Shooting from inside vehicles

[Celt]

This is not something I've done yet. As an armed citizen it is a very likely scenario that we could be faced with. Just imagine you have your family in the car and for whatever reason somebody stops in front of you in a road rage. He grabs a baseball bat or another weapon from his vehicle and he starts approaching you in your car. What do you do? Have you practiced drawing from concealment while inside your vehicle, have you considered alternate carrying options while inside your car? Have you shot through glass before?

I need to take a training class in the future focused on all of these aspects. In the meantime I'm going to be working on some drawing from concealment inside my truck.

 

[Criticalt]

If I cant just drive away, ill wing it.
I carry at 3 oclock and its very easy to draw my ready to fire weapon.

 

[Celt]

I hear ya, but as im sure you know everything changes under stres.

Here's another scenario. You're driving with your family and it's after dark, you get lost and you're in an unfamiliar area. Next thing you know you find yourself at an intersection surrounded by a bunch of goons looking to do you and your family harm.


Or say it's just an shtf scenario and no matter where you're going you have to threat of gangs looking to take your vehicle and your

 

[togmaster]

Your first weapon is your vehicle. The gun would be your back-up.

 

[carpediem]

Almost had to fire from the driver seat across the car to the passenger window one night in Binghamton. Crappy part of town, halfway decent car, couple street corner thugs and a stoplight were not a good mixture. Told the passenger to turn his head, plug his left ear and use his right hand to recline the seat. He asked, what about the window? I told him I can always buy another. Thank God the light turned just before the guy got to my car door.

 

[Celt]

Your first weapon is your vehicle. The gun would be your back-up.

Agreed, but what if you are trapped as in a vehicle in front and behind. I could conjure up 10 different scenarios where you're stuck inside your vehicle with no way to drive and you're being attacked while your family is in the car that would cause you have to pull your firearm.

 

[Celt]

Almost had to fire from the driver seat across the car to the passenger window one night in Binghamton. Crappy part of town, halfway decent car, couple street corner thugs and a stoplight were not a good mixture. Told the passenger to turn his head, plug his left ear and use his right hand to recline the seat. He asked, what about the window? I told him I can always buy another. Thank God the light turned just before the guy got to my car door.

In a situation like this I would take a ticket for running a red light no problem if traffic permitted. I'm glad you did not have to use deadly physical force in that scenario. Try to think of it from a prosecutor's perspective. If you had the opportunity to drive away and didn't they would chew you up and spit you out.

 

[carpediem]

Yea, probably. Wasn't really interested in either a ticket or having to defend myself. Was interested in being left alone by the local thugocracy.

 

[Airborneguy]

Every training I have ever attended regarding "mounted" encounters starts with "your vehicle is your first weapon". Always remember that. In most cases, besides being the most viable option, it is by far the most deadly also.

Whenever possible you want to avoid shooting through vehicle glass. It wreaks havoc on accuracy, especially hollow points. Try to get the windows down and shoot out of your doors if able.

One quick tip:

If removing your seatbelt becomes necessary with expediency, always use your opposite hand to do so. If you've never done this, go do it now. When you reach up and over the belt with your left or right arm (depending on seating location), you have zero chance of becoming entangled AND can simultaneously begin drawing your firearm if you are the driver. If you use the hand on the same side of the belt, your chances of becoming entangled greatly increase.

 

[togmaster]

Agreed, but what if you are trapped as in a vehicle in front and behind. I could conjure up 10 different scenarios where you're stuck inside your vehicle with no way to drive and you're being attacked while your family is in the car that would cause you have to pull your firearm.

It would be a tough situation with a car load of family members. As a last resort, If I had to stop the threat I would do my best to do so. Injuries would be certainly be expected from flying glass and hearing loss.

 

[Celt]

Absolutely Tog, but that still would be better than the alternative. And again, the reason for practicing in this manner would be for when all else fails and you are not able to use your vehicle as the primary weapon.

 

[carpediem]

Absolutely Tog, but that still would be better than the alternative. And again, the reason for practicing in this manner would be for when all else fails and you are not able to use your vehicle as the primary weapon.

Yea, in my little experience, I couldn't use my car as a weapon, unless I ran the guys over before they presented a threat. That was exactly why I stopped at the light. Up to and until his hand touched my door handle, there was no threat. Obviously there was a clear set of events about to happen, but you can't expect that to hold water in a court.

 

[spat]

Almost had to fire from the driver seat across the car to the passenger window one night in Binghamton. Crappy part of town, halfway decent car, couple street corner thugs and a stoplight were not a good mixture. Told the passenger to turn his head, plug his left ear and use his right hand to recline the seat. He asked, what about the window? I told him I can always buy another. Thank God the light turned just before the guy got to my car door.

I would run a light way before I would fire a weapon....

 

[Calculon]

I took a class with Fortress where we practiced this scenario. Not sure if Drew has joined up here yet but I gave him the heads up.

As I remember some of the main points are:
- drive away if you can. Escape is best option.
-stay in car as long as it's mobile and not being set on fire
-instruct family/passengers to follow your instructions without hesitation
- muzzle discipline. Drawing and getting on target without muzzling yourself, your passengers or your dashboard is more difficult than it sounds. You don't want to put a round into the dash and disable your vehicle.

We practiced firing out driver's side and passenger side. Deliberate draw and loud verbal commands (Get down, Stop, Get back, etc).

We practiced using chairs and a table at Blue Mountain. I then went home and practiced a bit in the car while in the garage so I was not visible. Car feels really small all of a sudden.