Bring a knife to a gunfight

[alaskabushman]

I got this as an email with no link, but thought it was good enough to share. If this is your article please forgive me for not giving you credit. If you know where this comes from and I'll link it.



Firearms Experts Joke, “Never Bring A Knife To A Gunfight”? Here Are 5 Reasons They Were Wrong.

Why do you own a gun?

The obvious answer is to protect yourself and those you love from an attacker who poses a lethal threat, right?

But are you training the right way for the threat you’re most likely to face?

Reports of real close-quarters attacks reveal that when it comes to facing an armed attacker intent on taking your life, you’re in much more danger from a knife attack than from someone armed with a gun.

Don’t believe me? Here are…

5 Reasons A Knife Can Be More Dangerous Than A Gun



1. Knives Are Deadlier

Yes, you read that right…

According to FBI fatality stats from officers killed in a fight, 10% of those who were shot died from their wounds.

But 30% of those who were attacked with a knife were killed as a result of being cut and stabbed.

2. Knives Don’t Have A Line Of Fire

A gun can only kill you if you’re in the direct line of the path of the bullet.

That also explains why , even in ranges as close as 3′-6′, only about 1 in 4 bullets actually hit the target – and these stats are from trained police officers!

But knives can do lethal damage from any angle and they don’t miss their target.

3. Knives Don’t Run Out Of Ammo

In a close quarters attack, you could be stabbed 3-5 times in a single second.

A handgun is only going to give you about 15 rounds or so (on the high end).

Unless you’re behind cover or at a distance far enough to give you some time to reload, that’s all you’re going to get.

And FBI stats also reveal that only 1 in 4 bullets ever hit their mark – even at ranges as close as 3′.

Considering that it may take several rounds to finally stop an attacker, you may find your clip empty and still facing an enraged thug with a knife that’s not running out of metal.

4. Knives Take No Skill To Use

Since we were young, holding and cutting with a knife has been built into our natural abilities.

While it takes lots and lots of training to become an expert with a firearm, any scumbag with a pointy piece of metal can wield a blade like a master with even the crudest of movements.

Consider also that most gun owners who go to the range are practicing “target shooting” and aren’t prepared for how to shoot in a real close-quarters gunfight.

5. Knives Give Little Warning

Not only can knives be concealed and drawn easier than a firearm, but they’re silent killers.

When a gun is fired, you know you’re in a gunfight.

However, many victims in a knife attack claim they didn’t even know they were being stabbed until it was too late.

When under the influence of the adrenaline rush of a real attack, you may in fact not feel yourself being cut and mistake it for simply being punched.

Are YOU Training The Right Way For The Right Attack?

Now the purpose of this article isn’t to convince you to give up Ol’ Betsy for a pocket knife as your main defense weapon.

I’ll still stick with my trusty Glock 19 at my side any day.

But do you really think some scumbag with a knife is going to whip out his blade from 15 yards away and give you time to draw your weapon and get your sights on his center mass before he’s charging your way?

Hell no!

A desperate criminal is going to already be right up in your face – where he knows he can cut you – before you even know your life is in danger.

That doesn’t give you a whole lot of room or time to draw your weapon – especially when it’s already concealed and your heart’s racing.

Yet 95% of the guys I see down at the range still expend all their rounds trying to get super tight shot groups from 15′-50′ away when real gunfights actually take place less than 9′ away!

You know it’s true.

So don’t find out the hard way that you were training all wrong for the wrong threat.

Train for close quarters gunfights rather than “target practice” and you’ll greatly increase your chances of saving your life – or the life of someone you love – if you’re ever attacked.

[Rick]

I'm having trouble buying into a lot of that. "When a gun is fired you know you're in a gun fight". Not if the shooter did their job. Hopefully, you wake up in the right place and the temperature isn't a bazillion degrees but you don't hear the one that killed you.

It refers to "some scumbag" quite a bit. If I'M doing MY job I'm already on alert when I see "some scumbag". Vigilance and Avoidance are the two best defenses you can use. If you have to pull your weapon you've already failed at both.

I guess the question you have to ask yourself is given the choice between confronting a knife wielding scumbag with a firearm or a knife, which would you choose? My 9 rounds are more than likely going to find it's mark at least once even if I'm running in the other direction and firing backwards. I KNOW I can't do that with a knife.

[alaskabushman]

He also refers to police officers poor accuracy, "1 in 4 bullets actually hit the target", no disrespect to the fine LEO's out there but the vast majority of LEO's never actually practice that much. They get a passing score on their qualification testing and call it good. Private citizens (who practice) are probably better shots than the average LEO.

[kyratshooter]

He also refers to police officers poor accuracy, "1 in 4 bullets actually hit the target", no disrespect to the fine LEO's out there but the vast majority of LEO's never actually practice that much. They get a passing score on their qualification testing and call it good. Private citizens (who practice) are probably better shots than the average LEO.

However one of the ending premises is that conflicts are at such close range that accuracy training is a waste! Therefore situational observation and reaction training is the key to survival in a conflict, not accuracy.



And there is the use of some FBI statistics and avoidance of others. 30%/10% deadliness, 1 in 4 rounds hitting target are referenced but NOT the fact that the average gunfight is only 2.5 rounds expended.

Range is referenced with out the statistics being properly used. 80% of the gunfights are inside 7 yards, not 50 feet, and 75% of those are inside 3 feet. That means grappling situations or pure execution style shootings.

Those things are one of the reasons I choose firearms that can be fired through a pocket and really do not do a massive amount of training with my "carry guns". I am more concerned with functioning and reliability that with accuracy.

