What to know about personal protection.
I love statistics.
They open windows of insight and can help you understand what is most likely to happen in certain situations. A stat is a fact or figure derived from the collection of large quantities of data. In this post I have gathered data from numerous sources, such as the FBI, ATF and multiple research and news outlets. Some of these stats are pretty eye opening and will help you tailor some of your training to better prepare you to be safe, skilled and secure. So, lets take a look!
HOW MANY firearms ARE in America?
Well over 300 million...can you believe that?!?! That is almost one gun for every man, woman and child in the US…… Yay America! We are the most well armed country in the world…by far!!! You think that coincides with the fact that we also have more personal rights and liberties than any other country?
How many rounds of ammunition are in America?
Trillions. This number is virtually impossible to pin point, but all experts agree that the number is in the trillions. Heck, between myself and immediate family we would be in the tens of thousands. A gun is no good without ammo!
300 million firearms, trillions of rounds of ammunition makes one wonder who owns all of these firearms?
That would be 39% of Americans as of 2017…….I would bet you a 100 rounds of 9MM that this stat is much higher here in the great state of Georgia! Side note – 29% of those households said they owned at least 5 guns, heck yeah!
Why do people own firearms?
PROTECTION
HUNTING
SPORT SHOOTING
If I was interviewed for this one, I would definitely fall into all three categories!
Those are some really fun and cool stats, so now I’m gonna take it to a more serious level since we have found out that 67% of people own a firearm for protection.
What is the average time of a violent encounter where a firearm is used?
About 3 seconds from start to finish.
That’s super fast, but would probably seem like an eternity if you were the person in danger. If you are carrying you definitely want to practice drawing from concealment over and over and over until the muscle memory is hardwired into your brain.
This is a good one. The average distance of a violent encounter where a firearm is used is only 0-20 feet
That’s up close and personal. Most bad guys are predators and will always try and get the drop on you, surprise you before you can react, at that point they are all up in your personal space. Situational awareness is so vitally important. Honestly, it is more important than carrying a firearm in a lot of cases. Always pay attention to your surroundings, don’t walk around in public staring at your phone like a mindless sheep. Pay attention all the times.
If you did have to use your firearm in a violent encounter, do you practice rapid shots at very close ranges? 2 feet 4 feet 6 feet 8 feet 10 feet, so on and so forth. Draw and shoot from the hip at 2 feet? Will you have time to see the sights at 2-10 feet, probably not. If you practice and train regularly you may be able to see the sights in the split second between draw to fire at 10 to 20 feet.
How about the average number of shots in a violent encounter?
Do you shoot double and triple taps on targets during your practice sessions?
Contrary to what you see in the movies where good guy shoots bad guy once in the chest, there’s a huge spray of blood and he flies backwards 5 feet, that’s just not the case in real life scenarios. Most violent encounters are not ended with one shot and many times the bad guy will keep coming or turn and run away even when fatally shot.
When do most violent crimes occur?
That makes sense, easier to get the drop on someone in low light conditions. How about some night sights on that carry gun, or better yet, go home the later it gets at night.
My dad used to tell me nothing good happens after 10:00 pm. I know this isn’t reality for most people, even myself, but there is no need put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation if you do not have to. Use common sense and pay attention, especially after dark.
What happens if you stand still in a gunfight?
You have an 85% percent chance of being shot! EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT!
I’d recommend moving. A static target is much easier to hit than a moving one, don’t give the bad guys one single advantage, move!
Do you practice shooting on the move? Probably be a good skill to practice, along with drawing on the move.
What happens if you move during a gunfight?
Your chance of being shot drops from 85% to 47%
Need I say more about moving?
I hope you gained some insights from these stats. Americans love guns (with exception of people who are scared of them because they don’t understand them or are just plain ignorant). Guns are simply tools, they can do no harm on their own.
Make it a point to be safe, skilled and secure with your guns. Practice. Work with a certified instructor on skills you want to refine and then practice them on your own. Your personal safety and your families security should be high priorities. Odds are you will never have to defend what is precious to you, but if you did, will you be ready?
Remember, nothing can replace the equalizing ability of an armed, trained citizen against someone wanting to do them harm.
Pay attention to your surroundings and we’ll see ya on the range.
