The Leg Discussion

 Throughout my Air Force years, I probably got a chance to go out to the weapons range on twenty-five occasions with the M-16.  Just at Tucson alone, along the 4th year, the organization had like 60 extra reservations given to them, and nowhere near enough folks to send.  My boss didn't care, so I spent six days over a single month....firing the weapon.  

As for shooting the M-9 pistol?  One single morning out of the 22 years.  We had a two-hour class, and roughly 90 rounds of ammo to get orientated with the M-9.  

This morning, I sat over a comment made by Joe Biden....on how to handle criminals (as a policeman).  What he basically wanted cops to do....if confronted and the situation was out of control, then you'd aim at the guys legs.

You know....like that guy constantly did in the TV series....Person of Interest.  Virtually every single bad guy on the show was always wounded by John Reese (the character) in such a fashion.

I pondered over Joe's suggestion and my morning at the range with the M-9.  What you tended to figure out....if you were going to fire the pistol....you kinda wanted the 'threat' to be within one-hundred feet, and preferably within forty feet.  Aiming at just the legs?  Depending on the angle....you probably are aiming enough to blow the guy's balls off, or hit the right vein....to render him dead in six minutes anyway.

But at forty feet....if you don't hit the guy on the first three or four rounds, and he's still advancing....you got two seconds to think about the situation, disregard Joe Biden's advice, and just hit the guy, period.

The problem here, I think Joe has watched a lot of the TV show Person of Interest, and thinks that in a stressful situation.....this joker advancing on the cop....will stand still and let you shoot him in the leg.

Then you ask yourself in this scenario.....left leg or right leg.  Personally, I favor my left leg a good bit over the right leg.  This ought to beg a national discussion....do we teach cops this, and if so....can we mandate they only shoot the right leg?  

So you sit down in a pub with a dozen police, and explain Joe's scenario, and the leg-shooter thing, and wait about six seconds for them to start laughing.  They absolutely won't take the idea serious.

To end this silly topic....I stood and remember the end of the M-9 morning on the range.  My basic feeling....in any general situation....it just seemed logical to have a M-16 rifle instead (with a 30-round magazine).  You just needed one of the 30 rounds to hit the guy advancing on you.  This way, you didn't worry about his intentions, his legs, or idiot politicians.