A handgun is nothing other than a false sense of security
A motivated individual who poses a lethal threat will not be stopped by a shot to the leg or arm. This has been documented over and over. The mentally ill along with those who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol feel less to pain due to their mental state.
Example:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout
Fight or Flight
Second under high stress, your blood consolidates to the vital organs reducing blood flow to the brain. With less blood going to the brain, fine motor skills and ocular performance decrease rapidly. This makes it nearly impossible to shoot weapons out of the threat's hands or hit a moving limb like TV super heroes.
If you have participated in any force-on-force training using ConSim (Conflict Simulator) or UTM type equipment you would experience this for yourself.
To summarize the only way to truly stop a threat from harming you or someone else is centre mass or head shots.
Second the only way to overcome the human body's physiological response to acute stress (i.e. adrenaline dump) is to train people to point their weapon system directly outward from their chest with both hands, preferably in daylight and dankness. This naturally lends itself to a centre mass shots.
Almost always in attack situations the shooter will not see their sights, only the threat. "Aiming" does not occur, but the body is able to perform gross motor skills movements.
First off let me say there is a definite need for firearms in personal and third party security in certain environments and situations. I firmly support the right to keep and bear arms and also recognize their utility in many different scenarios. That said some people put too much confidence in their ability to use their weapon to protect themselves against a myriad of threats.
This over-reliance can cause them to downplay or ignore skills like situational awareness, avoidance, de-escalation, less-lethal weapons and unarmed combatives. There are good legal and ethical reasons for considering and training in skill-sets across the use of the force continuum. Obviously using a firearm is not the best response to every situation. Beyond that there are also good tactical reasons to use other options.
21 Foot Rule
The 21 foot rule states that the average person with a knife or sword can get to and cut a person in about the same time that the average person can draw and fire a handgun.
In the time it takes the average officer to recognize a threat, draw his side-arm and fire 2 rounds at centre mass, an average subject charging at the officer with a knife or other cutting or stabbing weapon can cover a distance of 21 feet.
Originally presented by Dennis Tueller, a sergeant in the Salt Lake City, Utah Police Department in an article called “How Close is Too Close?” published in SWAT Magazine in 1983, the 21 foot rule posits that a police officer with his or her weapon holstered will not be able to respond in time to stop an attacker armed with a knife attacking from 21 feet or less distance. In other words someone with a knife can cover 21 feet (7 meters) of ground and attack the officer before he or she can draw their weapon and shoot the attacker.
In the years since the idea was first introduced it has been debated and some have argued the distance is actually more than 21 feet – proposing 30 feet or some other number. We don’t need to dwell on this – suffice to say that there is a very real concern that a motivated assailant could attack an armed citizen / law enforcement officer / protective agent, etc. before they have an opportunity to use their weapon to defend themselves. Additionally, it’s important to realize the attacker does not need to have a knife or some other edged weapon. An impact weapon or even bare hands can constitute a very significant threat if the attacker can rapidly close in and engage the victim.
For this reason its critical that persons involved in daily weapons carriage, either for personal protection or professional reasons practice awareness and have some level of skill at unarmed combatives – at least enough to defend against the initial assault and create a gap where they can safely draw their weapon.
If you don't think someone can close the distance between you and them in a couple of seconds and kill you with a single strike to the head with piece of steel, you are miss informed. Google "21 foot rule".
Over-reliance on Firearms
Unfortunately too many people believe carrying a firearm in and of itself is a “magic bullet” - excuse the pun. As we see illustrated in the 21 foot rule – having a firearm is no assurance if it can’t be deployed in time in the face of an oncoming threat. It’s critical that defensive skills be more complete than just firearms skills for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is the tactical reality than you might not get your weapon into play in the face of a sudden threat.
Most assaults will occur within arm’s reach, meaning that, unless you were able to covertly draw the handgun and have it at retention, while intercepting / jamming the initial strike/ attempt to grab, your gun taken away / it won’t have effect on target / its utility will be reduced.
Six out of seven people shot with a handgun survive. Only 5% survive gunshot wounds to the head. Even after having been shot, many a drugged or adrenalin pumped assailant will still be able to attack and even kill you. In the case of an attacker with a knife, unless shot exactly in the “credit Card” area (Between the upper lip and the eyes where the Medulla is), the bad guy will still have enough momentum to crash into its intended victim. Meaning stabs/ slashes/ uncool stuff gets done to you..
Most important is avoidance, deterrence, escape, de-escalation, unarmed combatives before drawing that handgun.
Unless the attacker(s) is at a distance already, in that case, the handgun will give you that edge, but the Law may still be against you.
Mindset, Strategy, Skills and Weaponry
To take on today's criminals require specialist training, specialist equipment and specialist methods.
What are YOU doing to avoid you and your family becoming the victims of ruthless criminals?
How serious are you about you and your family’s safety?
Serious enough to attend a training session?
Or are you counting on military training that is only a vague trace in your memory?
Recommended Training and Equipment
Fortis Pro-active Defence Solutions
Link/URL: http://www.fortisgroup.co.za/
Sources:
http://protectiveconcepts.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/the-21foot-rule-and-over-reliance-on-firearms/
