Email a copy of 'The Gunfighter’s Guide: Lessons Learned the Hard Way- Part 1, by The Grumpy Gunfighter' to a friend
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There’s a lot that can be done to up-armor a vehicle. Some of the modifications can be a bit more cumbersome than others, it all depends on how much risk you are willing to accept. 30 mm armor plate in all the doors and panels and 1″ polycarbonate replacement windows were pretty standard in civilian style vehicle upgrades. They proved fairly effective against small arms fire, though they did add some weight to the vehicle, and you did have to open the driver’s door in lieu of a window that no longer rolled down.
Nowadays, my Crown Vic has kevlar in the door panels, just because that’s the way it came. There’s enough there to stop pistol rounds, probably not enough for high powered rifles. But then I am not in the same threat level where I am that I was in/around the IZ.
As for offensive capabilities, there are plenty of options. Not everything has to be carried on your person.
G.G. wrote, “In the U.S., most gunfights take place from zero to five feet and are over in less than three minutes. So, learning close quarters fighting is critical for survival.”
I have heard this before. And I recently viewed a DVD program that addresses this topic in detail. I thought it was absolutely excellent. I have no affiliation with the program, instructor, etc, etc. I don’t believe the author of this article has any affiliation, either.
If this is permissible — to recommend an item — here is the link, although I will admit, the webpage is painfully long. But the information was *extremely* helpful to me. I am a small, middle-aged woman.
https://concealedcarryuniversity.org/3-seconds-from-now-training-program/
Oh and one more DVD I watched recently. Also excellent. Also with no affiliation:
https://targetfocustraining.com/product/self-defense-training/survival-pack/
This is a great read, thank you for this. I look forward to reading your next two in the series. As someone with no military or police experience, I spend a lot more time than I should worrying about what to do in a gunfight. I know there is training available but with student debt, a mortgage, and baby number one on the way, its probably not the most wise use of my money budgeted to preparedness.
Most close quarter fights are actually over in less than 30 seconds.
wow, amazing article this morning!!!\
-Piney
One other thought about gunfights and vehicles. The muzzle blast from guns fired inside vehicles is greatly magnified. Take what you experience when you shoot at the range and multiply by ten. This is both noise and blast. If you aren’t ready it can overwhelm and distract you. This works equally for drivers and passenger/shooters.
“Retired cop,” your comment is spot on. Time after time movies depict the firing of a gun inside a vehicle with no particular negative results–except for the victim. In the movies, a squib load would be used and the sound would be dubbed in later. In reality, everyone in the vehicle would have their “bells rung.”
The results could be even worse inside a structure, depending on the construction materials used. How many times have you seen firearms being used in concrete buildings or in sewers and tunnels, with no particular reaction to the sound by the actors? This is simply not “real world.”
My son did a tour in Iraq in a “tip of the spear” unit. I asked him whether he and others used any sort of hearing protection while engaged and inside buildings. He said that they didn’t because “you’ve got to be able to hear,” meaning hearing what was said by others.
He lost some hearing while he was in the Army, although I don’t know how much. I asked him whether it qualified him for a disability rating. He said, no, “everybody loses hearing.”
Survivormann,
Get on your son to go back to the VA and get a rating. Even if zero % it is worth it. If his hearing worsens, he won’t have to prove it didn’t come from his life as a civilian.
When he gets older he will likely need hearing aids, and the VA can get them for him…better than shelling out $7k a pair for them himself.
Too many young bucks figure “to heck with it, comes with the job” when it comes to the aches and pains. They gut it out. Then 30 or 40 yrs later when they have to do something about it, they can no longer prove it came from the service.
Tell him to get the DAV to help him file his claim. They won’t steer him wrong and will fight for him with the VA.
When I got my screening, actually had one VA doc tell me: “You do know it is my job to screen you out, not into the system, right?”
34 yr 50% disabled Vet.
Thanks, JDC. I will try.
Very good advice!
