2 quick thoughts about pulling out a firearm of any kind while angry.
One, if you're expecting a crackhead to make a carefully thought out decision as he steals your widget, then you're already at a disadvantage. His safety and yours, will not even cross his/her mind, so be careful before you jump into a hole you can't crawl out of.
And two, if that widget is worth the possibility of your wife becoming a widow over its theft, then by all means go for it. Personally, I would have no problem protecting my family with deadly force, and I'm very prepared for that. But, I'm not as inclined to think I would start slinging lead over a inanimate object. The potential upside vs. downside just doesn't balance out.
When I was teaching I instilled the fact that you can replace a widget but not a life , yours or others
Pat
Your friends sounds like my neighbors up at the country- they pack in the house, which is paranoid in my book