Then there is the deadliness issue. Fact is that most of those knife attacks are domestic issues that involve one distraught and abused individual armed with a knife and one drunk and passed out individual that does not realize his throat is about to be slit.

There is also the issue that knives make no noise. Someone uses a firearm and the police are going to be called due to the noise factor, even if they are not successful. Someone comes out with a knife and gets disarmed and there is no noise, no report to LEO, no report of the conflict. So any statistics on record are skewed toward knife efficiency just because only the deadly attack are reported, while almost every firearm discharge will be reported, even if it does no damage.

Some of our knife makers and carriers probably take issue with the constant connection between the term "scumbag" and the knife. Sort of like "gun toting maniac" as used by the media.

There has always been great prejudice directed to knife carriers. The first weapons control laws were directed to keeping control of the knives in the hands of lower class people. Folks that could afford firearms were writing the laws. You could carry a concealed pistol but not a concealed knife.

Just last month the state of Tennessee passed legislation that allows citizens to OWN switchblade knives, after they were outlawed for 100 years inside that state. One has been able to carry a pistol legally for several decades but could not legally have possession of a switchblade in the confines of their own home.

And there is a third group of folks! Some of us carry an automatic pistol in the right front pocket and an automatic knife in the left pocket.

[Rick]

If you reach for those guns but don't pull 'em folks are going to be talking. You know that, right? Walking around with one hand in your pocket is bad enough.

[alaskabushman]

Kyrat:
All good points, I should have noted originally I was not condoning ditching ones carry gun in favor of a knife. I simply thought after reading it that this would be a good conversation starter. I certainly won't be tossing my carry gun just yet!
I have seen pictures of both post gun and knife fights, I'll pass on both. I was a little annoyed that the article gave you no information on how to protect yourself for the claimed threats. Very vocal on the bad that could happen, but no solutions? If a gun doesn't work then are we supposed to lay down and take a good stabbing? My thoughts anyway.

[letslearntogether47]

"That also explains why , even in ranges as close as 3′-6′, only about 1 in 4 bullets actually hit the target – and these stats are from trained police officers!"

Now that's scary.
I just recently picked up a hand gun after 25 years and I can hit dead center of an 8 1/2 x 11 paper target 25- 30' away.

[kyratshooter]

Or it could be that the missed shots are the 20% that are taken from longer ranges ???

And the law of averages is working and 90% of the 3 foot shots might be one shot stops and the 2.5 averages are covered by the long range misses.

And there is the old reminder that what one can do on a nice safe well lit firing range is not the same level of performance one will achieve after being sucker punched in a parking lot between parked cars, face down on the ground with blood in your eyes, shooting over the left shoulder in the dark at a moving target!

[alaskabushman]

And there is the old reminder that what one can do on a nice safe well lit firing range is not the same level of performance one will achieve after being sucker punched in a parking lot between parked cars, face down on the ground with blood in your eyes, shooting over the left shoulder in the dark at a moving target!

Darn you! Now I'm gonna have to practice that!

[Rick]

I would also suggest that your aim is a tad better at the range shooting at a stationary target 25 feet away that wrestling with a perp up against a car or rolling around on the ground. As Kyrat indicated that 3-6 feet is generally grappling range. No wonder people miss if someone has you by the wrist trying to keep your weapon away from them or is thumping you with something.

I didn't read that you were advocating anything ak, just that you posted for discussion as you said.

[Old Professor]

I pretty much agree with all the comments above but I THINK I understand what the original author was getting at, which I take as an argument for carrying a good fighting knife. However, as others have pointed out, even with my Concealed Pistols License, I can not legally carry what I would consider a "Fighting Knife" in the state of Michigan and probably most other states as well. I am well aware of how lethal a knife can be and wish I could carry a suitable one as a back up to my handgun but I am unwilling to take the risk of going to jail for doing so. Better to carry two hand guns, As Jim Corillo did.

[Rick]

We have very few restrictions on size and nothing on concealed vs open carry. About the only thing we can't own are Chinese throwing stars and projectile knives.

What is Legal

• Balisong knives are legal.
• Bowie knive are legal.
• Dirks, daggers, and stilettos are legal.
• Assisted knives are legal.
• Disguised knives like cane knives, lipstick knives, and belt knives are legal.
• Switchblades and other automatic knives are legal.

What is Illegal

• Ballistic knives are illegal.
• Throwing stars are illegal.

Restriction on Carry
There are no limits to concealed or open carry as long as you do not bring a knife to school.

[kyratshooter]

In my state you are issued a "deadly weapons" carry permit.

It covers pistols as well as knives, ice picks, batons, saps, brass knuckles, or sharp sticks for eye poking.

It might cover a garrote but I am not going to push the issue that far.

[randyt]

Anyone practice hip shooting?

[Rick]

Sounds painful.

[randyt]

it can be under the right circumstances.

[Tokwan]

Even though I was trained in using the knife, and have used them extensively in our guerilla warfare, I still wouldn't just bring a knife to a gunfight. I would bring a gun and a knife.

[hunter63]

[crashdive123]

Ya gotta wonder.....why would the moron put it up on youtube. I darn sure would make sure there was not a shred of evidence of my stupidity.

[kyratshooter]

If you look at the slow motion sequence you can see that the gun is clear of the holster and he placed his finger inside the trigger guard as the pistol discharges.

He definitely failed the "finger off the trigger" mandate, but it appears he might have also violated a half dozen other gun handling directives.

Either that or it was a Glock.

At any rate, he is now the proud lifetime bearer of a "Glock Stripe"