How Many Shots is to much when using your gun in self defence?

[Sasquatchvnv]

Nevermind.

 

[gnarl]

This is a very informative thread; and the posted video links are well worth watching.
The decision to use lethal force is never one to be taken lightly; for good or bad it will
change one's life and that of other's on the deepest of levels.

 

[deen_ad]

Until there is no longer a threat against your life.

+1

 

[Misterbill]

I train, as do many others, to put two into the thoracic and reassess. In fact, two defensive rounds of any respectable caliber into the thoracic cavity will stop damn near anyone. For every exception to that I can point you to 100 police shootings where two did the job.

The reason I practice and train two, rather than more shots is two-fold.

First, two will generally do the job. Every extra round I put into someone beyond the second the threat ends is increasing my odds of legal trouble.
If I train shooting five rounds at a time, and do that every time I train, I will do it when the SHTF, even when the guy put up his hands after two and was screaming for mercy in front of ten witnesses.
This is exactly how the old Tap-Rack-Boom clearing method wound up killing an innocent a few years back. The cop who shot the innocent knew, even as he felt his finger squeeze the trigger, that he didn't want to shoot. But thousands of repetitions trumped the current reality.

Second, three and more very rapid rounds start having accuracy issues even with good shooters at any significant range. Look at the police reports where cops shoot 20 rounds at someone and hit with 5. that's because of their BS shoot three,five,or until you empty the gun, etc training that goes on.

****, the standard police failure drill is 3 to the chest and three to the head. I challenge 90% of trainers to make three rapid shots to a moving head-sized target under real-life adrenaline dump and not miss at least once!

If I put two into your chest and you are still actively threatening my life, I am taking a carefully aimed headshot.

Train like you plan to fight, because you will fight how you train. And yes, I've watched enough LEOs practice shooting as fast as they can pull the trigger, missing 20% of their shots at a stationary target under training conditions and thinking that's acceptable.

 

[Gunner3456]

You can easily put yourself in a position to help the investigation, not incriminate yourself, and keep your rights in check at the same time, with three helpful statements;

Who was involved; Tell the investigator(s) who was involved in the incident, and where they can be found;

Scope of the Incident; Where did it occur. Did it all happen in one place, or did it start at one place and finish somewhere else. If that's the case, show them the route taken;

Weapons Involved; What was used and where they can be found.

Stop there and seek the advice of an attorney who has the knowledge in the area of use of force issues. Your tendency will be to talk, resist it and save it for your privileged communication with your council of choice.

Keep it short and tell the truth, otherwise forensics will get you. The police are not your friends and their questions are not designed to help you.

 

[Gunner3456]

Don't even carry a gun if you can't hold your temper under stress. An example would be that you justifiably put a bad guy down, and then walk around after he's no longer a threat and put one in his brain because "he has it coming."

 

[DeanMk]

I train, as do many others, to put two into the thoracic and reassess. In fact, two defensive rounds of any respectable caliber into the thoracic cavity will stop damn near anyone. For every exception to that I can point you to 100 police shootings where two did the job.

The reason I practice and train two, rather than more shots is two-fold.

First, two will generally do the job. Every extra round I put into someone beyond the second the threat ends is increasing my odds of legal trouble.
If I train shooting five rounds at a time, and do that every time I train, I will do it when the SHTF, even when the guy put up his hands after two and was screaming for mercy in front of ten witnesses.
This is exactly how the old Tap-Rack-Boom clearing method wound up killing an innocent a few years back. The cop who shot the innocent knew, even as he felt his finger squeeze the trigger, that he didn't want to shoot. But thousands of repetitions trumped the current reality.

Second, three and more very rapid rounds start having accuracy issues even with good shooters at any significant range. Look at the police reports where cops shoot 20 rounds at someone and hit with 5. that's because of their BS shoot three,five,or until you empty the gun, etc training that goes on.

****, the standard police failure drill is 3 to the chest and three to the head. I challenge 90% of trainers to make three rapid shots to a moving head-sized target under real-life adrenaline dump and not miss at least once!

If I put two into your chest and you are still actively threatening my life, I am taking a carefully aimed headshot.

Train like you plan to fight, because you will fight how you train. And yes, I've watched enough LEOs practice shooting as fast as they can pull the trigger, missing 20% of their shots at a stationary target under training conditions and thinking that's acceptable.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

If the sight of a drawn gun stops the threat then one shot is too many. If one hundred and one shots fail to end the threat then they were too few.

 

[Caleqs]

Shoot till the threat has been dealt with completely and then stop shooting. Shoot them to the ground, make sure their not going to get back up and move on. Applied differently depending on number of attackers, etc., but that's my general rule.

 

[jordanvraptor]

When your bullets are actually starting to dismember your opponent, others might consider that excessive...

 

[Gunner3456]

When your bullets are actually starting to dismember your opponent, others might consider that excessive...

So I have to quit using those Raufoss Mk 211 exploding .50 BMG's?

 

[nmntz]

Exact reason i carry my 454 or 500 short barreled, Its only gonna take 1

Horrible story though, a friend of mine was getting ran off the road by a guy high on meth, he finally had to stop as the guy was trying to run him off a steep embankment, the guy got out and started to walk to the truck with a big rock, "he said he was going to kill him with the rock" my buddy put 1 in the guys chest with his 357. The guy died and they did rule in my friends favor but he was still in jail for 14 months of his families life and his. I hope there never is a time myself or any other of my friends have to use there permits.

 

[One-Eyed Ross]

How many is too many? One more than is enough to stop the threat. How do we know when that is? That is what the jury is for....

Seriously, I know that, even with all the times I shoot and train and train and shoot, the chances are fairly good that if I ever have to shoot I'll be one of those guys that keeps clicking on an empty revolver....or tries to figure out what happened to my pistol and why is won't shoot any more (slide is back)... This happens to policemen all the time, I've read, and to others, where the adrenaline takes over.

I know that what you DON'T want to do is reload, stand over the body and keep pumping rounds into it...that'll for sure get you into trouble...