Why 'Center of Mass'?

[Geronimo45]

It seems like everybody with a handgun advocates shooting into the 'center of mass' (and never give a reason). I'm taking that to mean around the breastbone area. I'm also wondering why I should put a bullet there at all. Not a biology major, but aren't the important organs - lungs, heart - on the sides, not the center?
Is it just a safety ploy, so that you're not as likely to hit a bystander?

 

[cavman]

Biology major here...

Center of mass is the biggest part of the body, and indeed it is filled with all the good stuff that keeps one going: heart, lungs, guts.

It is also the easiest to hit. One could go for the base of the brain and the top of the spinal cord and stop someone dead in his tracks, guaranteed. However, the area that will do that is small and hard to hit.

cavman

 

[ID_shooting]

Not really a safty deal at all, it simply gives you the best probabilty of a hit. As panic ensues, as targets move around, as reflexes take over, you aim for the center of the biggest portion, that way if you are a little off, you still should connect with the target.

 

[freedom and guns]

"center of mass" is not the breastbone. It means the trunk of the body. the center of mass is not a specific place on the trunk, but a general term.

 

[BigG]

Typically, they are speaking of something at other than powder burn range and the front sight will rapidly assume the width of the whole body or even wider. Again, the object has clothes on that make it possible to miss. You can shoot through the clothes and miss the flesh with some clothes they wear today. Finally, the object is moving unpredictably and a center shot will increase probability of a hit even though it is not stationary. YMMV

 

[ceetee]

I'm no expert, but I'll give it a try: First, the center of a person's chest is the largest target. In times of stress, you lose fine motor control, and can't be guaranteed that you're going to be capable of the same accuracy as you would have on the range.

Second, the best target to shut down a body is the central nervous system. In real terms, this means the brain. How easy is it going to be to hit a head that's bobbing and weaving? Also, how can you be sure that you can hit that head directly enough that you're shot doesn't carom off the skull? That same attacker's body isn't going to be moving as much as the head will.

Third... there have been experts say that areas like the pelvis can be hit and also stop an attacker. I'd say that the pelvic girdle is a much smaller target than the chest, and even if it's shattered, and the attacker falls to the ground, he can still shoot at you.

The purpose behind a defensive shooting is to stop a threat to yourself or someone else. If I'm attacked such that I deem it wise to shoot my attacker, I'm going to shoot for the largest target I can, and I'm going to keep shooting until that person is no longer a threat. Generally speaking, this means shooting for the (relatively stable) chest area ie: center mass..

 

[flip180]

There is a thing called the cardiovascular triangle.

It goes from the adam's apple and to both nipples then accross. There are alot of high pressure vessels there that will just about explode if even nicked by a hollow point. I would suspect that most handgun classes teach about the triangle and the importance of shot placement there. Handguns are ballistically at the bottom of the barel so, shot placement is the key to incapacitating the opponent as fast as possible. The head has it's own triangle which is called the medullary triangle. It is a triangle that stems from the bridge of the nose to across the top row of teeth. That part of the face is composed of a group of bones called the maxillary bones which are the weakest part of the skull and the easiest for a bullet to enter the cranial vault. I spent over four hours at the range this morning shooting over 500 rounds at paper targets that represent both targets while doing shooting drills that involved moving toward, away and across the targets using both right and left directions. I also practiced shooting at those targets from the draw while facing the target, standing with the target to my left side, right side and back.

Flip.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

That's just a fancy-sounding way to tell you to "shoot at the big part".

If one were to take the phrase literally, it would involve some calculations or direct manipulation of the subject to determine the exact true center of mass. This would be a mathematical point, and require no less precise placement than hitting the base of the brain, etc.

Under stress, it's a lot harder to fire and hit objects than you'd think. If in doubt, try IPSC or some other "practical" rapid-fire exercises and see what the minor stress of competing under time does to your accuracy! Kind of eye-opening.

 

[shooter503]

"If one were to take the phrase literally,"

It would mean shooting a lot of people in the belt-buckle area!

 

[hso]

Welcome to THR.

 

[B.D. Turner]

This is how I train. Two to center mass one to the head.

