I'd like to see what this author would do if he had a loaded pistol in his hand and perceived a threat to his life from a dangerous criminal. Do you think he'd fire a shot and then pause to see if it was effective before squeezing off another round? I doubt it. I agree that the "contagious shooting" stuff is psychobabble and mostly horse hockey, but I also think that most of us, in the heat of the moment, pumped with adrenaline and thinking "it's either me or him" would tend to fire off more shots than are absolutely necessary to stop the threat--especially if our brothers in arms are still firing.
Slate: bedwetting about mag capacity
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hankdatank1362
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Reminds me of the scene in "Full Metal Jacket" where the little Viet Cong sniper girl is picking off team members.
Upon hearing one rifle shot, the entire squad proceeds to dump a whole magazine in the direction the shot came from.
I think that is the definition of contagious shooting, and in stressful, life-threatening moments, I don't think it's such a bad thing.
If I ever had to use a weapon of mine against another human, I bet I would panic so much that I would get off about a doxen or so rounds before they ceased to become a threat.
Upon hearing one rifle shot, the entire squad proceeds to dump a whole magazine in the direction the shot came from.
I think that is the definition of contagious shooting, and in stressful, life-threatening moments, I don't think it's such a bad thing.
If I ever had to use a weapon of mine against another human, I bet I would panic so much that I would get off about a doxen or so rounds before they ceased to become a threat.
Derby FALs
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Great article. LEO Accountibilty. Wow. What a concept. With six rounds they might even aim.
"You can't have it both ways."
"You can't have it both ways."
Prince Yamato
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Contagious shooting... great, another liberal term, like 'road rage', to excuse bad behavior. Did the NYPD over react, probably. Would I have acted the same in the situation, probably. It's not 'contagious shooting', it's common human nature. Now the damn liberal press is going to try and label everything 'contagious shooting'. I bet there'll be an epidemic.
I think the anti-gun press suffers from Contagious Bull-Sh*tting.
I think the anti-gun press suffers from Contagious Bull-Sh*tting.
Go dove hunting alone with a single shot.
Then go with a group and an autoloader.
Then tell me there's no such thing as "contagious shooting." I'll bet, though, you'll use a lot fewer shells and come home with more birds with the single shot, unless you've been doing it for such a long time that you don't get at all excited about it.
With doves, you won't be shooting innocent bystanders. But the phenomenon does exist. Having several shots at your disposal and hearing others shoot around you breeds poorly-aimed, excessive shooting and a general lack of focus.
The answer is, of course, experience and training.
Then go with a group and an autoloader.
Then tell me there's no such thing as "contagious shooting." I'll bet, though, you'll use a lot fewer shells and come home with more birds with the single shot, unless you've been doing it for such a long time that you don't get at all excited about it.
With doves, you won't be shooting innocent bystanders. But the phenomenon does exist. Having several shots at your disposal and hearing others shoot around you breeds poorly-aimed, excessive shooting and a general lack of focus.
The answer is, of course, experience and training.
I agree with Armed Bear for the most part. The first couple times you go dove hunting, it happens. It's only after some experience that you realize that waiting till the dove get close is much more effective, and takes fewer, not more, shots. Since most of us, even cops, are not involved in life or death shootouts enough to build up the experience, "contagious shooting" is understandable. Unless the person is truly innocent and didn't deserve to be shot at in the first place, I'm having a hard time coming up with a whole lot of concern over the "problem." What does it matter if one shot or 30 are fired. Dead is dead.
I agree with the "dead is dead" commentary and it doesn't matter how the bad guy got there; however it certainly does matter when innocents are involved. You are responsible for every bullet that leaves your firearm, so are cops. That passenger in the latest NY shooting got shot 11 times. That means that the cops are responsible for 11 bullets in an innocent man, and that is just one of the passengers. That number is significant.
I also agree that mag capacity isn't the problem, it is training. I guess I'm more interested in the personal responsibility angle of the slate article.
I also agree that mag capacity isn't the problem, it is training. I guess I'm more interested in the personal responsibility angle of the slate article.
Mannlicher
Member
anyone that reads SLATE deserves to be confused.
Ah, bedwetting at Slate. Definitely The High Road. Someone says something that doesn't fall in line with your prejudices and biases so he or she is a poorly trained child. Yep. That's the adult way to deal with disagreements among intelligent people.
Sheesh. And gun loons wonder why regular people don't fall down and beg to be allowed to agree with anything they've ever said.
Sheesh. And gun loons wonder why regular people don't fall down and beg to be allowed to agree with anything they've ever said.
One thing would be possible, though. We have a Simunition training center at a local range, available to even casual shooters who are curious. Lazertag abounds, as does Paintball. AirSoft and 6mm paintball are readily available, cheaply, at most sporting goods stores.
It's possible, in the modern world, to gain a lot of "experience" without getting a lot of real bullet wounds. The military does it, especially for urban combat.
Perhaps the police should consider this, too. If an officer is considered to need a pistol with several large magazines on a belt, an AR, an a shotgun, as cops here even in good neighborhoods generally have, then that officer should be considered to need serious training, not just range qualification every year or two. It's not fair to the officer to send him/her out without such regular training.
When a cop was considered adequately armed when he had a .38 Special 6-shooter, I suppose range qual was good enough. But if there is now a need for the sort of armament carried by street cops here, then there is a need and an obligation to train them in the sort of situations where said armament is needed!
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