Real World Personal Defense Lessons from Hamas’s Drugged-Up Terrorists

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The original assassins had hashish, the Moros in the Philippines used a native opioid, the Somali pirates and terrorists chew khat, and now there is a new terrorist drug of choice…Captagon. Numerous dead Hamas terrorists in Israel were found with pockets full of what is called “the poor man’s cocaine”.

What is Captagon and why should we be concerned about it? 

 Captagon was the brand name for a legal drug used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and depression in the 1960s and 1970s. The substance became illegal in most countries, including the United States, in the 1980s. Today, counterfeit captagon production is concentrated in Syria and Lebanon, and serves as a primary source of revenue for the Bashar al-Assad regime. Multiple relatives of the Syrian dictator are involved in narcotrafficking operations. Regional seizure data valued the captagon trade at $5.7 billion in 2021.

What are the effects of the new Captagon? The benefits to the terrorists who consume these little pills like candy are euphoria and a feeling of invincibility. Illicit Captagon was used by ISIS in 2015. They both took it and sold it to fund their activities. This same drug has been found in Ukraine during the recent conflict.    

Creating Type 3 Attackers

For years we have been teaching our students there are three types of attackers that they might encounter.  A Type 1 attacker will surrender/flee when faced with resolute defense. You display a firearm with intent to use it and they run away. A Type 2 attacker will not flee at the sight of a gun, but if they sustain any kind of injury — even non-life threatening — that’s enough to change their minds. They will surrender or flee. Both Type 1 and Type 2 attackers stop because they’ve made a psychological decision to do so. 

The Type 3 attacker isn’t afraid of your gun or being injured. They will absolutely not stop their assault until they have sustained so much physical damage that their body can no longer obey the commands of their brain. 

Michael Platt, the bank robber who killed two and gravely wounded three other FBI agents in April of 1986 in Miami is likely the most famous Type 3 attacker. Platt sustained a total of 12 gunshot wounds before stopping. He also killed and wounded the FBI agents after receiving what doctors described as a “non-survivable” gunshot during the first 90 seconds of the gun battle. Platt was not under the influence of drugs. He was fueled by hate and adrenaline. 

We teach the three types of attackers to our students to help them understand that they need to be mentally prepared for their attacker to be unimpressed by their gun. Thinking that every hood or thief will melt away at the sight of your pocket blaster is a recipe for failure.

The Type 3 attacker is, fortunately, the most rare of the three. However, that doesn’t mean we should discount their existence. We need to be both mentally prepared and have the skill to deal with such monsters. 

As we’ve seen, the use of pain-killing/psycho-boosting drugs by jihadi terrorists isn’t something new. What should be of concern is the rampant use of the new “cocaine for the poor” Captagon by terrorists all over the Middle East and now in Europe. The use of this drug essentially creates Type 3 killers who are euphoric and feel invincible. 

When the next jihadi terrorist attack occurs on American soil — whether it’s at a mall, a church, a school, or a synagogue — it’s a safe bet that they will be wired and amped up on drugs. That is their M.O. Why should we expect anything else?  

You Default to the Level of Training You’ve Mastered

For decades American law enforcement has been teaching the “Body Armor Drill.” They have cadets shoot two to the chest and then, to simulate an opponent wearing armor, they have them fire a shot to the head. I know that my police academy class practiced this in 1992.

In 1997, two heavily armed men wearing body armor robbed a bank in North Hollywood, California. The robbers fired upon responding officers immediately. The dozens of officers returned fire with their Beretta 92 service weapons. These officers knew that they were scoring hits, but the bad guys wouldn’t go down.

How many of the initial police officers who responded fired two rounds then transitioned to a head shot? Based upon the evidence of the encounter, the answer appears to be zero to none.  

But why? Didn’t these officers go to the academy where they did the “Body Armor Drill”? Yes, however, the reality is that for every “headshot” taken in training, a hundred rounds are fired “center mass.” When you’re under the effects of adrenaline during a life and death scenario, you won’t “rise to the occasion.” Instead, you’ll default to the level of training that you’ve mastered.

If over the course of your training you have fired thousands of rounds at the “X” in the center of the silhouette target and perhaps a hundred rounds, spread out over years, at the head, what will your default be?   

