The magic one shot stop

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Want to know how hard it really is?

First of all... the "21 foot rule" was popularized by the Tueller Drill given to police. It states that an armed assailant within 21 feet of the officer has the ability to cross that distance in 1.5 seconds (the average speed to draw, aim, and fire a single round from retention) and administer a blitz attack. Thus, if someone is within 21 feet (7 yards) and you don't already have your weapon on them, you lose unless you're incredibly fast.

You want to know how hard it is to make a headshot with a pistol under stress? This will really clear this whole thing up for us, and I'm sure if you can accomplish this, we'll all shut our mouths about the practicality of the tactics you are encouraging.

If you can, go to a range on a very windy day. Make sure you have purchased a balloon filled with helium. Take the balloon and let the air out of it until it is about 4 inches in diameter. This is your target. Take the balloon and tie it to a target post 7 yards (21 feet) downrange. This is your MINIMUM effective range. Now, mark that 7 yard point and back up about 15 yards. Your goal is to now run, not jog... Run, up to the point on the ground marked at 7 yards and with a single handed grip, squeeze off one round at the balloon blowing around, striking it's 4 inch surface. If you can't do it in one round, go back and try again. No cheating and firing more than once per run... each shot doesn't get any easier to make, in fact the closer the assailant gets, the more wild people tend to shoot.

The running simulates your sympathetic nervous system. The ballon is relatively the size of the human brain and the wind will simulate the target movement, as all defensive persons move their heads around; it's just something we naturally do. The running and grip will simulate your own movement, as you must be moving in a firing scenario.
While you're at it, videotape yourself doing this so that we can all see that any time you actually hit your target, it isn't just dumb luck.


I will personally shut my mouth about this forever if you can accomplish this. I know I can't do this consistently, and I don't think I know anyone who can. It's just not practical. But I know for darned sure that I can hit a metal trash can at this distance in this drill. No problemo. And I can do it time after time after time.
~LT
 
First off I would never attempt a head shot past 5 yards. Second I never shoot single handed. I always use both. I practice drawing with both.

Now I do practice shooting single handed right hand and left (right hand might be disabled)

But I always draw and firing both handed. It is instinctive now.

However your idea of helium baloon at the range is a good one. If I can pull it off I will try to sneak some in at the range and video tape it.
 
First off I would never attempt a head shot past 5 yards.
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I'm going to have to tear a page out of ScottRiqui's book here and reiterate that you are stacking the deck again.

If you are within 5 yards of someone in a 'likely' self defense scenario, then you don't already have your weapon out. If they see you start to go for your gun, etc... then they have you. Tueller Drill. 7 yards or less = you lose. And most SD scenarios happen within 12 feet where the victim is surprised by the occurance. I'm not pointing and calling you "the average victim" by any means, however. You are an armed individual that probably has greater than average situational awareness, but these are commonly quoted statistics. You are saying here that you would only think of taking a headshot beyond the distance of reasonable assumption regarding a Self Defense Encounter.

I am going to give you some credit for your viewpoint, however. Because there is a practical application that has occured many times. Most criminals do not expect their victims to be armed. That is part of their victimology. A survey of over 1000 Violent Offenders in California's State Correctional Facilities admitted to being overwhelmingly more concerned with meeting an armed victim during a criminal act than being caught by police. This works to our advantage. If any of us are ever in a situation where we find ourselves in possession of "The Element of Surprise" i.e. the BG has begun shooting/robbing/killing/ect... and our unlock codes have given us the decision to open fire, we have to make a choice. If the Sheepdog is beyond the Field of vision and has a chance to choose his shot, I belive his best choice is to go for a head shot. Take your time (2-3 seconds) and make the one shot count. You reduce your risk for liability regarding any missed shots, and you can ensure that with a single hit (like you've said), you'll have a very likely chance of ending the encounter. Plus, if you see him stumble or you miss, you can open up on the COM anyway. Why not take the surprise element and try for ending it with a single round?

In that I agree. In just about any other Personal SD situation, I have to defer to my training and I'll always shoot COM unless I've put a few in and they just aren't working (unlikely body armor, giant guy, undead, meth/pcp/cocain/redbull/etc...). Then I'll try to take a headshot after "slowing them down" anyway with a few rounds to their vitals.

~LT
 
There are some really ignorant replies to this thread.

If you think your going be calm enough, and smooth enough to make a head shot on someone attacking you, then you’re kidding yourself! If you think that your attacker isn't going to move, then your fooling yourself! If you really think that you’re not going to be moving while under attack, then you’re kidding yourself. Real world events happen quickly, and usually not the way you've had envisioned. Everyone has a plan, but you can throw that out the window when things REALLY go in motion. Reality!


IF the situation is like what some here imagine, then aim center of mass, slow them down, and then do what you want.

IF an attacker is unaware that your armed, and isn't really aiming at you, just spraying bullets at others, then take the head shot, but don't waste time.

Best advice is to shoot center mass! Practice, practice, and then train some more!

DBAR
 
So you come home late at night and can tell there was a break in. Right as it dawns on you that you are not alone you surprise the burglar who walks into the room with you. You see his gun in the dim light but thats all. Shoot his head quickly!

