If you google the term warning shot, your top 2 results would be an IMDB and rotten tomatoes link regarding the new movie Warning Shot (2018) starring David Spade. Even though David Spade in his first dramatic role is kind of interesting, it has nothing to do with a gun blog.

The warning shot I want to talk about is a term that describes a person who intentionally discharges a gun with the purpose of signaling an impending confrontation if the party receiving this "warning" doesn't comply. Essentially, it is a warning and a demonstration of power or superiority often meant to warn of impending violence if the situation is escalated to violence. 

I bet you can think a movie or 2 when you saw someone shoot a gun up in the air to warn someone to stop whatever they were doing. I think this is so common in movies and that everyday civilians think this is a common practice. I'm here to tell you I don't think it is a good idea to fire warning shots, and here is why.

1. Waste of Ammo - In movies like John Wick and Michael Mann pictures the gun fighting is realistic (for the most part). In most other films it always seems like the actors have unlimited bullets. In real life, this is not the case. In a self-defense situation, every round counts. Let's say you carry a Glock 43 for your conceal carry piece. The OEM magazine holds 6 rounds, do you really want to spend 1 of 6 bullets on a warning shot? Not Smart.

2. Unessisisary Escalation - The point of a warning shot is to convince the person not to escalate the situation into a violent one. That may work well with your everyday law abiding citizen and snowflakes. But, hardened criminals and emotionally charged people might take a warning shot as a threat that would encourage themselves to escalate the situation even further. Thus, negating the whole purpose of firing a warning shot. It may also prove that the person issuing the warning shot doesn't have it in them to shoot the person being warned, which might open you up to being hurt.

3. Collateral Damage - What goes up must come down. Thanks to gravity, projectiles that are fired in the air, are met with the earth's gravity, thus guaranteeing that the projectile will head back down to earth and a dangerous speed.  Could you imagine firing a warning shot and you end up killing some innocent kid walking on the street? Good look sleeping for the rest of your life.

4. Legal Repercussions - What do you think would happen if you fired a warning shot, the situation never escalated to violence, and the police show up. Even if you weren't the instigator, it's a good possibility you may be charged with a crime.

 

What's a memorable movie that had a warning shot in it? Leave it in the comments below.