Training to Defeat Type 3 Threats

No, we don’t need to switch to .45s or try to conceal S&W Model 29s on our persons. The solution is mindset and training, which go together. We needed to come up with a way to make putting rounds in the right place standard practice, not an occasional occurrence. 

Around ten years ago I was tasked with coming up with a Skill Maintenance target for Student of the Gun University. Much thought went into the project. The upper section has a half-silhouette with a Thoracic Triangle preferred zone. For the uninitiated, to find the Thoracic Triangle we draw a line from the bridge of the nose down to the right nipple, across to the left nipple and back up to the bridge of the nose. Note that the frontal bone of the skull is tough and thick by design and has been found to deflect handgun bullets on innumerable occasions. 

Handguns are poor fight-stoppers. However, it’s tough to load the groceries in and out of your car while holding an M4. We carry handguns because they are convenient and better than harsh language and sharp sticks. If you had your choice for a fight, a rifle or shotgun would be better tools. Nonetheless, when you’re going about your normal life, the pistol is going to be it.

Understanding that handguns aren’t the best fight-stoppers, we need to focus on putting bullets where they will do the most good for us and the most bad for the recipient. The Thoracic Triangle on a homo sapiens contains a lot of important stuff. The heart is at the bottom of the triangle, there is also the upper spinal column and the brain stem (behind your nose). Humans generally have an aversion to bullets impacting their necks/throats and faces. Bullets through the heart aren’t instant stops, but you’re well on your way to ending the fight. 

During our Martial Application of the Pistol training course, we teach our students that during drills which require shots to the silhouette, only rounds inside of the thoracic triangle count. 

By making the TT area of the human silhouette the standard, we have moved away from the old routine of shooting “center mass”, but occasionally taking a “headshot”. If called upon to save their lives in a deadly attack, the default training that our students should have mastered, and therefore defaulted to, is putting rounds into the TT area. 

Mindset

When preparing yourself for the real threat of an attacker who has decided he’s not going to stop, your mindset must be that you will train and practice in such a way that they will not be given a choice of stopping. You will make them stop.

For years we have taught that any self-defense technique that requires the cooperation of your attacker is inherently flawed. The lesson here is directed at the people who think that showing a gun to an attacker will scare them away or, just as bad, the people who still embrace a “shoot to wound” or “fire warning shots” mentality.

This world is a dangerous place. The best advice I can give is for you to be prepared to deal with it and the range of threats you may encounter. 

Paul G. Markel is the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades. He is the author of numerous books and is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. 

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98 COMMENTS

  2. Substance consumption for enhanced performance during battle goes way back. The Vikings purportedly chewed ‘shrooms to fuel their own version of a rage+ invincibility combo…hence the origination of the word “berserker”. Today it might be any variety of substances. Or simply hate (as mentioned in the article about the Miami shootout).

    Joetato and his masters have left our border wide open, so much that even some Democrats are beginning to speak out about the danger Obiden has put us all in.

    Plan accordingly, train accordingly, carry accordingly. Stay frosty.

    • The term “berserk” Old Norse: berserkir “Ber sark” or bear-shirt. Warriors who fought without armor, clothed in bear (or wolf) skins. There is no evidence in the records or the old sagas of consuming mushrooms or other substances before battle altho in our modern drug-induced culture this has been suggested by some. Others suggest that mental illness may have been at the root of the bear shirt phenomenon.

      • I tend to choose my words with purpose, and I chose “purportedly” instead of claiming they definitely did, if you’ll note.

        I believe you’re correct about the “bear shirt”, now that I recall. But I stick with my statement that the Vikings are said to have consumed shrooms (natural psychotropics) before battle in some cases, based upon what I’ve read in historical channels. Beyond that, I’m not interested in getting into a pissing match with you over what may or may not have definitively happened in detail during a time of scarce written record a thousand years ago.

    • Haz

      iirc – methamphetamine was 1st synthesized in Japan, 1897. Use in combat likely began in 1905 (imo).

      WW2 – it is quietly known that the German and Japanese armies basically ran on meth, 1936 – 1945. l won’t tell you what the Americans were taking, because I do not want anybody getting all mad and insulted. I will tell you many did not know what it was.

      When the Japanese surrendered, McArthur had multiple warehouses full of pills to deal with. He gave them back to the Japanese, who used them in the recovery. Most of what is actual data about longterm daily oral use comes from that period.

