Take the shot?

[HI express]

I know that many of us train to try to build up the confidence and the skill to hit what we're aiming at. In the movies/TV we always see a BG grab a victim and threaten to knife/stab/shoot the victim if everyone doesn't give in to the demands of the BG. We even have paper targets showing a hostage situation.

How many of you feel confident enough to take the shot if you were 12 -15 feet away with the BG's head showing and he and the hostage were moving laterally towards the exit.

What if it were your SO? Would you take the shot?

My wife and I have agreed that she would shoot if I were the hostage, but we would wait until the SO tried to drop to the floor in a faint. I don't know, we just got my insurance premiums raised recently and she's been too eager lately about that scenario.

What say you?

 

[Richard.Howe]

15 feet is five yards.

That having been said -- you only know if you can make the shot if you have already done so under duress.

Hence, the importance of real training.

Margin for error is low and situation would dictate; question is, do you know how the situation would govern your action?

Rich

 

[P95Carry]

With a spousal situation I think this could work well ... but much would depend on some rehersal so as to ensure it could work. Not sure quite how you'd go about it but at very least, an agreement to drop limp at a suitable moment could be enough.

Many feel that a sudden dead weight for a BG would be hard to control - giving very possibly that ''window of opportunity''. Plus, if things were that bad it gets awful close to ''what else you gonna lose'' by going for it.

Hardest of all to tell is what each of will have as an adrenalin level - how much or little panic etc. Put the other way - would we be calm enough? I am never quite sure.

Good food for thought.

 

[Sam]

Hope to God I never have to make that call but, I still finish my practice sessions with a business card for target on a fence post at 3-5 yards, from concealment.

I think I'm ready but we will never know will we?

Sam

 

[444]

"How many of you feel confident enough to take the shot if you were 12 -15 feet away with the BG's head showing and he and the hostage were moving laterally towards the exit."

I don't know how many, but I do.

"What if it were your SO? Would you take the shot?"

Absolutely, providing the situation plays out like you say: You can see his head. If he is moving and I can see only a tiny slice of his head, then no.

 

[Mulliga]

I'd take it. 12 to 15 feet is pretty darn close, IMHO.

 

[BluesBear]

The possibility of this happening, no matter how remote, is why I prefer the option of single action operation on all of my firearms.

 

[Preacherman]

Another good reason for Crimson Trace laser grips (or an equivalent device) on your firearm. Even with a snubby revolver and its notoriously poor sights, using a CT grip, I can confidently take a head shot at 25 yards with every probability of success.

 

[TallPine]

Don't ever let yourself or your loved ones be taken away by a BG.

Nothing good will come of it.

The situation will only get worse.

 

[Ktulu]

Don't ever let yourself or your loved ones be taken away by a BG.

Absolutely! And, yes I'd take the shot.

Perhaps the question would be better rephrased as such... Who is prepared to accidentally shoot their SO in the head? No matter how cool or how good of a shot you are the possibility still exists.

 

[sturmruger]

God I hope this never happen!! If it did I don't think I would be prepared to take the shot. The chance of hitting my wonderful wife in the head would be too great. If we had worked out a head of time that she would become a dead weight and give me more of the bg to shoot at I think I would take the shot. While I do practice shooting while my heart is racing I have never had to shoot at a target with that kind of adrenalin in my system. I just couldn't live with myself if I shot my own wife.

 

[TallPine]

OTOH, I just can't imagine anyone dragging MY wife anywhere she doesn't want to go

 

[CAS700850]

I agree, it's a bad idea to let a BG take a loved one away. I practice for this, and pray I never need to take the chance.

Of course, I'm a lawyer, so I'll probably start talking, and perhaps bore him into unconsciousness.

 

[yorec]

Yeah, I'd take the shot as described. With no hesitation... Hope I can keep from continuing to shoot what is left of the BG into bitty bits on the floor after she moves away. Even if I do, there'll probably be boot prints on him anyway...

 

[The Rabbi]

Well, I know what he's thinking. Did I make 5 shots or six? To be honest I dont remember myself but seeing as how I carry a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and could blow a man's head clean off, I'd have to ask myself: do you feel lucky? Well, punk. Do you?

 

[roo_ster]

If SO is the hostage:
DEFINITELY take the shot. Giving a BG time to have his way with her is not an option. BG gets the .45/.40/.357 cal lobotomy, depending on what I'm packing.

Anybody Else is the hostage:
I would have to have more confidence that I could make the shot, as I do not want to be sued by the hostage's family for inadvertently killing the hostage.

 

[Obiwan]

Assuming my wife doesn't kill him first

I would shoot through my wife

She will probably be fine

 

[iamhistory]

I have had the opportunity of doing this drill many, many times while a F.A.S.T. Marine back in the day. Various scenarios usually had a terrorist using "Mom" as a hostage with only a bit of his head peeking out from behind her. Out of all those times, even in simulations trying to make it as real as possible by putting us under stress, time limits, other types of duress.........I only ever shot "Mom" in the head once. It was because I rushed my shot while on the timer and I knew it was a bad shot but took it anyway. I never made that mistake again in all my training.

Thank God it was just a cardboard version of Mom back then. I still feel bad about that to this day.

If a real situation were to present itself today.........Yes, I would take the shot and I have no doubt that the BG would be hit and the hostage would not.

 

[Ivy Mike]

The possibility of this happening, no matter how remote, is why I prefer the option of single action operation on all of my firearms.

Don't really understand what that has to do with this discussion. Assuming you practice with your carry piece regularly, you should be confident in making the shot no matter what mode the firearm was in. To me, a SA firearm is a bad idea for concealed carry. Only that mechanical safety stopping what is usually a light trigger pull from setting off a round.

Give me DA or DAO anyday. I don't trust SA modes.

 

[carebear]

At the risk of quoting a movie, my trigger finger is what keeps me from unintendedly setting off a round.

 

[BluesBear]

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, my BRAIN is what keeps me from unintendedly setting off a round.

â€The safety and purpose of a firearm depends entirely upon the person handling it.†(Lupine THR 01-14-04)

"Safe gunhandling resides between the ears rather than between the hands." (Colonel Jeff Cooper)

 

[Ridgerunner665]

At 15 feet...if he sticks his head out I'll put another hole in it.

 

[Ivy Mike]

While thats nice to say on a web board, the fact is that your finger has to be on the trigger to release the shot. The scenario demands that you take VERY careful aim. Pulling a hammer back could piss the guy off even more and drive him in to hiding more of his cowardly head.

I'll take the gun that allows me to get it into action with the fewest steps possible.

 

[BluesBear]

Well since no one else is going to say it I might as well.

The lasergrip idea has a side benefit in this scenario.

A Crimson Trace in the eyes of the bad guy will give him something else to think about and hopefully your partner will react. The dead weight drop (aka FAINT) could possibly work well here.

 

[MaterDei]

Bang! Bang!