Is center of mass training dangerous and obsolete?

My brother is LEO. He told me last year that his agency's new training policy is to aim for the throat area instead of the center mass. It was not clear to me where in the throat area he was referring too, but it was to address center mass body armor challenges. I don’t know if this is widespread.

Most training schools teach, at least two to center mass chest. If they aren't down and out one to ocular cranial cavity.

I believe targeting the pelvic/hips and just above the sternum on up are more effective than COM...
and yes, training should include other than COM training...

When I train CCH students, I also tell them that precise accuracy is not a goal, since hitting the same place multiple times is less effective than hitting in different places.

Also it's important to not stop shooting until the threat is neutralized.

I don't know details of the incident, but it's possible that the officer's first shot on target was enough to alert the threat, who returned fire and was effective on his first shot. This is why enfilade (seeking cover and concealment) is also important in responding to a threat.

It is unfair to second guess an incident and an officer's response in any case. Better to wait until the facts are known.

It's clear that COM is becoming a less vulnerable area for a lot of the whack jobs because they are armoring up. I think alternate targets are something we should all be preparing for mentally. I agree with @CybrSlydr that starting with COM makes sense - but if two shots there doesn’t get the desired result, then either a cranial or pelvic shot ought to be an automatic reaction. That won’t be a natural reaction in most cases,d though.

Like anything else, it requires training and practice to make it a habit.

I practice 2 rounds to COM, then follow-up if needed to the T-Zone. Reevaluate, adjust aim point, repeat as necessary. My primary concern is home invasions so body armor is not a primary consideration. Sure it's a possibility, but probably not something with which I will have to deal.

We practiced the Mozambique Drill. 2 shots center of mass and 1 head shot.

A vest just reduces the possibility of sustaining a hole. Stopping a bullet would
still be like getting hit in the chest with a baseball bat, and may prove fatal anyway,

I’ve loaded up on 00 Buckshot for home defense and **** situations. I’ll aim low of center mass and hopefully be below the armor.

Pelvic girdle may be easier to hit than a bobbing head.
A solid hit there will at least put them on the ground to which maybe a head shot could be made easier.
But I prefer the ‘wall of bullets’ theory. Just unload on them CoM and make them rethink themselves. Good solid hits on someone who is wearing body armor will still affect their ability to conduct themselves.

2 to the face, 2 in the chest, and 1 to the groin is my normal drill.

My agency was training officers to deliver two to the body and one to the head, amazingly calling the drill “body armor defense” since around 2000/2001 when the threat would not stop with the two initial shots. It’s not the lack of training but lack of ability to recognize what you are doing is not working and then adapt, improvise and overcome.

Mpddoud162 said:

My agency was training officers to deliver two to the body and one to the head, amazingly calling the drill “body armor defense” since around 2000/2001 when the threat would not stop with the two initial shots. It’s not the lack of training but lack of ability to recognize what you are doing is not working and then adapt, improvise and overcome.

Click to expand...

Exactly this ^^^^^. Things move so quickly (you and them) that most often you won’t instantly know where you are scoring hits or not. Furthermore, accuracy won’t be pinpoint. Your head shot might hit COM and vice versa. It’s all a blur until subject collapses. This is why higher mag capacity has benefits. 13-16+ is more forgiving than 6-8 but that is for another discussion.

The active-duty qualification course of fire for my state has seven stages. Stage Four is specifically based on a subject wearing body armor (Note: It's not much, but it's better than ignoring it completely.) There is no stage where a pelvic shot is mandated in lieu of center of mass or head shot.

STAGE 4: 5 Yard Line, on command, draw and fire 2 rounds center of mass and 1 round within the head in 4 seconds. On completion of time, scan and holster. Repeat one additional time. A total of 6 rounds are to be fired.

I'm personally an advocate of the pelvic shot. Not only is it a mobility disabling shot, but there are large blood vessels and nerve bundles that run through the pelvis. A hit that severs the femoral artery and/or nerve will cause an incapacitating wound. Additionally, the pelvic girdle is a much more stable target; it doesn't bob and weave like the head does.

tdubya said:

Now that mass murderers are wearing body armor, is training to shoot only center of mass now obsolete?

Click to expand...

No. That some bad guys now wear armor doesn't mean that everyone can suddenly shoot better. Aiming for COM will result in more real-world stops than aiming for the T-zone.

Oldrider said:

I'm personally an advocate of the pelvic shot. Not only is it a mobility disabling shot, but there are large blood vessels and nerve bundles that run through the pelvis. A hit that severs the femoral artery and/or nerve will cause an incapacitating wound. Additionally, the pelvic girdle is a much more stable target; it doesn't bob and weave like the head does.

Click to expand...

a solid hit to pelvic area also tends to sever the spinal column and/or break the pelvic bone...
the hit tends to knock the recipient backwards while doubling them over exposing the top of their head and shoulders...

Stick486 said:

a solid hit to pelvic area also tends to sever the spinal column and/or break the pelvic bone...
the hit tends to knock the recipient backwards while doubling them over exposing the top of their head and shoulders...

Click to expand...

And… additional “deflection trama” can be realized.

He was using a 38 special revolver. These new threats may require us to return to more substantial calibers than 9mm such as 10mm, 357 sig, 357 magnum, 44 magnum etc to defeat body armor.

This is exactly why the failure drill exists. COM is the biggest target and has the most items to damage. First and foremost, getting the first HITS matter, then whether they are immediately incapacitating is secondary. The first hits usually make the winner of a gun fight.

2 body, 1 head is an antidote to armor. Make sure your marksmanship skills can do it.