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Training and Use of Lethal Force...Lesson 15
RugerNiner
Member Posts: 12,636 ✭✭✭
Lesson #15: Long Range Self-Defense
It has been a few years since I spoke with him, but I suspect he is close to holding a record for firing the longest self-defense shot in recent history. As I recall the information, he was in the military outside of the 48 states and working a guard assignment for the military.
While on duty, there were reports of shots being fired and a serviceman had gone crazy with an M-16 and had wounded or killed some individuals at the medical facility he was being treated at.
The guard raced to the scene and saw the gunman with the rifle aiming it at others fleeing the area. Taking careful aim he fired several shots. As I recall it may have been five or six shots from a 9mm Beretta Model 92. He killed the gunman at a range later measured at 76 yards. He had hit something like four out of six. I may be slightly off on those figures, it has been a long time.
It was fortunate that the soldier was a shooter before going into the military and understood the dynamics of aimed fire, something few ever attempt with a handgun at such ranges.
Such cases are very, very, very rare. In the vast majority of cases, self-defense will be a arms length affair. A few years ago we decided to have students shoot at human size targets at 100 yards. The reason is simple: to know the capability of whatever gun you carry, including what it can not do.
We make it clear that 100 yard shooting with conventional self-defense guns, including 2 inch barreled .38 specials, is not only practical if and when it is required, but also possible.
If you look at a manufacturer's literature you will see the standard handgun bullet only drops about 3-5 inches at 100 yards in almost all sizes. Also the velocity loss is not as great as one might suspect.
The only missing ingredient is the ability of the shooter. At such ranges a shooter would probably be able to shoot from a support or rest of some kind. What surprised us was seeing shooters fire with a two hand hold and do very well, and almost equal to supported shooting. 75% or more were common efforts and some were higher and some a little lower. If they missed it wasn't by much.
What students liked was the chance to just try it to see how they and their gun could perform at such a range. It was more informative than practical. It also gives you more respect for the distance a handgun can be lethal at.
If you look in our Thingees section of our web page you will find a case of a 9mm bullet traveling 1800+ yards and still inflicting a serious wound on a young boy. It is important that all shooters clearly understand the extreme lethal range of a handgun bullet. It is NOT a self-defense issue, but a SAFETY issue to clearly understand the lethal range of a handgun bullet in any caliber.
You should also know the extreme range of your self-defense handgun to protect you. 100 yards is NOT out of line if circumstances require it, but seldom will that be the case. In an arena where armchair experts keep coming up with the one in a million "what if" scenarios to make you waste effort and time with, this is not in that league. We have students do it just ONCE and watch others to see how it works and then not worry about it. At least they can SEE and experience what their handgun does at 100 yards. If they can shoot accurately at conventional target shooting ranges of 25+ yards, then 100 yards is not that big of a deal and does not require constant practice. We do find students, however, that enjoy doing it just for the enjoyment. Many report that when they shoot rifles at 100 yards they take a few shots with whatever handgun they have on hand and see the results which are always entertaining and educational.
The concern of innocent people being hit in an actual shooting situation is easy to address. Hits to innocents are very rare in self-defense cases but they do happen, and the vast majority will be at close range, not at excessive ranges.
What is important to remember is that about 85% or more of our police officers and much of our population live in very rural areas. Such rural living may and has required longer range shooting than we find in more urban environments.
In urban riots, ranges increase far beyond the normal. In Detroit in July of 1967, Newark, Chicago, and other riots we saw officers firing their handguns at longer ranges against snipers. Shooting from one corner to the middle of the next block was not uncommon and many were surprised at how well they did at such ranges. A handgun of most any caliber can suppress sniper fire in such a case with ease at some pretty extreme cases.
The more potent guns like the .357 Magnum, and, of course, the .44 Magnum, are capable of delivering combat accurate placement at further ranges. Shooters frequently discuss some incredible long range shooting with the .44 Magnum, and having lived in South Dakota and shot on the prairie, I'm still amazed at how well you can do at extreme ranges.
Every self-defense shooter should at least once try their handgun at longer ranges. You not only learn what it can do, you can learn the limitations of you and your gun. It may surprise you what that pocket auto can do for you and you might get a little more respect or guns you thought were only good over a card table.
Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
It has been a few years since I spoke with him, but I suspect he is close to holding a record for firing the longest self-defense shot in recent history. As I recall the information, he was in the military outside of the 48 states and working a guard assignment for the military.
