6 Nov 02

Shooting Incident in the Philippines:

"It was early in the morning. I was returning from a golf outing in a taxi. The driver stopped by the side of the road to relieve himself. I decided to do the same.

Three men approached us from across the road. Sensing trouble, I hurriedly finished and started moving away from the taxi driver. One of the three asked us if we lived in the area. Not waiting for a reply, another announce d a holdup. Two pulled pistols. The third brandished a large knife.

Knowing we would both probably be killed no matter what we did (the typical armed robbery MO around here), I moved and simultaneously drew my own pistol (1911 w/hardball). I ended up on the opposite side of the car as the robbers.

We traded shots through the car windows, spraying glass fragments everywhere . I fired widely at first, hitting nothing. When I finally settled down, I hit one robber twice, both times in the chest. He was dead at the scene. I , in turn, was hit twice (38Spl RN Lead), once in the leg, and once in the jaw . The leg wound was through-and through. The jaw hit broke my lower mandible but did not penetrate my neck or head. I felt no pain from either would. I n fact, I only became aware of the leg would after the robbers fled.

I knew I was hit, but I also knew the fight was not over. I applied pressur e to the facial would with my left hand and continued shooting with my right. When I reloaded (which required both hands), blood spurted out the entry wound.

I carried one magazine in the pistol and two spares on my belt. I was into my last magazine when the taxi driver, also wounded, got inside the cab, retrieved an AK-47, and started firing it full auto at the robbers. He had no knowledge of how to use the weapon, and most of his rounds were launched into the air, doing no damage, but it enough to scare the two robbers who were still alive, and they fled. Both the taxi driver and I then headed to town. I passed out just as we arrived at the hospital.

Oral surgeons reconstructed my jaw. It's been several months now, and I am able to eat normally. I'm lucky to be alive.

I carried my 1911 with the hammer down on an empty chamber, because I was told it was 'safe' that way. Never again! I now carry cocked and l ocked. I'm suddenly serious about living!"

Lessons:

Most robbery suspects flee like mice when the first shot is fired at them. However, sometimes criminals are willing the shoot it out, as happened here. Some are cowards. Some are crazy. Some are just mean. We must be prepared to best them in a genuine fight to the finish.

This fight occurred across the width of a Camry, but it was dark and only portions of bad guy were exposed and only for short times. In addition, my student had to engage most of them using only one hand. We don't practice one-handed shooting nearly enough!

Most gunshot wounds are not fatal. In fact, if you are going to die, you'll be unconscious almost immediately. So, if you're conscious after being hit, it means that your wounds are probably not life threatening! We have to refocus immediately on the task at hand. If we allow ourselves to dither, the problem will likely solve us.

Keep emotions in check. While my student's anger kept him in the fight, it also caused him to forego the basics of marksmanship. He panicked, forgot hi s sights, and started to bash the trigger wildly. When he finally settled dow n and used his sights, he hit the robber where he needed to be hit. The soone r you settle down, the faster you'll end the fight!

If you carry a pistol for defensive purposes, carry it with a full magazine and round in the chamber! If you carry a pistol with an empty chamber, you're kidding yourself. Get serious, or go back to eating grass.

/John

6 Nov 02

S&W Sigma Pistol:

We just finished training a group of police officers in ME. One local department sent three men, all equipped with Sigmas in 40S&W. All worked fine for the duration of the course. State troopers here use USPs, which also worked fine. Most are in 45ACP, but the department is changing over to 357SIG. The rest of the officers brought Glocks and SIGs.

The guys using the Sigmas indicated that the department had a number of functional problems with the guns at first, but that "S&W bent over backwards" to get them working. After being reworked by S&W armorers, they've worked well ever since. Officers like them.

I don't know if S&W intends to keep the Sigma in production or not. I also don't know what they intend to do with their P99 line. I don't want to recommend any pistol that is about to go out of production, but Sigmas are available, and they are inexpensive.

At least one department is pleased with theirs!

/John