How many shots in a gun fight?


I;ve studied gunfighting for about 45 years now. I've yet to find a case wherein a US civilian, here in the US, HAD to hit more than 2 guys, in any one incident since the advent of the 1911, and the end of the Indian Wars. Cops have had to do so, on rare occasions, military, more often, but still rare (and live to tell of it) with only a pistol. how many shots you need to stop 1-2 men is a lot dependent upon the distance between you and target, lighting, and use of cover, movement, firing back, stabbing/clubbing you as you fire, etc. I rarely bother to carry more ammo than the 7 rds that are in the pocket auto. I've held men at gunpoint 4x in my life, it's always been at 10 ft or less, and they always froze at the sight of my gun. Many dogs will stop attacking at your change of attitude (once gun is in hand) too.
 

Well ... one between 2 LEO"S and one BG.... occurred all within 10-15 ft the entire time, and lasted only about 2 minutes ...... the leo's fired 68 rounds, and they estimated the BG shot 40+ rds. It ended, only because the BG ran out of ammo and surrendered.

That help ?
 
I can't claim to be an expert on gunfights, never having been in one, but in my opinion it is always better to have more firepower than less. I know you need to balance the number of shots with the size of gun you can conceal. One extra shot may save your life. Get an extended grip on your gun. Carry a mag or two. They're pretty easy to conceal.
 
Distances In Which NYPD Officers
Were Involved In Shooting Incidents

1994-2000
0-2 Yards 1188 69%
3-7 Yards 332 19%

When you see the above post, for the year 2000 they are only hitting 9% of the time and 69% of those were at 0-2 yds.
Does hit probability include innocent bystander hits? (Well, SOMEONE had to ask...)
 
Has there ever been a survey that determined how many shots the usual person in a gun fight shoots?

I know that most gun fights are over quickly so I would imagine it is a low number. Anyone have any info?

:dirol:

I've always been told you fire as many shots as is needed to stop any attacker. Once they are put down, and the threat is over, check you're world for any other threats before holstering your weapon. Call 911, and administer any first aid if it is safe to do so.
 
One will not know untill such time as they are in the fight. It could be one on one or one on several and if they are in fact putting the rounds where they should be going to stop the encounter.
Bill
 
Well ... one between 2 LEO"S and one BG.... occurred all within 10-15 ft the entire time, and lasted only about 2 minutes ...... the leo's fired 68 rounds, and they estimated the BG shot 40+ rds. It ended, only because the BG ran out of ammo and surrendered.

That help ?

All are very lucky to be alive and they were all very bad shots!
 
What many call a gunfight are really shootings, not actual gunfights. Prepping for an average shooting encounter will likely get you killed in a true gunfight. My .02
 
Not all shooting involve death, on the post up above the two robbers in I believe Georgia where the old man in the corner fired on two persons hiting both. The only stat I am interested in is if myself and my family are alive after the fight, all other stats mean nothing to me.
 
What many call a gunfight are really shootings, not actual gunfights. Prepping for an average shooting encounter will likely get you killed in a true gunfight. My .02

Hey SGB, where did you get the Stay jobless my friends. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
My defensive skill class that I took at KR Training here in Texas gave the average as 3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet. Not sure where they got the numbers from. The 3x3x3 was pretty consistent with their training which I found to be outstanding.

Thats what I have always heard as well.
 
there's confrontations involving 1 or more guns, on either side, and then there's most attacks, which don't involve a gun in the attackers' hand, over 65% of the time. Also, just showing your gun, or firing a shot or shots that miss, result in the attacker's fleeing, whether or not he has a gun, well over 90% of the time, if you have been smart enough to not "corner" him.
 
ha. very funny. how can what happens with the restrictons of SA revollvers,and tube fed lever actions, cover what happens with double stack 9mms' and aks, or even 'just" 30 rd mag 10-22's, hmm?
 
Pretty simple Trainor....its the HUMAN element....how human brains create insanely crazy situations...lucky shots, missed shots...I think (my belief - you may get different milage) that the main factor in any gunfight is the people involved. For sure the weapons were different, but the people don't change. Some cower, some run, some step up and attack. But when you hear the sound of a bullet passing close it don't matter much what launched it at you...

That's what I enjoy about this series of books. They're also great explaining the use of cover from whatever is at hand. Worth a look at your local library at least.
 
there's confrontations involving 1 or more guns, on either side, and then there's most attacks, which don't involve a gun in the attackers' hand, over 65% of the time. Also, just showing your gun, or firing a shot or shots that miss, result in the attacker's fleeing, whether or not he has a gun, well over 90% of the time, if you have been smart enough to not "corner" him.
Please provide cites and/or links to your sources for all those %'ages you have stated. I would be most interested in reading them.
 
