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Before I get started, I'd like to point out- and apologize for- something that I forgot to do in last week's newsletter, that could have been a real mess had it not been for a man named Steve Krystek. See, what happened, is in Tom Perroni's
article on the five rules of concealed carry, I used a couple pictures off Progressive F.O.R.C.E Concepts's website, www.pfctraining.com, and forgot to give him credit for the images! Luckily though, Steve, who is the director of Progressive F.O.R.C.E. Concepts was awesome about it. I have went back and given credit "where credit is due" in the caption of the pictures, and I truly wish Steve, and the Progressive F.O.R.C.E. Concepts training institution all the best!
Anyway, where was I? Ahh yes...the world renown, ever imitated but never duplicated...
Last week, I gave the GLOCK fans something to marvel over, but this week, it's the Sig Sauer crowd who has something to be proud of- and who wouldn't be, knowing that their pistol could stand up to all this torture? Sig fan or not, Get a load of this video! CAUTION: Innocent pistols were harmed in the making of this video!
Pretty cool, huh? Do you know a Sig fan who'd like to see this? As painful as it may be! Show them! Click on the envelope to brighten their day!
Handgun Stopping Power By: Tom Perroni
When it comes to Handgun Stopping Power I have always taught my students that a Handgun is tool; a tool to fight your way back to the shotgun or long-gun you should have had if you knew you were going to be in a fight. The FBI has put together an article about Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness that is the basis for the vast majority of this article.
First let's take a look at some statistics. The FBI, in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR), tells us that most shootings - about 80% - occur in low or reduced light. Most shootings involving police officers and civilian concealed carry permit holders happen at a distance of less than ten feet with average distance at three feet. In most police shooting the average number of rounds fired is ten. Keep in mind that most police agencies have a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. Of those ten rounds only two hit the subject that means an 80% miss rate. It is fair to say that most gun fights last about 10-15 seconds. And I would say as a general rule we know that action beats reaction.
When I teach on the subject of stopping power I teach about the "Anatomical Theory of Stopping Power" The theory that states there are only two places on the human body that you can shoot a subject and get immediate incapacitation:
1. The cranio-ocular cavity (about the size of a business card). This is the area on the head between the eyebrow line and the mustache line (Right between the eyes). 2. The Cervical Spine. From the base of the brain to the top of the collar bone (In the area of the Throat.)
Both of the above mentioned areas, when hit with a bullet, will shut down the central nervous system, thus incapacitating your attacker. There are also schools that teach the Pelvic Girdle shot. I am not a big proponent of this. When teaching I often ask my students "How many of you have seen a chicken get its head cut off?" "What happens once this happens?" The answer I most often get is it runs around for several minutes. My response is if a 10lb chicken can run around for several minutes without its head, what do you think a 200lb man bent on bringing the fight to you will be able to do with a small hole or two? (Adrenalin is a powerful drug) I often get asked, "Well, what if I shoot him directly in the heart?" The answer is: It will take about 15 seconds to bleed out. How much damage can the attacker inflict in that time?
This may often happen because most police academies and shooting schools teach to shoot to center mass (It's a larger target area to place shots). When the day comes and you are in a gunfight and place your shots center mass and the attacker does not go down then panic can set in and the good guy keeps shooting center mass. More hits mean more blood loss, but it's still a time consuming and time dependent process.
As a corollary tactical principle, no law enforcement officer should ever plan to meet an expected attack armed only with a handgun. Physiologically, no caliber of bullet is certain to incapacitate any individual unless the brain is hit. Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound. The much discussed "shock" of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down" power is a myth.
With the exceptions of hits to the brain or upper spinal cord, the concept of reliable and reproducible immediate incapacitation of the human target by gunshot wounds to the torso is a myth.27 The human target is a complex and durable one. A wide variety of psychological, physical, and physiological factors exist, all of them pertinent to the probability of incapacitation. However, except for the location of the wound and the amount of tissue destroyed, none of the factors are within the control of the law enforcement officer.
