ArmedCandy welcomes a new contributor: Dana of "Walther and Me"
Dana is from Upstate New York and is brand (spanking) new to the wonderful world of firearms. She began her blog, "Walther and Me" to share the lessons she was learning as a new female shooter in New York State. By sharing her thoughts with ArmedCandy readers, Dana hopes to empower women toward gun ownership, as well as make some new friends along the way. Join her as she journeys from fear to conceal carry and beyond.
Shoot To Wound
By Dana
Thanks to Cornered Cat's Facebook page, I just read this very interesting post on John Farnam’s Quips about "shooting to wound". My husband has had the same conversation with me a number of times and reinforces why I should aim at the center of mass because that way I’d be less likely to miss when it would really count.
The scenario: I’m home when a bad guy comes and busts in the door what do I do? Here’s a better question what would you do?
Well if this was to happen right this second clearly I’d be screwed. Why? I don’t carry around the house, and my phone and the steak knives are out in the kitchen (probably out in the kitchen…well maybe…actually most of the time we have no idea where the phone is). I suppose I could throw the TV remote or my laptop at him but it had better be the best throw of my life.
So let’s add me carrying a gun to the scenario. Now what? My answer is to fire a warning shot. In my husband’s scenario the bad guy doesn’t care about the warning shot and keeps coming or there is just one bullet in the gun, so what do I do? What would you do?
I felt exactly like the pregnant woman in the post. I’d just shoot him in the leg or to “wound” the intruder. Now that I’ve been to the range a few times I really think that shooting someone in the leg, who is running at me is completely unrealistic. I have a hard enough time hitting a stationary object. I can’t imagine if I added in adrenaline and made it a moving target. Not to mention that I wouldn’t be firing straight on it’d probably be at an awkward angle.
Again, I’m just starting out; I still have a lot to learn. I’m glad my husband goes over these topics with me but what is even better is finding things that reinforce what he is telling me. It also emphasizes that I need more training!
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5 comments:
I'm firmly in your husband's camp.
Disclaimer - following comments are all IMNSHO - different instructors have different opinions, these are mine.
You should not have your weapon in your hand unless you are willing to shoot the threat and feel like you are in mortal danger. Otherwise, in most states, you are brandishing. If your response to the cops over the corpse is anything other than "I thought I was going to die", you have a problem.
About warning shots: You own them. Shoot into the air and kill some one - you have a problem. Shoot to the left or right of a threat and kill some one - you have a problem. Shoot into the ground, ricochet kills some one - you have a problem.
If you feel threatened, feel like you are about to die, have drawn you weapon in defense - put as many rounds in their chest as you can before they reach you. Period.
Again, all In My Not So Humble Opinion - of course.
And, I am a bit opinionated - at least that's what my wife says. :)
i very strongly recommend the "cornered cat", her web site and book to any woman beginning as a gun owner/shooter. she is smart, knowledgeable and practical. i was aquainted with her in the former "women & guns" forum, before it was a victim of "copyright trolls". "c.c." was a fountain of good information for the ladies, and even us guys in the forum, showing a woman's point of view we seldom saw elsewhere.
I worked in management for Brink's (armored cars) for a number of years, and have had a fair amount of firearms training. One of the things we learned was if you can keep your bullet groups at the range within a 3" circle (at whatever distance), your group will grow to 2' or larger in a stressful situation under pressure--like having an angry bad guy running your direction with a knife. Learning to aim at center mass and practicing that way will help ensure that you will hit what you're aiming at under pressure when it counts. One other thing everyone needs to be aware of, is that one's intent is NEVER to kill an attacker--NEVER. The intent is to get them to STOP what they were doing. In addition, one must be in fear of death to justify the use of lethal force, as a general rule. Different states have different rules, but fear of death is almost always a defense for the use of force.
Not sure why, but I have always found armored cars somewhat fascinating. Are they like driving a safe?
I agree! Kathy Jackson has written a wonderful book with tons of helpful information. Her perspective isn't particularly 'gun enthusiastic' as it is, 'woman-survival enthusiastic', and that's a great mindset! The Sandy Springs Gun Club just got a big stock of "The Cornered Cat" so if you're in Sandy Springs, GA, please stop by!
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