Hypothetical situation

[nsf003]

You are at your house with your favorite rifle. The magazine is loaded with your favorite anti bad guy rounds. You are about ready to put it in the car on the way to the range. You look to the road near your house and you see a police officer pull a car over. A few seconds later, the driver of the car pulls a gun and shoots at the police officer. The police officer runs behind his car for cover and the shooting continues. You can hit the guy in the car with the rifle. What rifle would you choose and would you intervene.

This is not meant to be a this rifle vs. that rifle thread, only a personal preference. No whining allowed

nsf003

 

[Mike Irwin]

I'd take the shot without hesitation if I could do so without endangering other people.

An antelope hunter did this somewhere out west years ago. I remember reading it in American Rifleman's Armed Citizen.

He saw the bad guy get the cop's gun, and as the BG looked as if was going to kill the cop, the hunter dropped him from several hundred yards away with a perfect melon shot.

 

[cool45auto]

SKS, and I hope the cop recognizes friendly fire!

 

[Jim Watson]

The case in Texas involved a 6mm as I recall. I don't remember whether the highway patrolman lived over it. The crook didn't.
They never published the name of "The Hunter" to avoid reprisals from the crook's associates, but there was a picture in the Rifleman later of the engraved 1911 the DPS presented to him privately.

Like you said, your *favorite* rifle. Everybody's is different, it's the one you can make the shot with. Mine would have to be the .22-250 77V in the next room.

 

[JohnKSa]

Another similar incident in TX (perhaps the same one) resulted in the shooter being cited for discharging a firearm across a public road. As I recall, the fine was actually paid by the officer or an officer's association.

 

[WilderBill]

Your choice would be whatever you had within reach, as I doubt the BG is gonna wait around while you go get your first choice.
If you weren't sure you could hit your target, it might be better not to escalate the situation and risk being taken to be a sniper aiding the BG.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

that'd probably be my enfield.

I'd intervene if i could do so without hitting anyone not bad.

 

[John G]

Yep, Lee-Enfield here too. It'd be interesting to see if the medical examiner/ballistics techs could ID the caliber.

(hey! my 100th post! )

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

they'd probably be wondering why there was cork in the wound.

 

[Powderman]

My dream rifle:

M1A Peerless package from Fulton Armory, with 8-32x56 NightForce.

What would I make the shot with NOW:

Winchester Laredo, .300 Win Mag, with Simmons 8-32x44 scope;
175 gr. Sierra MatchKing
71.0 IMR 4831
New Winchester cases
Federal LR Match Primers
Ctg Oal: 3.510 inches.

Way, way sub-moa at 200 yards.

 

[nsf003]

Good responses so far.

Mine would be now: Remington 710 in 30-06 Sprg.

Mine could be in a few weeks: AR-15 Carbine with scope


nsf003

 

[Kobun]

I'd pick my AUG with 2-8x42 scope set at 2-3x for 100yards or less, and 5x up to 200 yards. I can take out dangerous clay pigeons at 500 yards with it.

Having too much magnification will actually be a huge disadvantage. Sure, if the BG stays perfectly still...
But, if he moves, and the range is fairly short (less than 200 yards) you will have trouble even finding him if there is too much magnification.

 

[foghornl]

Given that conditions are favorable...no good guys in the way, adequate backstop, etc...

for up to 100 yds...the Marlin .30-30
longer than that....US Rifle Cal 30 M-1 [AKA The Garand]

 

[DAL]

My first instinct would be to help the officer. It's funny, though, that this question has to be asked, although in our litigious society I can understand the concern. You just never know how a zealous DA with political aspirations might act.

The rifle I might use could be any one of several, depending on my whim that day. It might very well be my trusty ol' Winchester Model 670 .30-06 (which I need to practice with more anyway, with hunting season only 6 months away), or it could be my new Marlin 1894C .357 Mag., or maybe it would just be my old Winchester Model 290 .22.

Back in the late '70s, IIRC, there was a hunter here in Colorado who witnessed a criminal shoot an LEO during a traffic stop on some highway. The hunter promptly shot the assailant; I think he died. Unfortunately, I can't remember how the officer fared.
DAL

 

[e007dw]

Bad Guy Down

Bad guy down...

I wouldn't hesitate to take the shot if it was safe to innocents. My Remington .270 Sendero, nicknamed "Saddam", would see to it. I live in Minneapolis (sometimes referred to as "murderapolis") and we've had too many police officers killed around here in recent years. If I was witness to the scenario described, I would feel compelled to take action. I have no desire to shoot anyone but I would have a hard time living with myself knowing I could have done something to help - but didn't. It would be a very tough decision to make and one that could come with legal recourse.

----------------
Semper Fi

 

[nsf003]

Kobun,

A Steyr AUG? Sweet What did you have to tell the government of Norway to let you get that?

nsf

 

[Chipperman]

He said, "I'm gonna buy this rifle."
They didn't say anything, because they weren't listening.

 

[Art Eatman]

I'd shoot the bad guy with whatever's handy. Not endangering others with this "do-good" is part of that old "It goes without saying..." thing: Don't be stupid and eager.

The west Texas deal, some 20 years back, was (as I recall) on I-20, west of Abilene. A father/son pair were on their way home from deer-hunting (could have been antelope; no le hace). The father saw the bad guy shoot the DPS officer via his rear-view mirror. From about 200 yards, he used his .243 on the bad guy.

Everything went just as it should have for the Good Guys, just as if we're in a rational world.

Art

 

[Shaginator]

Would be the rifle I happened to have for the range at the time, a pistol even. I've been taking the .30-06 out lately, so odds are it'll be that. Oughta be enough to stop the baddie.

If I was unfortunate enough to not have a gun handy... I'd get in my truck and run him over. Maybe aim it and then get down so I don't get shot... Conditions would need to merit me thinking "yes, I have a good chance of running him over." For example, if he was facing the officer with his back to me, paying more attention to him, and myself not being in the line of the officer's return fire, etc...

Ideally, but not likely, I'd also be able to come up with some witty retort after running him over, like "Well, that squashed his plans." or something like that.

 

[mephisto]

303 no4 mk2. nuff said!

 

[Devonai]

Hi Chipperman, it's always nice to meet another firearms enthusiast in Essex County!

Favorite rifle? Okay, then. As long as I had a safe field of fire, this guy would get eight rounds from my Garand until he stopped moving, or which ever occured first. Reload if necessary.

 

[thumbtack]

I would use either my Rem 700 in 30.06 or my Colt HBAR.

 

[Preacherman]

Reminds me of a case in Namibia during the run-up to elections in the late 1980's. A cop was driving along on routine patrol and was shot at by a local hoodlum who didn't want him around. The cop jumped out of his car and took shelter behind the engine block, while the BG did the same on the other side of the road. A friendly neighbor nailed the BG and saved the cop. However, the "friendly neighbor" in this case was a farmer who was a member of the local "commando", or regional defence unit, who had his military equipment at home. His choice of weapon? An RPG-7 with antitank rocket! Sure did take care of the problem... except for the coroner, who complained bitterly about having to climb trees to remove bits of the BG from where the vultures and other scavengers were busily cleaning them up for him.

 

[nsf003]

An RPG-7

Sounds like it did the job.

nsf

 

[Peetmoss]

You have got to be joking Preacherman, arn't you? If that really did happen wow talk about one shot stopping power