Headshots...

[Dr. X]

Watching "The Unit" the other night, it showed the men training on center-of-mass targets, yet they were each shooting twice to the head, which is the way I learned to pistol shoot in the early 80's. I've never thought about it much, it's just the way I was taught. Is this practice common for SF troops or just BS from Hollyweird?

as ever,
Dr. X

[Goldenspurholderx2]

I don't know, never SF. I was taught for CQB(rifle)to shoot center mass and if they don't go down then put one in the head. For pistol shooting at 25m and less I always use 3X5 cards as targets. They are the right size and cheap!

[rtgunsmoke]

the head is like a computer. if you hit it (the head) it will turn off, you are dead most of the time.. some people live. but it is light's out for the most part.------i like head shot's but i will shoot Center mass.~R---- i must be psyco

[akfanatic]

well aimed head shot + adrenaline = miss

Just my .02

[mikec]

I forget the book but I do remember reading that the Egyptian Beretta Model 1951 pistols had the sights set that if you aimed for the head, you got a chest hit. If true, some Egyptian general understood what his troops.

[Dr. X]

I forget the book but I do remember reading that the Egyptian Beretta Model 1951 pistols had the sights set that if you aimed for the head, you got a chest hit...

and if you aimed for center-of-mass, you'd hit him in the nuts? ;) :D

as ever,
Dr. X

[mikec]

Well, a hit in the groin should cause some damage, right? If the shot hits right or left, you might hit the femoral artery. Not as good as a good headshot but unless the wounded stops fighting immediately and puts compression on the wound, he is dead.

Of course, the groin/abdomen has lots of blood supply. A hit may not kill immediately but it should be a serious wound.


Now where is my Kevlar cup?

[Dr. X]

Well, a hit in the groin should cause some damage, right?

I can Say With Confidence that any gunshot below the beltline in a REAL attention getter! Years ago I was shot in the right upper thigh (.38+P Federal Hydroshock) The slug traversed across my lower abdomen and came tp rest next to my left hip socket. If the bullet had expanded I wouldn't be writing this. As it was, it missed my bladder and my equipment (Thank You, Lord!) yet still felt like I'd been kicked in the crotch by Superman! I can remember looking down to see if my stuff was still there, and glanced over to my right hand, which was already covering the thigh wound. That's where the blood was coming from...A LOT of it. By the time I got to the ER my pants leg was soaked and you could pour the blood out of my shoe! You could stick your thumb in the bullet hole.I was truly blessed though, as the only permanent damage was a quarter size scar on my upper thigh and now when I gotta pee, I GOTTA pee. I'm also permanently 158 grains heavier...(they didn't take the bullet out as I had no insurance--the doc swabbed out the wound, packed it with gauze, put an adhesive dressing on it, and charged me $458 for surgery...:mad: ) Three days later I was limping around the funshow, thanks to a healthy scrip for codeine...:D

as ever,
Dr. X

[rcnpthfndr]

i guess it depends on the round being employed. the head is quite a small target compared to the rest of the body. we started to focus on shooting chest cavity or the pelvic region. we had some get away with shots to the chest. none went anywhere after being hit in the pelvic region, even fewer lived through it. i have a picture of a friends leg that was in a FF incident. he was shot at 10' with an M4. if he lets me i will post the pic. but it will show how destructive the 62gr 5.56 round is.

[mike minihan]

I am a confirmed believer in Jeff Cooper's Mozambique drill,double tap at center of body mass,followed IMMEDIATELY with a headshot.So I have practiced,so I deploy.Works great with a 1911.best regards,Mike Minihan

[FN74]

We call this a body armor drill. You shoot twice center mass, and place one in the head when you fail to get a stop with the two center mass shots or you observe body armor on the target. As far as hollywood, well, it's hollywood, however they may be using a bit of reality with their onscreen training here....