Combative Anatomy and CQC pistol work

[mercop]

There are two types of weapons, edged and impact. A bullet is a just a hybrid that goes really fast. The only two ways to damage tissue is but cutting and crushing it.

When a bullet strikes tissue it has the ability to damage the following system listed in the order that the shooter will likely notice the effect and the immediacy the round would have on the ability of the attacker to continue aggression

Central Nervous System- comprised of the spinal cord and head. Since you will likely be shooting into the front of side of your attacker the head is protected only by being a small target and the spinal cord by the tissue in front of it. Comprising the CNS will look like someone turned off a light switch.

Structural System including bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments- these targets all over the body. The most effective ones being the elbows, knees, and pelvic girdle. Any damage to the hands will likely render them useless for using a weapon, especially that to thumbs.

Circulatory System- the largest, and easiest to compromise. Even though it may be likely to result in eventual death it may seem as though the attacker has not even been struck.

Everyone is familiar with a "ball tap". You walk by a buddy and ball tap him and his head comes forward, depending on how good your ball tap is the farther he will bend over exposing the top of his head and spinal cord to the front.

Most traditional training has us bring our pistol to COM (usually high chest) before beginning to shoot. Doing this we miss have the COM by bypassing the groin to nipple line. There is no reason not to shoot in this area since the muzzle will pass it coming from our hip anyway (at least in a dynamic situation). So those low rounds hit and have the probability of causing the "ball tap" response. As you continue to fire you have a better chance of accessing the heart and lungs with rounds passing behind the clavicle. As previously described you also have a better chance of hitting the head or spinal cord because it has now become the COM.

The pelvic girdle is super vascular and required for locomotion. By default targeting in the manner described you are increasing your odds of targeting the structural system, Central Nervous System, and Circulatory System, in that order instead of the traditional concentration on the Circulatory System alone.

In other words instead of shooting for the head bring the head down to where you are shooting. Also translates well to open hand combatives, edged weapons, and impact weapons. - George

[rikilii]

There are two types of weapons, edged and impact. A bullet is a just a hybrid that goes really fast. The only two ways to damage tissue is but cutting and crushing it.

I count at least three more:

3. Heat/Incendiary -- damage tissue by burning it.
4. Chemical -- damage tissue through chemical reactions.
5. Biological -- damage tissue by infection.

[customloaded]

I count at least three more:

3. Heat/Incendiary -- damage tissue by burning it.
4. Chemical -- damage tissue through chemical reactions.
5. Biological -- damage tissue by infection.

Obviously some folks completely missed the point of your Post MERCOP!!!

Great Article...thanks for posting...

CL

[rikilii]

Obviously some folks completely missed the point of your Post MERCOP!!!

Great Article...thanks for posting...

CL

Took Mr. Mercop quite a while to get to the point of his own article.

I got it just fine. It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if I agree with it at all. That doesn't mean I can make fun of him for starting his post with an obviously incorrect statement.

[XD40coyote]

He left out pulmonary. Double lung is deadly, but even single allows heavy bleeding to occur internally. But maybe he meant disable via bleeding, which is curculatory.

[customloaded]

Took Mr. Mercop quite a while to get to the point of his own article.

I got it just fine. It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if I agree with it at all. That doesn't mean I can make fun of him for starting his post with an obviously incorrect statement.

I would suspect that you are not in law enforcement, public safety, or other realm of employment where CQB is applied, nor have been?

If so, you would see the exact points of reference and how this article applies to the use of force, which, coincidently, makes a great article here for survival shooting and close quarters combat as it pertains to self defense, like right now, immediately, like cops are minutes away when seconds count type thing...not chemical or biological attacks that take hours or days for them to affect an adversary, say, on a large scale military battlefield.

The article is spot on for the intended audience who understand the content and context of the information.

PM to follow Sir.

[rikilii]

I would suspect that you are not in law enforcement, public safety, or other realm of employment where CQB is applied, nor have been?

