Shooting someone from behind with .38 (or similar) caliber gun.

Why would I be carrying a snub?
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I don't know why you would.

I do because it's small, light, and draws from a pocket well. It works well with shorts and a shirt tucked in while I'm at work. I don't have to look like a slob with my shirt hanging out or risk jail time by accidentally exposing my gun.

As for my off time, I don't have to listen to the typical "What are you bringing that thing for? You're just going out to a restaurant/walmart/a convenience store at 2am," when I put a gun inside my belt before leaving home. Either my wife thinks the little gun is more "civilized" than a big nasty glock or she just doesn't notice it.
 
Ok, I'll take your guys words for it that you will here a "thump" if you hit a vest. I can see me now...an armed BG tried to rob be and I pull my CW and shot him in the chest and hear a thump...I'll be saying "hey whatya know" as he blows my brains out.
 
The shooter MUST reload at some point. That is your opportunity. Get on him, and get the shot to the head.
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If the guy drops mag and starts to grab for another and I have an opportunity, escape route or not, he absolutely isn't going to get another shot off without some holes in him.

Okay...crunch time. No Escape route. No cover. Obviously no body armour. Loved ones are with me in the line of fire.

5-shot snubbie: Up from the booth medium crouch. Quickly and steadily moving toward him, no bouncing steps. Shirt up and drawing gun from 2:00 position IWB still moving, gun up to level and front sight alignment with target, weaver stance from waist up (right handed). Eyes on target/front sight to detect if he notices me. (If he does I start shooting then and keep moving in and shooting while he is turning. All COM shots.) Still moving toward him. Keep closing until I am about twice spitting distance if possible and then all 5 as quick as possible to heart/lung. Keep closing toward him with empty gun and pistol whip that SOB once on the head before grabbing the forearm of his weapon. Keep pistol whipping the B&^$t%rd until he is dead. I would be very angry at this point in time.

.45 Cmdr: Same thing but I would shoot sooner and more times.

I probably wouldn't be too worried at the time about what was beyond the target. I might be aware of it and move sideways one way or the other to get a clear backstop, especially if it was a loved one.

Body Armour: I don't know...I might be inclined to shoot for the head in this case. Especially if I got close.
 
I'm still playing.

I don't understand this sneaking up to shoot. The guy is 10-15 yards away with his back to you.

This is not a terribly hard shot such that you should waste time moving slowly. To get close will take some time and gives him the time to shoot several more people. It also gives him time to detect you and shoot you.

Closing may or may not be a good idea. There are different doctrines such as going for cover, taking cover behind your bullets, or taking the fight to the shooter.

However, since the scenario allows me to have my Glock 19, I see no reason not to approach with my rounds leading the way, if I chose to approach.

Even with my J frame, I prefer to start the fight with a round going into the shooter.

No pauses in the firestream. Shoot him into the ground. Note that I'm not advocating spray and pray but aimed and direct fire immediately.

Or else, if there is a back door and the guy is looking the other way, as was done in Kileen by some - flee.

We see in to recent civilian interaction with rampage shooters that hesitation, the lack of appreciation of failure to stop drills and perhaps a pause to evaluate the rounds led to a bad outcome.

The recent mall shooter shot the civilian who was futzing around and thinking about the law. The courthouse guy did solid hits on the body armor and was then killed. As several of my teachers have stated you need to be aggressive. If the person is still standing, you are still shooting and/or moving. If your initial COM shots don't lead to a drop, switch targets.
 
I'm with you Glenn. We may act all brave and tough, but here is what I would do. I would take the shot, keep shooting until I empty my gun. If he drops great, if not and he turns around to shot me, I would scream like a school girl as I fumble to reload while running out the nearest possible exit.
 
You can close 10 yards in a few seconds. I did not suggest sneaking, this would be more of a rush, if the BG starts to turn-fire. Bottom line is you only have 5 shots witha snubbie, you want to get as close as you can and make them count. Advancing on an adversary is classic battle strategy.
Even more important you should have been sitting somewhere with a clear view of all entry/exit points, I always do this when armed. Situational awareness beats marksmanship anyday.
 
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The more I think about it the better I "like" the closing on the BG idea. This would all happen fast. Reaction times would seem like mollasssas runing uphill
plus all the factors there are to think about to come up with a strategy to tackle the issue.....Body armor....backstops.....what to do if the first couple of rounds dont do the trick....etc.

