I believe that William Butler Hickok advised "take your time aiming, fast". Since he was the original 19th Century Shootist, I'd heed that advice. Taking careful aim makes you lethal.
Out of nine shots, if you miss the first body shot (7yd) in each round you should get your eyes checked, and maybe sell your pistol.
If you center punch the body and knock over the head plate without fail, you are a decent pistol shot.
If you hit the plate and seldom miss the 12yd head plate you are a GOOD pistol shot, with both hands at least. Some days I am, some days I ain't.
The drill begins with sights aligned at the base of TGT 1. You have a three-quarters of a second from the time the head plate rises to fire the first two shots. That ain't very long.
Last edited by Take_a_knee; 01/16/14. Reason: spellin
Suppressive fire has it's place. If it saves a life. Especially your own!
Killing someone isn't kill like killing a deer. I'd only do if necessary. If your unharmed and the perp escapes then it's a police responsibility to arrest them. And your not going before a Coroners Grand Jury to explain your actions. Or dealing with being sued by the perps family.
Suppressive fire has it's place. If it saves a life. Especially your own!
Suppressive fire is a waste of ammunition. That is, unless it is belt-fed, bipod supported, with a guncrew humping PLENTY of ammo.
I disabused some SOF types of this wive's tail on the range a couple of years ago. They wanted to do the classic "Aussie Peelback" that all of us KNEW was the best way to break contact, back in the day.
No problem, we had frangible ammo so we had them start the drill at 25yd with freshly painted steel torsos on the line. They started the drill and the 12 of 'em fired close to a thousand rounds through their M4's peeling back to 100yd. Not ONE HIT on any piece of stationary steel. Not one.
Suppressive fire has it's place. If it saves a life. Especially your own!
Suppressive fire is a waste of ammunition. That is, unless it is belt-fed, bipod supported, with a guncrew humping PLENTY of ammo.
I disabused some SOF types of this wive's tail on the range a couple of years ago. They wanted to do the classic "Aussie Peelback" that all of us KNEW was the best way to break contact, back in the day.
No problem, we had frangible ammo so we had them start the drill at 25yd with freshly painted steel torsos on the line. They started the drill and the 12 of 'em fired close to a thousand rounds through their M4's peeling back to 100yd. Not ONE HIT on any piece of stationary steel. Not one.
While I agree a hit is far better than a miss, I don't totally discount the idea of suppressive fire either, although I wouldn't recommend emptying the magazine with it, either.
It may disrupt the threat enough to allow you to get to cover safely or otherwise keep you safe momentarily.
Granted, given a one-on-one situation a detemintative first shot is better.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.