. The few people I did have to pull the gun on ceased their aggressive behavior right then. Later when the Police arrived they told me those big JHP's showing in the guns cylinder were about the most most frightening thing they had ever seen. So being able to see the bullets did evoke a strong psychological reaction.
But later on when I switched to autos although they could not see the bullets
(some said they could see the JHP in the barrel) they were equally impressed buy the auto and stopped what they were doing. The point is no one wants to be shot by any gun. In some of the classes I attended they said 85% of the time when you have to draw your weapon all hostile activity usually stops right their. They said the 15% that didn't stop were either crazy and/or
were on drugs and needed to be shot. So to some people it would seem the type of weapon does add some to the effect. But again none of them seemed to care what I had pointed at them. They just didn't want a bullet anykind or anyway to tear into their bodies.
I do have alot of first hand testimonies from LEO friends that a shotgun seems to make people stop people from continuing to engage in unlawful activity very quickly. One answered a domestic call. The wife better was armed with a .22 revolver. The officer found him in the bathroom of the house with the revolver. He told the officer he was going to shoot him. The officer responded back "I'll take a hit from the .22 (he was wearing body armor). Do you want to take a hit from the shotgun"? The man with the .22 upon reflection of what the officer said quickly set the .22 down. So yes the type of gun can have an effect on the outcome. But usually having agun pointed at you is enough to stop whatever is going on.
Equally if not more important is whomever is holding the gun must by their tone, body language, and so on (mindset) relate clearly to the other person they will not hesitate to shoot if need be. Not one of the instances in which I had to draw my weapon did the bad guy doubt I was going to shoot to protect myself or others. Simply put I would have. In one instance Iwas dealing with a mentally desturbed individual. He managed to surprise me and get a .30-06 bolt action rifle pointed at my head. I as sure I was dead. It really didn't matter to me at the time what kind of rifle it was because I just figured I was dead. God must of been with me because others came nto the house and he went after them. Thank God the local P.D. talked him out without anyone hurt. Strange what went through my mind.
I wasn't really afraid. Not because I was brave or anything like that. I just didn't have time to be afraid. The only thought I had was sort of strange. I just thought "well what do you know, this is it, here I go". No time to think of anything else. So again from my humble experience sometimes one type of gun was more intimidating than another. But I still think any gun would probably of stopped the situation. Had two armed guys come after me in a parking lot. They had their weapons in their waistbands under their shirts. I saw it coming through my rearview mirror. I had a brand new truck they wanted. When they got to the tailgate and started to split so they could get me in a crossfire I leaned out the door as the one on the drivers side started to pull his revolver.
I had my Ruger P95 in hand and leaned out the door and said "your mine". Both stopped, looked at each other and without a word turned their backs to me and walked away. The must have been pro's because they were way to calm. They knew I couldn't shoot once they had their backs to me. Neither one said "that's only a 9mm". They didn't give a damn what it was except it was a gun and they didn't want to get shot. Having any kind of gun from my little bit of experience was enough to stop several people. Including one I just happened on coming home from a job one night who had beat his wife half to death and was about to finish her off in the hallway of the apartment I lived in at the time. The .357 I had quickly changed his mind. In fact he started crying asking me not to shoot. Quick lesson. After getting fixed up at the hospital that night she posted bail for him the next day. Doubt I'll ever put my life on the line for a domestic situation ever again. Sorry for being so long winded but just thought I'd share my experience of my younger days. A sane person does not want to be shot by any gun. Period.
But later on when I switched to autos although they could not see the bullets
(some said they could see the JHP in the barrel) they were equally impressed buy the auto and stopped what they were doing. The point is no one wants to be shot by any gun. In some of the classes I attended they said 85% of the time when you have to draw your weapon all hostile activity usually stops right their. They said the 15% that didn't stop were either crazy and/or
were on drugs and needed to be shot. So to some people it would seem the type of weapon does add some to the effect. But again none of them seemed to care what I had pointed at them. They just didn't want a bullet anykind or anyway to tear into their bodies.
I do have alot of first hand testimonies from LEO friends that a shotgun seems to make people stop people from continuing to engage in unlawful activity very quickly. One answered a domestic call. The wife better was armed with a .22 revolver. The officer found him in the bathroom of the house with the revolver. He told the officer he was going to shoot him. The officer responded back "I'll take a hit from the .22 (he was wearing body armor). Do you want to take a hit from the shotgun"? The man with the .22 upon reflection of what the officer said quickly set the .22 down. So yes the type of gun can have an effect on the outcome. But usually having agun pointed at you is enough to stop whatever is going on.
Equally if not more important is whomever is holding the gun must by their tone, body language, and so on (mindset) relate clearly to the other person they will not hesitate to shoot if need be. Not one of the instances in which I had to draw my weapon did the bad guy doubt I was going to shoot to protect myself or others. Simply put I would have. In one instance Iwas dealing with a mentally desturbed individual. He managed to surprise me and get a .30-06 bolt action rifle pointed at my head. I as sure I was dead. It really didn't matter to me at the time what kind of rifle it was because I just figured I was dead. God must of been with me because others came nto the house and he went after them. Thank God the local P.D. talked him out without anyone hurt. Strange what went through my mind.
I wasn't really afraid. Not because I was brave or anything like that. I just didn't have time to be afraid. The only thought I had was sort of strange. I just thought "well what do you know, this is it, here I go". No time to think of anything else. So again from my humble experience sometimes one type of gun was more intimidating than another. But I still think any gun would probably of stopped the situation. Had two armed guys come after me in a parking lot. They had their weapons in their waistbands under their shirts. I saw it coming through my rearview mirror. I had a brand new truck they wanted. When they got to the tailgate and started to split so they could get me in a crossfire I leaned out the door as the one on the drivers side started to pull his revolver.
I had my Ruger P95 in hand and leaned out the door and said "your mine". Both stopped, looked at each other and without a word turned their backs to me and walked away. The must have been pro's because they were way to calm. They knew I couldn't shoot once they had their backs to me. Neither one said "that's only a 9mm". They didn't give a damn what it was except it was a gun and they didn't want to get shot. Having any kind of gun from my little bit of experience was enough to stop several people. Including one I just happened on coming home from a job one night who had beat his wife half to death and was about to finish her off in the hallway of the apartment I lived in at the time. The .357 I had quickly changed his mind. In fact he started crying asking me not to shoot. Quick lesson. After getting fixed up at the hospital that night she posted bail for him the next day. Doubt I'll ever put my life on the line for a domestic situation ever again. Sorry for being so long winded but just thought I'd share my experience of my younger days. A sane person does not want to be shot by any gun. Period.