Gun Runnerz
Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2013
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- 16
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Why do we shoot center mass?
Like a lot of you I grew up shooting. Every instructor I came across taught me to aim for the center of the target. There are a lot of new shooters out there that may wonder why we aim for the chest. This is in no way meant to encompass all of the reasons behind our training. I hope to give a general overview on the subject.
Shooting to incapacitate
In a self defense situation in which deadly force is authorized, the defender is shooting to incapacitate his attacker. According to the "FBI Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness" Immediate incapacitation is "the sudden physical or mental inability to pose any further risk or injury to others". In other words if you take away a person's physical ability or mental will to fight, they have been incapacitated.
What is the fastest way to incapacitate an attacker?
There are several ways to incapacitate an attacker, but the fastest way is to disrupt the Central Nervous System (CNS). The CNS is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. It controls the body's motor functions among many other things. This system is also incredibly sensitive. Damage to the CNS will more than likely incapacitate an attacker regardless of their will power to continue the fight (Handgun Wounding Factors 6).
Why not aim for the head?
At this point you may be wondering why we do not aim for the brain. If damaging the CNS is the fastest way to stop an attacker shouldn't we aim for the largest portion? Logic says yes, but the answer is no.
We don't aim for the brain because it is both highly mobile and protected by the skull. If you take a look at (Spider man ballin it up:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7D-67xqwYE) you can see that with every movement, his head twists and bobs. On the other hand his torso stays somewhat stationary allowing for a much easier shot. Although the skull provides inadequate protection from bullets, it is still an obstacle that can potentially deflect rounds. As the skulls turns it can produce shallow angles that might protect the brain. This is makes the brain unappealing as a realistic target.
We aim for the chest because as humans we are not perfect. The CNS is a small target that the average shooter will miss under stress. Instead we aim for the chest, because it is much larger and gives us an opportunity to miss our mark but still damage the attacker. A stray round that is placed in the chest of an attacker can still deal an incapacitating blow. Luckily the chest is full of vital organs to destroy. A bullet that is just a few inches off target can strike the heart, lungs, liver, or other systems that are vital to bodily function.
Other advantages of aiming center mass?
There are many other advantages to aiming center mass. Under stress the defending shooter may flinch. By aiming center mass he allows himself a good amount of vertical leeway. A few inches high and his round strikes the brain, a few inches low and it damages the pelvis. In either case his "missed" shot is still effective.
By training to aim for center mass, we reinforce a natural defensive instinct. When faced with a life threatening situation, it is natural to focus directly on the perceived threat. In most instances this threat is represented by a knife, gun or other weapon. Most attackers will hold that weapon near their center mass. Training to aim for center mass will help the defender maintain visual contact on the weapon while dealing with the attacker.
Finally, we aim for the chest because it is the most universal way to stop an attacker of any kind. Defensive shootings are not limited to human attackers. Dogs, bears, and other potential attackers hold most of their vital organs in their center mass regions. By training to aim for center mass we are training to deal with all possible threats.
Why do we shoot center mass?
Like a lot of you I grew up shooting. Every instructor I came across taught me to aim for the center of the target. There are a lot of new shooters out there that may wonder why we aim for the chest. This is in no way meant to encompass all of the reasons behind our training. I hope to give a general overview on the subject.
Shooting to incapacitate
In a self defense situation in which deadly force is authorized, the defender is shooting to incapacitate his attacker. According to the "FBI Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness" Immediate incapacitation is "the sudden physical or mental inability to pose any further risk or injury to others". In other words if you take away a person's physical ability or mental will to fight, they have been incapacitated.
What is the fastest way to incapacitate an attacker?
There are several ways to incapacitate an attacker, but the fastest way is to disrupt the Central Nervous System (CNS). The CNS is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. It controls the body's motor functions among many other things. This system is also incredibly sensitive. Damage to the CNS will more than likely incapacitate an attacker regardless of their will power to continue the fight (Handgun Wounding Factors 6).
Why not aim for the head?
At this point you may be wondering why we do not aim for the brain. If damaging the CNS is the fastest way to stop an attacker shouldn't we aim for the largest portion? Logic says yes, but the answer is no.
We don't aim for the brain because it is both highly mobile and protected by the skull. If you take a look at (Spider man ballin it up:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7D-67xqwYE) you can see that with every movement, his head twists and bobs. On the other hand his torso stays somewhat stationary allowing for a much easier shot. Although the skull provides inadequate protection from bullets, it is still an obstacle that can potentially deflect rounds. As the skulls turns it can produce shallow angles that might protect the brain. This is makes the brain unappealing as a realistic target.
We aim for the chest because as humans we are not perfect. The CNS is a small target that the average shooter will miss under stress. Instead we aim for the chest, because it is much larger and gives us an opportunity to miss our mark but still damage the attacker. A stray round that is placed in the chest of an attacker can still deal an incapacitating blow. Luckily the chest is full of vital organs to destroy. A bullet that is just a few inches off target can strike the heart, lungs, liver, or other systems that are vital to bodily function.
Other advantages of aiming center mass?
There are many other advantages to aiming center mass. Under stress the defending shooter may flinch. By aiming center mass he allows himself a good amount of vertical leeway. A few inches high and his round strikes the brain, a few inches low and it damages the pelvis. In either case his "missed" shot is still effective.
By training to aim for center mass, we reinforce a natural defensive instinct. When faced with a life threatening situation, it is natural to focus directly on the perceived threat. In most instances this threat is represented by a knife, gun or other weapon. Most attackers will hold that weapon near their center mass. Training to aim for center mass will help the defender maintain visual contact on the weapon while dealing with the attacker.
Finally, we aim for the chest because it is the most universal way to stop an attacker of any kind. Defensive shootings are not limited to human attackers. Dogs, bears, and other potential attackers hold most of their vital organs in their center mass regions. By training to aim for center mass we are training to deal with all possible threats.