 

[taliv]

although he doesn't get much credit for it, I believe Lewis Grizzard popularized this tactic in his book _Shoot Low, Boys - They're Riding Shetland Ponies_

 

[Finch]

Why Center mass?

Because it hurts like hell...

 

[moewadle]

Look at a chest x-ray or simple diagram of the lungs and heart in an outline of the chest area and that should answer your question. If you can get one in the chest you have a very good chance of hitting a either a lung or the heart. Major damage should ensue with centerfire self-defense type bullets. If one hits below the lung/heart area there are the liver, intestines, etc.

 

[cavman]

I thought that I recognized Thomas Brackett Reed's name...I lived on Brackett St. in Portland, Maine.

Good quote.

cavman

 

[Geronimo45]

I see now - thanks a lot, everybody. Now that phrase makes sense.

 

[1 old 0311]

IF you have time aim for the base of the throat. Too high, and it takes out the head. Too low, and you get the chest. Just right, and there goes the wind pipe.

 

[TallPine]

It seems like everybody with a handgun advocates shooting into the 'center of mass' (and never give a reason). I'm taking that to mean around the breastbone area. I'm also wondering why I should put a bullet there at all. Not a biology major, but aren't the important organs - lungs, heart - on the sides, not the center?

If you saw my targets you would see that various organs would get their share of lead ... I mean, why waste a perfectly good piece of paper by only shooting (hitting) it in the center

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Several of y'all are confused between the concepts of "center mass" and "center chest" and these are not the same thing. "Center chest" is where most of us would like to hit because of the cardio-vascular components, but it is NOT the largest target area. That would be 'center mass' that ID_shooting correctly identified.

If you properly land a center chest shot, it will be through the sternum between the nipples. If you properly land a center mass shot, it will be close to the spot just below the xiphoid process of the sternum.

Center chest gives you the best chance of hitting vital cardio-vascular organs. Center mass shot gives you the greatest chance of hitting your opponent because it gives you the greatest amount of room for error while still landing shots.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Center of mass...

What if the intruder is a 400 lb porker?

Do you shoot him in the stomach?

 

[brownie0486]

Center chest gives you the best chance of hitting vital cardio-vascular organs. Center mass shot gives you the greatest chance of hitting your opponent because it gives you the greatest amount of room for error while still landing shots.

The difference in most people between the two will be 3 inches.

I'll take em where I can get em in this general area as fast as possible, several at once preferrable with about .21 to .25 seconds between em and let the coroner sort it out later in his report.

Brownie

 

[GeorgeR]

Center of Mass

You're all wrong. The center of mass is Worcester

 

[Cousin Mike]

Why 'Center of Mass'?

Because that's where all the important stuff is.

 

[Cesiumsponge]

Center of mass gives the highest statistical probability of scoring a hit. If you specifically aim for the heart to the left and you have loose groupings (stress, position, etc), the chance is greater that shots will miss.

Given a 12" hit zone for example, if placed directly on the center of mass, an average body will cover the entire hit zone regardless if you hit bullseye or the edge of that pattern. If you start aiming for the head, neck, arm, heart, etc, part of that 12" circle will fall out of the body and your statistical chances of scoring a hit are less obviously. Of course 12" doesn't necessarily reflect the real world--it could be more or less depending on your situation (running, still, stance, awkward position, injured, weak hand, wrestling opponent, distance, stress, distractions, visibility, yadda yadda) and an infinite number of variables.

Its hard to say how good your groupings will be given a dyanmic situation and aiming for center of mass gives you the best chances as it's the largest target. Shooting for the center of chest is the next best thing to the center of the body (with respect to probable hits) and is more efficient since there are organs there that can shut down an attacker quicker.

 

[pete f]

Why? Because it gives me the largest margin of error in hitting something. Not just something important, (which I am hoping for), but hitting anything. Lets face it, I do not get my jones up too often, and in a "I gotta shoot you" situation, I need the biggest hit zone I can.


Now I get a chance to think, and I gotta make a shot, I can probably manage that, but a Oh crap, pull and make the gun go bang NOW, situation, I want the biggest possible hit zone.