Spent more time over the years in hand-to-hand than I have engaging with firearms...
and that's after many years of SASS, IDPA, GSSF, & IPSC competition...
chances of using my firearms, low...
chances I'll jack someone's jaw, fairly high...
Upside, with over a dozen years of working as a bouncer & bartender,
pretty darn good at crowd control...and LOTS of practice with multiple assailants
That's the thing about options...you either have 'em, or you don't.
If the only tool in your toolbox is a gun, better have a VERY good lawyer on speed-dial.
While Maiming by hand is usually only a misdemeanor...lawyer helpful, but not usually required
Another great thing about having martial skills, you get Levels of Damage to choose from.
You can go from Control maneuvers to Lethal in an instant...your choice...
also the choice of the situation...how many attackers, how big, how skilled...
all the factors weigh in on how nasty you can legally be.
The Other factor, how well you can make Lethal look like a total accident??
think about that for a minute. Really think about that.
You can be an over-muscled Operator...but how well is that going to play in court??
On the other hand, if you come off like Clark Griswold, (eternally stupid golden retriever)
chances are the local constabulary lets you walk out free...and thinks you got lucky in the fight
That's the angle you really want...no muss, no fuss.
Why do I say that??
Had a few issues with "Excessive Force" early in my life...until rethinking the angles...
let some chunk cover the muscle, but kept lifting...far better to
look like a softy and not be one...
so you carry an extra 20-30 pounds...no big deal when you are 6'3/250...
just don't let it get out of control!
Then got heavily into Aikido, an Art that has Options...from Nice to Nasty in a blink.
Great thing about Aikido, you can make it look like the other guy was clumsy as heck
and practically beat himself senseless trying to hurt you...all you did was get out of the way!!
Now, you look like "A Lover, not a fighter", and the witnesses all say you were just dodging the attacking butthead.
If the butthead happened to misdirect himself headfirst into a concrete curb and dies...oh well.
It sure ain't "George Costanza's Fault"...chunky guy that trips over his own feet...
that's what you want to project for the LEOs & DA's...
Chances of court action?? Low. THAT is the best outcome
Tools. Toolbox. Have some options for a less than lethal response, or lethal without a weapon.
Best thing, is NOBODY believing you are capable of doing heinous damage except by ACCIDENT!!
Didn't you guys watch Columbo when you were kids??