Dealing with a bad guy in armor

[pr1042]

The problem is that you're not the best problem solver when someone is trying to kill you. It happens - like when Mireles figured out how to run the shotgun one-handed, but it's rare.

The best way to handle this problem is to build to a high level of automaticity, a standard response of a failure drill. Shoot to x number of rounds to the body and move to the head without hesitation. If there is still a head there, take the shot, if not stop. That is a reasonable amount of branching that is likely for a person in their first gunfight.

It's not sexy but if you can do these three things with a pistol, you're going to be OK:
Failure drill from the holster
Failure drill from the ready
Some form of reload

The only other training component I would add would be practice on real moving targets. Hitting a moving 8" circular plate moving at a walking pace will really show you how good you basic skills need to be.

May be overkill but I have been centering most of my training around the LAPD SWAT qual that DB posted awhile back. I'll run it cold from either the holster or ready, and then run it again with the other start position. Depending on the hits, I'll usually end up working at the 10-15 yard line after that.

[PearTree]

Now how about if the bad guy is wearing a ballistic helmet along with body armor?

Shouldn't matter if he's wearing a helmet or not. I've never seen a ballistic helmet with coverage between or around someone's eyes. Although a side shot or a back shot where the helmet covers the ears and back of head in doc's images would definitely be more difficult.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Now how about if the bad guy is wearing a ballistic helmet along with body armor?

You're pretty much kittened. It will definately be an interesting problem. Add distance to already reduced size targets that are moving; then in the back of the mind might be one, of several, voices reminding them of the liability from rounds that bypass the BadGuy.

[Coyotesfan97]

Most PD's have a "body armor" part of the annual pistol/rifle/shotgun qual. What it is? You shoot them in the body from about 7 yards, yell "BODY ARMOR!!!!" and take a single headshot.

Tha'ts probably it.

I knew it was programmed after a simunitions FoF drill where I put four rounds center mass with no reaction and without thinking transitioned to the face and out two rounds on the facemask of the actor.


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[Hambo]

Now how about if the bad guy is wearing a ballistic helmet along with body armor?

What's part five of this question? What if he's wearing a helmet with a ballistic face shield and a Level IIIa codpiece?

[11B10]

You're pretty much kittened. It will definately be an interesting problem. Add distance to already reduced size targets that are moving; then in the back of the mind might be one, of several, voices reminding them of the liability from rounds that bypass the BadGuy.

^^^ yup, something about "a lawyer attached to every round" comes to mind.

[Peally]

What's part five of this question? What if he's wearing a helmet with a ballistic face shield and a Level IIIa codpiece?

Bring down the ordnance.

[TGS]

If they're wearing body armor and a helmet and you have no shot on the ocular cavity, I think the pelvic girdle becomes a very viable target.

Will a pistol round likely break his pelvis and get you a mobility kill? No, but it's a possibility.

Will a pistol round to the pelvis likely result in rapid incapacitation? No, but there's lots of vascular structure in the pelvis and you're at least starting him down the road of exsanguination and putting a time limit on their spree. That's a lot better than pelting their body armor with no effect at all.

If the girdle isn't viable I think the last best solution would be to just shoot him in the helmet. I don't imagine it's pleasant, and eventually we'll get to a failure point with any COTS product (either structurally or by the adversary taking it off to reposition).

Thinking outside the box, the only other commonly available solution sans longarm I can think of is fire. Burn him out.

[tanner]

Splodey robot FTW!

[John Hearne]

I knew it was programmed after a simunitions FoF drill where I put four rounds center mass with no reaction and without thinking transitioned to the face and out two rounds on the facemask of the actor.

I'm glad you have it wired-in but a lot of folks who think they have it, don't. The NTI was (in)famous for setting up unannounced failure drills with a reactive target that only had a head zone to neutralize. Very few people, who thought they were high level practitioners, ever did it.