I was cruising the blogosphere this morning when I stopped in at The Attic Downstairs for a read. Someone called “Water” posted the supposed ‘24 Marine Rules for Gunfighting’. Well, I don’t know about all of that, but there were a few that The Bull finds acceptable for incorporation into daily life and many that I already follow religiously. Examples of the ‘religion’ rules are:
- Your number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
- Don’t drop your guard.
- Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss. And most importantly,
- Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a “4.”
As for the ones I had not really considered as ‘Rules’ for a gunfight, but more along the lines of Common Sense are:
- If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun. (I’ll add that at least one of these should be a shotgun.)
- The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.
- Have a plan.
- Have a back-up plan, because the first one won’t work. (Guaranteed!)
- Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
- Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
- Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
The rest are variations of the same, comments on accuracy, and the importance of having friends to back up up. Always a good thing! Folks, let make it clear that the number one thing to think of at a gunfight is the first thing I listed above – “Your number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.” If that fails, then follow the other point here… and pray.
Bull, out.
I really want a S&W .500 Magnum