KEEP CALM - AND SHOOT THEM IN THE FACE

1) Human beings are bigger and stronger today than at any other time in history due to advanced nutrition, the social prevalence of weight lifting and the popularity of contact and martial sports. Any casual perusal of military museums will reveal that the average male was much smaller as close as a couple of generations ago.

2) The prevalence of tactical pharmacology, both legal and illegal is far more common and refined today than in the past. Substances from methamphetamines and cocaine to excessive HGH and similar substances give rise to mental attitudes of invincibility.

3) Proliferation of body armor. While ammunition has progressed dramatically in the last decade, so has the availability of protection from that ammunition. Today the technology of body armor has developed to the point that even an assault rifle may be defeated. Armor has always been common, and even back in 1991, one of my gunfights involved armored suspects.

4) Finally, the reality of today shows that the adversary might be a Jihadist, or other terrorist, and not just the uneducated urban sloth seeking to take your watch at point of stolen pistol. At the time of this writing, ISIS is exhorting its followers around the world to carry the jihad to every western shore. As well, any cursory study of Active Shooter events around the nation reveals that in a great percentage, there are explosives on or near the terrorist, ready to be detonated when capture or defeat is at hand.

Group all of those elements and the only valid conclusion and solution is to get really good at proactive head shots. Outside of the Special Operations and SWAT worlds, the head shot has been relegated as an airbag method, only to be used when the initial body shots were inadequate to stop the threat. In the minds of those who teach that way, the head shot is defensible under those circumstances, but not otherwise. And even then, these paragons of tactical liability awareness will suggest shots to the pelvic structure as a more desirable solution. 

Well, regardless of who these proponents are, or what their credentials are (or lack thereof) – they are wrong.  Here is why.

A) In the case of items #2, 3, and 4 above, preliminary body shots will not solve the problem. Sure, if you are set upon unexpectedly and must react suddenly, the burst to the chest is the best default as it is faster, and easily placed at close ranges regardless of the level of shooting skills. But if you have prior understanding and information of altered mental states, armor, or it is evident that the scene unfolding before you is Active Shooter-based, or Jihad-motivated, trying to shoot them in the politically-correct chest is foolish, and may cost you your life.

B) Insofar as the Pelvic Girdle Shots go, it does not take a degree in medicine to realize that the pelvic bone is not connected to the hands, nor the brain, and that a pelvic shot – even if successful – will not stop a terrorist from continuing to fire, or setting off an explosive.

Medical explanation: The pelvis is a ring structure. It is exceedingly strong and people with broken pelvises in car accidents have in fact been ambulatory immediately afterwards.  In order to break and destabilize the pelvis, it must be broken in two places. Those places are near where the two pockets would be in a man wearing Levis. They are far smaller than the area suggested for a brain shot. So a proponent of the pelvic shot wants you to hit not one, but two targets that are smaller and harder to hit than the head shot’s highest value area…and two targets that will prevent neither return gunfire nor explosives detonation. Stupid idea, do not take such advice.

Solution? Simple – shoot them in the face. If you shoot most creatures on earth in the face, they will tend to stand down from the fight. I am even aware of a case where a man brought down a bear with a magazine full of .40 S&W. Imagine that. Surely a human will require less.

Like any target discussion, we have a tiered system for desirable placement. In the best case, shoot them in the eyes. A skilled marksman, with an accurate and modern weapon can make eyeball shots at room distances of ten to fifteen feet. The way to a terrorist’s brain is right through the eyes. If you are an overachiever, go for the tear duct.

Next best placement area is bordered thus: eyebrows to moustache and inside the outer corners of the eyes. This is the “face” proper and an easy area to penetrate through into the brain. It is also much larger than the internal-affairs-approved pelvic shot.

