Hypothetical Terrorist Tactic- would it change your carry choice?

[Mulliga]

I think people would switch to higher-capacity handguns (.40s and 9mms). More shots per magazine = more chances to slip a successful round past the BG's armor.

Tactics would change, too - either going for the neck/head shot (golden triangle of nipples and nose as discussed in S&T) or shooting low, trying to hit the thighs of the attacker (little to no chance of "stopping" them, but at least you'll do some damage).

 

[c_yeager]

I think shooting for the legs is a pretty viable and oft ignored tactic in this situation. Of course it isnt the best way to stop a person, but if they are well armored and you have a pistol there arent that many options. Assuming that you have some kind of cover hitting the guy in the legs and thighs will cause them to bleed out suprisingly fast. There are some VERY large blood vessels below the waist and since they are below the heart gravity, as well as the pumping of the heart, will contribute to blood loss.

If you get lucky you might drop the guy right away too and he will be much less of a threat trying to fight on his back than on his feet.

If you are in a situation where it is "you or him" and he needs to be stopped NOW or your dead, then the headshot is the only way to go. For me the first order of business in the described scenario is to get my butt out of the immediate area and return fire from as far away as possible and with the best possible cover.

 

[stans]

My daily carry piece is a S&W 640-1. I suppose if body armored terrorists were a big threat I might switch to my S&W model 19-3, four inch barrel. Reason being the longer sight radius and the option of using the single action mode to get a really accurate shot. The four inch barrel length is still concealable under a coat or jacket.

 

[pezo]

quote " I think people would switch to higher capacity handguns (.40s and 9mm's)". Like the hollywood cops had that DID NOT WORK.

 

[Black Snowman]

I think I'd be recruiting my friends for over-watch duty with long guns while I made the run to Game Stop to pick up the latest edition of "Rainbox 6" series of games.

Seriously, I don't think my loadout would change at all. Just my tactics, and only if I ran into the situation.

 

[one45auto]

Molotov cocktail. Body armor isn't fire resistant, you know.

Burn, baby, burn!

Anyone have some marshmallows?

 

[Majic]

I'd like to see them commonly dress like that here in Virginia in the spring thru the fall. They would drop from heat exhaustion long before they could do any damage.

 

[denfoote]

I already have it!!
CZ-52. 7.62 X 25 AP rounds from Bulgaria!!!

 

[Mulliga]

Like the hollywood cops had that DID NOT WORK.

It didn't work because those cops kept missing.

If a shooter piles on enough body armor (like in Tyler, TX), no pistol round, not even a .357 or 7.62x25, would be able to reliably penetrate.

Given that fact, and given that head/leg shots are difficult to pull off in high-stress situations, I'd want as many chances to hit as humanly possible. It's not a substitute for range time, obviously, but given that you're equally proficient with say, a Glock 19 than with a Ruger GP100, it makes sense to choose maximum firepower.

 

[BJPARKER]

Wear Body Armor to the Mall? Wow, what a marketing niche to fill! Stylish body armor for dedicated mallwalkers. But then that wouldn't solve the centerfire problem. I'll stick with the 45 and Ranger talons until further notice.

 

[papaone]

At great risk

If you did not buy a firearm that said, "Tactical" on it, you have no hope.

 

[Preacherman]

Put a Crimson Trace laser grip on your snubby, and you're good for headshots out to 25 or even 50 yards, with a bit of practice.

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

Thunder 5 loaded with 410, 3 in. mags and aim for the throat/neck area. I'm assuming they are wearing helmets.

 

[waktasz]

I knew the 5-7 had a niche.

 

[Parallax]

I think terrorists would rather bomb things. From a strategic viewpoint, they can kill many more people that way without losing any of their own people. It's much more efficient to drop a bomb with a timer in a trash can in a public area and just walk away.

 

[RCL]

It would affect my carry choice (Taurus or Colt .45 Auto) only from the standpoint of having a longarm available in my vehicle if possible. Either a 12 ga. pump shotgun loaded with slugs or a .308 bolt action carbine with good iron sights.

 

[trickyasafox]

cz52 anyone?

 

[Jim101]

Chuck Norris, "Invasion USA"...............

Jim

 

[mmike87]

Didn't Tom Clancy have such a scenario in one of his books? I do believe that scene even took place in the mall here in my town of Charlottesville.

I didn't read the book - but I read that scene in the book. It was spooky.

 

[308win]

After the first - second at the latest - occurance the mall owners would install the same security they have at airports to assure the soccer dads and security moms that they are safe while spending their money. If you were carrying you (1) wouldn't get in and (2) would quickly become a person of interest if you tried to get in.

Just my 02

 

[P95Carry]

mall owners would install the same security they have at airports

That'd be the end of my mall visits!! They can lose my business that's for sure if that ever comes to pass.

Just another ''gun-free zone'' for the BG's to go frequent and exploit.... in fact if security reached that level - on reflection - I'd expect many folks to stop going, even if non CCW. Way too much hassle. They'd have to stop any stores too that sold knives or any ''pointy'' objects!

 

[Yooper]

If that scenario became common, I would start open carrying a rifle.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This has to be one of the silliest no-brainer hypothetical SHTF scenarios I have read in a while. Would I change my carry choice if terrorists with bulked armor kept doing assaults at the mall? Sure enough, I would definitely change my carry choice. I would not carry my butt to the mall anymore.

If terrorists are regularly killing people at the malls, then wouldn't the bright choice to be to not go to the mall? How hard of a decision can that be?

 

[Dr.Rob]

Well I'd start calling myself a 'settler' or 'reservist' technically as a US Citizen I'm in the 'militia' And packing an AR-15. It seems to work in Israel.

Might scare the soccer moms though.

 

[Beren]

Just do what Tom Clancy's characters in the book did. You /are/ an expert pistol shot with a similarly skilled brother always at your side, right?