Capt. Dan you must be from England. If a guy is coming at you with a knife you would ask him to please stop so you can put down your gun and go get a knife from the kitchen? You have got to be kidding.

A guy walks in to my house in the middle of the night, in the dark and is walking toward me or my family, he is going to get laid out by what ever force I have at my disposal.

I agree you cannot shoot someone who is bashing in your mailbox but if he is in your house and you feel your life or those of your family you have every right to shoot!