Sure. DEPT of Justice website, ANNUAL CRIME SURVEY. Same site, but search for the FBI'S UCR, uniform crime report. read Jim Cirillo's book on gunfighting, his NYPd stakeout unit CORNERED 280 armed robbers and only 40 "made" the cops shoot. 35 years of being a life member of NRA, reading the ARMED CITIZEN column in THE AMERICAN RIFLEMEN. it states what I have said there. you aint even an NRA member and you question ME? hah. I've competed in over 150 IPSC combat pistol matches, know many of the top hands who created the sport, listened to their stories, know many cops, ditto, hung out at ranges and gun stores all my life, have read every gun book you ever heard of, by Cooper, askins, Mason, Williams, Jordan, Keith, Wilson, Ayoob, Skelton, Taylor, Farnum, all of em, basically. I have a fair amount of personal experience with violence, or what wouild have been violence, had I not squelched it in tkme, and lots of training.

I'm a black belt as well as an A class shooter. I am proud to call Wilson, Fowler, Dalton Hackathorn, Ayoob and many of the others personal friends. I knew quite a few who are gone now, to include Jeff, Bruce Nelson, Ray chapman, Mike Harries. I used to shoot with National fast draw champ Bob Arganbright, who for many years wrote the leathercraft column for Combat Handguns. I've been to Africa twice, I've carried ccw for over 20 years, and have shot hundreds of animals with ccw type pistols and loads. I've been doing my own smithing since 1978, cast bullets, reload, made holsters, taught scores of people to shoot at least fairly well. few have what it takes to get truly good. that takes a lot of work and money.
 
Sure. DEPT of Justice website, ANNUAL CRIME SURVEY. Same site, but search for the FBI'S UCR, uniform crime report. read Jim Cirillo's book on gunfighting, his NYPd stakeout unit CORNERED 280 armed robbers and only 40 "made" the cops shoot. 35 years of being a life member of NRA, reading the ARMED CITIZEN column in THE AMERICAN RIFLEMEN. it states what I have said there. you aint even an NRA member and you question ME? hah. I've competed in over 150 IPSC combat pistol matches, know many of the top hands who created the sport, listened to their stories, know many cops, ditto, hung out at ranges and gun stores all my life, have read every gun book you ever heard of, by Cooper, askins, Mason, Williams, Jordan, Keith, Wilson, Ayoob, Skelton, Taylor, Farnum, all of em, basically. I have a fair amount of personal experience with violence, or what wouild have been violence, had I not squelched it in tkme, and lots of training.

I'm a black belt as well as an A class shooter. I am proud to call Wilson, Fowler, Dalton Hackathorn, Ayoob and many of the others personal friends. I knew quite a few who are gone now, to include Jeff, Bruce Nelson, Ray chapman, Mike Harries. I used to shoot with National fast draw champ Bob Arganbright, who for many years wrote the leathercraft column for Combat Handguns. I've been to Africa twice, I've carried ccw for over 20 years, and have shot hundreds of animals with ccw type pistols and loads. I've been doing my own smithing since 1978, cast bullets, reload, made holsters, taught scores of people to shoot at least fairly well. few have what it takes to get truly good. that takes a lot of work and money.
All I asked for was facts to back up your statements... I didn't cast aspersions upon your character nor did I ask for your personal history.

Regardless of how impressive your personal history happens to be it is still totally lacking in any cites and/or links to support the figures you used as percentages. Mentioning surveys still doesn't provide a cite or link. You made the statements so it is your responsibility to do the research and provide cites/links.

Now... one more time...

Please provide cites and/or links to actual factual sources to support your assertions concerning the percentages you mentioned.

Oh... and never ass u me that other folks are not members of the NRA or that your personal history will stand in for actual facts about the actual numbers you used as percentages in your post I quoted below.

there's confrontations involving 1 or more guns, on either side, and then there's most attacks, which don't involve a gun in the attackers' hand, over 65% of the time. Also, just showing your gun, or firing a shot or shots that miss, result in the attacker's fleeing, whether or not he has a gun, well over 90% of the time, if you have been smart enough to not "corner" him.
 
As expected.... the cites and/or links I asked for in post #39 above has resulted in the deafening sound of.......




crickets.
 

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