The objective of the shot is flaccid paralysis. This is a common result when the bullet enters the "best target zone" in a terrorist's face. When the bullet enters thus, it tends to strike the medulla oblongata causing flaccid paralysis. The subject is incapacitated instantaneously preventing involuntary muscle contraction that may pull the trigger or detonate an explosive device.

Expanding from there is the head proper. Some will eschew anything outside the last targeted zone, and truly that will yield the greatest return on investment. However, let’s consider the following.

It is easy to knock someone into unconsciousness by hitting them on the forehead with a baton or a heavy metal flashlight. A boxer or MMA fighter can knock someone out with a punch to the jaw or mouth. Are we to assume that a punch to the mouth will have a solid effect, but that the 9mm or 40 round will simply be ignored? As well, anyone who has ever been punched in the throat will verify that a throat punch is not anything to be scoffed at.

So the extended target area extends from the eyebrows, down to the base of the throat, or the suprasternal notch. So we are looking at a roughly 8” X 4” box we can throw lead into.  To give a better idea take a standard 8.5x11 piece of paper and fold it in half. That is about it. This is much easier to hit than the lawyer-fearing pundits would think, and easier to turn someone off most Riki-tik.

So practice your face shots boys and girls, and as your skill grows, make the face shot the default proactive response (saving the easy body shots for unexpected close range fights). The face shot is not only defensible in today’s world, but it may be the only real solution you have available.

Next time we will discuss dealing with the apparently downed adversary. Just when do you stop shooting? It is surprisingly easy to fire accurate face shots on a terrorist or active shooter that is on his back attempting to detonate an IED.

Comments

[Chris]

If lethal force is permitted, and you are behind the target, aim for the spine just below the skull. It was the Soviet method of executing prisoners and likely to provide a one shot stop against a terrorist.

[Carman]

Gabe,

After reading your article I agree with your assessment on all points except number 1.

Yes, the average ancient person was perhaps smaller but not weaker. Obviously nutrients play a big role in this, as you've mentioned, but typically the strongest, toughest individual in the past (just as today) wasn't the "average". The best hunters, warriors, etc. typical got the biggest, bloodiest cuts of meat, as it should be. As such their nutritional profile was superior to our own. Real food, real vitamins/minerals. Recent studies have even shown a decrease in the nutritional value of some fruits and vegetables. More than likely caused from pesticides, chemicals, and GMOs. Not that I'm complaining of having easily accessible food sources but its the result of a massive human population that can't be supported on traditional agriculture techniques anymore.

If we're talking specifically primitive man (Neolithic) then the average person was almost guaranteed to be in better shape than the average westerner today. If you couldn't pull your weight then you got the smallest scraps, were too weak to mate, and died off shortly after from disease or a real predator. Nowadays it's your choice to be strong...or not. Unless you have a manually intense job which even then isn't always an indicator of fitness. There's plenty of people who are first responders, law enforcement agents and/or armed service persons who are woefully undertrained.

If you meant a bit more recent like the ancient days of Rome or the dark days of medieval Europe then yes, the average (there's that word again) person was probably malnourished and weak. But that's the result of living under imperial rule, monarchy and not being part of the upper echelon. However the professional warrior classes, like the legionnaires or knights, were very strong and when not in battle typically well fed because they were the ones that emperors and kings relied on to keep their position.

Sorry if I come off as trying to nitpick this to death. That's not my intentions. I'm just short, stocky, hairy and proud of my Neanderthal roots (yeah, I'm aware modern man didn't evolve from Neanderthals but they almost certainly interbred. We may even have some living proof with the Basque people's). I'm only making it evident that while statistical averages are useful for gathering big data it's not always appropriate in assessing more detailed intel. Not to be that guy but who would seem more of a threat: the modern day Army grunt who chooses not to do any additional physical training and just does his daily (if that) company PT of runs and rucks with the occasional pull-ups and push-ups OR the 11th century crusader who's walking around the "holy" lands in up to 100lbs or more of armour, swinging a 5lbs sword all day long (way harder than it sounds) then drowns himself in beer and red meat?

