the whole class was taught "2 to the chest and one to the head makes an insurgent extremely dead." This was practiced on every course of fire (over barricade, around barricade, etc.)
Here is my dilema. If I shoot a BG using what I was trained in the USAF, I will get hung out to dry for excessive force.
PLEASE HELP ME TO BREAK THIS HABIT!
Excessive force? You're
already trying to KILL THE GUY ! How much more "excessive" can you get ?
The "two to the body, one to the head" is the called the "Mozambique Drill," as coined and developed by Jeff Cooper. (again!)
It's origin stems from this account: Mike Rousseaou, one of Cooper's students, faced a terrorist who was armed with an AK- 47 rifle in Mozambique. When the terrorist advanced on Mike, he drew a Browning Hi – Power 9 mm pistol and fired two shots at the terrorist. But the two shots
failed to stop the attacker.
Mike then took a targeted shot for the terrorists head, ending the encounter. Thus, Mozambique Drill can be referred to as a 'defensive shooting drill'. The Mozambique Drill is designated in order to counter a loss.
If an attacker cannot be stopped after having fired two rounds or in case the attacker is in a protective vest. Then the shooter must be very precise with his shots.
since that is where it was originated by one of Jeff Cooper's students. It works very well for a specific circumstance. But as with many drills or tactics developed for specific circumstances, it has been convoluted (by those that THINK they know what they're doing,) to address situations that it was never intended to do.
It is NOT supposed to be a "everytime you fire your gun, fire two to the body and one to the head" technique as you were apparently taught.
If you suspect the badguy is wearing a vest, that changes things, but for most of us, that's not really an issue.
If the badguy doesn't STOP after shooting him in the body, that again changes things. Others have cited a pelvic shot to be easier to make and also causes the badguy to at least stop charging.
If you have multiple badguys, that's a bad time to try to employ the Mozambique on each one before going to the next. A far better technique is to utilize "Boarding House Rules:" No one gets seconds until everyone has had firsts. IE; shoot everyone once, then go back and see who needs seconds.....then thirds, if necessary.
If a single assailant, I think it's ill-advised to shoot twice, then STOP shooting, lowering your gun (as Chuck Taylor advocates) to assess your handiwork. Then, after you go "Oh, SH#T!" you raise your gun up and try for the head shot. That works only if you have the time and a compliant badguy.
If there is one assailant that's fairly close, a better way is the "zipper technique" where you start shooting as soon as your gun is on target.........anywhere on target, such as his knee, groin, chest, neck and forehead. All shot during the draw as you ride the recoil up his body.
Another similar view is, as long as the badguy is filling my sight picture, he's taking rounds until he no longer presents a threat.
Excessive force? As long as I'm defending my life, any force I use is justified in my book.
Now, if I shoot the badguy and he falls at the first shot, dropping his gun and gasping for breath like a guppy out of water and I go up to him and administer a coup de grace, THAT is excessive force !
Short of that, I'm shooting until the threat is over, be that one shot or 18.
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