It is my understanding that the above quote came from IPSC World Champion Ross Seyfried. I believe he was commenting on a rule change that allowed a person to win a match if he shot fast, even though others shot more accurately. But it is also an excellent reminder for the defensive shooter.
Too often, we see reports of gunfights in which one, or more, participants draws his gun and just fills the air with bullets. Unfortunately, the most publicized of these events usually involve policemen, wounded bystanders, and lots of bad publicity. But, my friends, it can happen to any of us.
Many times, the first that we are aware of an attack is when the bad guy has already drawn his weapon and begun firing. The tendency is to think that we're going to lose if we don't get some bullets headed his way. Besides, how can we possibly miss at such close range? But the fact is that is often exactly what happens. Bill Jordan once commented that he did not know of a single deadly confrontation in which the bad guy was killed by a loud noise.
As frustrating and scary as it may seem, the proper response is to make a smooth, quick pistol presentation and deliver a hit to the bad guy's vital zone. The first shots don't always win a gunfight, but the first center hits usually do. Of course, that is easier to say than it is to do. But that is why we put so much emphasis on training and practice. Quickly delivering a controlled pair of shots to the vital zone should be what we practice the most.
No, you can't miss fast enough to catch up. And loud noises don't disable a bad guy. But, and you can write this down, CENTER HITS ARE WHAT STOP GUNFIGHTS.
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