And I call those people idiots who should be disqualified from even being around guns in the first place. Frankly, this is one of the reasons I generally prefer to train women* to shoot guns who are interested, because they tend to start off scared of the gun. It's much easier to instill respect for what a gun can do, which makes it much easier to train them to safely handle one.

I swear, the next time some Rambo-wannabe toys around with his gun at the range and points his muzzle towards me or anyone else (whether the gun is loaded or not), I'm going to break his arm and staple the four rules of gun safety to his forehead. This is also one of the reasons I rarely go to the local range these days.

* Note that not all guys act like Rambo and some gals don't treat the gun like the dangerous weapon it actually is. This is why I have an airsoft replica of my Beretta 92FS (complete with slide and safety action; even disassembles in mostly the same way) that I use to train people in my backyard before I let them try to use the real thing at the range or an open field away from any civilization. If they can't apply the gun safety rules during practice on the airsoft, there's no way I'd let them handle my real Beretta, or any of my other firearms.

I'm not so sure about this. If you're the expert you say you are, I'd realistically give you, at extreme best, a 50% chance of not getting immediately shot against anybody who is decently trained on how to draw and fire the gun from the hip, especially if they have the gun on their hip opposite of you (which all it would take is a step back with that leg). You can continue to play Internet tough guy if you want, but unless you already put yourself on the upper hand to start, like you already got their shooting arm locked or you are right behind them, facing off unarmed against someone with a handgun is not something you'd realistically want to ever do.

Also, two things:

1) The average mugger isn't an Internet ninja.

2) I agree that simply having a gun won't protect you against muggers. What would be more effective against would-be muggers (whether you have a gun or not) is to be aware of what's going on around you and not place yourself in a position where you'd be vulnerable.

Actually, close combat is pretty easy with a gun. At those extremely close ranges, you have to fire from the hip (like in old westerns). If they are close enough, block them with your non-shooting arm high on their chest. Just keep firing as fast as you can upwards into their chest cavity until they go down. There's no need to have to try to point the gun at chest or eye level at their face or upper chest. Though the martial artsy "gun-fu" stuff in the movies are pretty cool to watch, I'm pretty sure getting a bullet into the stomach or chest would be pretty distracting...

Sure, with ported handgun designs and some revolvers, you'll get burns on your forearm, and possibly chest and face, but that's better than multiple bullet wounds to the abdomen and chest.

And yeah, ideally you would want to use the gun where it has the absolute advantage: at a distance. Actually, scratch that. Ideally, you would be avoiding the situation where you have to draw and use a gun on someone. Running away should be the first priority if it's at all possible.

And if they have a knife or blade, well, I guess you're resorting to have to protect your torso, neck, or head from being stabbed, taking the blade into your arm and hand if you have to; better than taking multiple gunshots to the torso.

If they have a gun, well, your own gun does a poor job of stopping bullets...