"Shoot To Wound" Advocates Watch Too Much TV

[ronwill]

A good opinion article on why "shoot to wound" is not a viable choice. "Shoot to stop" is the idea when it comes to lethal force.

Seattle Gun Rights Examiner: ?Shoot to wound? advocates have watched too much television

[FN1910]

I was attending a neighborhood watch meeting being led by a LEO many years ago. He was discussing shooting someone breaking into youe homw and one lady asked "What if you just shoot ti wond them". The LEO immedaitely told the lady to sell her gun because if she had an attitude that she could only shoot to wound she should never have a gun. Never shoot just to wound. If you can't shoot and expect that the BG will probably die then you shouldn't shoot at all.

Shoot as if you are killing but you can hope they somehow survive, but stop the threat.

[American ME!]

Two shots center mass. The dead tell no tales.

[festus]

You want to STOP the violence...
You want to STOP the attack...
You want to STOP the rape...
You want to STOP the bad guy

You aren't aiming to maim, wound or "get his attention"...

YOU ARE THERE TO STOP THE BAD GUY...Nothing Else...NO MORE...NO LESS

[KimberPB]

A wounded attacker is still an attacker......

+1 festus. You're not shooting to kill. You're not shooting to wound. You're shooting to end a threat to you life. You shot and keep shooting till the attacker so no longer a threat.

[blacksharkL82]

Why?
You want to stop the BG, not wound or kill him/her, just stop them from harming you.
Read between the lines, on the dead guys face.

[2beararms]

I've seen the aftermath of quite a few LEO shootings and these by well trained officers who are expert at the range. But after the SHTF and four or five officers would fire 50-60 rounds often only four or five would actually hit the target.

You would have to be an amazingly cool expert level shooter to be able actually "shoot to wound". The whole point of shoot to kill is really SHOOT TO HIT and take what you get.

I've never actually shot anyone, but I know quite a few officers that have and the old "double tap to center mass" therory seems to go out the window when it is for real. It is more aim as best you can and empty the magazine.

Seem a person with a gun in their hand that says "I don't want to kill anyone" is actually saying "I want to die".

[tattedupboy]

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second. What exactly does shoot to stop mean? Can't it be argued that shoot to wound IS shooting to stop? Can somebody precisely define shoot to stop? Obviously, killing the perp is stopping him, but on more than one occasion, it is suggested that shoot to stop can also be done without killing. How?

[blacksharkL82]

Do you realy want the BG, to advance on you?
Stop, him/her, however you can.
Shoot to wound?
Never heard of it.
Maybe in the movies.
Stop his attempt to harm or kill you or your loved ones.
Base ball bat, gun, brute strenth, pepper spray, screams.
I don't/can't carry a BBB. I'm not strong, don't carry spray and my voice, wont scare anyone.
That leaves me my gun.
If I hit him/her, they will stop! Even for a moment. Then, I have a chance to l;eave or finish the job.
I, have taken human life. I've seen veteran cops, puke at the time of shooting a person.
I've seen Marines, do the same thing.
Some, never recover.
Would I kill again? Yes. To save me or my loved ones life. Not to protect my things.
There is a big differance in paper and flesh. Most will hesitate to shoot. They will lose.
If danger is eminante, run or fight, but fight to live!

[FN1910]

Originally Posted by tattedupboy

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second. What exactly does shoot to stop mean? Can't it be argued that shoot to wound IS shooting to stop? Can somebody precisely define shoot to stop? Obviously, killing the perp is stopping him, but on more than one occasion, it is suggested that shoot to stop can also be done without killing. How?

You raise a good question and I think that 2beararms has it correct. You put up a 12" target and aim for the center hoping that you actually hit the target. The two to the chest and one to the head is nice in practice but whne it happens can you do it. I doubt that many of us can no matter how much we practice. Aim for the largest target and hope you hit something. That is my thought. Can you hit a swinging arm or leg? Can you hit the tire on a car driving down the road with adrenalin pumping?

We aim for COM because that it the largest target, not because it is the most vunderable. Actually the head or eyesocket may be a better choice but COM is where we are most likely to hit the BG. At least that is my thought.

A good exercise is to watch a biathelon where they are snow skiing and ahve to stop and shoot. Ever hear them talk about how hard it is to control the rifle with their heat racing. Might be a good exercise to run 200 yards then stop and shoot. Would give us a good idea of what we would be facing if a BG comes in to rob us like the Pharmacist had happen.