Article about criminals' guns.

[just Warren]

Knowing this, if you assume the article is correct, and assuming this small sample is representative of all criminals...does that make you you more likely to draw against a criminal's drawn weapon?

[Hawkmoon]

Nope. I view the odds as 50:50 in all cases. The gun is either loaded, or it's not. Every single time. That, or it's real or it's not. Every single time. However, my view is that if a bad guy already has a gun out, there's a good chance I'm going to get shot anyway so I may as well see if I can get off a shot or two before he realizes what I'm up to.

But ... the article reminds me of a story. The guy who owns the range where I shoot bought the range business in 2004. For about twenty years before that he ran a gun shop (no range) in the city, on the fringe of a somewhat dubious neighborhood. He said one day a young gentleman of color (well, that's not exactly how he described him) came into the store and bought a box of 9mm ammo. The next day, the young gentleman came back, with a friend, to complain that the ammunition wouldn't fit in his gun. The gun was a Beretta 92. My guy told the kid that gun is a 9mm so the ammo had to fit.

The kid said it wouldn't fit. My guy took the gun and tried to load the magazine. Sure enough ... it wouldn't go. Then he happened to look at the slide as the gun lay on the counter, and he spied something on the side: "8mm"

Yeppers, the young gentleman had paid some other young gentleman serious street money for a BLANK FIRING REPLICA of a Beretta 92. My guy said the friend was razzing the young gentleman so bad that his face turned red even under his deep tan.

Ten days later, another young gentleman of color came into the shop looking for 9mm ammunition for a Beretta 92 ...

And I'm 98.732 percent certain this is a true story.

https://www.blankgunsdirect.com/beretta-m92-blank-firing-gun-with-blue-finish.html

[T.O.M.]

When I was a prosecutor, we had a trend of cases where criminals were using airsoft or BB guns to commit offenses, as it had become known in the local criminal world that the three year sentence for use of a firearm in the commission of an offense meant that it had to be a functional firearm.  Using a non-firearm meant if they got caught, they dodged the three year bonus on their sentence, and also could apply for some of the diversion programs which weren't eligible to anyone convicted for use of a firearm.  Don't know what stopped that trend, but it only lasted 2-3 years.

Like Hawk's example, I was once in a gun store on the edge of a bad part of town, as they were the only one locally that had a Hogue grip I wanted in stock.  As I was at the counter browsing, a kid came in and had a handgun in a case he wanted ammo for.  It was an old handgun, can't recall what it was.  Employee said they didn't stock ammo for it, as it was an unusual caliber, but indicated they could order ammo for him, and it would take 7-10 days to get it in.  The kid then asked what they would give him in trade for the old gun, as he needed something that could shoot that day.  Employee said they needed to check on the value online, and took the old gun to a computer.  Amazingly enough, the kid stuck around while they "checked value" on the old gun.  Yep, they were calling the police.  Yep, it was a stolen gun.  Yep, the kid was arrested for possession of stolen property.

[MechAg94]

I think I would assume the gun was functional and loaded and act accordingly.  Yeah, you might draw anyway, but you can also look for or plan for a distraction.  Hopefully, your first knowledge of something bad happening is not a gun pointed at you. 

I listen to Rob Morse' Self Defense Gun Stories and it seems I have seen a number of them where the good guy waited until the bad guy turned away to draw and fire.  But there are plenty where the news story just says the good guy drew and fired. 
https://www.selfdefensegunstories.com/

Either way, I don't think I would want to give in and put my life in the hands of a criminal on the hope that he won't just shoot me anyway.

[brimic]

The article sort of makes sense if you categorize the crimes...
Most of the shootings in high crime areas are going to be domestic issues or drug gang related.
As a CCWer, its incredibly unlikely that you are going to be involved with or come in contact with either group.
The junk/unloaded/fake gun criminals are going to be your thieves/muggers/carjackers. It makes sense that they either don't have the resources to buy and maintain a functioning and quality weapon, and weapons are going to be throwaway items if they need to run anyway.

[230RN]

"Don't know what stopped that trend, but it only lasted 2-3 years."

Possibly because "fear" on the part of the victim took over in the legal structure as a qualifier for use of deadly defensive force, rather than whether a fake or real gun was used.

Hence, it didn't matter whether it was a fake gun or not, or even whether there was a gun at all.

A hand in a pocket with an index-finger barrel probably justifies a deadly force defense if the "fake pocket gun" can be established after the fact.  You ain't no mind reader, and neither are most robbery victims.

Terry, 230RN