Could you make this shot at 43 yards with your carry pistol?

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Trey Veston

Trey Veston

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There was a mass shooting in Tucson, AZ last Sunday in which an individual murdered a woman, set the house on fire, then shot the responding EMTs and firemen, killed a neighbor, and tried to kill several others.

Crazy story, but most probably have not heard of it since the POS was of a preferred status of the MSM and the preponderance of victims were first responders, which are frowned upon by the MSM.

That's about as non-political as I can make it for THR...

Anyhoo... The hero cop that ended the rampage did so after a high speed chase, crash, and then jumped out of his patrol car, and fired 5 rounds at the POS at a distance of 43 yards, striking him in the head, and ending the fight.

Pistol used was a S&W M&P9 2.0.

Analysis of the shooting is here...



Now, I am a good shot. I can get 2.5" groups at 25 yards, off-hand, with my carry gun.

What kind of groups can I get at 43 yards? I have no idea, since I have never tried. I did recently fire 5-shots at 100 yards using two different pistols. I got one hit each, that were in the black. But that was with a rest and not under duress.

This hero cop fired five rounds after crashing his car, at a moving target, while being shot at, and ended the fight. Amazing.

I don't think I could do the same. Maybe. Stress does strange things to the body.

Could you make that shot at 43 yards, with five tries, and with full adrenaline rushing?
 
I don't think I could do the same. Maybe. Stress does strange things to the body.
Click to expand...

Bet you can! But it takes some live fire time to get it right.

Group size is not the issue as much as having practiced that kind of shooting. I live in a very remote area so I can shoot freehand at 50 plus yards. It is really informative...and fun...to see not only how potentially effective pistol ammunition is at those distances but how proficient you can become shooting further out....100 yards is a real hoot to shoot!
 
The shooter may not either, with any consistency, we don’t know with the information on hand. Lady Luck is always there.
I can keep 6 rounds on a 12x18 target at 75 yards with a 36 caliber percussion, braced two hand hold. But carry pistol, never tried but then again there might be a legal issue for a citizen shooting some one at 43 yards except returning fire perhaps.
 
I think he got a hit on the 5th round, but it may have taken 10 or more, he just stopped firing when the guy went down. I don't have a lot of confidence I could make that shot, but unless it is my friends or family, I'm likely going in the other direction to be honest.
 
Ill probably never know. Could he replicate it again?
He will hopefull never have to know.

How much did his other shots miss by?

If we saw on paper where all 5 shots hit as a group, would our opinion change?

Im thinking that if the total grouping of the 5 shots relative to the point of aim hit in a bigger area than a 400 sq. In. circle, then luck was more of a factor. If the group was smaller than that, then his skill was more of a deciding factor. But either way, skill and training played a role, as did luck. Just question of how much of each based on data.....data that we will never be able to determine.....so, Im going to go with skill and being a downright badass!

Way to go officer, god bless you!
 
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I think I could. But stress and adrenaline do weird things to you. I have little issue shooting all my guns to 50 yards, and have dealt with serious excitement while handgun hunting out to farther than 50 yards, but who's to say against a dangerous target. Really glad the cop is ok, and even more glad the bad guy isn't.
 
the bad guy was hit more than once. the head shot is what put him down and out.

murf
 
When I was "on the job" and a RO/firearms instr.

We went to qual the students at an outdoor range that was about 120 yards to the backstop.

After the 'real shooting' was done,we would play at hitting targets at the 120 yard backstop.

We were using our duty guns in 9MM,.40 S&W,and .45ACP.

It took a spotter,but generally the clay birds we used got killed after a few rounds.

Nice to know that you can do it,I still try to make those shots every once in a while.

Yes, I can still do it too with my duty sized 9MM.

Glock 19,in case you wondered.
 
Trey Veston said:
Could you make that shot at 43 yards, with five tries, and with full adrenaline rushing?
Click to expand...

With a couple of my revolvers? Probably
S&W 25, S&W 19 or my Ruger Vaquero. The S&W’s have 6.5 and 6 inch barrels and the Ruger is 7.5”.

With my Glocks or shorter barreled revolvers? Probably not.

Of course, I truly hope I never have to test my confidence in my longer barreled revolvers this way…or any of my guns, for that matter.
 
In the movie "Sargent Rutledge", ( A 1960 cavalry movie) one of the soldiers is accused of letting a prisoner escape on purpose. He missed a shot at the prisoner at a range of "only 50 yards" with his Colt revolver, as the prisoner was riding away on horseback.

I know it's just a movie, but that line always struck me every time I watch it. In the 1950's when the script was written was that kind of shooting skill considered normal? Or was it just Hollywood fiction?

I've shot some at up to 50 yards with my handguns. I can't guarantee head shots, but I tend to put about 75% of my shots in the kill zone at that range. But there is a huge difference between a stationary paper target with clearly marked aiming points and a moving target, probably partially obstructed from view, and who knows what direction he was facing.

In the real world I'd say most of my shots would miss under those circumstances. But there has to be some luck to make that type of shot. Skill will get you close, but luck is going to be a factor. It sounds like he had nothing to lose and a combination of skill and luck came together.
 
I have shot swimming cotton mouths at 50yds with my Cz52, free hand, so I think it is possibly within my skill set. But that cotton mouth wasn't shooting back and wasn't close enough to have my Adrenaline jacked up, so I hope I never have the answer to that question.
 
If the perp was standing still and if I was not under direct fire, I could probably do it only because I have learned to aim my EDC pistol for good accuracy at that range. If the perm was moving or shooting at me, I doubt I could do it.
 
Dude is impressive!

To Monday QB, I'd suggest not moving in to clear suspect and vehicle at all until far more assistance was available. He's down. Just hold what you have from behind cover and let him bleed until plenty of help arrives.

Forgot to answer the question.

Aimed head shot at 43 yds, heck no. I like to think that out of the 5 or 6 (I counted 6 in the video!) Shots fired I'd connect *somewhere* with at least a couple.

I do a good amount of shooting at 25 yds (and 1 yd and everything in between) but hardly ever beyond. I'm going to do some 50 yd practice though now that I think about it.

It's odd but I have shooting buddies poke about shooting "so far back" at 25 yds. And the same ones get weird and uncomfortable when I suggest shooting from 3 yds and under.

One thing I always do when I practice is draw and shoot at near contact distance from retention or at least as soon as the gun clears the holster and rotates.
 
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Trey Veston said:
Could you make that shot at 43 yards, with five tries, and with full adrenaline rushing?
Click to expand...
You'll never know until you've practiced at that distance a bit. I can keep my shots within an eight inch circle at that distance when shooting under time pressure

If you shoot much action Pistol competition, you should have a pretty good idea of your ability to make 40 yard plus shots. It isn't the same pressure/stress as on a two-way range, but the pressure of quickly making accurate shots at these distances is very real...and likely the closest you're going to get. It is relatively easier to make longer shots with a 9mm than a .45ACP but the technique is the same...and at 40 yards there isn't any hold-over
 
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