Tueller Drill

[bryanthompson]

One of my slashdot friends posted this a few minutes ago: http://slashdot.org/~capoccia/journal/108475, and he also posted it at wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill).

One would think that a gun beats a knife every time. With superior weaponry, the fight should be easily won. But Dennis Tueller showed that it was not that simple.

Dennis Tueller was a sargent in the police department of Salt Lake City, Utah. A common test of handgun skill was to start with one's hands at shoulder level with a holstered gun and place two shots on a target 7 yards away within 1.5 seconds. Typically, those trained with handguns can complete the drill in 1.3-1.4 seconds, although some have managed the task in less than one second.

Sgt. Tueller wondered how quickly an attacker with a knife could cover those same 21 feet. So he measured as volunteers raced to stab the target. He determined that it could be done in 1.5 seconds. These results were first published as an article in S.W.A.T. Magazine in 1983 and in a police training video by the same title, How Close is Too Close?

A "good guy" with a gun has a dilemma. If he shoots too early, he risks being charged with murder. If he waits until the attacker is definitely within striking range so their is no question about motives, he risks injury and even death. The Tueller experiments quantified a "danger zone" where an attacker presented a clear threat.

The Tueller Drill combines both parts of the original experiments by Sgt. Tueller. There are several ways it can be conducted (See also Dan Young's Handgun Drills, Standards, and Training Page).
1. The "attacker" and shooter are positioned back-to-back. At the signal, the "attacker" sprints away from the shooter, and the shooter unholsters his gun and shoots at the target 21 feet in front of him. The "attacker" stops as soon as the shot is fired. The shooter is successful only if his shot is good and if the runner did not cover 21 feet.
2. A more stressful arrangement is to have the "attacker" begin 21 feet behind the shooter and run towards the shooter. The shooter is successful only if he was able take a good shot before he is tapped on the back by the "attacker".
3. If the "shooter" is armed with only an ASP Red Gun, a full-contact drill may be done with the "attacker" running towards the "shooter". In this variation, the "shooter" should practice side-stepping the attacker while he is drawing the gun.

I think it would be interesting to have the drill also include nonlethal methods, like tasers, beanbag guns, etc.

[RallyJon]

I read somewhere that a soccer-mom in an SUV can put out her cigarette on a patrolman's forehead, call him four distinct rude names and speed-dial her attorney almost as fast than he can fire a taser.

Just another data point.

[FrayAdjacent911]

Yep. There is no disparity of force when an assailant has a knife, and the defender has a gun. A gun does not automatically trump any other weapon.

Lesson: Don't think that someone with a lesser weapon can't hurt you if you have a gun. Always be prepared for anything.

The best defense is a commitment to avoidance and de-escalation.

[bryanthompson]

and a rocket launcher (or flame thrower. or both.)

[FrayAdjacent911]

I prefer a satellite uplink to call in air support. Nothing like a JDAM to ruin a mugger's day.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by FrayAdjacent911
I prefer a satellite uplink to call in air support. Nothing like a JDAM to ruin a mugger's day.

A Warthog and its 30mm cannon can sure spoil the bad guys day as well. Once you have seen it up close and in action you will never be the same. It simply chews through anything you shoot it at...

joe A

[88BlueTSiQuest]

I had a friend that had attending some gun class, in which one of the workshops was very similar to this.

The instructor made a bet with everyone in the class that he could 'defeat' any one of them with a knife, before they could even get a shot off. It simply showed that if you were standing still aiming a gun at a moving/dodging target, you wouldn't have the time to aim and make a shot before the target was on top of you.

It's pretty unbelievable to hear, but if you actually see and participate in this experiment, it becomes pretty apparent that it is true. 1.5 seconds against a moving target that is moving in an erratic pattern towards you doesn't leave any room for changing aim and acquiring a new target.