Ok, I'm done ranting. Awesome post regardless Gabe and timley. People need to learn to be more aggressive in everything they do. Or not. Makes it easier for me to keep them in line when the time comes, haha.

[Gerald Ulrich]

Couldn't agree more! Expanding,... keep shooting until you have the desired results. Don't stop until the adversary is really down and out, and then reload. Should always carry extra ammo.

[Steve Raher]

A bad guy might have an explosive vest connected to a cell phone, so an accomplice could detonate it after the BG is dead. After he's neutralized, clear the room! Fast!

[Paul]

Interesting article, and the information on flacid paralysis was new to me... of course I was aware a CNS hit is best but I did not understand why the face was best.

Interesting comments on why the hip girdle is not the best target. Makes sense. Also I really do not want to take a bet that a 9mm HST would break those big bones!

My only thought is (and it depends how likely you think they have a bomb I think) maybe the backstop would dictate you attack the hips instead of the head sometimes. I don't have any credentials ... but I do agree with the article just to be clear...

I also try to carry bullets that penetrate well to increase the chance a chest shot will reach the spone.

[PEACE_KEEPER]

Actually the adversary's head may be well be the only available target for us to shoot. Even when he is not actively seeking cover, there are a lot of objects and structures, such as parked vehicles or low walls, that will obscure his body. If he is not a suicidal jerk, he will use cover but will still be obliged to present his head and shoulders in order to engage us. So Gabe is right, though he is too polite with under-achievers. If someone is carrying a firearm but does not fully understand what to do with, he is more of a threat to himself and more of a menace for the general public.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr]

Great article and good advice and replies!

I was told the old Darby's Rangers would shoot a person 3 times...in the stomach, chest and mouth to dispatch a person. With body armor, I guess you would go for above the penis and in the head if the body armor allows it.

If all you have is a little 22, a shot in the ear or eye should do the job or at least get it started. But here is the deal...hitting the head or certain spots can be tough when fast shooting and nervous. Calmness is the key.

If someone has you in a choke hold on the ground, and you got a snub, go for a contact shot. Inject all the hot gas in them as well as a bullet. The gas can do a lot of extra damage. Might as well if just an inch or two away. An auto is iffy for contact shots if it is out of battery it wont fire.

Of course, the best bet is to avoid trouble. Once you pull the trigger your trouble isn't over... is just starting. Legal, family vendetta, etc. But in our decomposing world, trouble and crazy people are going to be more and more of a problem. America is not Mayberry any longer.

BTW, we can all be glad that people are not as tough as raccoons. I've killed tons of coons and have never killed a coon quickly with a single 22. I use a suppressor with 22 standard velo rounds as I'm in an semi-urban area with nosy neighbors. But it always takes 3 to 5 shots to kill them quick. I've shot them everywhere ear, eye, head, body...they are tough as hell. 22 Stingers HP work better, but are noticeably louder, even suppressed. They even start to pull the welded wire cages apart. Given enuf time and teeth they will break out!

Here is a quote form an old mentor of mine...Jeff Cooper on consideration. (Quote condensed)

"Anyone who willfully and maliciously attacks another without sufficient cause deserves no consideration. We are fully justified in valuing the life and person of the intended victim more highly than the life of the pernicious assailant. The attacked must be stopped - at once and completely. An armed man is dangerous as long as he is conscious. Take no chances - put him out. When your life is in danger and under lethal attack don't be kind - Be harsh - Be tough - Be ruthless.'

BTW #2 ...good luck keeping your guns after the dems take control. The NRA had better wake up...buying politicians wont work much longer. NRA better morph into the 'The National Militia and Rifle Association' Without organized effort at resistance, kiss you black guns goodbye. Once the black guns are gone, you have lost your most effective tool to fight tyranny. The gun grabbers will then will go down the line confiscating all classes of guns and nothing you can say or do about it.