The “Center Mass” Myth and Ending a Gunfight

[HeadShot]

I'm not talking shots from cover, ambush or sniper shots with carabine or rifle! I'm talking pistol shots at close distance when guy is in front of you with gun or knife and he wants to kill you. In that kind of high-stress situation you'll shoot center mass of head or body depending on your training. If you can aim for a "light switch" in one second at the moving living adrenaline-fuled target that is coming to kill you, than you are one of kind. I've had a fare share of combat experience on the street and in the war, and have talked to probably 100s of soldiers who have been in urban close range fighting, and answer is always same. Center mass of what you've been practicing to hit. Most have been training for torso COM and few for head shots.

I understand what you are saying. Keep in mind, a head shot doesn't have to hit the medulla because the shock waves from the bullets(s) penetrating in that area often does does the trick. Rifle or pistol. And there are plenty of very experienced folks out there that take head shots at close distances, routinely. Depends on how and how much you have trained and executed that training. Most of the folks I talk to and are around (All former SOF) take/have taken plenty of head shots, not the first shot (via pistol), but if you can't operate with some adrenaline running through your body and still hit where you intend/need to then you are in the wrong line of work. High stress doesn't mean fundamentals go out the window, by any means.

 

[bihwar]

HeadShot. I think that we're saying same thing in a bit different way. I never said that under stress your training goes out the window. But exactly opposite. I said that and I quote: "Center mass of what you've been practicing to hit". So if you trained Mozambique style you'll hit chest first head second, if you trained SAS style you'll shoot head first torso second. I just said that shooting under extreme stress, you will probably not be able to aim specific point on the head but rather you'll simply shoot CoM.