A few years back I was training down at our local range and had the misfortune of standing in the lane next to a roided-out nut job.
Understand, I am 55 years old, with extensive firearm experience, and expert in the use of all of the equipment I own and then some and have been trained by and have trained some of the best in the world.
Anywho... to make a long story short, this 'guy', who appeared to me to be in his mid-30s, had come onto the firing line with two women... and took the lane to my left, during a cold line. I noticed that he was a bit of a joke, with military boots, utility trousers and a sidearm, (1911 .45APC) holstered on his hip and it appeared that he was wearing a soft vest under his T-shirt which advertised some gun shop or shooting event.
Once the line was declared hot, I returned to my station and resumed my regimen.
Uncharacteristically... as I am firing, I receive a tap on my Left shoulder (Again... it's a hot line, I'm firing...) and the knucklehead 'informs' me that I need to get some 'eye-pro'.
I remind him that it's a hot line, that I'm hot... and subsequently returned to my work.
When I was cycling to the next stage, he tells me in a raised voice, in what can only be a 'command', to "... get my eye-pro on'. To which I respond "No thanks, I don't train with eye-pro.", and I return to my work.
In my peripheral vision I see him leave and I sense that he's going to tattle to the range officer.
Sure enough, within a few minutes the range officer walks over to my station, waits for me to finish my cycle and asks if I wouldn't mind wearing the eye-pro... and points to the sign which requires it... and explains that it wold be a favor to him and that he'd appreciate it. So I agree. Put on the eye-pro... and return to work.
When the line goes cold, I turn to my nosey neighbor and ask his name... 'I'm John". I tell him that I'm "W" and that while I appreciate his attention to line safety... that inserting himself into my lane is unsafe... distracting the shooter, unsafe ... and that at well over double the age of consent, with all of that time as an expert shooter, the next time he sees me in a lane, if he sees what he feels is an unsafe condition, to please keep it to his fuckin' self. "Understand?". Whereupon I gave him plenty of time to respond, while searching his eyes for some sign. Sadly, for the would be safety advocate, what I saw instead, was building rage.
But hey... he needed it and he's likely get over it.
So the range is declared hot and I go back to work. I see John leave out of my left peripheral and in the strangest turn of events, the next moment John is in my lane, hugging up my right side, asking me if I think I'm a tough guy. (It's a hot line, and I've got a hot sidearm in my hands... ) "John ... get the **** out of my lane."
He steps back out of my view and I thought out of my lane... so I think he's gone.
At that moment, John punches me directly in the side of my head. Then a shot the ribs... .
Well... I'm caught a little shocked... even for a douche this is pretty fucked up. But the first thing I needed to know is where was the side arm John was holstering on his hip, so, as my arms are extended, as I am in the processes of firing a cycle, I looked under my right arm to see where that piece was... in the same motion I looked clear the pending shot... .
The piece was still holstered, but even if it had not been, I had no shot because the lanes were packed that day and there were several children directly behind John... and with the ball ammo I was firing, john would not have slowed them down much... . In the mean time, I've got a hot Sig and began to clear it, so I could deal with John. (Time lapsed now, 1-1.5 seconds).
Before I get the Sig back down to the bench, John's arm comes around my head and the douche starts chocking me. So I just stand there, with a loaded firearm, as this jackass is hangin' off my neck trying to pull me out of my lane... .
It didn't take long before the range guys came a runnin' and stuck a pistol to his head, gettin' his attention... and he let go an was summarily dismissed from the range... FOREVER.
Now... I pass that along to point out that responsible people with loaded firearms do not just start shooting when their lives and/or safety is being threatened. The purpose of the firearm is to defend your life, from those who present no alternative but deadly force.
The Prog Mass-Murderers are examples of precisely that.
Suggestions that having an opposing firearm ready is dangerous is LUDICROUS... given that the safety level in that moment and at that place is ALREADY off the scale. "Dangerous" is a stark improvement in the general condition.
See how that works?