Top ten list for surviving a gunfight

Not sure if I can put this in Bumpersticker form...

1. Maybe "Look ahead".

Which is short for: Pay attention to terrain. See slightly open doors, broken windows, cars parked in the wrong place, an absence of people where there ought to be people and so forth.

Look for the signs of an impending attack. Avoid the trap.

2. Learn to shoot.

Which is short for: Work with your sidearm and ammunition until you know exactly how far it will shoot accurately, and how much hold over you need at that range. Practice the draw until you can do it without thinking, other than the signal to do so. Practice until releasing the retention device, getting a proper grip on the firearm, withdrawing the firearm without getting your finger on the trigger and such without thought.

Because your brain needs to looking and evaluation what is going on. Who needs shooting, who needs shooting first, who needs to NOT be shot. Have they seen me? Can I back out and get backup without sacrificing the victim in all this?

3. Maintain equipment.

Right? Gun is clean and lubed as needed; ammo is fresh; radio battery is charged; underwear is clean. All this needs be attended prior to jumping out of car and charging into action.

Nothing wrong with your list.
 
Thanks, Archie. Underwear status aside, there should definitely be something on the list about situational awareness.

Most of the points made by other posters are already represented on the list somehow.

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16. At night, move after shooting
I would say use common sense there, moving out of cover and exposing yourself even at night can be deadly (to you)
Today 03:02 PM
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Exactly. These aren't meant as being applicable in all situations. The point is, be aware that at night, people tend to return fire at muzzle flashes.

Move obliquely. In an unpredictable manner. An oblique move gives two elements to deal with when moving. Jerkly random moves prevent precise aiming...it takes a trained infantryman 1.5 seconds to acquire, aim and hit a target...
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That's a good point.

Cover v. concealment is covered in our training.

SQUEEZE the trigger. A pull is associated with a jerk. A jerk causes a miss, or worse an unintended hit (innocent bystander).

Also with the practice, they need to learn how to call their shots (lots of info about that from various successful IPSC/USPSA shooters).
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Good point on the terminology. I need to look into shot calling.
 
14. On a contact, make a habit of being in a position of tactical advantage;
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That's good, but a little vague. Maybe you could expound upon that with some specifics.

For example, I've noticed that nowadays traffic cops tend to stand behind your window when they pull you over.
 
5: Know the difference between cover and concealment
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+300

People in sports such as airsoft or paintball forget that sometimes, resulting in their "death" for the round/match.

In real combat situations you don't get respawns...
 
A radio can absolutely save your life. If you suffer potentially lethal wounds, another unit or a ambulance crew can make the difference between how great a guy you were, versus how awesome you are.

One of the oft overlooked criteria for winning a gunfight is previous training and conditioning that would allow you to function under (assumed) high stress levels.
 
@NYC Drew:
Are there bands LEO or EMTs use available to "regular folk" to call for help without cell phone usage? I know some frequencies can be monitored but not transmitted on. I have an FCC ham license and there is an "autopatch" that we can use to phone through in case of emergency and local phone service is not available.
 
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In some ways, being in a dangerous, exciting situation, is like hopping across a stream on rocks. Once you start, you don't stop and good luck if you have all the steps planned out in advance.

I'm for a plan, and using good tactics. I also know what happens to plans once the battle starts.

Basic skills may serve you well, and you'd better have them.

Once things start to happen, your mind is trying to survive, and not very efficient at suddenly coming up with an ingenious plan to help you shoot accurately and suddenly find skills you don't have.

Robert Boatman points that out in his book, "Living With Glocks" and states it more elequently.
 
Well, I may not be any where near as trained or proficient as others, but I have a couple suggestions.

Increasing reaction times. This can be practiced, while knowing your draw routine and being able to do it without error is something, learning to react quickly to the proper stimulus is important. I.E. Furtive movement.

Finding cover/concealment is great, but keeping an "eye" on your target is just as important. Knowing whether they are advancing, flanking, or retreating is vital.

