stare down the barrel

Translations
смотреть в лицо опасности
He felt like he was staring down the barrel when he faced the difficult decision.
Он чувствовал, что смотрит в лицо опасности, когда столкнулся с трудным решением.
Definitions
To be faced with a difficult, dangerous, or threatening situation, often one that requires immediate attention or action; originally referring to literally looking into the barrel of a gun, but commonly used metaphorically.