While on duty, there were reports of shots being fired and a serviceman had gone crazy with an M-16 and had wounded or killed some individuals at the medical facility he was being treated at.
The guard raced to the scene and saw the gunman with the rifle aiming it at others fleeing the area. Taking careful aim he fired several shots. As I recall it may have been five or six shots from a 9mm Beretta Model 92. He killed the gunman at a range later measured at 76 yards. He had hit something like four out of six. I may be slightly off on those figures, it has been a long time.
It was fortunate that the soldier was a shooter before going into the military and understood the dynamics of aimed fire, something few ever attempt with a handgun at such ranges.
Such cases are very, very, very rare. In the vast majority of cases, self-defense will be a arms length affair. A few years ago we decided to have students shoot at human size targets at 100 yards. The reason is simple: to know the capability of whatever gun you carry, including what it can not do.
We make it clear that 100 yard shooting with conventional self-defense guns, including 2 inch barreled .38 specials, is not only practical if and when it is required, but also possible.
If you look at a manufacturer's literature you will see the standard handgun bullet only drops about 3-5 inches at 100 yards in almost all sizes. Also the velocity loss is not as great as one might suspect.
The only missing ingredient is the ability of the shooter. At such ranges a shooter would probably be able to shoot from a support or rest of some kind. What surprised us was seeing shooters fire with a two hand hold and do very well, and almost equal to supported shooting. 75% or more were common efforts and some were higher and some a little lower. If they missed it wasn't by much.
What students liked was the chance to just try it to see how they and their gun could perform at such a range. It was more informative than practical. It also gives you more respect for the distance a handgun can be lethal at.
If you look in our Thingees section of our web page you will find a case of a 9mm bullet traveling 1800+ yards and still inflicting a serious wound on a young boy. It is important that all shooters clearly understand the extreme lethal range of a handgun bullet. It is NOT a self-defense issue, but a SAFETY issue to clearly understand the lethal range of a handgun bullet in any caliber.
You should also know the extreme range of your self-defense handgun to protect you. 100 yards is NOT out of line if circumstances require it, but seldom will that be the case. In an arena where armchair experts keep coming up with the one in a million "what if" scenarios to make you waste effort and time with, this is not in that league. We have students do it just ONCE and watch others to see how it works and then not worry about it. At least they can SEE and experience what their handgun does at 100 yards. If they can shoot accurately at conventional target shooting ranges of 25+ yards, then 100 yards is not that big of a deal and does not require constant practice. We do find students, however, that enjoy doing it just for the enjoyment. Many report that when they shoot rifles at 100 yards they take a few shots with whatever handgun they have on hand and see the results which are always entertaining and educational.
The concern of innocent people being hit in an actual shooting situation is easy to address. Hits to innocents are very rare in self-defense cases but they do happen, and the vast majority will be at close range, not at excessive ranges.
What is important to remember is that about 85% or more of our police officers and much of our population live in very rural areas. Such rural living may and has required longer range shooting than we find in more urban environments.
In urban riots, ranges increase far beyond the normal. In Detroit in July of 1967, Newark, Chicago, and other riots we saw officers firing their handguns at longer ranges against snipers. Shooting from one corner to the middle of the next block was not uncommon and many were surprised at how well they did at such ranges. A handgun of most any caliber can suppress sniper fire in such a case with ease at some pretty extreme cases.
The more potent guns like the .357 Magnum, and, of course, the .44 Magnum, are capable of delivering combat accurate placement at further ranges. Shooters frequently discuss some incredible long range shooting with the .44 Magnum, and having lived in South Dakota and shot on the prairie, I'm still amazed at how well you can do at extreme ranges.
Every self-defense shooter should at least once try their handgun at longer ranges. You not only learn what it can do, you can learn the limitations of you and your gun. It may surprise you what that pocket auto can do for you and you might get a little more respect or guns you thought were only good over a card table.
Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
Keep your Powder dry and your Musket well oiled.
NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
Comments
I sure wish someone would tell that to my .40S&W, it drops that at 50 yds!
awww ! never mind I can hit coke cans with a S&W mod 41 at that range!
but mid-trajectory is nearly at 2 FT height !!! so much for the drop.
in reality it drops 2 FT!!!!!
JD
400 million cows can't be wrong ( EAT GRASS !!! )