Imagine waking at zero-dark-thirty to the sound of breaking glass. You grab your handgun and flashlight and move to investigate.
(We don’t recommend looking for trouble, if you hear a bump in the night it’s better to arm yourself, call 911, and wait for the police to arrive.)
So, let’s say you do that, but you hear someone coming up the steps and your bedroom door creaking open. You see a large silhouette of a man standing in the doorway. You illuminate the figure with your flashlight and discover a man holding an 8-inch knife staring right at you. Are you justified in using deadly force? What if he were holding a bat?
In this blog, we’ll break down why it’s not the type of weapon that matters most, but the level of threat. We’ll examine the lethality of common weapons like knives, blunt objects, and even fists, and explain the legal and practical realities of defending yourself with a gun when your attacker doesn’t have one. We’ll also show you why self-defense legal protection from Second Call Defense is essential, because surviving the fight is only the beginning.
Reality Check
While most violent crimes today are committed with the use of a firearm, it doesn’t mean they all are. Just because your attacker doesn’t have a gun doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous, and you should expect them to be dangerous.
Force vs. Force: It’s About the Threat, Not the Weapon
A firearm in the hands of an attacker, whether a robber, mugger, or home invader is clearly threatening.
But what about other weapons?
Legally and morally, the justification for using deadly force in self-defense isn’t based solely on whether your attacker has a gun. The real standard is whether you reasonably believe you, or someone else, are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm. That applies whether the threat is a gun, a knife, fists, or any object that can cause lethal injury. It also applies when there are multiple attackers, or a physical disparity that makes retreat or defense impossible.
An attacker doesn’t need a firearm to pose a deadly threat. According to FBI data from 2017 to 2023 (2024 is not yet available), the most common murder weapons after firearms are knives, “personal weapons” like hands and feet, and blunt objects. A knife slash can lead to fatal blood loss in minutes. People are killed every year in beatings with fists and kicks, especially when outnumbered. Blunt instruments like bats, hammers, crowbars, and bricks can easily crush bones or fracture skulls.
The point is this: Your attacker may not have a gun, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of lethal violence. The totality of circumstances matters, how many attackers are, whether they’ve made prior threats, the location and circumstances of the incident, and other factors depending on the laws of the jurisdiction the incident occurred.
In many cases, it’s not about the weapon they carry. It’s about their ability and intent to cause grave harm, and your right to self-defense and survival.
The Danger of Hesitation
One of the most dangerous moments in any self-defense encounter is the split second of hesitation when your brain tries to assess whether deadly force is legally and morally justified.
When an attacker isn’t pointing a gun at you, hesitation becomes more likely. They might be holding a knife, a hammer, a crowbar, or simply nothing at all that you can immediately see. However, just because someone doesn’t have a visible firearm doesn’t mean you are not in imminent danger. As we already pointed out, other weapons can be very deadly.
If you feel threatened and draw your firearm too quickly, you might be accused of escalating the situation and face criminal charges for using force against someone who wasn’t obviously armed. But if you wait too long, until a weapon becomes visible or until the attacker is nearly on top of you, you may not have time to react at all. The window for action can close in .
This is why training matters. You don’t just need to know how to shoot, you need to know how to think under pressure, how to assess threats quickly, and how to respond decisively. It’s not about being paranoid or trigger happy. It’s about being prepared for fast-moving, ambiguous situations where your life could depend on your ability to act without freezing.
One of the clearest demonstrations of this principle is the Tueller Drill. Developed by Lt. Dennis Tueller, the drill shows that an average person with a knife or blunt object can cover 21 feet in roughly 1.5 seconds, often faster than someone can draw their firearm and fire. This means that even if your attacker doesn’t have a gun, they can still kill or seriously injure you before you have a chance to respond, especially if you hesitate.
The most important timing factor is the moment when you are in fear of death or serious bodily injury or harm. That is when the use of deadly force is justified.
Hesitation can cost you everything. The goal of training is not just to improve your aim, but to give you the judgment and confidence to act when every second counts.
So, What Do You Do?
If someone is coming at you aggressively and you genuinely fearful of death or serious bodily injury, then you have the right to defend yourself with your firearm. It doesn’t matter whether the attacker has a gun, a knife, a hammer, or nothing visible at all. People are killed every year by attackers using knives, blunt objects, or even just their hands and feet. The law does not require you to wait until a weapon is drawn, or until you’re already injured, before you act.