“In the U.S., most gunfights take place from zero to five feet and are over in less than three minutes.” I’m sure that the author meant “less than three seconds.” Hey, it happens.
About being a “scorpion” or “jellyfish,” many people simply don’t have the skills and training, much less the temperament, to go the scorpion route. While none of us have actually experienced a “Mad Max environment” in this country, I’m a big believer that those with the proper skills should be very prepared to use the scorpion approach, given that a “don’t tread on me” approach may be the only way to avoid being tested.
Imagine that a total meltdown occurs. Imagine that there are five “wolves” in a vehicle who are trying to decide which home to hit that night. They pass a home with a fellow standing outside in a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals while holding a 12 ga. shotgun cocked on his hip. Down the road a half-mile, these same wolves pass a property that is sandbagged. The people who can be seen there are wearing BDUs, complete “battle rattle,” and are armed to the teeth.
Predators, whether two-legged or four-legged, almost always choose the weak and old as their targets. In this case, it certainly seems to me that the wolves will decide that the low hanging fruit is the home with the fellow in the T-shirt, and that a rational “wolf” will decide to hit that home that night.
“predators … almost always choose the weak and old as their targets”
more specifically, they choose the weakest of whoever has what they want. “full battle rattle and heavily armed” may be a tempting target for just that reason.
The only times I have had to pull my gun from concealed carry is on charging Pit bulls on bicycle rides with my wife=https://www.dogsbite.org/ This breed of dog will kill you!
Survivorman – Yes, every combat veteran loses hearing to some degree. Every vet should get that loss validated by the VA. Believe me, eventually you will need hearing aids and the VA will supply them. Ironhorsecowboy
One thing I slightly disagree with, GrumpyG. The average person is wasting time practicing clearing a house, esp alone. I believe it was Massad Ayoub who first said that. Unless the world turns upside down and there is no police force, and you cannot dial 911, the average Joe is more likely to engage a family member, or get shot him/herself if they go doing the room clearing thing. In any event, the odds are pretty low for you to get it right, and you only have to get it wrong once.
If you are in a house where you cannot get out, stay put and get ready to defend yourself if necessary. Obviously get out if you can and dial 911. If you are outside and see a house broken into, stay out.
If you are of the mindset that you HAVE to learn to clear a room solo or en mass, get professional training. It takes a lot of training time to learn to do it right, and for most folks, that is time better spent at the range or one of the other myriad of tasks in your life.
JSOC 89-91 and watched the pro’s do it a lot.
If your inside and can’t get out the easy way, its time to dial 1911.
JDC…..Well said!
Even when on the job always paid for extra training out-of-pocket . There’s some decent civilian schools. Just signed up for IDPA. Most people describe it as just something fun to do, but been running my carry peace and think it’s good practice.
Like the old saying goes , get out there and train
About up-armoring vehicles, there are several YouTube videos on homemade bullet resistant panels. The materials usually involve fiberglass welding aprons, ceramic tile, and fiberglass resin. The results appear to be impressive with regard to defeating pistol rounds.
For those who will never get around to ordering protective armor for a vehicle due to the high cost or simply their own procrastination, but who might be interested in a shop project, these panels might be something to consider, especially since they can be cut to fit the space available in a vehicle.
The YouTube videos seem to support the claim that these panels will defeat 9 mm and .45 acp. among other calibers.
Before I would bet my life on these panels, however, I would absolutely, positively, spend a couple of hours at the range testing them.
Unfortunately, none of these homemade panels are shown withstanding centerfire rifle bullets.
In the first Gulf War we were waiting for the minefield to be blown so I can drive the humvee with the NBC detection gear across to check. Sitting there waiting the Gunny and I exchanged glances then we exchanged firearms. As a Corporal I had my M16 and he had his 9mm. So I focused on not hitting a mine and he had my rifle pointing out the right while the L/Cpl in the back covered the left. Half way across we took an artillery strike which encouraged me to drive much faster. So when ever we drove around we would switch, then once out of the vehicle switch back. yep, good times.