We were taught by our CCW instructor to aim for upper sternum where the greatest number of blood vessels converge. The aorta is center of mass all up and down the abdomen and thorax, so, whatever your center of mass is, the major vessels are right there.
Not surprising that the perp survived since the stats are that 80% of gunshot victims do survive from handguns. Even the .45 as large as we believe it is, punches a relatively small hole compared to high velocity rifles. The wound cavity just isn't that big with any hand gun since none of them exceed 2350 ft/sec where you enter a different world as far as injuries from gun shot wounds with hydrostatic shock.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrostatic_shock
Not surprising that the perp survived since the stats are that 80% of gunshot victims do survive from handguns. Even the .45 as large as we believe it is, punches a relatively small hole compared to high velocity rifles. The wound cavity just isn't that big with any hand gun since none of them exceed 2350 ft/sec where you enter a different world as far as injuries from gun shot wounds with hydrostatic shock.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrostatic_shock