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 Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:37 am Post subject: HOW A BULLET DETERS AN ASSAILANT |
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HOW A BULLET DETERS AN ASSAILANT
A bullet may be effective in incapacitating an aggressor by any of five mechanisms:
* Disrupting or impairing the supply of blood carrying oxygen to the brain;
* Disrupting the central nervous system;
* Breaking bones and the skeletal support structure;
* Psychological reasons;
* Neural shock.
The respiratory system consists of the nose, mouth, upper throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, diaphragm, and the muscles of the chest. Oxygen passes through the lungs into the blood, and carbon dioxide is given off.
The body requires a constant supply of oxygen. Certain cells, such as those in the brain and nervous system, can be injured or die after four to six minutes without oxygen. Such damage is irreparable, because these cells are not regenerated or replaced. The cardiovascular system distributes oxygen throughout the body.
Damage to the vascular system is the most likely occurrence to result from a shooting. Blood vessels will be either severed or torn.
Usually blood loss, hence unconsciousness, is a very gradual process. An assailant must lose at least twenty percent (one quart) of the body's total blood supply in order to be incapacitated. A blood loss of 50 percent usually results in death. However, even with the heart totally destroyed, an assailant can remain functional for full and complete voluntary action for 10-15 seconds, due to the presence of oxygen already in the brain.
The fact that the brain can survive for a very brief period of time after the body is technically dead has been known for centuries. During the French Revolution, the mob found great delight in the grisly sport of finding a head freshly severed by the guillotine that blinked or grimaced.
Consider that a man with a 44-inch chest will measure approximately 13- to 14-inches in diameter through the torso.
It is generally regarded that penetration of ten to twelve inches of soft tissue by a bullet is the acceptable minimum performance standard for a self defense cartridge. Penetration in excess of eighteen inches is excessive, and represents a waste of wounding potential, particularly if the bullet exits the attacker's body.
The foregoing criteria is not hard and fast, and common sense should prevail. For example, penetration of 8 inches is usually adequate to inflict effective wound trauma capable of terminating criminal hostilities when conditions are favorable, such as a shot placed front to back through the sternum.
In a home defense situation, shots to an assailant will likely be frontal or quartering frontal. Major blood vessels and vital organs will be encountered at bullet penetration from six to eight inches.
The ten- to twelve-inch minimum criteria provides a degree of insurance in the unfavorable event that a bullet requires abnormally deep penetration to reach vital areas. This can, and does, happen quite often in real life homicidal encounters. Examples include the presence of non critical tissue, such as a shielding or obstructing arm which must be traversed by the bullet, an unusual angle of the bullet path through the criminal's torso which increases distance to be traveled to vital areas, or the fact that one's attacker is exceptionally chunky or huge.
Disruption of the central nervous system is produced by a shot to the brain or cervical spinal cord. Instantaneous collapse will result.
The most effective shot placement is to the cranial vault of the head or to the brain stem. The problem with a skull shot is that the head of an assailant is a relatively small and rapidly moving target. Also, the bones of the skull are extremely tough. There are numerous incidences where a head shot has resulted only in a superficial glancing blow when the bullet ricochet off. Should the bullet actually enter the brain, crushing and hydrostatic shock will induce immediate incapacitation. The cervical spinal cord is only about the thickness of one's little finger, offering a very elusive target indeed.
While most bullets of reasonably sized caliber are capable of breaking bones, this occurrence alone is not likely to bring about a termination of hostility by incapacitating the aggressor. A shot to the pelvis will tend to cripple, but not kill.
Psychological predisposition may cause some people to collapse or capitulate when shot. This "Oh my God, I've been shot" reaction may greatly outweigh the effects of any actual physical trauma. The psychological response to being shot is extremely variable.
Emotional fainting may occur. This type of neurogenic shock is a physiological mechanism attributable to a psychological cause. The walls of the blood vessels possess muscle fibers which allow the vessels to constrict or dilate. This enables the body to adjust blood flow in response to external conditions such as heat and cold. Intense emotions such as fear can also cause widespread dilation of bodily blood vessels. The vascular capacity may increase greatly, beyond the capability of the blood supply to fill it. The force exerted by gravity may draw blood into the legs and lower torso to the extent that the brain is deprived of oxygen, resulting in unconsciousness.
In addition to emotional fainting, psychological incapacitation can result in a situation whereby the attacker may voluntarily decide to cease aggression and surrender.
The psychological reaction is very erratic, unpredictable, and unreliable. It may not occur in everyone, especially in a highly motivated criminal bent on death and destruction (yours).
Consciousness can be lost due to neural shock. An area at the lower part of the brain-stem largely controls human consciousness. This area, called the reticular activating system, can be disrupted by physical damage, by pressure from the cranial vault, by intense emotion, or by physical pain.
It is speculated that various organs of the body can send pain impulses to the brain stem indicating a severe or overwhelming bodily injury. The reticular activating system responds by producing a functional "shut down", which results in loss of consciousness within a second or two. PCP, heroin, and to a lesser extent alcohol and adrenalin, are known to impair this function. This sometimes results in cases where a high or intoxicated aggressor seems immune to gunshots and will not stop hostilities even though wounded by multiple handgun, rifle, or even shotgun rounds.
To reiterate and emphasize:
* The ability to produce instant incapacitation is not possible with any handgun round, unless the central nervous system is hit. This involves penetrating the brain or hitting the cervical spine.
* Blood loss resulting from a shooting is the primary cause of incapacitation. The greater the tissue damage and disruption, the greater the bleeding. The process can be slow. Bodily blood loss on the order of twenty percent is required to produce unconsciousness. One's assailant may be fully functional during the time preceding unconsciousness.
* Incapacitation depends on the physical, emotional, and psychological state of the assailant.
* The onset of incapacitation can be delayed by the presence of narcotics, alcohol or adrenalin in the assailant's blood.
* Cardiovascular organs and vessels will only be destroyed if they are directly hit by the bullet. Hence, the ability of a bullet to penetrate is extremely important. Minimum penetration is regarded to be 10-12 inches of soft tissue.
* The intended victim should keep shooting as long as the assailant poses a threat.
* The shooting skill acquired with practice promotes the confidence and resolution which allows one to prevail in an armed encounter with a criminal aggressor. Hence, familiarity with one's firearm of choice is essential.
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full article link: http://www.internetarmory.com/self_defense.htm#bullet
source: www.InternetArmory.com |
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