I believe the answer is no

[Informed Decision]

I would say that "Gran Torino" would fall into the parameters of my question.( I'd forgotten about that one. Good movie) Though not sure if the old fart was legal to carry.( not sure what the laws are in California). Julia Roberts I thought was on verge of an opportunity to end a bad situation . "Red Dawn ",I felt was a military action. (Though I'd be right there with them!) Charles Bronson was totally vigilante from the sock of quarters on. The others I've only seen parts of so can't comment fully. Most of these kinds of movies I have to admit , I see on TV anymore . My wife likes the mushy stuff so something like "Pulp Fiction" definitely would have been out. My loss I guess.

 

[avboiler11]

Gran Torino was set in Detriot, not California.

 

[2A_Tom]

Used to happen all the time in westerns. Grew Up watching The Rifleman with Chuck Connors - defended himself and his son often with that modified Winchester '73.

Lucas McCain, Carried a Lever action trifle because carrying a hand gun was for killin' people. He didn't like killing people, but, he managed to kill someone nearly every week for years running. Now he has upped it yo two to four times a day depending on which channels you get. Admittedly some were ad a deputy Marshall. All were in self defense.

PTSD?

I love Gran Torino. Michigan law allows open constitutional carry, concealed carry with a permit. I'm not sure of Walt's status.

 

[45fan]

And if I remember correctly, the woman in Resivor Dogs was shot anyways. It does seem that if an ordinary citizen is seen carrying a gun in a movie, they are either a criminal, or extremely inept, deranged, or mentally questionable. Im sure that there are movies out there, but they are few and far between (and growing even fewer and further in recent years)

 

[ArcadiaGP]

And if I remember correctly, the woman in Resivor Dogs was shot anyways. It does seem that if an ordinary citizen is seen carrying a gun in a movie, they are either a criminal, or extremely inept, deranged, or mentally questionable. Im sure that there are movies out there, but they are few and far between (and growing even fewer and further in recent years)

Yeah, she was. Looking at it in it's entirety...

An undercover cop tries to carjack a citizen. The citizen shoots the undercover cop in defense, in the stomach (eventually leading to his death). The cop gets angry and kills the citizen.

It's an odd turn of events, but definitely a citizen using a firearm in a self-defense situation.

 

[g00n24]

The Purge comes to mind. Ethan Hawke shot his daughter's boyfriend when he pulled on him. The whole family defended themselves with firearms throughout the movie. The premise is goofy but I would say it qualifies as good guys with guns defending themselves.

 

[littletommy]

I just watched "The Mist" last night, the little grocery store manager used a nice revolver to kill one of the pterodactyl looking creatures attacking the crazy lady.

 

[Informed Decision]

Gran Torino was set in Detriot, not California.

Thank you for setting me straight. I assumed California because of the Asian influence . My bad, & my apologies for generalizing a demographic group to only a certain area of the country.

 

[throttletony]

Punisher? Father and son defending their entire family against the mob until gunned down...but of course the Punisher Frank Castle lives!

This is true, but he was a police/DEA agent? OP was about firearm use by NON-LEO/MIL and living

Maybe Harrison Ford in Patriot Games (although he is a CIA analyst)
Movie: Fire with Fire -- a fireman uses a gun, but it's in an awkward assualt/retreat mixing offense and defense...
Movie: Tremors
Movie: The Brave One -- here again, maybe it's more offensive than self-defense
Movie: Collateral -- Jamie Foxx has shootout on the train with Vincent, I see it as self-defense, although arguably it's vigilante-style

I'll have to think a bit here...

 

[throttletony]

I remember about 18 or 20 years ago there was a tv movie (based on real events, I think) where a 12 or 13 yr old boy used a lever action .22 when 2 burglars broke into his house. I think one of the burglars died, and the other was injured.

I think that fits the OP requirements.

I remember the scene with the mother cleaning up blood stains days after the event. Strange what details stick around in your mind, huh?

 

[gregkl]

In the remake of Walking Tall, Sheriff Pusser's dad comes down the stairs with a shotgun and defends his family.

 

[findingZzero]

Not to hijack this thread, but I've never seen a sailing movie that didn't turn into a disaster movie. Except for maybe "WIND."

 

[singlestacksig]

I can not remember the name of the movie, but one about a bunch of black farmers defending a black man against murder charges..
I a scene when the klan comes up to storm the house they are met by 10 guys with hot guns..

 

[Six Forty-Two]

I'm sure there are some Lifetime movies that we don't know the name of where a women defends herself with a gun.

 

[NoAdmiration]

IN the last season on "Justified," an elderly woman uses a double barreled shot gun to chase of an antagonist who it attempting to steal gas from her vehicle. She fires several, more than 2, "blasts," without reloading yet does not hit the fleeing suspect.

To be fair, her intent did seem to be one of warning.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

This scene did not result in the firearm being used but Vince Vaughn's character in Couple's Retreat comes to mind. While I wouldn't store a self defense gun in that fashion it wasn't a negative portrayal by any means.

Couples Retreat - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

 

[jbombelli]

An American Story. It's the story of the Battle of Athens.

 

[Cygnus]

I would say that "Gran Torino" would fall into the parameters of my question.( I'd forgotten about that one. Good movie) Though not sure if the old fart was legal to carry.( not sure what the laws are in California). Julia Roberts I thought was on verge of an opportunity to end a bad situation . "Red Dawn ",I felt was a military action. (Though I'd be right there with them!) Charles Bronson was totally vigilante from the sock of quarters on. The others I've only seen parts of so can't comment fully. Most of these kinds of movies I have to admit , I see on TV anymore . My wife likes the mushy stuff so something like "Pulp Fiction" definitely would have been out. My loss I guess.

Gan Torino was set in Detroit. He coulda had a CPL

 

[Cygnus]

IN the last season on "Justified," an elderly woman uses a double barreled shot gun to chase of an antagonist who it attempting to steal gas from her vehicle. She fires several, more than 2, "blasts," without reloading yet does not hit the fleeing suspect.

To be fair, her intent did seem to be one of warning.

Hmmmm. Doublebarreled shotgun, 2 "blasts", warning. Was the character a Biden?

 

[dbrier]

Gun use in just about every movie falls into two categories:
The unrealistically profiecient
The incredibly inept

The majority of gun owners fall in the middle. I see why they do it, it makes for good action and drama, but it's far from real life.