      The 20th Century was the Age of Amphetamines in many ways.

      I always assumed the Vikings were mostly drunk, but will try to keep an open mind.

      • And then without a market for amphetamine at war they were sold first to housewives before they settled on marketing it for kids as ritalin (amphetamine) with adhd along with methylphenedites and amphetamine prodrugs. Methamphetamine is prescribed as a next line after those failed.
        The us military never took amphetamine out of the toolbox but has mostly replaced it with modanifil.

        • Governments love drugs, despite claiming to be against them. They can control you by supplying them, and they can control you by denying them to you. It gives them a reason to kick down your door, search your bags, or raise your taxes.

      • I’ve read that they brewed the shrooms like a tea then mixed it with alcohol.
        Good times…..good times….

      • “When the Japanese surrendered, McArthur had multiple warehouses full of pills to deal with. He gave them back to the Japanese, who used them in the recovery. Most of what is actual data about longterm daily oral use comes from that period.”

        TWZ had an article on that recently. After some addicts behaved like animals, Japanese public sentiment turned anti-meth real fast.

        But yeah, Japan ran on meth in the early days of the reconstruction…

        • TWZ?

          Anyhow, l heard they ran out in the late 60s-early 70s, but that is distant memory of a vague rumor.

          Manufacture ran on it, into the 70s, is what I read. Think heavy equipment (export). At the time we could buy well- designed stuff (excavators, cars, chainsaws) obviously made by total maniacs completely obsessed by the fear that their product might wear out someday. Good times for me, and I thank them very much.

          I believe the Japanese still use some illegal meth – they get it in Guangdong as the Aussies are known to do. Occasionally, the Chinese execute one, probably free lancers.

          In a different kind of story, depression-era Arkansas had trouble with jimson weed – the government put out a pamphlet recommending grafting tomato plants to jimson weed rootstock, to increase yield/hardiness.

          It was fine if no leaves of jimson were allowed to sprout from the rootstock – but if they did, the tomatoes became poisonous. There were apparently truly horrific events involving whole families, even neighborhoods, going completely nuts, and no one had a clue as to why…

          “Just say no”, right?

  3. I would add an additional comment with regards to bullet placement. Don’t exclude the possibility of putting rounds in the groin or upper thigh. Those areas are amongst the least protected. A shot to the groin of either a man or a woman will have not only a physical impact but a profound psychological one. Feeling your genitals being destroyed is going to divert your attention to your crotch rather than what you were planning to do. A shot to the thigh can be fatal if you hit the femoral artery as it won’t take terribly long for some to bleed out. Someone comes at you with body armor my targets are head, groin and legs.

    • Wouldn’t focus too much on the groin (ignore the easy jokes) when a pelvic impact tends to remove mobility from the opponent in dramatic ways.

    • Expanding upon dprato’s comment:

      A good thigh shot almost always renders an attacker “combat ineffective” as they say. (Taking out the major muscle group in a thigh–or even better shattering your attacker’s femur–will leave them pretty much non-ambulatory. That is medical jargon for being unable to walk or run around.)

      So, even if you don’t compromise your attacker’s femoral artery, compromising your attacker’s upper leg will likely render them unable to continue their attack in any significant fashion. Just realize that sending bullets into an attacker’s thigh (with enough damage to immobilize him/her) is very difficult because it is a very small target area which is likely moving rapidly. Needless to say, your odds of landing bullets inside a fast moving and small target area are low. Of course low odds of stopping your attacker (via thigh shots) are superior to virtually zero odds of stopping your attacker (via “center mass” shots into ballistic resistant vests).

      • As a medic I can tell you my experience is that fast incapacitation from shooting the thighs or the groin is extremely rare. Unless you break the femur itself or the pelvis, it is really unlikely for your attacker to drop quickly. I have seen several accidental self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the thigh walk up to me for treatment, and I have seen many individuals shot in the legs with both pistol and rifle rounds that were still combat effective. I’ve also seen patients with penetrating trauma to the genitals that did not know they were hit at all. Their first Inkling that they were bleeding from the groin was the wet sensation, not the pain.
        The Mozambique is a critical skill set.

        • I have to agree with this. Unless you shatter the femur or the pelvis, its unlikely for your attacker to be immobilized enough to stop them.

