It depends on state laws, and I am
not a lawyer, but I suspect it would count as
menacing. Colorado is a stand-your-ground state which means you can use deadly force to defend yourself without retreating. It even has a "make my day" law that allows one to kill an illegal intruder in your home.
But on property alone or outside the home, you are not allowed to use
deadly force to protect yourself unless you have a reasonable belief:
- You are in imminent danger of being killed or sustaining great bodily injury,
- The assailant is committing a burglary and is about to use physical force against the occupant.
- The assailant is committing a kidnapping, robbery, sexual assault, or a felony assault.
Since deadly force isn't otherwise allowed, unless the Tranchlings could demonstrate that they genuinely believed one of those three categories was going to happen, the display of deadly weapons in a threatening manner is probably going to be considered menacing and would be a Class 5 felony.