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part-time shooter
05-10-2011, 08:59 PM
I'm interesting in information from those that have or have had access to information on the situations surrounding not only the use of deadly force but of the display of the potential of deadly force. i.e. when the appearance of a firearm ended the situation. Small caliber firearms specifically, handguns (any caliber) or small caliber rifles, nothing over 5.56.

I'm specifically interested in the average number of shots fired or on average the number of times that the appearance of a firearm ended a potentially deadly threat "peacefully" versus those where shots are fired to end the situation.

I'm well aware that each and every one of those situations was different and there were many circumstances in play that are not constants in any life threatening encounter, I'm just looking for averages.

Is there an internet or printed resource for such information? I'm more interested in recent information and not totally centered on police involvement and certainly not military unless it's stateside MP related, including other military situations would likely skew the results in a single direction.

Thanks!

TGS
05-10-2011, 09:34 PM
I would suggest you send a message to Tom Givens, he might be able to tell you something useful. I really wish I had the money for his class coming up in Culpeper :mad:

joshs
05-10-2011, 09:41 PM
The newest (3rd) edition of More Guns, Less Crime cites a number of studies in the appendix that examine the defensive use of firearms.

TCinVA
05-11-2011, 04:43 PM
I'm specifically interested in the average number of shots fired or on average the number of times that the appearance of a firearm ended a potentially deadly threat "peacefully" versus those where shots are fired to end the situation.


The only stats I've ever heard involving "brandishing" or showing a weapon vs. actually firing it were from Gary Kleck's survey. If I remember correctly, he came up with a 99:1 ratio of weapon display vs. actually firing it.

part-time shooter
05-11-2011, 07:09 PM
The only stats I've ever heard involving "brandishing" or showing a weapon vs. actually firing it were from Gary Kleck's survey. If I remember correctly, he came up with a 99:1 ratio of weapon display vs. actually firing it.

Thank you for the Kleck reference there's a ton of information in the peer review law and criminology journals for and agaisnt his estimates and research. Looks like a lot of people don't want him to be correct but he has some great points and he actually did the research instead of writing a paper based on nothing to refute his research. Imagine that...

I'm sad to say I'd never heard of his work before or his conclusions. 2 - 2.5 million defensive uses of firearms a year, not shootings obviously. That's an eye opening number.

"In any case, our estimates of DGU frequency were based
solely on cases that qualified as bona fide DGUs. Two of the
conditions needed for incidents to qualify as genuine DGUs were
that (1) there had to have been an actual confrontation between
the defender and an adversary, and (2) the defender had to have
actually used the gun in some way, some as pointing it at their
adversary in a threatening manner, or using it in a verbal threat
(e.g. 'Stop, I've got a gun.") None of the cases that went into
our estimation of 2.5 million annual DGUs involved (a) person who
merely owned or carried a gun for protection."

DGU - Defensive Gun Use

Looks like I found my reading material for the night.

Thanks TC.