173 yard handgun shot..

[lazs]

Now a 173 yard shot at a big old metal gong or even a 5 gallon bucket may not be the most amazing thing but...

The latest American Handgunner has an article on a cop who made a 173 yard shot on a moving bad guy. Now, what is more amazing (to me) is that the cop had just got done jogging 100 yards or so and realized he needed to stop and take the shot.

The gun was a 4" Smith and Wesson .357 mag and he had to hold a little in front to lead the guy.. Hit him a little low on the torso but.. got the job done.

Long range plinking came in handy for that guy.

[Corbin Dallas]

Now a 173 yard shot at a big old metal gong or even a 5 gallon bucket may not be the most amazing thing but...

The latest American Handgunner has an article on a cop who made a 173 yard shot on a moving bad guy. Now, what is more amazing (to me) is that the cop had just got done jogging 100 yards or so and realized he needed to stop and take the shot.

The gun was a 4" Smith and Wesson .357 mag and he had to hold a little in front to lead the guy.. Hit him a little low on the torso but.. got the job done.

Long range plinking came in handy for that guy.

Link?

[gotshotgun?]

I wonder if using deadly force in that situation is warranted... Link would be good.

[PatriotnMore]

Anyone can get lucky, I've made some amazing distance shots with a pistol, but could not reproduce the results with much regularity, if the guy was a consistent shooter of long distance moving targets, good for him, I'd want to see it for myself.

[lazs]

The "link" is the latest issue of American Handgunner. They may have some stuff online but you would need to get the magazine probably.

The shot is well documented. Back in the day of revolvers cops seemed to practice a lot more. The guy owned an identical 4" revolver for personal use and practiced weekly. I used to shoot with some bay area cops back in the 70's who were at the local range every week. We would shoot at 50 and 100 yards all the time. They mostly used model 19's with 4 or six in barrels and I used a Ruger superblackhawk in 44 mag with some pretty stout reloads.. great fun.

In the issue before the one in question another shot at about 80 yards I believe, was made by an MP on a bad guy and he used a 9mm model 92 but had no idea of the range he was shooting at. I believe he may have missed a few times too.

[1911Luvr]

I read the article as well, and it says he was a not just any cop with a gun, but rather an accomplished target shooter and the rangemaster for his department. Tough shot for anyone regardless of competence with a firearm. Hell, I doubt I could hold sights on a car car at 173 yards, let alone a running suspect and lead him!

[gotshotgun?]

Did the article say the suspect was placing the officer or someone else in imminent danger of death or great bodily injury? I thought you can't shoot the bg simply to prevent an escape? Plus why if he missed and hit somone else? Seems reckless.

[Notblake]

B/G is armed and dangerous and fleeing towards a school. Or any other place where hostage taking/ loss of life/ extreme danger is immanent, and the shot is totally warranted. do you really want to take the NAACP stance on this?

Great shot Officer and good job taking another A-hole off the streets.

-Blake

[gotshotgun?]

Hah, no not the NAACP stance, it's a great shot, it's just the.. What if he misses thy scares me.

[Ryan in SD]

Did the article say the suspect was placing the officer or someone else in imminent danger of death or great bodily injury? I thought you can't shoot the bg simply to prevent an escape? Plus why if he missed and hit somone else? Seems reckless.

I'm not sure anyone in this thread cares bud.

Awesome shot. bad guy: 0 / good guy:1

[1911Luvr]

Did the article say the suspect was placing the officer or someone else in imminent danger of death or great bodily injury? I thought you can't shoot the bg simply to prevent an escape? Plus why if he missed and hit somone else? Seems reckless.

Before you condemn him as reckless you must read the article. There was nothing in the background but foliage, so missing was not a concern. The suspect was running toward a woman he could and very likely would take hostage, and he was a well known criminal with a history of violent crimes.

[MossbergMan]

+1 for Ryan! Great shot! I'm pretty sure he thought he could make the shot and if he missed no one was in danger.

However I am reminded of the saying: "Fortutious outcomes can reinforce poor tactics or techniques" unknown.

[norcal01]

What state was this in? Don't some states still have fleeing felon laws in place?

[gotshotgun?]

I'm not sure anyone in this thread cares bud.

Awesome shot. bad guy: 0 / good guy:1

Ouch! Point taken, I'm over it.

[Günter]

In the issue before the one in question another shot at about 80 yards I believe, was made by an MP on a bad guy and he used a 9mm model 92 but had no idea of the range he was shooting at. I believe he may have missed a few times too.

I believe that was the Fairchild Air Force Base shooting of 1994. A man wielding an AK massacred several victims through out the hospital, got out to a parking lot, confronted a security personal armed with a 9mm Beretta M9. The security personal ordered the suspect to drop his weapons but he refused, at a range of 70 yards he shot 4 rounds, with two hits. One in the shoulder and the other in the head - killing him.