Physiologically, a determined adversary can be stopped reliably and immediately only by a shot that disrupts the brain or upper spinal cord. Failing a hit to the central nervous system, massive bleeding from holes in the heart or major blood vessels of the torso causing circulatory collapse is the only other way to force incapacitation upon an adversary, and this takes time. For example, there is sufficient oxygen within the brain to support frill, voluntary action for 10-15 seconds after the heart has been destroyed.28
In fact, physiological factors may actually play a relatively minor role in achieving rapid incapacitation. Barring central nervous system hits, there is no physiological reason for an individual to be incapacitated by even a fatal wound, until blood loss is sufficient to drop blood pressure and/or the brain is deprived of oxygen. The effects of pain, which could contribute greatly to incapacitation, are commonly delayed in the aftermath of serious injury such as a gunshot wound. The body engages survival patterns, the well known "fight or flight" syndrome. Pain is irrelevant to survival and is commonly suppressed until some time later. In order to be a factor, pain must first be perceived, and second must cause an emotional response. In many individuals, pain is ignored even when perceived, or the response is anger and increased resistance, not surrender.
Psychological factors are probably the most important relative to achieving rapid incapacitation from a gunshot wound to the torso. Awareness of the injury (often delayed by the suppression of pain); fear of injury, death, blood, or pain; intimidation by the weapon or the act of being shot; preconceived notions of what people do when they are shot; or the simple desire to quit can all lead to rapid incapacitation even from minor wounds. However, psychological factors are also the primary cause of incapacitation failures.
The individual may be unaware of the wound and thus has no stimuli to force a reaction. Strong will, survival instinct, or sheer emotion such as rage or hate can keep a grievously injured individual fighting, as is common on the battlefield and in the street. The effects of chemicals can be powerful stimuli preventing incapacitation. Adrenaline alone can be sufficient to keep a mortally wounded adversary functioning. Stimulants, anesthetics, pain killers, or tranquilizers can all prevent incapacitation by suppressing pain, awareness of the injury, or eliminating any concerns over the injury. Drugs such as cocaine, PCP, and heroin are disassociating in nature. One of their effects is that the individual "exists" outside of his body. He sees and experiences what happens to his body, but as an outside observer who can be unaffected by it yet continue to use the body as a tool for fighting or resisting.
When discussing Handgun caliber with my father, a Marine combat veteran and former police officer, he said this "A hit with a .25 caliber beats a miss with a .45 caliber every day of the week." I often wondered why my father carried a .25 caliber semi auto for a Back Up Gun (BUG).
His explanation was so simple it made perfect sense… at least to me. "If I am in a fight for my gun with a Bad Guy - at this point by the way I am in a fight for my life - and for what ever reason I can't use my primary handgun i.e.; out of ammunition, malfunction, or I am laying on top of it for weapons retention in a fight, I can pull that .25 caliber out of my pocket or vest carrier. And when I point it at the eye socket, nostril, opening of the ear canal, open mouth and pull the trigger the bullet will go in and not come out. End of fight.
So when we are in a gunfight it is not the size of the handgun or the size of the bullet. "It is knowing where to place hits that will stop the threat."
And when I asked about why a 9mm he said it's all about magazine capacity.
A Glock 17 9mm can hold 20 rounds - 19 in the magazine (with a +2 floor plate) and one in the pipe. We all know the average number of rounds fired in a gunfight is 10 and that Law Enforcement has an 80% MISS rate meaning 2 in 10 rounds hit the subject so, as my dad put it, I just doubled my odds in a gunfight if I can shoot to stop the threat at the Head & Spine. 20 rounds = 4 hits instead of 2.
However let's not forget in order to prevail in a real world "Gun Fight" we need:
1. Combat Mindset
2. Tactics (use of cover & concealment & handgun presentation & Reloading)
3. Training ( Combat Marksmanship & Learn to Shoot, Move & Communicate)
"In a real world environment or at QCB distances of 3 feet or contact distance"
27 Wound Ballistic Workshop: "9mm vs. .45 Auto", FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1987. Conclusion of the Workshop.