If so, you would see the exact points of reference and how this article applies to the use of force, which, coincidently, makes a great article here for survival shooting and close quarters combat as it pertains to self defense, like right now, immediately, like cops are minutes away when seconds count type thing...not chemical or biological attacks that take hours or days for them to affect an adversary, say, on a large scale military battlefield.

The article is spot on for the intended audience who understand the content and context of the information.

PM to follow Sir.

I'm not sure what it is about my posts that have anything to do with whether I'm personally involved in a profession that involves shooting people. And there's nothing in the OP's post that indicates he is either.

But in terms of the substance:

• Are you saying that I can't defend myself by spraying mace (chemical) or splashing hot coffee (heat) on someone?

• Are you so sure that shooting someone in the groin is likely to cause a "ball tap" type response that is the core of this whole idea? Or could it be that the immediate response is to stagger a bit, followed by shooting back because you failed to hit COM?

• Do you swing your weapon up into position through a perfect arc from holster to COM? That's not how I was taught to present my weapon.

• Can you abide by the fourth rule of firearm safety (know your target and what's beyond it) if you're popping off shots while swinging your weapon from holster to COM?

Again, I said it was an interesting idea, but I don't really agree with it. Thousands upon thousands of experienced law enforcement and military personnel insist that it is best to shoot COM, not to aim for the head or try for a crotch shot "on the way" to COM.

If the OP is actually experienced using this technique and can represent that it works, from personal experience on real life targets, fine, I'll shut up. But he didn't do that, so it appears he's just theorizing based on shady assumptions about how the human body would react to certain events. I wouldn't bet my life, and I wouldn't want anyone else to bet their lives, on untested theories. And good luck finding any volunteers, on either end of the barrel, to participate in that test.

[Steve_NEPhila]

I am with Rik on this one.

Shooting COM is the best for everyone for many reasons. It is a large target and offers quite a few vital regions that can cause instant incapacitation. Put a hole in the subclavian or the aorta and blood pressure will instantly drop rapidly. A major drop in blood pressure can cause immediate loss of consciousness.

Aorta and others:



These major vascular structures are relatively unprotected in the torso by bone. The practice of aiming for COM is practical and effective.

This "ball tap" theory does not have any data to support it. I had no idea what it was until I performed a few google searches for it. My friends have never attempted such a homoerotic form of groping that I have been witness to. Yet I am getting off task...

Shoot center of mass, it works. There will always be "new" techniques and theories. Do not shoot like you will have plenty of other shots to take. Shoot each shot like you will not get another, and aim Center Of Mass.

[Sandcut]

Good "outside the box" thinking on this one, Mercop. I won't refute the benefits of targeting COM but, the idea of targeting the pelvic girdle is one I hadn't thought of before. The multi-system damage would definitely make this a target that you might not want to overlook.

I've seen many deer get double-lunged and keep going. Take out the shoulder and they don't do quite as well.

The structural damage would, most likely, be incapacitating. Compound that to the vascular damage to the pelvis, especially if you managed to catch the iliac artery (thanks for the visuals, Steve).

The one caution that I'd throw out would be that there is a big hole in the center, hence the name "girdle." While you could literally "shoot the ass" out of someone, hitting the colon, bladder, etc. would surely jack the bad guy up, it would likely have the same effect as a lung shot on a deer and not the incapacitation that you might be hoping for. You may even want to avoid "center of girdle" and shoot laterally.

Food for thought either way. Thanks.

[rikilii]

There are no vital organs below the diaphragm the destruction of which is especially likely to stop a BG from emptying a magazine in your face.

As Steve said, you may only get one shot. You hit a guy in the groin, he's not necessarily going to double over straight toward you presenting his head and shoulders directly at you for your follow up shots. Odds are even that he will spin around, fall back, or simply retreat rather than presenting you the ideal target.

A first shot to COM, on the other hand, stands a very good chance of not only puncturing the heart, but also of severing the spinal chord, which could almost instantly incapacitate.