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Self-Defense Tip: A Car Door is Not Cover

Robert Farago - comments No comments

Cover = a ballistic shield. Concealment = the bad guy can’t see you. Cover can be concealment but concealment is not necessarily cover. For example, a car door. It’s not cover: most rounds will go through the thin metal like a hot knife through butter. Also, it’s not concealment: the bad guy can see (and shoot at) your legs and feet. If you’re using a car for cover, the engine block is just about the only thing capable of stopping rounds. Sometimes. Oh, and resist the urge to shoot in the general direction of something just because other people are doing it. Especially if you’re a cop.

0 thoughts on “Self-Defense Tip: A Car Door is Not Cover”

  1. This reminds me of a line from some movie with pirates.

    They were making a fellow walk the plank and the pirate captain said “for liability purposes it is the sea that will kill you, not us.”

    See, the fire killed him. Not the cops.

    I hope they use that defense on camera. Not enough people (for whatever reason) really understand how sick the institution of law enforcement is.

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  2. But cops do it all the time on TV! 😀

    The wheels, brake rotors, calipers, suspension, etc., also provide concealment and enough mass for ballistic cover. Tires, only concealment. Anything is better than nothing but not much.

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  3. Love it. Now I can point to a video when people say you can not shoot a M-60 standing up.

    Yeah, somebody should have taught him how to clear before they handed it to him. Bad example. There could have still been a round in the chamber. Minus cool points.

    1. Pull charging handle to the rear and return forward.
    2. Engage safety.
    3. Observe chamber.
    4. Lift feed tray cover.
    5. Remove loose links and, if any is left, the ammunition belt.
    6. Close feed tray cover.
    7. Observe chamber again.
    8. Release safety.
    9. Pull charging handle to rear, pull trigger and ride the bolt into battery.
    Gun is now cleared.

    NB: The safety will not engage when the bolt carrier group is forward. If it does, you need to go see the armorer.

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  4. I wonder if the “high powered rifle” was using a standard capacity 30 rd magazine? Or if it was one of those ultra high capacity assault death magazines (also 3o rds) ?

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  5. Get behind the most solid object possible. If this is an engine block, great. If it’s a car door, not as great. But still better than nothing. I’m more wanting to see people not bunching up behind the same cover.

    Fix and flank, right?

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  6. The laws are usually quite clear on the use of deadly force.

    If you are in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, you may use deadly force to stop the attack.

    Other then that, you are probably going to be charged with a crime.

    It would be useful if you waited until you were fired upon before returning fire.

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