          On the other hand though there are those who would stop or run off after being hit any where. But the problem with that is you don’t know if that will happen or not until it does and there are plenty out there would would continue pressing their attack. In my several situations I’ve had, in one of them I hit each of the two bad guys several times with some in thighs and they were still up and continuing and one of them it took my final shots at around 3 feet from him in center mass to put him down (he died) and the other it took shots center lower spine to put him down (shattered vertebra and wrecked nerve bundle, he lived paralyzed for life).

        • Good to know. Although it is possible that 90% of thigh shots were effective and you only saw the 10% who were still operational. (That is mostly a joke.) Another factor which could explain the apparent poor probability of stopping an attacker with thigh shots was due to using full-metal-jacket bullets since you were in military combat. My thinking behind the possible effectiveness of thigh shots assumes hollowpoint bullets which expand impressively and cause massive muscle damage.

          Note to self: if “center mass” shots fail to stop your attacker, prioritize head shots over pelvis/thigh shots.

        • Uncommon, the FMJ assumption is incorrect. The self-inflicted GSWs to the thigh I’ve seen were stateside. One in particular was point blank with a 45ACP. The round went diagonally from below the hip at a shallow angle toward the knee. (He was standing, shot himself at a downward angle.) The HP round fully expanded and did not exit the body. Patient not only got to the hospital himself, but successfully hid the wound from his wife for days. He was far more afraid of her than the wound itself.
          I do want to be clear that I have seen rifle shots break the pelvic girdle and immediately incapacitate the attacker. That’s a brutal injury.

        • Mr. Taylor,

          Thank you for sharing your experience and perspective–that is valuable information.

          This just means that we need better bullets which operate like a food processor and totally grind up all muscle tissue within a 5-inch radius on the entire bullet path!

        • I know several marines who were trained to shoot the pelvic girdle, as a means to incapacitate an attacker at close range. Especially in the case of bullet resistant armor or an IED was suspected. It is a much larger area than the head, making it a much easier target in high stress situations. Make no mistake if you are hit with a high velocity round in the pelvic girdle. You will go down. Making for an easy follow up kill shot.

        • As a medical professional, how much damage has to be done to the pelvis to render an assailant non-ambulatory?

    • Glad to see my comment generated so much discussion. Remember I was talking about an armored attacker, and this was the secondary consideration in the context of this article. Furthermore, none of the responders indicated they had been shot in the thigh or genitals nor is a self-inflicted wound the same as multiple directed shots in these target areas since the angle of the shot is probably considerably different. Having a choice of shooting someone armed with body armor in center mass versus what I suggested is still my first choice in that situation. Very informative discussion, however. Reminds me of the discussion about which caliber bullet to use and the distain for small calibers. Most folks have not been shot multiple times with small calibers but I am sure you really wouldn’t want to try it particularly if the shooter can put them where they want them.

      • The discussion isn’t whether or not to shoot them Center Mass or the legs, it is to shoot them in the head or the legs. Your supposition about the incapacitating effect of being shot in the upper thighs or groin do not match real world observations.
        In short, shots to the groin or upper leg have a low probability of stopping the attacker. Shots to the head have a high probability of stopping the attacker.

        • I believe I included the head didn’t I. You need to read more carefully and I bet if I shot you in the groin or thigh you would think quite differently. Have you ever been shot?

        • You believe wrong. Your comment doesn’t mention the head. Yes, I have. Your uninformed opinions are piling up quickly.

  4. With the legalizing of pot in many states there has been an increase of people suffering from psychosis (many parallels with schizophrenia) . Now there is a group who want to legalize pot users with legal firearms. Another issue with pot is the gateway to stronger drugs.

        • Impossible to determine whether or not those folks would have developed symptoms later anyway however. But a drug induced psychotic episode certainly doesn’t help. I’ve worked with folks on the spectrum for 15 years and in my observations, pot use isn’t any more prevalent in the population overall, but does appear to be highly represented in younger males with more severe symptoms. But most of those folks are very seriously ill and would have presented anyway. IMO.

        • We’ve known for decades that marijuana can worsen schizophrenia or unmask it with those who are predisposed. Vinny complaining about marijuana users owning firearms is laughably out of date. Imagine being scared of violent crime from marijuana users. I bet Vinny doesn’t blink an eye at gun owners who drink alcohol

        • jwt

          Ditto caffeine (see caffeine psychoses).