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yes you have hours to look at this photo and tell it looks a little strange.

hes actually wearing this backpack
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and some weird loose jacket. Maybe a huge hat under his hood. how do you expect to hit a 4" circle in dim light? with any number of crazy clothes criminals wear on their heads and backs?
Assuming and training for one specific thing is dangerous

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I think thats why people train to always shoot torso first. It is much quicker when miliseconds count.

if you train to shoot head first (or shoot the head until target stops) after determining a need to shoot, your thought process is:

1.determine head--if something LOOKS darn well like a head, how will you not shoot? How long would you spend determining if a round top is someones head?

2. change strategy, and decide that a torso shot will suffice instead of your trained headshot one stopper plan. you move your gun and reaim for the torso

Meanwhile, the criminal has his gun sideways (poor form!) and has already shot 3 rounds your direction.
 
In the above scenario I would have made a torso shot. Not sure where the head was so I would not have fired at it.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, please. This reasoning is the product of someone who has never had a gun aimed at them in anger, had bullets fly in his direction, and has never shot under fear or serious physical stress (jogging to get your heart rate up doesn't count).

You just don't know. And that is really what you have to end up saying about shooting self defense. If you've never shot in self defense; LEO, military, civilian, then you literally have to say, "I don't know how I'll perform."
I CAN tell you this. There are a lot of other people on this forum and in this thread that have had to "shoot back" in self defense; adrenaline pumping, fearing for you life, pre-puking your guts out afterwords. It's not pretty, and it's not something many people like talking about. But it's something a lot of us have in spades. Just like dry fire is only a supplement for and not a replacement for live fire practice; theorizing about how you'll react shooting for you life and how you'll actually be shooting for your life is much different; and you truly will never know until/unless it happens to you. (I'm reminded of a certain Music Man telling town children that they could think their way to playing a musical instrument as well). One of the most helpful things you can admit to yourself is that you Do Not know how you'll react. Then, once you do react a certain way, you won't be surprised that it's contrary to how you thought it would go. I am not trying to belittle you or offend you in any way, but someone who once spoke kind wisdom to me told me something I'll never forget...

"The most dangerous and useless thing when you're fighting for your life is how you always thought that it would go, when it didn't."

Please hear this as it was meant. I'm not saying change your mind, I'm just asking that you chew this around for a little bit and see how you feel.

~LT
 
absolutely well said. Bringing that issue in is an excellent point.

Bluntly stated, I am a cold, angry man, and I hate everyone and everything. I'd just as soon run over the hood rats, and would dodge a mouse and squash the local equivalent of bart simpson.

I personally have absolutely no issues with killing a criminal. I'd shoot a guy who pointed a toothpick at me.

But, I've been in the situation of looking through the scope at a feral cat. I hesitated, and finally, stood down instead of toasting that cardinal eating, hairball hacking, piece of coyote food. I called in animal control, and had him trapped and killed instead. That encounter was a wakeup call, and it reminded me that moral and other doubts can be powerful in that sort of situation.

I'd have to be a complete moron to say that my personal feelings, as stated above, would translate into actions, when placed into a shoot/don't shoot situation with ambiguities. I have no doubts about my willingness to do so, but I'm a moral and rational person , and I couldn't just blow away a person because of a perception of threat that may not be correct. If I was dead certain, I'd bet my life on my reaction. I'd kill him until he couldn't get any deader, and then, I'd kick him in the head to make sure he's stopped twitching.
 
I agree with Brian. I basically hate everything. In the same sense I don't have any desire to be immoral or even lower myself to their level. Morality separates the good from the bad. On another note, I am not suicidal but my living doesn't exactly rank high on my priorities, because I wouldn't have priorities if I were dead. No one relies on me and I don't exactly have anyone in my life. Not married, no girlfriend, barely any friends and those I have I barely talk to. That being said, the above picture draws a few things to mind:

1. I walk in my house with my knife in hand when it's dark inside.
2. Him pointing his hand out like that gives me a choice to attempt to disarm him.(If distance provided)
3. I have guns and other weapons in the house he may find and sell, I would rather not let him get a hold of them.
4. He would have just as much of a problem hitting me in that stance as I would him if I had a gun... but I have a knife in close quarters and I don't need to see him. (Yet again, if distance provided it.)

If I had a gun in that situation, I would still rather try to disarm him than draw and shoot. If it was drawn, I couldn't say what I would do, not sure what distance and far too many variables.
 
interesting thread, actually turned out to be a poll. And sorry, Super-Dave, you lost. Too bad you already had your mind made up instead of listening to the excellent answers to your "poll".
Tried it myself at 5 yds. offhand, rapid fire. 7 shots in over a 6" circle. Slow fire all in the X. Doubt any of the rapid fire (as fast as I could pull the trigger) would have hit the head. But the BG isn't going to let us do "slow, aimed fire". Maybe in Florida, not around here!!
Somewhere, someplace, those that have "been there" recommend first..run away, get behind cover. Did you include that in your mystical, magic one-shot-stop??
 
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