In this article we are going to visit “failure to stop drills”. After the recent shootings in Aurora, CO., I feel this drill must be discussed and practiced. What we saw in Aurora was a determined criminal bent on inflicting as many casualties as possible. When I say “determined,” it is not the average criminal that goes to the extent to create a diversion to reduce the local authorities’ responsiveness to the crime he is committing while law enforcement is responding to the diversion. He was wearing ballistic resistant protection; it shows his intent was to inflict as many casualties as possible; even if he encountered resistance from law enforcement or other person(s) legally carrying a concealed pistol.
When looking at this incident, I realize the situation was one of low light, where identification of the threat is an important issue. What I would recommend looking for in a defensive light is a minimum output of 90 lumens. There are numerous tactical and defensive lights on the market that will fill this role.
When on duty as a law enforcement officer, I carry a Streamlight TL3 with the Xenon bulb producing a blinding 211 Lumens. This light has a twin which is attached to my AR15 Carbine. In addition I also carry a back up light, Streamlight PT Professional Carry 2L with the following features: 18 lumen navigation light, 180 maximum output lumen, and strobe function. The Streamlight PT Professional Carry 2L is also the light I carry when I am off duty as part of my CCW gear.
Anyone who has a “CCW permit” and carries their pistol for personal defense, it is my recommendation they carry a light and attend a training course for low light shooting course from a Firearms Instructor.
As I write this article I realize the concealed carry laws vary widely from state to state. In some states there aren’t requirements to attend training as part of obtaining a concealed carry permit. For this reason I would like to list the two times you could be morally justified in using deadly force. For the purposes of this article these are the only two times I will address.
1st “To prevent death or great bodily injury to your self.”
2nd “To prevent death or great bodily injury to another third party.”
For you to be morally justified in using deadly force you must be able to answer yes to the following questions:
1. Does the perpetrator have the ABILITY to cause death or great bodily injury?
2. Does the perpetrator have the OPPORTUNITY to use his ability to cause death or great bodily injury?
3. Once the perpetrator has the ABILITY and OPPORTUNITY, do they then make substantial steps towards using them, and actually place some someone in JEOPARDY of experiencing death or great bodily injury?
If the answer to any of these questions is NO, then you are probably not justified in using deadly force.
Failure to Stop Drills
“Failure to Stop Drills” also as known as “Body Armor drills”, are designed to teach the shooter to direct their shots at alternative target area(s) in the event that shots fired at center mass fail to stop the assailant. The most common alternatives are not normally covered by body armor, such as the head and pelvic area. The drill we are going to talk about is the “The Mozambique Drill” developed by Col. Jeff Cooper. The second stage of fire is a modified version of The Mozambique Drill.
The very nature of this drill requires the shooter to use their Close Quarters Precision Shooting skills. The typical ranges for this skill are typically 1 yard out to 25 yards.
This training drill is set up to be done without a time limit. The outlined drill requires a minimum of 21 rounds. If a shooter wants to use a stop watch or shot timer to gauge their own speeds this could be done, but is not required. The target I suggest using is a full size silhouette.
Points to remember when practicing:
- Start out slow, speed will come with time and practice.
- Concentrate on forming a good grip on your pistol each time.
- Practice your draw stroke the same way each time
- Practice using your “Close Quarters Precision Shooting” skills.
- Practice movements prior to live fire exercises with a training pistol or dummy gun.
“The Mozambique Drill”
Stage 1
1st string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 3 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of head.
2nd string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 5 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of head.
3rd string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 7 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of head.
Stage 2
1st string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 3 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of pelvis, Evaluate if the target is still a threat, fire one round to center mass of head if the target is still a threat.
2nd string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 5 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of pelvis, Evaluate if the target is still a threat, fire one round to center mass of head if the target is still a threat.
3rd string – Starting position for the shooter will be on the 7 yard line facing the target, on the signal the shooter will draw from concealment, engaging the target with two rounds center mass, and one round to center mass of pelvis, Evaluate if the target is still a threat, fire one round to center mass of head if the target is still a threat.
Disclaimer:
Nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice, as I am not an attorney and it is impossible for me to be an expert on every state’s specific law’s on the use deadly force. For this reason, if you have any questions on the use of deadly force in your state, please consult with the government body who issued your concealed carry permit, and or an attorney who specializes in the use of deadly force laws for your specific state. If none of these are available to you I suggest contacting a professional firearms instructor and attending training to get your questions answered.
It is important to remember shooting drills with movement can be dangerous. If you have doubts about your physical capabilities or shooting skill levels, and you want to integrate movement into a shooting drill, I recommend you seek out an instructor for professional training before attempting any shooting drill with movement on your own.
Shooters who choose to practice this drill are encouraged to check with their local range rules to ensure this drill does not violate any of their local range rules. Shooters who choose to practice this drill assume all liability for any injuries that could occur during this concealed carry drill.
View the other articles in this series:
Concealed Carry Drill Part Two
Point Shooting & Concealed Carry Drills
