Sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett: Look son, being a good shot, being quick with a pistol, that don't do no harm, but it don't mean much next to being cool-headed. A man who will keep his head and not get rattled under fire, like as not, he'll kill ya. It ain't so easy to shoot a man anyhow, especially if the son-of-a-Rosie O'Donnell is shootin' back at you.
Wyatt Earp on Gunfighting, Interview...
- Thread starter Bear Paw Jack
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With the question about nowadays cops being lousy shots vs back in the wild west. I have never seen anyone have stats on how many lawman got into shootouts or rounds fired and bad guys hit or killed. It may exist, if so someone can share. Going back to the 1980s and 90s. At a time lawmen mostly had 6 shot DA revolvers'. I was a dept firearms instructor. I followed much of the FBI shooting data and part of that is repeated on here and else where. For many years a average police gunfight was under 3 (2.4 -2.7) shots, about 3 yds distance and about 3 seconds long. We went to Glock 17s in 1991. I predicted to see the round count go up a lot due to the 17 rounds in the gun compared to only 6 before. Last time I paid any attention was about 12 years ago, now at a time when nearly all police use a semi auto handgun of some type. The round count was up to 4. something (under 5) shots as the average. Stats being just that, these do not reflect how of those gun fights resulted in death or injury of police or crooks, only how many rounds fired. Remember that's US average, so some will be more shots and some less.
Folks haves pushed the “one shot, one kill” mantra for years. Even in 1966 they told us at MACV RECONDO School (class 03) to use two M16 (XM16E1 then) rounds per target if possible. The MFVC and NVA carried their AK magazines (we seldom saw AKs in 1966-67) in front chest pouches and there was always chance of round being deflected. We thought it wise to listen to professionals.
I was a Deputy Sheriff from ‘87-‘98. When qualifying the RO was wanting me to use the speed rock(unaimed fire)at the 7 foot and 7 yard positions. I tried it, but my scores suffered. My dad an former DI in WWll, trained me to use aimed fire. My training scores with full sized GP 100-98%, S & W 439-95%, Charter Arms snub nose- 85%. I still use aimed fire.
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I have to say, carrying that shotgun as a law enforcement officer gets folks' attention. Right now! That 870 makes the perfect noise when it is racked. And apparently, every scumbag, (at least the ones that I met), all know that noise.
Anyone who who has been an LEO knows of “desensitization” training. They use targets and scenarios to make the officers not question pulling the trigger. Yes, little old lady “bad guy” targets. 🤷🏽♂️
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You can't be 'a good gunfighter' if you're afraid of getting shot.
As a police officer, the range time is shooting time and shoot-no shooting training. In the classroom, training is when it's legal by written law and case law along when it's justified. You cannot do one and not the other. In the end police are still human and some will no doubt make mistakes that can cost them their life or someone else.
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