In most states, especially those with “Stand Your Ground” or “Castle Doctrine” laws, you are not required to retreat before using deadly force if you are in a place you have a legal right to be and you reasonably you are in fear of death or serious bodily injury or harm. Even in stand your ground states the decision to use lethal force is based upon being in fear of death, Stand your ground and duty to retreat are not a factor until you fear death.
If someone charges you, threatens to beat you to death, or closes the gap in a way that makes escape impossible, you’re not expected to pause and analyze their weapon choice. You act to stop the threat and stay alive. That’s why training, situational awareness, and understanding your local laws are critical, so that when the moment comes, you’re ready to defend yourself with confidence and within the law.
You Will Be Judged Harshly
If you use a firearm to defend yourself against someone who isn’t armed with a gun, expect to be scrutinized. Prosecutors, judges, juries, and even the attacker’s family will look at witness statements, surveillance footage (if any exists), your actions before and after the incident, and what weapons, if any, the attacker had.
In both the court of public opinion and a real courtroom, the fact that your attacker didn’t have a gun can be used against you. You may hear things like, “You could’ve used less force,” or “He wasn’t armed,” or “He was just confused or having a bad day.”
Even if you were justified, your actions must be reasonable, legally justified and clearly documented. Even though you did the right thing, a prosecutor may bring criminal charges against you and the family of your attacker can press a civil suit. That’s why having self-defense legal protection is so important.
READ MORE: Kayla Giles and USCCA: A Cautionary Tale
The Importance of Self-Defense Legal Protection
Carrying a firearm for self-defense means being prepared for the worst, and that includes what happens after you pull the trigger. If your attacker didn’t have a gun, the aftermath can be even more complicated. Even if you were completely justified, the police may still arrest you. A prosecutor might still file charges. And before you can explain your side of the story, you could be sitting in jail waiting for someone to post bail.
In many states, bail for a self-defense shooting can range from $50,000 to over $1,000,000, even if your attacker only had a knife, a hammer, or nothing visible at all. That means you could need $5,000 to $100,000 in cash just to get out of jail while your case works its way through the system.
LEARN MORE: How Bail Bonds Work (Psst, you might not get your money back)
Ask yourself:
- Do you have cash ready for a bail bond if you’re arrested tonight?
- Can your spouse or family navigate that process without you?
- Are you OK spending days, or longer, in jail while they try to figure it out?
This isn’t a movie. There’s no refund if the charges are dropped. No apology. No guarantee you’ll get your money back.
That’s why self-defense legal protection isn’t optional. Second Call Defense provides:
- Bail bond payments up front, not later, not reimbursed.
- Immediate access to a knowledgeable self-defense attorney.
- 24/7 response and support from the moment you call.
- Legal, emotional, and financial protection when everything is on the line.
You carry a gun to survive an attack. But if your attacker isn’t armed, your real battle may start after the threat is over. Be ready for both. Don’t face it alone.
Join Second Call Defense Today
Second Call Defense is committed to being there when you need help the most, especially in one of the most confusing and frightening situations you can face: Getting arrested after defending yourself against someone who didn’t have a gun. If you’re booked and held on bail, we step in immediately. We cover your bail bond up front, not as a reimbursement, so you don’t sit in jail while your family scrambles for cash.
From the moment you call, we also cover attorney retainer fees, legal costs, and civil defense, without asking you to pay it back later. With 24/7 emergency response and a 100% success rate defending our Members, Second Call Defense gives you the confidence to carry, even when the threat doesn’t come from a firearm. Because if you’re forced to defend your life, you shouldn’t have to fight alone to defend your freedom.
Conclusion
In a perfect world, no one would have to make the decision to use deadly force, especially against someone who isn’t carrying a gun. However, the threat to your life doesn’t always come from a firearm.
Knives, blunt objects, fists, and overwhelming force can be just as deadly. Your responsibility is to protect yourself and those you love, not to second-guess what a jury might think later. That’s why preparation, training, and having the right legal protection in place are essential. When the threat is real and hesitation could cost you everything, Second Call Defense is ready to stand with you.