Closing gives you one solid solitary motivation.........ATTACK!! If he swings on you with the long gun at any distance your screwed, if you empty a snubbie into him and hes wearing body armor he COULD get really pissed off and swing on you, If you fire head shots and miss (highly likely considering the crap-your-pants factor) you give away the element of suprise. Maybe the best defense in this scenario is a quick VIOLENT offense.

I stand by my point before, handgun vs. rifle or shotgun = suicide. Being outguned, acting unconventional could be the answer. No matter what, the likleyhood of getting smoked is a little high for my taste!:eek:
 
Variables, variables

I've been re-thinking this one over and over. I'm not happy with the choice of a 5 shot J frame as primary weapon, but even so, guy with his back to me at 10-15 yards, I have to say I go for center mass shots. I'd probably empty the cylinder into his back as fast as I could. 10-15 yards is pretty close. Shoot and duck out the nearest exit. I don't know how the guy will react to being shot at. Some people stay calm, some get pissed, others cry. I don't know for sure if he's able to think tactically. He may not even have any capability with his weapon. He could jam, FTF, FTE, who knows. The different ways he reacts change the outcome dramatically. He could drop and its over, turn and shoot, start running away screaming. So I'm taking the shots. The rest we'll see.....
 
This is one that takes some thought, but in all honesty I’d be curling into the smallest ball I could make myself. Not the bravest act, I know. However with all the slippery brown stuff that would be flying when the fear factor kicked in, all that I’d have to do is wait until he slipped in it and fell, knocking himself out. After making sure the someone called the police I’d be off to get cleaned up and buy some new shorts….and that is the simple truth. Nuts, if I pulled the gun with all that lead flying I probably shoot my toe off anyway.
 
Shot middle of the back. Spinal cord, heart, lungs, first shot single action, the following shots double action, to put some icing on the cake, move towards him as you fire.

Reduce the distance and the chances of missing get smaller. Personally I think if the first shot when through the spine, center of mass, the fight would probably be over, if not, as I say move towards him and continue to put rounds into him. Head is to small, round a target. A low velocity round might just glaze him...
 
The problem with the shooting on the back scenario is that if the guy is wearing a bullet proof vest, reasonably muscular and/or high on something he might just turn around and blast you away, the head is a small target and a lot harder than we think, the legs are way even smaller.

A guy going though the trouble of getting a vest to go shoot up a public place is perhaps as uncommon an ocurrence as the one of a person deciding to out and shoot up a public place. Anything is possible, I hate to find out about the vest after I commit!

They tell armored car guards in training to shoot perps in the triangle formed among the hips and crotch, it is a pretty big reliable target surrounded with "good" realstate to hit even if misssed and gettng shot there will stop most anyone it its tracks, don't know if this will be as effective from the back but have a feeling it is, even a broken femur will do the job.

I suppose that in most other cases were a BG is armed and a treath, any type of armed robery for instance letting them take the money and go is the best policy, it is just material stuff, money can be made again, life once is gone, it is gone forever. You are not getting paid to guard the property of others and even if it is your stuff most probably it is insured but the scenario of some loony already shooting up regular folks just because the neighbor's cockroaches told him to do so is a diferent one, like it would be some terrorist shooting up a shopping mall as in a novel I read recently.

Getting involved then if you are up to it would be more called for in my opinion: there's a big problem and you're the only one with the tool to fix it? If that is the case and if you are not going to make things worse I believe you should. If I had the cojones to get up and do so I think that the thing to do would be to get as close as posible in stealth to fire that first shot, if I can get the gun's muzzle to touch him before pulling the trigger better, if I get caugh midway I am that much closer already and the chances of landing effective shots will be larger than from my original position. Also up close a knife can be a great weapon when you run out of ammo and I always carry a very sharp one.
 
Just a point to make. 10 or 15 yards is a long ways with a short barrel handgun. You are talking 30 to 45 feet. At least two large rooms across, more likey three to five.

The spine sits close to the surface of the back. I would think the only shot to take would be middle of the back. Hope to hit the spine and maybe damage to the heart or lungs would put them down.

You want to know just how good you really are? Get a laser sight and see just how steady you can keep it at 10 or 12 yards.
 
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