Warning shots where into, how do bullets behave

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I have never, EVER, NOT EVER, (NEVER) seen ANY authority on self-defense or firearms advocate the use of warning shots.

I have seen many authorities on self-defense and firearms say that warning shots are a very bad idea.

If you are justified in firing a shot, you should be aiming at the threat. If you do not feel justified in firing at the threat then you should not fire at all.

There is no way to predict what the bullet is going to do or where it is going to go for certain unless there happens to be a well-designed backstop handy and at the proper angle to you.

I'm glad that you achieved good results by using a warning shot in the past, but I would recommend that you never do it again.
 
Warning shots should always be fired at center mass of the BG.
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Lol, I second that!

Hey all this talk of OC spray makes me want to ask one question...WHAT THE HELL DOES OC stand for?

Anyone recommend a good site to order some Fox Labs OC spray from?
 
My brother claims he tried some warning shots at two alcohol laced undocumented aliens that came after him with a machete and knife. Shot down towards their legs. They kept coming until the were able to touch his pistol and he aimed chest height. The time you waste with warning shots is critical.

Turns out he had placed some .45 acp rounds in their legs and they didn't even flinch or stumble. Imagine what the situation would be if they had been on stronger stuff. Even adrenaline will do it.

If someone comes after you when you are pointing a gun at them, something is wrong. I have seen stats that most criminals are jacked up and I would assume this is the case if I or mine are attacked.
No warning shots. They are a waste of ammo.
 
Howdy,
Personally I think it is a lot easier to explain why you chose to shoot the BG that posed a threat to you, than it is to explain why your warning shot killed an innocent bystander. I think a good example of this is how most of the victims in drive by shooting are killed by stray bullets. Granted the amount of lead in the airis definately greater but its the same principle. There is WAY too much uncertainy when it comes to warning shots.
 
Lotto winner dead...

There was a news article on cnn some years back where a recent lotto winner who was caught up in a riot in California shot into the air to disperse the crowd. The crowd did disperse but the cops dispatched to the scene saw a crowd disperse and a man shooting a gun so they blew him away. The family that was there and bystanders testified that he was just trying to disperse a rowdy crowd. Hence the moral of the story? Don't fire warning shots especially if you just won the lotto!! He had no time to enjoy his winnings.
 
You definately got lucky with your warning "shot". Just because it worked out once, does not mean it will work out the same way again. I agree with most of the posts here. If you are justified in drawing your weapon, (and the BG is not scared enough to run away), then go COM. Immediately. Hesitation kills.
 
in to the air is lethal

BTW -- technically it is pretty safe to fire a gun STRAIGHT into the air. When the slug comes to a complete stop and starts to fall, it falls with no more energey than a slug dropped from that height. And because of air pressure it reaches its terminal (maximum) velocity very quickly. That said -- the terminal velocity of a heavy slug of aerodynamic lead could be sufficient to do some bodily harm.

Whenever you see those arab wedding parties shooting AK's straight into the air, a few seconds later the lead starts coming down on them. Nobody generally gets hurt.
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Sorry, but that's just not the case. Two years ago in my Hometown a guys scull was penetrated by a 7,65mm pistol round shot straight into the air at new years eve. If you don't believe me, believe this:
http://www.lacounty.info/Public Announcement - Gunfire Alert 2002.pdf
A bullet fired into the air climbs up to two miles and reaches up to 700ft/sec on it's way back.
 
A warning shot would definately draw away from one of the major firearm rules: Make sure of your target and beyond. If bullets can ricochet across water they can certainly ricochet on a sidewalk or the like. Think of light the angle of incidence (say 45*) will be the angle of reflection (ricochet - 45*), of course that is only in a perfect physics world.

While your paying attention where to fire your 'warning shot' you lose tract of where the BG is and then have to re-draw your weapon to center of mass on the mark.