28 Wound Ballistic Workshop: "9mm vs. .45 Auto", FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1987. Conclusion of the Workshop.
The information for this article came from: Special Agent UREY W. PATRICK
Firearms Training UMT FBI ACADEMY QUANTICO, Virginia July 14, 1989
Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness
Thomas A. Perroni Sr. & Frank Borelli also contributed to this article.
Tom Perroni is the owner, President and Chief Instructor of Perroni's
Tactical Training Academy. Pulling on a five-year law enforcement
operational background, Tom has spent the last fifteen years delivering
training to government, military, law enforcement and private security
companies. Tom is also the lead contract instructor trainer for the
Virginia Dept. of Criminal Justice Services, responsible for vetting private
security trainers approved by DCJS. Tom is also a Contract Instructor for
Blackwater Training Center. Tom appreciates feedback and can be reached
through the Contact page on his company website at
http://www.perronitactical.com.
Have a friend who you're arguing about stopping-power with? Show them the facts!Click below to email this article to their computer!!
Gun and Gear Review
Here we go! My favorite part of every "Tip of the Week". This is where we get to look at some neat and interesting guns and gear.
Have you guys ever planned on continuing your Tactical LED Series, but didn't quite have the next review ready yet, and rather than give an incomplete review, you'd rather just postpone it another week? If you have, then you know where I'm coming from this week! So instead of reading about another LED, I'm going to show you a really cool holster I picked up a few weeks ago!
If I pointed my car south and drove for a solid day, I'd probably end up down near Edgewater Florida, where a guy who goes by the name of 'Guru' hand crafts pocket holsters. And let me tell you, these things are nice.
As you see, the basic idea of the thing, is a holster screwed to a leather plate that serves two purposes: 1) To fill your pocket and keep the gun upright and in place, and 2) To change the print of the pistol from "...GUN..." to "...WALLET..." or "...DAY PLANNER...".
As far as quality goes, a quick examination tells you that whoever makes these things really knows what they are doing. And that is without going to their website, (www.pocketholsters.com), which shows Guru making these thing, step by step (click here to see), and also points out that he has been leather crafting for over 40 years. It definitely shows: My GLOCK 26 fits perfectly- it's an effortless draw, but I can also turn the thing upside down and shake it, and my heavy GLOCK 26 and full magazine stay in place. It's 100% glossy leather, and is just beautiful.
Guru recommends that the holster is worn in place of your wallet- your strong side back pocket, and he's got some awesome videos showing how to draw and carry HERE. BUT- on his website he does warn that the baby-GLOCKs are a little big for this purpose. I actually have some shorts that I could still get away with wearing it there, but he recommends it mostly for large cargo pants pockets and so on. But I can definitely see how this holster setup would be ideal for a small pocket gun.
In all, I'd say that they are definitely worth checking out if you think you'd like to carry with this arrangement. Here's the contact info:
Know somebody who would like to hear about this holster?Click below to email this Gear Review to them!
USCCA Forum Highlights
Every Deluxe Member has complete access to the USCCA forum, which is constantly being accessed by members sharing information, knowledge, insight, and fun. With over seventeen-thousand posts and growing by the hour, this is one heck of a valuable resource!
Self Defense Ammunition Type
Can anyone direct me to a thread, article, or review on Self Defense ammunition? I'm specifically interested in .40 for my Walther P99...
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the wealth of knowledge and wisdom available on the USCCA forum. I swear we've got some of the best minds in the country in our community- all we're missing is YOU!
Quote of the Week
Sometimes a good quote will inspire or motivate you. Sometimes, they'll just put a smile on your face! Here is the quote for this week...
"The citizens of the U.S. are responsible for the greatest trust ever confided to a political society"
~James Madison
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I hope you've enjoyed this edition of the USCCA weekly newsletter! Have a good weekend, and get those Independence Day plans hammered out if you haven't already!
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