Where/how/to what extent do you shoot?

Lets say you are in line at a bank, at your barber shop, favorite cafe, or wherever you wish to be in the USA...

Target pops up, looks at you and within 2 seconds IT makes ITS move.

Distance to target is 15ft and IT just lunged towards you at full speed (no particular reason for target to attack you, you were just in the wrong place/time a looney poped-up).

Target is wearing a dark color sweatshirt (zipped up) with the hood on, has big wide open look on eyes, heavy breathing, sweating profusely and IT has a deadly weapon on one hand.

There is only one target visible.

There is no obstacles/people in between you and the target.

You see no bystanders behind the target.

There is no uniformed LE/Security around.

There is a cement wall about 30ft behind the target.

Info not provided... target's gender, color, height, weight, built, weapon type.

Your sidearm is a compact size, mayor caliber semiauto with a full magazine and a round in the chamber (9mm/.40s&w/.357sig/.45auto/10mm). Sidearm is concealed in your preferred way, you are legaly carrying.

On your own, you have made the decision to shoot (there's no negotiating/warning to stop/etc) - you are unholstering, taking safeties off (in applicable), and shooting.

Where do you shoot, what type of aiming method you use, and how many times do you shoot?

Poll is anonymous.

Each encounter might be different . I shoot till the threat is down and out. Point shooting, sighted shooting or other methods may be needed/used. By practicing different methods, I hope to be more prepared .

I answered how I would hope I would respond, but I'm with Rocky on this one. A lot is happening in a very brief time, and I can honestly say, I don't know exactly how many rounds I would fire before I checked to see if the threat was still there.

Shoot until the perp is down. If that be to slide lock so be it. Point shooting is quicker than anything else.

Perp starts out at 15' in scenario and is now lunging at you at full speed. ANYONE using sights is about to have gun taken away from them and jammed up their ass!

Only chance is to point shoot (or use laser) from retention while moving offline to rear and left or right at the same time, looking for cover.

Realize as Gabe Suarez taught us, if you are standing in the same place you were, you ARE going to get hit. Perp has gun drawn and you don't at outset, so IT is going to fire probably before you complete your draw, so you better be moving or you're a dead man.

You didn't specify whether the BG is armed with a contact weapon or a ranged one. This is a pretty major distinction. The details of my response is going to be different if he is armed with a knife or bat than if he is armed with a gun.

I'm with Blackeagle on this one. What is the weapon? A wooden spoon can be a deadly weapon in the right hands but a gun can be deadly in any hands.

I shoot unti I no longer feel threatened.

I tried to make the scenario as general as possible, so you were freed with the decision about shooting/ no shooting. It's also has kind of ideal surroundings too - no bystanders, good backstop, etc.

I left the weapon details "open" to you - it would be whatever weapon you deem it makes you fear for your life the most, thus making you shoot in whatever way you practice.

Just want to see what are some people going for when Murphy shows up. Thanks for commenting.

From 15ft I might not have time to draw and fire. Assuming that I have time I would fire COM until the revolver went click or the BG was down. I would not have time to aim.

if i know that weapon is going to hurt me or kill me, i will draw and get my gun pointed on him right out of the holster firing up until i have both hands on gun.. so start with point and if need be go to supported until slide locks or he drops... either he drops or i do and i want to be standing after

I voted for "all COM shots using sights." Although, in this situation, using sights means (for me) just putting the front sight on the target and firing away.

One thing I would mention is that any solution to this situation HAS to include explosive movement "off the X." reason? because starting from 15 feet, this guy is going to be on top of you before you can even "clear leather." If you stand still, he's going to run right over you.

Since I'll be carrying a 9mm, I opted to go with the failure drill (2 COM, 1 Head) with point method, while hauling ass to nearest cover.

There will be NO time to use the sights, I don't have a laser, and I wouldn't be carrying a .45.

If he's still advancing, or firing, COM until slide lock.

With a .45 I would probably do 2 COM and check.

Mossad Ayoob (man, I'm beginning to feel like his press agent) said, during an encounter with an armed aggressor, we are more likely to focus our attention on the target itself, and not on our sights. What our sight picture would appear as would be a clear BG, with a fuzzy outline of front sight/rear sight superimposed over.
It's good to practice drawing from the holster and developing your natural point of aim. When you begin the draw and everything "feels right" as your hand wraps around the grip, you should be able to hit center mass. Maybe not as accurate as using sights, but accurate enough to get two CoM at 15 feet.

I figure two COM .40 hollow points SHOULD be enough to slow an attacker down, and I have another 9 to back it up. Head shots are a nice idea, but not in a panic situation. I'm firing as soon as I THINK I've got a shot with my right hand, moving backward, and assuming my weak side hand-to-hand defensive posture ( side on, left side forward ), firing from just above my belt buckle.

Laser is nice, but I don't think in this scenario it would be enough. It'll be pull-n-spray, hoping for the laser dot to appear. I practice with and without my laser, with and without sighting (shooting by 'feel'), knowing Murphy and battery service life are close cousins. Hopefully, all those rounds spent firing at targets without sighting ( laser or otherwise ) would pay off in this scenario.

I bought the laser more for psychological reasons ( the BG's, that is ) then for actual help in a gunfight, plus... it was REALLY cool :wink: . If I ever HAVE to pull and not fire, a red dot on the chest does worlds for someones attitude in my favor.

From 15 ft, I would have to be firing as soon as the gun clears leather, at least two COM and then successive shots, if necessary, to IT's head using sights.