SELF DEFENSE ISSUES
Commenting on self defense issues is difficult because, and this is just one example: Two bullets, from two cartridges, from the same box, fired from as close to identical guns as we can find, hitting two people, from the same range, of comparable size, health and attitude, do not always yield the same result.
There are so few absolutes that we must, of necessity, use a great many qualifying words to try to explain what happens when a bullet hits a human being.
Bottom line. None of us knows it all. There are exceptions, on record, for almost everything when it come to what happens when a bullet hits a person. All we can do is try to share what we know, based on our personal experiences, and let it go at that.
Personally, I believe in bullet placement, in fact, at one time, I all but preached it, but I have also come to understand that a great many, maybe, even, most folks, including trained professionals, when involved in a real life shooting incident, tend to:
1) Experience an increased heart rate.
2) Experience an increase in their normal breathing pattern.
3) Begin to sweat, especially their hands and around their eyes, sometimes to such an extent that it interferes with their vision.
4) Shoot faster, or slower, and, either way, less accurately than they typically do in training or practice scenarios at the range.
5) Shoot at what, to them, looks biggest, usually the torso of their attacker.
There are exceptions. But few humans are calm, cool, collected and comfortable when it comes to shooting other humans.
Don't get me wrong, I still believe in bullet placement. But, we also have to deal with reality. Some calibers, cartridges and bullets, if you research shooting incident records, where humans have been killed, do yield better results than others.
Evan Marshall, for example, writes about one shot stops and puts a percentage on them based on real life one shot to the torso shooting incidents that are supported by law enforcement after action shooting incident reports and medical reports, including autopsy results. He reports his findings by caliber, cartridge and bullet. His critics, and there are many, led by Dr Fackler, both are available on the internet, question his:
1) Definition of what constitutes a one shot stop.
2) Data gathering.
3 Math.
Etc and etc. Best you read this stuff on the internet for yourself so you can make up your own mind.
I often cite Marshall because he is the only one out there, that I know of, along with Fackler, who is giving us this type of information. And, my thinking, right or wrong, is that some data is better than no data since it at least gives us something to go on.
What human related shooting statistics really tells us, mostly, is that humans, more often than not, miss when they try to shoot other humans. One shot one kill is not a reality for most human shooters.
Relatively few who were in military service wore the combat infantry man's badge, if they still have such a thing, and all of those who do wear one have not shot and killed another human being. Same with law enforcement. Some never, of necessity, draw their gun. Relatively few, of necessity, shoot their guns, except in training and practice sessions. Fewer yet have shot and killed another human being as a part of their job. Our society has produced a whole lot more folks who have never even fired a gun than those who have actually shot and killed someone with a gun. Especially up close. So, self defense is something that does not come naturally to all of us and good information is at a premium.
Opinions which are not based on actual experience abound. I once asked a man who wrote extensively about self defense if he had:
1) Ever been physically, no weapons involved, attacked.
2) Ever physically hurt, no weapons involved, another human being.
3) Ever been shot at.
4) Ever returned fire.
5) Ever been shot.
6) Ever shot anyone.
7) Ever been attacked with a knife or other hand held weapon.
8) Ever been stabbed or hurt with a hand held weapon.
9) Ever used, not showed, but used, a hand held weapon of any kind to hurt another human being.
His answers to all 9 of my questions was no. Instant, to me, loss of credibility.
I prefer, personally, when it comes to self defense, since I can answer yes to all but one of those same 9 questions, to learn from those who have been to see the elephant. And, more importantly, survived the journey through something more than just dumb luck.
So, all we can do, again, is share what we know and hope that it helps those with less experience make, at least, somewhat informed decisions when it comes to planning for their self defense needs. I realize that not everyone lives in a place or has the resources to do their own testing when it comes to bullets, cartridges and guns. Those of us that do, I think, then have an obligation not to write propaganda or pitch any one combination so much as to write what we know while understanding that what works for us might not work for all.
Quick example: If you, personally, love a 44 magnum double action revolver with target grips please don't expect that all of us are going to be able to shoot it as well as you can. Why? Different ages and different body types mean different hand size, hand strength, tolerance for recoil, eyesight, etc and etc.
Our goal here, I think, as writers, who, I hope, know what we are writing about, should be to inform more than influence.
There is no one magic gun, caliber or bullet. Nor need there be. We are blessed with a variety of choices. So, let's leave it at this: Your life. Your choice. Period.
CJ
PS - If you liked this post, you might also enjoy reading SELF DEFENSE AND SHOTGUNS over in the Shotguns section of this web site.
Edited by cjishere2