# Rules for Gunfighting



## QuakrTrakr (Apr 4, 2001)

Drill Sergeant Joe B. Fricks Rules For A Gunfight

1. Forget about knives, bats and fists. Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns. Bring four times the ammunition you think you could ever need.

2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammunition is cheap - life is expensive. If you shoot inside, buckshot is your friend. A new wall is cheap - funerals are expensive

3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.

4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.

5. Move away from your attacker and go to cover. Distance is your friend. (Bulletproof cover and diagonal or lateral movement are preferred.)

6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a semi or full-automatic long gun and a friend with a long gun.

7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.

8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running. Yell "Fire!" Why "Fire"? Cops will come with the Fire Department, sirens often scare off the bad guys, or at least cause then to lose concentration and will.... and who is going to summon help if you yell "Intruder," "Glock" or "Winchester?"

9. Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.

10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.

11. Stretch the rules. Always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.

12. Have a plan.

13. Have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work. "No battle plan ever survives 10 seconds past first contact with an enemy."

14. Use cover or concealment as much as possible, but remember, sheetrock walls and the like stop nothing but your pulse when bullets tear through them.

15. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.

16. Don't drop your guard.

17. Always tactical load and threat scan 360 degrees. Practice reloading one-handed and off-hand shooting. That's how you live if hit in your "good" side.

18. Watch their hands. Hands kill. Smiles, frowns and other facial expressions don't (In God we trust. Everyone else keep your hands where I can see them.)

19. Decide NOW to always be aggressive ENOUGH, quickly ENOUGH.

20. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.

21. Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet if necessary, because they may want to kill you.

22. Be courteous to everyone, overly friendly to no one.

23. Your number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.

24. Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with anything smaller than "4".

25. Use a gun that works EVERY TIME. "All skill is in vain when an Angel blows the powder from the flintlock of your musket." At a practice session, throw you gun into the mud, then make sure it still works. You can clean it later.

26. Practice shooting in the dark, with someone shouting at you, when out of breath, etc.

27. Regardless of whether justified of not, you will feel sad about killing another human being. It is better to be sad than to be room temperature.

28. The only thing you EVER say afterwards is, "He said he was going to kill me. I believed him. I'm sorry, Officer, but I'm very upset now. I can't say anything more. Please speak with my attorney."

Finally, Drill Sergeant Frick's Rules For Un-armed Combat.

1. Never be unarmed."


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## grouly925 (Dec 6, 2006)

Those are some good suggestions there. I have been watching a lot of Personal Defense TV on the sportsman's channel on my Direct TV since we started getting that channel at the beginning of the month. A lot of useful information can be learned. Its got me really fired up to get my CPL now.


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

Perfect timing. I just completed a NRA certified class Saturday. Best class I ever attended or paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Skinner


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## Mags (Apr 10, 2002)

THE best gunfight, bar none..................is the one you're NOT involved in!!!


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## Big_Jim (Jul 26, 2000)

Skinner 2 said:


> Perfect timing. I just completed a NRA certified class Saturday. Best class I ever attended or paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Skinner


What class did you attend?


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## icecathound (Feb 16, 2006)

#27 is my favorite, its better to be sad than be room temperature


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## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

I like his "rule's",but,while my carry gun don't start with a 4,it does end with mag.I'm very confident it will get the job done :lol:


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## grouly925 (Dec 6, 2006)

SNAREMAN said:


> I like his "rule's",but,while my carry gun don't start with a 4,it does end with mag.I'm very confident it will get the job done :lol:


There are exceptions to every rule. I wouldn't contend that a .357 mag has any less take down than a .40 S&W.


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## catfishhoge (Mar 16, 2001)

SNAREMAN said:


> I like his "rule's",but,while my carry gun don't start with a 4,it does end with mag.I'm very confident it will get the job done :lol:


Got to remember when a bullet leaves your gun, YOU are responsible for it. If you shoot the bad guy and the lead continues on and kills your neighbors buick or someone not intended........