My gun would stay aimed on the BG and if need be he would get a 'center of mass' full of lead from my shotgun. ;)
 
This thread is so intresting, I never knew that all "Warning Shots" killed innocent bystanders. It's a shame that most believe that there is never a place for a warning shot, but then again, you must be aware of your surroundings and have good judgement. To say there is never a time for a warning shot is as assine as saying that all warning shots kill innocent bystanders.

Never fired a warning shot, probably never will. But if a mentally deranged 12 year old child was advancing on me with a knife, I might to try to get them to stop, before dumping a couple center mass. Saying what you will do ahead of time in every situation is just plain stupid. You might have a plan and an idea, but to know for sure, I doubt anyone knows.

Jungle Work
 
I think it's personal preference, just like some people leave a weapon in their vehicle, I will not just because if someone steals that gun and kills someone with it, it's my fault. I will not take the risk of my stray bullet even attempting to enter someone's house. It's illegal enough to discharge a firearm in a residential area if I'm going to take a shot it's going to be good. Just like if a BG is running away I'm not going to shoot him if he's running like a bat out ouf hell cause he's afraid of my little shotgun :p

I've had demonstrations that show even a .22LR will go through a house wall (completely through) although it may not be very effective after it reaches the outside it's a risk I'm not going to take. And if need be I'll grab my bow, no one likes to have a broadhead attached to their chest. (Even broadheads can go through a house wall - new construction with 2x6's instead of 2x4 studs.)
 
I've been taught that the problem with warning shots is that "use of deadly force" is "use of deadly force" under the law, and if you doubt your justification to use deadly force as demonstrated by firing a warning shot, you shouldn't have used deadly force by firing a warning shot.
 
Jungle Work

... I fully agree with your statement:
Never fired a warning shot, probably never will. But if a mentally deranged 12 year old child was advancing on me with a knife, I might to try to get them to stop, before dumping a couple center mass. Saying what you will do ahead of time in every situation is just plain stupid. You might have a plan and an idea, but to know for sure, I doubt anyone knows.
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Being justified to kill doesn't necessarily mean that a killing is inevitable. Of course you have to decide in the actual situation. And in order to have grounds for my decision I am still curious on how my 9x19mm EMFJ would react when fired into a sidewalk...

It would have been justified to shoot the dogs (see my post above), but a warning shot into the park's earth made the dogs go :eek: flee and saved their lives and me trouble with explaning why I shot that poor doggy which never did any harm....
 
Shots into pavement bounce. If the angle is acute the bullet rebounds somewhat but continues with the momentum parallel to the surface. This is very dangerous and can result in injury and death of innocents. It is a technique used by corrections officers to "bounce" shot off of pavement to take out the legs of fleeing prisoners or to bounce shot under a car/truck to hit the legs of attackers.
 
Sorry, but that's just not the case. Two years ago in my Hometown a guys scull was penetrated by a 7,65mm pistol round shot straight into the air at new years eve. If you don't believe me, believe this:
http://www.lacounty.info/Public A...lert 2002.pdf
A bullet fired into the air climbs up to two miles and reaches up to 700ft/sec on it's way back.
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Also, with air currents, it's doubful that a shot fired perfectly upward will come down to the exact same location when it drops

Those Arab's shooting into the sky? They arne't getting hurt from the bullets because the bullets aren't falling anywhere near them.
 
I shot a bullet into the air, it landed I know not where.

You better know where it will land and what it will do or you better not pull the trigger or some ambulance chaser will own you. If you bust a cap in someone, no matter how justified you are, some ambulance chaser will attempt to get some or all of your money. Believe it.

Jungle Work
 
Bullets falling straight down can be deadly. I did a good bit of research on this some years ago around New Years and posted (here or on THR) about 10-20 links relating to fatalities from falling bullets.

Anyone with a search engine can find a good number of reliably documented cases of people being killed by falling bullets.

While it's true that not ALL warning shots or falling bullets result in fatalities, the potential is there and that alone is reason enough to avoid the practice.

In the example listed regarding the deranged 12 year old... It's great that you want to avoid shooting the attacker if at all possible--it's not so great that you're willing to endanger others in the area with a warning shot.
 
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