Posted on 03/04/2010 9:31:50 AM PST by Erik Latranyi
Surviving a gunfight isn't what you think it is. Don’t let conventional wisdom get you killed. A well place round to "center mass" in your attacker may not take him out of the fight. Lots of people stay in the fight after "center mass" hits, and some even win it. If you expect to win your gunfight, you have to make sure that you have effectively ended the threat of your attacker. One, two or even several well placed "center mass" shots may not do what you think it will, and learning to recognize this before you gunfight may save your life.
There is a self styled self defense “expert” under every rock, and perhaps two behind every bush, these days. If you have a pet theory on what might work on the street then you can probably find a champion for that idea who actually charges people to teach them that skill. But few of the experts out there have ever been in gunfights, and even fewer have studied real gunfights to see how things really work out when the bullets really fly for blood.
There are more misconceptions out there than I can cover in one article but the one that probably gets to me the most, even over all the caliber wars that rage interminably in the print and cyber media, is the nearly universal acceptance that shooting a miscreant “center mass” with ________(fill in your favorite make, model and caliber) shooting _________ (fill in your favorite ammunition) hyper speed truck killer is practically guaranteed to get the job done.
(Excerpt) Read more at forums.gunsamerica.com ...
That may be true, but if you’re not a good shot and don’t shoot a lot (most people don’t), if you aim at the center mass at least you’re probably going to hit something.
If you can’t follow up well, you might have time to seek cover and try again. The perfect is the enemy of the good...that is, anybody who can shoot and hit something is way ahead of somebody who can’t, but if they’re “aiming for perfection,” they may not be able to do even the basic stuff (stopping/slowing the attacker). I say this as a lousy shot who has only had target success by aiming at the center mass.
“Shooting at center mass in order to stop him” is what you tell the cops and judge.
I would prefer to shoot between the eyes.
Good in theory, but center of mass recommendations really are about the easiest way to hit your target in the heat of the moment, with minimal time to aim. Even being shot with a .22 would have a psychological impact on an attacker, even though it may do minimal physical damage compared to other options.
+1
If you are fortunate, the bad guys will use that stupid 90 degree firing (butt parallel to the ground) hold that they think looks so cool.
I am pretty sure you can’t even hit a 12 story building with that approach. Unless more frequent weapon handlers know more...?
I’d rather just perfect my shooting skills and go for the head shot. Much harder to survive those.
Problem with centre mass aiming is that criminals, both private and especially those working for the state, can wear body armor.
Then you know nothing about self-defense.
--I find that a little hard to believe---
Best place to shoot - whatever you can hit.
Best gun to use - whatever you’ve got.
(Bad guys don’t usually wait for target analysis/acquisition and weapon selection.)
Another poster who knows nothing about self-defense.
Fine. I just hope you or your family don't die because you refuse to believe something that conflicts with your Hollywood-induced paradigm of gunfights.
For later.
What are you babbling about? You think you're some sort of expert on the subject, because you think we should shoot crooks in one particular location?
Seriously, dude, take your meds.
You clearly understand gunfights, unlike some posters around here who have Hollywood-induced visions of what it would be like.
Where in the world did that come from and why the heck did the person who first pushed that on the public think it was in any way either intimidating or effective?
The “parallel to the ground” hold works quite well - if you are lying on your side, parallel to the ground.
You obviously have never taken a self-defense class and learned the realities of surviving a gunfight. If you had the least notion of the subject, you would not have originally posted that you would practice and go for a head shot. It clearly demonstrates a juvenile and dangerous attitude.
If you are aiming at a liberal, adjust lower for the decreased mass inside the head which effectively drops the center mass down to the rectal area, where most of a liberal’s mass is concentrated.
One gang-banger utilizing that technique was found at the hospital because the spent case ejected right into his eye, burning his cornea!
Divine justice at its best!
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