Understand your opponents goals. Are they shooting defensively, offensively, or violently. To explain this, the defensive shooter wishes to leave, get away. The Offensive shooter has the intention to continue the fight, but still doesn't wish to die. The violent shooter doesn't care for themselves or you. I would change tactics based on the situation. This may already be covered but it sticks out in my mind.

Never use the same cover, position, timing, or tactic more than twice. By timing I mean waiting for them to stop firing before firing, and never doing that in the same place more than twice. An old teaching says just because it works the first two times, doesn't mean it will work a third.

Know the pros and cons of everything yo have to work with. The cons are more important. In other words, know how to defeat yourself to win against them. Not knowing your policies, defensive action is for me and most to be the objective, not seeking out and killing.

Your list seemed to be perfect as is, my mentions may just be a bit esoteric, but they are my thoughts.
 
Hangglider - the bands you refer to are reserved for the specific use. However if the band will save your 6 the you can bet I will step on it. When saving my 6 there is only it helps or it does not help.

Pull the trigger is as correct , a nice steady pull straight back, as squeeze, as in squeeze it straight back. But 10 bucks says unless you are very well trained, your average patrol/detective is yanking the trigger in a fire fight.

The radio will not save your life;
I have to disagree. In any fight involving more than one friendly comm's are key to saving my life. As well as getting lifesaving help if i take a major hit.

Crossfire - I like crossfire if we are doing it. If you assume avoiding crossfire means avoid the bad guys CF then yes avoid it.
 
I dont pretend to be a LEO or have any LEO training whatsoever but I have lots and lots of military training and no I dont mean weekend warrior...

Here are my thoughts on your list.... Please note I am NOT in any way trying to be critical of your list. Hopefully maybe I can provide at least one new thing to think about and if not at least I tried to be helpful.
1. Get to cover;

2. Deploy your long gun;

3. If feasible, wait for backup before contact;

4. Establish fire superiority;

5. Distance is your friend;

6. Run away;

7. Stop the bleeding;

8. Move laterally;

9. Maneuver on the enemy's flank;

10. Watch their hands;
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1. Situational awareness - The car behind you may run over you before you can get to cover... Also the driver may not be your biggest threat just the one your attention is on.

2. Have a mental plan to get to cover and try to think as your potential adversary might.

3. Get to cover or in the absence of cover in a very short time then present yourself as a reduced size target... Turn sideways or kneel or whatever you can do to present as little target area as possible while staying mobile enough to get to the better cover. I can’t count how many videos I see officers retreating in a full stance without crouching or they are facing full chest forward.

4. Unnecessary movement can result in unnecessary exposure.... A long gun for certain is great but its not so great if your going to get shot while you move to get it..... Your mental plan should have prepared you to execute or not execute this step.

5. If possible get the long gun..

6. Wait for backup while surveying potential attacks - will the BG shoot through the back window? Are they bucket seats that make turning toward you hard or are they bench seats that arent much of a problem??? Are they still seatbelted?

7. Understand the tactical situation - the BG(s) may decide its better to take you out and attack... Your car in that case may be more effective than the long gun, if you can set off the BGs air bags with a minor collosion (I have no idea if this is legal idea so ask a lawyer but it may have a place) it may provide the distraction and the tool needed to allow you the extra moment to deploy the long gun in the face of multiple opponents and employ the force as necessary while trying to wait for the backup.

8. Fire superiority may be your friend but accuracy and shock are your the point of your spear and your armor. Nothing takes the wind out of people like seeing the most agressive BG taken out.... The shock will probably be in part your volume of fire but keep in mind rounds that leave big spider tracks in windows will have a mental effect if the engagement becomes something longer than a few seconds.

9. Distance is your friend but dont expose yourself needlessly to get distance..... Your mental pre-plan should have given you some idea of if this will be practical... and like everything else it all depends on the actions of the BG(s)..
 