          Let’s ban caffeine, because the cartels need more money, and corrupt public officials need more power. As do doctors.

          We simply MUST dispose all our rights, commonsense demands it. Only then can we finally be free!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • @ Templar. I always like to use an analogy I heard over 40 years ago, about the comparison between alcohol and marijuana use. Which would you rather come up against. A drunk driving 100mph thinking he was going 25 mph or someone stoned driving 25mph, thinking they were going 100 mph.

        • Templar, that’s a lot of unfounded assumptions. I’m all for people smoking weed if they want to. An old EMT joke rings true, drunk drivers kill kids, high drivers miss their exit.
          But that doesn’t mean you can’t talk honestly about the real and negative effects of widespread marijuana use among the population. Some of that population will be predisposed to schizophrenia and psychosis and their marijuana use will make that much worse. Some of those people will be undiagnosed and will own firearms. Almost certainly, there will be issues of triggering events involving psychosis, firearms, and marijuana. The reality of this shouldn’t lead us to any new legislation banning the use of marijuana or firearms, but we also shouldn’t be oblivious to a potentially very dangerous combination.

    • “Much of this mess is Obama’s fault”

      Really? Do you want to lay the Arab-Israeli conflict at Obama’s doorstep, who wasn’t born when it started?

      Obama hasn’t been president for eight years.

      I thought Donald Trump and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner had ended the decades of division and conflict.

      “We’re here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East,” Trump said earlier Tuesday. “Thanks to great courage of the leaders of these three countries, we take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity.”

      • “Obama hasn’t been president for eight years.”

        Perhaps, but Obama Junior is in the White House now, undermining everything American.

      • “Really? Do you want to lay the Arab-Israeli conflict at Obama’s doorstep, who wasn’t born when it started?

        Obama hasn’t been president for eight years.”

        Shut up Miner49er, Trump hasn’t been president for years now yet you still screech “TRUMPPPPPPP!” every chance you get.

        Learn what context means. He’s not talking about laying “the Arab-Israeli conflict at Obama’s doorstep” He’s talking about Hezbollah and so is the article like he posted, and Obama most certainly did do that and it has allowed such terrorist groups to grow and become stronger. Did you really think the money from Hezbollah’s billion-dollar criminal enterprise was being used for the betterment of the area people? No you fool, it was going to Iran who used the money to fund hamas and Hezbollah for just the very thing its doing now, so yes, even though his post was not trying to “lay the Arab-Israeli conflict at Obama’s doorstep”, Obama’s deal aided it and facilitated it by giving them an income stream so it does belong on “Obama’s doorstep”.

        • Biden is nothing more than a Manchurian Candidate. His ‘Handlers’ behind the curtains are making all the decisions. He attempts to read the words off the teleprompter, that are written for him. With little success. He is the tradeoff made by the Liberal/Progressive Democrat leadership, for allowing an old man with dementia. To live out his dream of being President.

  6. Hmm, I’ve always practiced and advocated for the police training method. I must confess, I like the “thoracic triangle” concept and will probably make the change. Anyone know a source for targets?

    • Used to be shoot and see triangles that came as stickers in various sizes you could put on typical silhouette targets but there should be an option in print by now without the extra steps.

    • “Anyone know a source for targets?”

      Cardboard and a magic marker. Maybe you can “draw around” your spouse or kid…

      • I’m going to try this, just for kicks. “Honey, lie down on this cardboard so I can draw your outline.” “What for?” “It’s a style of target that I want to try out.” “I’ll show you a target…(reverts to her native tongue as she grabs a skillet).”😬

        Maybe I offer that we do a his ‘n hers project before telling her what it is. She’s a pretty good shot.🤔

        (looking up targets-r-us.com)

        That’s how it would go in my household, anyhow.

    • @VNVet69

      This is an excellent article. Well written and comprehensive.

      I have used the VTAC targets for a number of years. They are one of the few that include the area below most body armor. If you’re really invested in the Triangle concept I guess you could draw lines connecting the chest box to the head box .

      At my Academy class we were taught that the head is a relatively small and usually moving target. The main body to include the upper legs and groin are a larger and more predictable target.