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## Line-Loc (Jan 26, 2004)

Wed 7:30 PM on the outdoor channel


http://www.downrange.tv/bestdefense/


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## Macker13 (Oct 1, 2007)

I don't think I seen "A handgun is only used to fight your way back to the long gun you left behind" :lol:


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

Although I found the "rules" interesting, and some were consistent with other training I've had, in general, I found them a bit zealous. 
1. From 21' a knife can injure/kill you faster than you can recognize, draw and fire - given you are reacting to a threat. The "Tueller Drill".
2. A club (aka walking stick/cane) is one of the finest defense weapons ever invented - when laws demand "unarmed" armaments. I can think of several public transportation venues (ie airplanes) where most civilians are not allowed access to their firearms, yet could have access to a 2A minimag flashlight (same dimensions as a Kuboton), a rolled up magizine, a camera bag, cane, etc. Personal defense counterassault training is a must! Preferably something using gross motor skills and targeting major nerve points.
3. Although cover and concealment are very important and in some cases most important, an Isolese shooting stance with a handgun is natural and uses gross motor skills (which your body is going to do anyway) while under assault induced stress of "flight or fight". A past analysis of NYPD officer shootings (roughly 1996) with officers required to qualify a minimum of 4 times per year, found that from a distance of THREE FEET, over 70% of shots fired MISSED their intended target - due to assault induced stress factors of fight or flight reflexes and an escalating heart rate above 130 beats per minute.
4. Long guns are generally always advantageous - except when they are not.

For more information about the real life requirements of civilian gun fighting, please check out Massad Ayoob's LFI (Lethal Force Institute) and for hand to hand preparation including pistol retention training - please see Pressure Points Control Tactics, founded by Bruce Siddle. PM me if you have any particular questions. Proof of competency is required by both including background checks.


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## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

catfishhoge said:


> Got to remember when a bullet leaves your gun, YOU are responsible for it. If you shoot the bad guy and the lead continues on and kills your neighbors buick or someone not intended........


 While some common-sense must be used,I will not carry what I deem to be an inferior round/caliber because it "may" pass-thru.If I have to use it,I want a caliber/load,proven to "get the job done".


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## catfishhoge (Mar 16, 2001)

SNAREMAN said:


> While some common-sense must be used,I will not carry what I deem to be an inferior round/caliber because it "may" pass-thru.If I have to use it,I want a caliber/load,proven to "get the job done".



Point taken!


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

SNAREMAN said:


> While some common-sense must be used,I will not carry what I deem to be an inferior round/caliber because it "may" pass-thru.If I have to use it,I want a caliber/load,proven to "get the job done".


There are rounds in each caliber that have demonstratable street credibility (meaning proven real life encounter stopping power) that are designed to stay inside a torso and not pass through - given a center mass hit. 2 examples are the 230 grain Federal Hydra-Shok in .45 and the Remington 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow point in .357 magnum. Both have logged over 90% one shot stops in actual street encounters with center mass hits without passing through and endangering innocents. There are frangible rounds (like Magsafe) that are specifically designed for close quarter use like homes and airplanes - where pass throughs could cause a real danger to others.

Some other notable rounds are:
Magsafe - .380
Federal 158 grain LHP (lead hollowpoint) semi-wadcutter in .38 special (aka FBI load or "chicago" load)
Cor-Bon 115 grain +P+ in 9mm

Location and enviornment can impact round choice - for instance - Winter time in Michigan typically entails heavy coats. Heavy coats can impact how a round behaves before it enters the main torso cavity. Thus a round designed for this condition is needed in Winter as opposed to a Summer round that is only encountering a light shirt.


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## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

Carry 125gr. cor-bon hp's in my 357.


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

SNAREMAN said:


> Carry 125gr. cor-bon hp's in my 357.


Excellant choice. 

The muzzle flash in low light is extensive and should be guarded against, but an excellant round in that caliber.


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## eddiejohn4 (Dec 23, 2005)

practice practice practice. that is the key to survival. practice shooting from various positions and targets at various angles. set up a walk through shooting range. remember the old adage two to the chest one to the head.


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

Big_Jim said:


> What class did you attend?


Sorry missed this.

NRA Personal Protection in the Home Course.

Great course I thought as did my father in law and my father.

Skinner


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## eddiejohn4 (Dec 23, 2005)

With what is happening around the world and here,knowing how to protect ones self has never been more important. For those that thin k we cannot have a complete collapse, look at history.

I hope we never have to go through the hell of what would happen, but gentlemen I would always be prepared to defend one's self.


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## EricF517 (Feb 27, 2009)

There is only ONE RULE for a gun fight. 

WIN


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## EricF517 (Feb 27, 2009)

Skinner 2 said:


> Sorry missed this.
> 
> NRA Personal Protection in the Home Course.
> 
> ...


If someone breaks into your home there is only one thing to do.
Shoot first ask questions later.


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## 1wildchild (Apr 14, 2003)

Skinner 2 said:


> Sorry missed this.
> 
> NRA Personal Protection in the Home Course.
> 
> ...


I took that course as well. I thought it was excellent. As always practice, practice, practice.


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