When it comes to the use of a firearm in defense of your life, there are certain realities that we must embrace. First and foremost, once we enter that situation, we will not function at our optimum level. While we may be capable of shooting beautiful, ragged holes on the range, once the black flag is raised, our groups will possibly double in size. Because of this, shot placement matters greatly. With that, we need to talk about why it is important to focus on shooting center mass.
Shooting Center Mass – Get the Most From The Shot
The first thing we need to embrace is our ultimate goal if we are firing rounds at another person. While it may sound strange to hear, our goal should not be to kill that person. Our ultimate goal is to stop them. While this may sound like some sort of Zen or inner peace ideology, it is actually more of a tactical issue.
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Unfortunately, handguns are not belt fed, which means we will have a limited number of rounds available to defend ourselves. If we are put in a bad situation, I want to stop the threat with as few rounds as possible. The purpose is to leave me some additional ammo in the gun in the event a second or even a third threat arises. At the same time, I will encourage you to continue shooting the threat until they stop. This may mean that you deplete your magazine. While it is unlikely, it is still a possibility.
Shot Placement
It is at this point that we need to discuss shot placement. In a life-threatening situation, you will have a very real and uncontrollable physical response. There will be adrenaline, anxiety, and fear. Combined, these factors will affect our ultimate accuracy. As I mentioned, our groups will grow in size dramatically when shooting under life-threatening stress. The mantra preached in defensive shooting for ages has always been center mass. The reason we do this is that the center mass area allows us to achieve the greatest effect with our defensive rounds.
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This area is also larger. It increases our hit probability. This specific point is very important. In the end, you are responsible for every round that leaves your firearm. If you completely miss the subject and that round strikes an innocent bystander, you will be forced to face the consequences.
Head Shots
Another target area that can be very effective is the head. You can think of it as center mass affecting the pump system of the body, and the head being the control panel. While it’s true that a headshot has a higher probability of a first-round stop, it is also an incredibly difficult shot under stress. The head presents three challenges for us. It is highly articulated, it tends to precede movement, and ultimately, our true target area is small. I say it is small because the area that provides the greatest effect is limited to the eye box. While it’s true that shooting somebody anywhere in the head will cause them to pause, it does not have the ultimate stopping power that one may think.
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There have been countless situations where people have been shot essentially in the face or jaw and ended up running away. What this means is that if you strike an assailant with a round in the lower part of the head or jaw, it may not stop the fight. While it is unlikely, an assailant in an altered state may not respond to this shot. My personal philosophy and mantra that I teach is to focus on center mass shots, and if the assailant does not stop, transition to a headshot. If you make this transition, it is very important that you take your time and take the absolute best shot possible to stop the fight.
Exceptions
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. For example, if the assailant is wearing body armor or only presents their head as a target. Remember that nothing is concrete in a gunfight. If put in this situation, focus on an area that will give you the greatest possibility of success and shoot until they stop.
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Shooting Center Mass – Train
In closing, I will say that training is not a luxury, but rather a critical component of carrying a defensive firearm. If you are able to shoot cloverleaf groups while standing, you should begin trying to accomplish that while moving. Focus on training every aspect of defensive shooting. This includes drawing from concealed, clearing garments, shooting on the move, emergency reloads, and everything connected with a possible gunfight. In the end, I pray that you’re never put in this situation, but if you are, shoot to stop the subject and get home safely at the end of the day.
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