      I suggest looking at the targets offered by VikingTactics or the large assortment offered by Action Targets.

    • Thanks everyone, I took masking tape and created the triangle on a silhouette target and studied it. I decided that it wasn’t really a good idea as either side of the bottom only represents 1 lung. Encouraging shooting away from the sternum doesn’t seem to be a good idea. On further consideration, I decided that what is needed is an esophageal rectangle that is about 2.5 inches wide and extends from the xiphoid process to the bridge of the nose. Then continue practicing the “Mozambique drill”. The 2 to the sternum should stand the attacker up and stopping head movement for a split second. Enough to put one on the tip of the nose.

      Further, shots to the pelvic area are a “maybe”. Shots to the head are a “definite maybe” (it will definitely end the threat but a maybe because you have to hit the head.) Also, a pelvic hit even if it takes the perp down, allows them to keep shooting if they are armed so not really a great plan. Connecting on the head shot ends the threat whether the perp is armed or not. Just my 2 cents.

  8. Excellent article.

    Even so, I’m concerned that so many articles – wonderful as they are – are “preaching to the choir”. They are addressed at advancing the state of the art for those few of us who are among the best practiced.

    I’d like to see more articles addressed to the pre-gun owner and the recent gun-owner. What can the average Jack/Jill do to start to be prepared? These are the people we need to appeal to in order to build the ranks of 2A supporters.

    The more professional articles – I fear – will discourage the pre-owner and the recent owner from joining the fold of gun-owners.

    As just one example, we ought to point out that the more amateur gun-carriers are at a mass shooting venue the more opportunity they will have collectively to stop a killer. You, individually, don’t have to be the hero. You can contribute with others to get enough lead to slow and eventually stop a mass killer.

    • Smokey the Bear themed “Only you can return fire”? Joking aside getting people used to the idea that yes they can use violence and yes it can be justified is going to be tough with the propaganda that has been everywhere longer than I have been alive going against it.

      • Yeah Hamas is a triple threat. Worshiping a demon “god”,drugged up & oh yeah they hate jews. Isis treatment the he!! out of them🙄

        • @serpent

          Iirc – Allah claims to be creator of Christians and Jews in the Koran – I do not know of any Jewish or Christian source that recognizes Allah as a name for God.

          Got one?

        • @XZX “Allah” is simply “God” in Arabic. It’s like arguing that “God”, “Gott”, “Dieu”, & “Dio” are different deities.

        • They probably are, in the minds of the speakers. The Judeo-Christians I have known or read would happily agree that (for example) “God” created Arabs, but not that “God” and “Allah” are the same diety, or even that it is a diety.

          Similarly, Christians claim that their God and the Jewish God are the same diety. I believe I am correct in saying that Jews are skeptical of that…

  9. “… or try to conceal S&W Model 29s on our persons.”

    3″ Model 629 in an OWB holster conceals nicely. With 180 gr XTP it’s a great stopper out to 20 yards, if you do your part. Barks like a big dog, too.

    Performance over quantity.

    • Or a 44 Tracker. Only 5 rounds with a 4″ barrel, but cylinder size and grip size is more critical when trying to conceal than barrel length. Still works great with the 180 gr XTP load. Lighter weight offsets losing one round and is cheaper than the S&W “L” frame model 44.

  11. There’s also the upside-down target across the groin. The attempts is to shatter the hips so they physically can’t walk. unfortunately if they are type 3 attacker will still be able to use their arms and body until they bleed out.

    • When dealing with that level of crazy if you can’t put the lights out it is often best to get some distance and/or cover to reevaluate the situation and get a better plan. Their not being able to move quickly may help with that….. along with numerous other holes they are leaking out of. Either way that level of crazy sucks to deal with even when you have body armor and backup next to you.

  13. Aim for the groin.

    On most men, the genitals are a small target.

    However; the groin is also the local of the pelvis, thigh bones and spine. No bad guy, no matter what drugs he is on, is going to remain standing and ambulatory if any of these bones are broken.

    The groin is also the location of the femoral arteries. Only a shot to the heart can inflict more severe blood loss.

    The groin is also the location of the main nerves from the spine to the legs. Paralyzed people don’t remain standing and ambulatory.

    Few body armors have groin protection.