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BGutzman said:
I can’t count how many videos I see officers retreating in a full stance without crouching or they are facing full chest forward.
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Most body armor does not have panels under the arms/on the sides. If you are shot in the front you may well have ribs broken from a impact on a armored vest or have a bullet go through an important organ like a lung. If you are shot through the side you have turned body armor away from where it could do the most good and placed both lungs, as well as several other organs in a line for a bullet to pass through.
 
However, facing "chest to" presents a larger target & increases your visibility which increases your chances of getting shot. It'd be better to get get side panels and present a smaller target when you do have to break concealment/cover to fire. I understand the red tape & pain it'd be to try to get new equipment, but better that pain than go "chest to" and catch a round.
 
The problem with getting side panels in a LEO situation is that our armor is concealed under our uniform using a different style carrier and therefore it's not as simple as just buying side panels. It also severely restricts range of motion. Our jobs are a little different than someone in a war zone. More often than not we are hands on or using less lethal options do that range of motion is quite a big deal. Getting hit in the armor is not our main concern. It's usually that one lucky hit to the throat, head, or major artery in a leg that kills someone wearing body armor. Crouching or turning sideways will not reduce that target profile.
 
I like these:

Watch their hands if you suspect something is up.

Aim, if you have enough time.

Put your front sight on him if you have less time.

Point shoot from your bellybutton if you have no time.

If someone completely gets the drop on you, you might want to just run and seek cover, maybe shove and run.

I agree that distance is usually your friend.

I think having a "rotation" of guns is a mistake. It hurts familiarity. Remember, you have self defense guns and you have your collection.
 
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I've done a lot of thinking on this matter over the years as I am an LEO also. I heard something recently from colleague who has spent some time in combat over the past few years. It solidified what I already knew. He said that we need to be forcing our adversaries to react to us instead of us reacting to them. Initially, we have to react. However, after that, winning or surviving would probably entail one of two things: taking the fight to the adversary or running away as fast and as tactically as you can. Since the second option is not an option for me, I am resolved to option one. I've heard this sort of advice from other men, particularly those who have survived a combat situation. It is working the OODA loop faster than your adversary, like fighter aces. Think of it sort of as a chess match. Do you win by being defensive? No, you do it by going offensive. So, intially taking cover is sound advice. However, remaining behind the cover while the suspect advances on you and outflanks you could cause you to lose. It is not absolute and a lot of this is dependent on the environment and the availability of other cover and concealment. For example, there is a police gunfight video out there where police officers are taking pistol fire from a suspect using his own pick-up truck for cover. After intially taking cover, one of the officers charges towards the suspect using available cover. He uses the suspect's vehicle to position himself and then shoots the suspect under the truck, in the leg or ankle causing the suspect to immediately quit the fight. While this was happening, he did have a back-up covering him as he advanced.

In addition to this, I think LEO's should have two handguns on them, a primary and a back-up. Some do, some don't. It is risk many are willing to take and I have taken it in the past at times. Pistols can break, get shot, get taken away, jam up, fall out while running or struggling. That second gun has saved lives.
 
SPeed and accuracy win.

The other guy can't hit a moving target. Likely, neither can you.

My tips:

NEVER GET INTO A GUNFIGHT.

Never drink alcohol, if you 100% carry.

Avoid trouble before it happens.

Never be somewhere you wouldn't go at night.

Never look for trouble.

Never be somewhere you wouldn't go at night, even with a gun.

Deescalation, Distraction and deception.

Better to be active than reactive.


iPad/Tapatalk
 
1. Try to contain the problem; don't let it go mobile.
2. The four rules of weapons' safety.
3. Don't abandon cover unless you are being out-flanked.
4. Don't get tunnel-vision.
5. Don't get side-tracked from the main problem
6. Better tried by 12 than carried by 6.
 
Most importantly, is keep as much cool as possible.

Adrenaline has a way of blurring your perception and even making you stagger about as if in a daze.

In order to effectively analyze the situation and be on top, you must maintain a level head and be able to think while hell is breaking loose.
 
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