Good and Bad Advice From The Lone Ranger

Cary Kozberg has some good advice for those who carry a gun everyday. Like most people I know who do, Kozberg prays he will never have to use it. Like my old Shotokan Sensei, Kozberg believes that you never lose a fight you don't have. You can read about it at The Lone Ranger Had Good Life Lessons, But Bad Gun Advice The Lone Ranger ultimately settled every problem with a gun, but in real life once you are forced to draw that gun, you don't know what will happen. You don't know if your opponent is faster than you, or a better marksman, or simply a cooler head. You don't know. So you are foolish to needlessly risk your life and the lives of others by drawing a gun unless forced to do so.

Like my male contemporaries growing up in the 1950s, I watched TV Westerns. Of all the cowboy heroes I followed, my favorite was The Lone Ranger. To this day, there are moments when listening to The William Tell Overture (TLR’s theme song) will deliver a quick uplift. Inevitably (and unashamedly), I will shout “Hi-yo Silver!” and continue reciting (in my best announcer’s voice) the opening monologue:

With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early West. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear…THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN!”

The TV cowboy heroes of the 1950s were heroes because they were exemplars par excellence of “the Good Guy”—knowing Right from Wrong, seeking to preserve Justice and Goodness, and always willing to help those who needed help. Today we call such individuals “sheepdogs.” The code of a true “sheepdog” is accurately reflected in “The Lone Ranger’s Creed”:

Kozberg goes on to list a series of generally good advice for living a happy and productive life. Such codes have been written since ancient times, and the Lone Ranger's code is nothing new. Even the Lone Ranger's vow never to shoot to kill has as its motive a point all men (and women) should subscribe to, that to take a life is a most serious breach, one to be taken with deadly seriousness. Life is sacred because it was created by God, and only he has the authority to take that life. He has granted to us the taking of life only in certain circumstances.

Unfortunately, the Lone Ranger's vow that he will never shoot to kill, only to wound is totally at odds with reality of handguns. The first thing to realize is that gun fights are usually over in seconds. They are seldom long drawn out affairs where one has time to think and strategize. Once someone pulls a gun, the action takes place almost faster than a man can think. Each one is moving, and to aim to shoot someone in the leg, or even to shoot the gun out of the other's hand is...to say the least irresponsible. After all, one must insure that a bullet doen't go astray and hit innocent bystanders. And also remember that the purpose of using deadly force is to stop the threat. Perhaps shooting him in the leg might stop the threat, but remember he still has a gun and can fire it and kill you. That is not stopping the threat. You must shoot center of mass if you shoot at all.

But I’ve learned a bit more about handguns, Keemo Sahbee, and I must respectfully disagree with your noble statement, if only because, in real life, guns don’t function in the way TV and movies portray them:

On-screen guns rarely, if ever, recoil, making it much easier to shoot the gun out of a bad guy’s hand, especially with only one hand. Real-life guns, however, always recoil and shooting a handgun with one hand makes the recoil even harder to control. The smaller the gun and the larger the bullet caliber, the more control is needed.

On-screen, when the good guy fires his/her gun and wounds the bad guy, the fight is usually over. In real life, wounding one’s adversary does not automatically stop his/her ability to keep fighting, especially if his/her shooting hand is still functional. Therefore, it’s imperative that the defender keep firing until the threat of harm is neutralized.

Keemo Sahbee, your TV heroes were always quicker on the draw than the bad guys you fought. You could shoot accurately from the hip, again with little recoil management or sight acquisition needed. After a gunfight, you would twirl your guns back into their holsters. As cool as this always looked, it should never be tried “at home”! Why? Because it requires that a finger be inside the trigger guard—a big NO-NO! Proper re-holstering requires 1) checking one’s environment for any other potential threats and 2) carefully guiding the gun(s) back in their holsters. These last two steps are basic and necessary actions that every beginning shooter learns.

...snip...

Keemo Sahbe, in your world, shooting to wound was a noble approach. It reflects your creed’s affirmation of the sanctity of life. However, in our world, there are times when affirming the sanctity of life may require taking the life that threatens that sanctity. When we use a firearm with the requisite skill and with deep regret, we trust that we continue to follow in your footsteps—working to make this world into a place in which the services of you and all sheepdogs will no longer be needed. We hope and pray that that time comes soon.