Firearm defence?

[Mc. Steve]

I have a query. I live in the UK so don't have any experience with handguns, but am intrigued as to their aplication.

 

If you were forced to draw your firearm for street self-defence purposes and you felt the need to shoot someone, generally where would you shoot them? Would you shoot to kill? If you shot them in the chest, would you shoot again as a sort of mercy killing? How long would you stay around and what would you do to cover yourself legally?

 

Open for opinions and facts.

 

S

[JerryLove]

Generally speaking, you must shoot to kill. If you are not in sufficient danger to kill them, then you are not in sufficient danger to shoot them at all.

 

The classic pattern is "two in the chest, one in the head", but I tend to lean torwads the use of shots to the pelvic girdle. Heads can be hard to iht, but severe damage to the hips and pelvis will remove mobility (prevent them from getting to you).

 

Depeding on ammunition supplies (I do need to track dowm more pre-ban clips for the Ruger) I'd put a miniumum nuber of rounds at 3. If I've got a good capacity and don't expect other assailents, probibly more like 5-6... my level of fear (for example, wheather he is close or continuing to close) will play in to the decision as well.

[delta1]

If you were forced to draw your firearm for street self-defence purposes and you felt the need to shoot someone, generally where would you shoot them? Would you shoot to kill?

 

I assume by that you mean you have to shoot to protect your life or someone elses, that the option to dissuade or control is not available.

 

I wouldn't kill unless absolutely necessary, no matter what art or weapon I used. If crippling or disabling is an option, take it.

 

As for where to shoot him, that would depend on several factors:

 

*First, your targets are all internal. You are targeting organs and internal structure, and your external point of aim must be adjusted in regards to their relative position. For example, the mediastienum containsthe heart and several major vessels, located under the sternum. From a ssquarely front on shot, aiming center sternum is a high percentage shot to end it quick. But if he is quartered away from you, aiming at the sternum may only dammage muscle and might hit a lung. Neither will end it quickly, and more than one bad guy has carried out a deadly assault befoore himself succombing to gunshot wounds.

 

*You need to pick targets that will end it quick, and that have other organs or structure close by in case your aim is not perfect. The mediasteinum is good because it contains a lot of critical organs and structure (the spine lies just behind it- technically not in it, but I doubt he'll argue the point with you). Head shots are ok if you have them, but again you need to know where to aim. A shot 'between the eyes is not good. It may will set of a serries of random impulses that could get you unintentionally injured, especially if he is armed. A shot just under the nose, however, will immediately shut down everything. But again, as the head turns, the aim point changes. Your real target is the medula oblongatta and the 'reptilian brain' that surrounds it- and that lies at the lower back sideof his head. Just popping the head won't do the job, you have to aim internally.

 

There are many other considerations, but I'm late and those should give you an idea of the complexity of the situation you face with firearms for defensive use. They can be, and are, effective in the hands of an ammature. So is a stick or a blade, and even empty hand combat. But all are much more effective with training and practice.

[ZR440]

I just hope brandishing it will be enough to scare them off. But if need be the hollow points will be released.

 

Leave the scene after shooting someone? Not a good idea. Especially if it was justifiable defense. You will be arrested in order for the police to sort out who's at fault, but as long as you keep your mouth shut until your lawyer is present there shouldn't be any problem explaining what happened.

 

Dead men tell no tales.

[JerryLove]

I wouldn't kill unless absolutely necessary, no matter what art or weapon I used. If crippling or disabling is an option, take it.

 

I'm pretty sure that "aiming to wound" is not a legally defensable shot... but I defer to a lawyer.

From a ssquarely front on shot, aiming center sternum is a high percentage shot to end it quick. But if he is quartered away from you, aiming at the sternum may only dammage muscle and might hit a lung.

 

Seems good advice for a sniper, but not for someone in a fight. Again, I'll defer if someone can actually cite, but I don't believe that such precise aim is realistically achievable for most people most of the time (in a fight). Hence the "center of mass" argument.

 

If we could accurately target so closely (which way is gravity moving their organs right this moment?) why not just got for the spine shot every time?

Neither will end it quickly, and more than one bad guy has carried out a deadly assault befoore himself succombing to gunshot wounds.

 

A heart hit is not instant death either.

'between the eyes is not good. It may will set of a serries of random impulses that could get you unintentionally injured, especially if he is armed. A shot just under the nose, however, will immediately shut down everything.

 

Depends on the angle of incident doesn't it?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I don't carry a handgun with me unless I'm out camping or otherwise in "the woods" because we have critters in these woods around here that eat people sometimes. However, if I did, and felt forced to actually shoot someone in self-defense, I would shoot to kill..period.

 

The main reason for that is the same reasoning that I would shoot to kill in the event someone broke into my home. If my attacker is dead, it is my word against his as to what happened. Assuming it was just the one attacker, I would empty my weapon into him. Most likely, into his torso..upper chest area because it is the largest target, and I'm sure my nerves would be pretty jittery to try for a head shot. Take out the lungs, heart or other vital organ and chances are, he's done for.

 

If, however, he's still breathing...RELOAD!

 

I found it interesting a few years ago when I was in the UK for a month, how many people think we, as Americans, are all walking around on a daily basis, armed to the teeth. I spent a few nights being asked all sorts of questions by my lady friends 23 and 26 year old sons and their friends while having a pint in the local pub with them. I don't think I laughed so hard my entire life with the questions they asked me!

[ZR440]

Ya think the Hollywood movie industry might have anything to do with that perception of us?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Ya think the Hollywood movie industry might have anything to do with that perception of us?

 

Definitely! No quesiton about that! Sad, huh?

[White Warlock]

*BLAM* *BLAM* "Stop!" *BLAM* *BLAM* "Police!" *BLAM* *BLAM*

[Mc. Steve]

Honey, I'm hom*BAM BAM BAM*

 

Don't worry, I'm not suggesting you're all trigger happy and would draw in your average "eh yow, lau me ya fone" situation (At least I hope guns don't come out to stop muggers). I mean in a last resort, defend or die, like most people have stressed.