Your choice to carry and own a gun for self-protection says that you are willing to take the life of someone if necessary in order to save your life or the lives of those you love. This is a very significant statement that has very serious ramifications. We of course don't own a gun to "kill", we own a gun to "defend". Should that awful moment ever arise, could you use your gun on an attacker? You will have to answer this question for yourself. Before you purchase a gun for your self-protection you MUST fully consider the following questions: Do I believe that there are circumstances that make it acceptable to kill another human? Could I really aim my gun at another human being and pull the trigger? In all honesty, if you cannot answer yes to both of these question after careful consideration of the issues below, you are not ready and should not own a gun. This would put you and others at great risk. Perhaps you should consider some other less-lethal forms of self defense. You can see that answering the question could you use a gun? is an important part of the process you will need to go through. Read Do You Need A Gun? 

Determine If You Could Use A Gun

The question and answer of wether or not you could use a gun is a complex and very personal one. There are many things to consider, many which my be personal to you and your circumstances and not represented here. This article is meant to be a guide and start you on the process. Things such as your faith, the potential for some very serious "aftermath" consequences of using a gun may be a few.

Some time should be taken to think through some potential worst scenarios and how you would react and think about what your options are. What would you do? Could you use a gun on an attacker threatening harm to your child? Although difficult, walking through these scenes will give you an idea of how you would respond in such situations. Would you do anything to save your life or that of your child perhaps? It also gives you a plan of action that under great stress, you can default to and lower the risk of making poor decisions and perhaps injuring or killing yourself or an innocent bystander.

Kathy Jackson, of Cornered Cat, a highly respected voice in women's gun ownership, shares in her article "Defend Yourself, Making The Decision" that we must be fully grounded in our own personal understanding of "Under what circumstances am I willing to take the life of another human being?". She shares her personal boundaries. I share them here as they are very thought provoking and may help you to determine your own. Of course these are hers and are not intended to be yours, but rather to provoke you to come to and know your boundaries and to determine what you will and will not do in extreme assault situations.

• I will not go anywhere at gunpoint. If the bad guy wants me to go somewhere else, it's because he will be able to do something to me there that he is unwilling or unable to do to me right here, right now. Therefore no matter how bad the tactical situation seems, right here, right now is the absolute best chance to fight back I will ever have and I intend to use it.
• I will not be tied up. If the bad guy wants to tie me up, it is because he wants to do things to me that I would be able to prevent if I were not tied up. Therefore, I will resist while I am still able to do so.
• I will not kneel. No one is going to execute me. If I die, I'll die fighting.
• If someone tries to take one of my children, I will fight even at the risk of my child being killed in the resultant firefight. I plan this not because I have positive assurance that I would be successful, but because I would not be able to live with myself if I simply "allowed" my child to be taken, brutalized, and his body perhaps never found. I'd rather watch him die in front of me. (Yes, that's harsh ... but given those two options and only those two, which would you choose?)

The Legal Issues Of Using A Gun 

The legal issues of using your gun are complex and different from state to state. Your local laws must be explored to fully understand your rights and the laws that govern gun ownership and use in your state.  The local and state laws governing the use of "lethal deadly force" must also be explored.  If someone breaks into your home, can you use a gun and shoot  them even if they are not visibly armed? If someone attacks you in public, do you have a duty to retreat? Under what circumstances can you legally display your gun? Under what circumstances can you legally use your gun? Are there places where you cannot carry a gun? Can you travel across state lines with your gun? These are just a few of the questions you want to answer as you make the decision to use and own a gun. As you can see, the legal issues of using a gun are very complex and demand your further study.

Visit The Well Armed Woman Legal issues page

Neglecting to understand the legal issues including your rights and your risks is careless. You put others and yourself at risk, put the 2nd Amendment Rights of others in jeopardy and does not fit the definition or description of The Well Armed Woman. The better you understand the laws, the better equipped you will be to make quick decisions when under great stress.

Will You Be a Responsible Gun Owner?

I encourage you to spend some time thinking through the very serious questions raised in this article. Before proceeding with the purchasing of a gun, you should feel comfortable with your answers, have a basic understanding of your local and state gun laws and have gone through some scenarios in your mind and mentally have prepared for what you should and would do in the event of a violent attack. Identifying your core "stance" or boundaries on what you are and are not willing to do will also help you with your decision and be able to answer the question, could you use a gun?