Oldshooter-
Your "instructor" is full of beans. The courts have held a firearm to be a deadly weapon, don't matter whether you are shooting for the legs or the head. The use of a firearm against another person is deadly force. Period. All police train to shoot for center mass, which means the chest, as it is the biggest target that is apt to stop someone immediately. A lot of Dept.s teach double tap's. Purpose is not to kill, but to stop someone from committing an immediate act of violence against someone else. That happens to be shooting them in the heart/lungs, spine, or head.
Highway Man-
Good deal. Read up on whats available in a carry / self defense handgun. Plenty of good advice in these forums. I always like something big and shinny that shoots a big bullet...lol
Larry