    Obviously; a 12 gauge shotgun aimed for the groin is most likely to shatter all of the above mentioned bones, lacerate the arteries and sever the nerves. Emasculation is also plausible.

    • So long as the target didn’t get 3a coverage for upper thigh groin etc perfectly viable. Even if they managed lv3 most of the options are uhmwpe so green tip and better with typically get through and good luck figuring out rigid rifle armor coverage for the hips as 3a is tough enough. Maybe something custom by stealth armor systems but if someone with that kind of budget is kicking in your door I have other questions and concerns starting with how fire resistant is your roof.

        • While there are plates for that to (ceredyne re northern Ireland and newer versions) they are largely unavailable for civilian purchase and are a bit too heavy for much beyond an 10×12 front and back. By the same token if you are guarding your home with a 50bmg that is mobile enough to engage a breach team I would worry more about ATF firebomb drones.

    • Good idea! l like my bad guys too stoned to leave the house.

      Unfortunately, a lot of people are worried about something something lose their souls.

  15. Mozambique Drill, as explained by Col. Cooper, came about because of a drugged-up black attacker. Two 9mm shots, both hitting the heart, didn’t stop him. Hense the Center Mass, Center Mass, Three, Four, Head Shot cadence of the Mozambique Drill. This happened at the Mozambique Airport, and the attacker’s autopsy was done where he dropped, on the edge of the runway. This Mozambique Drill does go against the current “spray and pray” technique so widely used today. If that attacker had fired his weapon instead of keep running at his intended white victim. we would never have the Mozambique Drill. Don’t remember the shooter’s/victim’s name, as it was 1972 when I was told about the Mozambique Drill by Col. Cooper. Likewise, don’t remember what the attacker was chewing, but based on what the affect was on the user, assume it was Khat.

  17. If you carry less than .500 calibre, are you truly prepared to stop the threat?

    With my .9mm super gun, I truly need 100 rounds in the chamber.

  18. @XZX
    “Only then can we finally be free!!!!!!!!!!!!”

    Indeed, War is peace.
    Freedom is slavery.
    Ignorance is strength.
    Freedom is tyranny.

      • “Miraculously enough, bullshit is still bullshit.”

        The word “free” should be allowed only when describing something as costing nothing, or indicating absence, such as ‘the overcoat is free of lint’.

  19. “In 1997, two heavily armed men wearing body armor robbed a bank in North Hollywood, California. The robbers fired upon […] responding officers returned fire with their Beretta 92 service weapons.”

    And shotguns. Each squad car was stocked with a 12 ga., but *buckshot only*. One box of slugs per car, the whole thing would have been over in minutes.

    In the aftermath, SoCal PDs bought a whole bunch of AR15s or was it M16s…

    That’s talent! Turn a box of 12 ga slugs you did not have and a perp with homemade armor, into beaucoup rifles of light caliber.

    Them California types got natural talent.

      • Any accurate center-fire rifle would have worked but yeah what the robbers used was perfect for pistols and shotguns outside of a few higher velocity slugs. Not bad for home made armor.

        • Saw a movie version years ago and it did get me interested enough to read up. May have been part of what sparked my interest in body armor actually………….also distrust of governments based around the crown.

  20. @jwt

    “Unfortunately, he has quite a bit of evidence on his side. There is a large and historic body of evidence linking”

    Do those studies control for other chemicals? l have yet to read one that does. Relative to science, that makes those studies bullshit, AKA propaganda.

    Do you have one that does control for the multitude of other psychoactive chemicals that adventurous kids are exposed to? Assuming you don’t, are you just talking your book? Or do they actually have you fooled?

    • How come in almost every counter to the idea of “Unfortunately, he has quite a bit of evidence on his side. There is a large and historic body of evidence linking” (or similar) in terms of the darker side of pot use there is always someone that does a counter of “Do those studies control for other chemicals? l have yet to read one that does. Relative to science, that makes those studies bullshit, AKA propaganda.” or similar counter despite there being many such studies that did “control for other chemicals”

      ?

      Is that some kind of ‘standard’ reply that potheads learn to recite?

  22. Can’t TTAG find a way that we don’t have to see “Michelle” Obama’s face in ads asking if she was the best First “Lady?” Enough to gag one’s breakfast up…

    • Yeah, seeing “Mike” at any time of the day turns my stomach. TTAG needs to switch to a question about Melania…

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