I've only had to pull it out and take cover behind a solid object, never had to actually draw down on somebody. On the other hand, my husband was filling up the car at the truck stop about 11 one night - after two hours of open mat aikido practice - when some big dude jumps out from behind the gas pump and yells, "Gimme yo money!" (Do they go to mugger school to learn to say that or what?) First thing hubby does is notice the guy's hands are empty, then he just laughs at him. He's thinking, "Gee I just came from open mat, I'm nice and loose, and I've got a 1911A1 in the back of my belt, and this guy wants my money!" Only decision was whether to break his arm, run his head into the pump, or fill him full of holes - as it turns out, the guy didn't like hubby's aura or something, 'cause he turned around and ran.
He's lucky he didn't meet me - I'm too small and poorly trained in aikido to let anybody big get within ten feet of me. He would have gotten about as far as "Gimme yo - " and he would have been ventilated. I can't afford to take chances like that (I'm not 6'6 and 240 # either). :-)
On another, sad topic. I have LOST my aikido class. It seems to have imploded from internal squabbling between senior instructors. My 7th Dan Sensei strongly hinted that I not report to another school in this county because of petty rivalries and jealousies....he basically said they'd just kick my ass when they found out I was HIS student. I'm not good enough, now. Don't know what to do. Thinking of finding a close substitute like Jujuitsu...although I'll miss the Bokken and Jo Stick practice. What do you think? I believe what he said, everybody that instructs in this area is hispanic and have that BS macho thing going.....