Speed of Movement, Shot Placement, Shooting Stance

[Brian LaMaster]

I believe that all three of these are directly related. The question is which one of these is most important in your survival?! What is your goal in the situation—to survive, which probably means not getting shot! I would say that is your main priority! Would you not agree?

It is very important to understand that you cannot count on taking the attacker immediately out of the fight, nor should you count on doing so. I like to set the expectations of the outcome of the situation lower so that when you do not take the attacker immediately out of the fight, you will not be surprised! Why did I just say that you cannot count on taking the attacker immediately out of the fight? The primary reason I say this is due to the dynamic elements of a confrontation. You are moving, the attacker is probably moving, stress, etc. Precision marksmanship with a handgun in a life-threatening situation is extremely difficult. It has been said that only 20% of people who are shot die. One reason the percentage of fatalities is low is due to modern medicine. However, it also has to do with the human body and how amazing it truly is.

The FBI’s Handgun Wounding Factor’s and Effectiveness Report reveals that on the average two shots can be expected to hit the intended target. This is based upon a study of law enforcement shootings. On the average you can only expect to land two rounds regardless of the number of rounds fired. So, if you fire ten rounds, you can expect two to hit the target.

Even if you do hit your target, it is unlikely that you are going to drop them right there. You can expect the person to have about fifteen seconds or so of life left in them even if you hit them in the heart. How much damage can someone do to you in this amount of time?

Your shot placement should be center of mass (COM). Keeping tight shot groups at the range is a good thing to practice, but when you ad movement on your part and the attacker’s, your group is not going to be tight at all. In fact, it is probably going to spread out across the chest quite a bit. Again, that is, IF you hit the target. The reason I COM is because you want to hit the heart, lungs, and anything that will take them out of the fight as quickly as possible. In a life threatening situation a head shot is going to be difficult! I normally do not suggest going to a head shot because if the COM is a hard target to hit, what are your chances of hitting the head?

We don’t really promote any particular shooting stance because more than likely you are not going to use one in a real life threatening situation where there are more guns involved than the one you have. Obtaining a shooting “stance” such as the Weaver, Chapman, or Isosceles is not important in civilian “combat” shooting. No one will remember what stance you used, just that you survived. One thing that I would like to point out about obtaining a two handed shooting stance, is that you run the risk of getting both hands shot and you will not be able to use your gun. For this very reason is why I like to teach people to shoot one handed. I normally teach people to keep their other hand low around their left front pocket. For the most part when you shoot from the Isosceles or Weaver stance, you are a fairly large target if the adversary has a gun and is shooting at you. I have not seen any statistics that show that if you obtain a two handed shooting stance in a “gunfight” that you will land more rounds than if you were shooting from a one handed platform.

Quite honestly, if your shooting stance is good, then you are probably not moving fast enough in order to survive. The question is at what speed should you be moving? What is your goal in a “gunfight”? Not to get shot! So, you should probably be moving at a fast speed. Possibly close to a running speed. Much of the time the faster of a target you are, the harder it is going to be for the attacker to shoot you. Now, realize that at a “running” speed you are not likely to hit what you are aiming at either. With that in mind, should you even shoot? Remember, survival is your goal, and that does not necessarily mean taking the attacker out of the fight, or attempting to do so!

If you are moving slowly (like using the step-n-drag method of footwork) and firing from a “standard” two handed shooting stance, your chances of survival are not as good if you were moving fast, that is, really fast. What good is it going to do you if you are able to shoot the attacker and they are able to shoot you because you are moving slowly because you have been taught that shooting the adversary and trying to take them out is the best thing to do?

I am a firm believer that you need to be a small fast moving target in a confrontation. I do not want to “bet” my life on shooting the other person and taking them out of the fight.

Now, out of speed of movement, shot placement, and shooting stance, which one is most important? Personally, I would say that speed of movement will keep you alive more so than shot placement or obtaining a two handed shooting stance. Now, if you can “master” fast speed of movement and shot placement, I think that will increase your chances of survival even more.

Here is the kicker… there are no two situations exactly alike. Therefore, there may be times when you need to try and focus on taking the attacker out of the fight. Or, maybe you need to run fast and never draw your gun. NO ONE can tell you what you WILL DO in a confrontation!