Reloads matter-NYPD fires 54 rounds to stop a threat

There was another high round-count shoutout this weekend in NYC.  This time it took 54 rounds to stop a single attacker…who’s in critical condition 3 days later.

This isn’t about Monday morning quarterbacking.  This is about looking at shootings that really happened and figuring out what YOU can do to be more ready for a similar situation.  I want to point out 4 valuable lessons that law enforcement and civilian defenders across the country can learn from the shooting.

First off, reloads matter.  The suspect had a revolver and it doesn’t appear as if he reloaded.  Bad training on his part…fortunately.  Right now, reports say that there were 7 officers who fired at the suspect.  None of them would have had to reload…but if we entertain the idea that it took 54 rounds to stop the threat it would have taken reloads if there were only 1 or 2 officers present.  It’s great to believe that you can stop any attacker with 1-3 rounds, but real-life after action reports tell us that there’s a good chance that you’ll need to reload.

In a gunfight, where and how you reload can be as important as if you reload.  Most shooters reload in a way that could cause them to get smacked in the face with their own gun…you can see a video of how the most commonly taught reload technique fares in a close quarters fight vs. a MUCH more effective way by clicking >HERE<.

Second, training to shoot tight, accurate groups under elevated stress matters.  Reports right now are saying that the 2 officers who were hit may have been hit by ricochets from shots fired by other officers who missed.  This is widely reported speculation at this point, but it’s very easy to see how it could have happened with that many officers firing that many rounds.

A popular standard for most departments and schools is to shoot as fast as you can and hold an 8″ group…in full light with little to no stress or motion.  That’s not bad for group training, but as an individual who’s serious about mastering your craft, you should strive for more.

Push yourself to shoot as tight of groups as you can (I suggest 1 hole groups) as fast as you can, and then add motion and stress.  Will your groups spread out as you add speed, motion, and stress?  Yup.  Would you rather have your groups spread out 2-3x from a best case of 8″ or spread out 4-6x from a best case of 1″?

Click >HERE< for the absolute best precision combat pistol training available today that covers the visual and mental dynamics of shooting that drive high-stress shooting performance.

Third, handgun rounds are incredibly ineffective.  Some suck less than others, but it’s been proven again and again that defensive handgun rounds aren’t “man-stoppers” and they don’t have “knockdown power”.  They are better than nothing, but they don’t create temporary wound cavities or real hydraulic shock like rifle or handgun hunting (bear) rounds and all you can depend on is bullet placement.  A bigger bullet might get you a 2-3mm bigger wound channel, but if shooting a gun with more manageable recoil will help you shoot 2-3″ tighter groups, it might be smart to carry what you can shoot better.

Fourth, know why you’re shooting.  It’s really important to always think about self-defense shootings in terms of “shooting to stop the threat” and not killing.  The soundtrack in your mind matters.  Sometimes stopping a threat ends a life.  Usually that’s more because of the choices made by the attacker than choices you made.  But if you program yourself to think in terms of stopping the threat, you’ll probably end up with more rounds to take care of additional threats AND could have less criminal and civil liability.

Learn about more effective reload techniques for combat and self-defense shooting by clicking >HERE<

Learn how to make precision shots under extreme stress by clicking >HERE<

Questions?  Comments?  Head on over to the web version by clicking >HERE<

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