When you guys train at the range, do you actually train for center mass or try to go for headshots or possibly where the limbs would be?

I only use a 6" paper plate, 3X5 card, 3X3 Post-it, and a 1.5"X2" neon post-it stapled to the backer board at 7 yards for 90% of my range training. The cost of ammo forced me to focus my range work of self-defense skills with my CCWs.

My training drills vary depending on my mood and/or what I feel I need to revisit to keep my skills up to my standard. I like the Range Work at pistol-training dot com to develop challenges for me.

I do enjoy ringing the steel targets from 10 yards out to 25 yards with the remaining 10%.

I'm not surprised that two of the larger police departments in the US fired that many rounds during the time period analyzed. Those rounds weren't all fired at a prep. That said, the average big city police officers aren't as proficient with their firearm as many of the members of this forum.

Inadequate firearms training in the academies and lack of range time to improve and develop their skill sets for on-the-job officers tend to create the disparities mentioned in FBI stats and some of the above comments. Other reports should be taken with a jaundiced eye.

Needless to say, most of us are not required to use force at longer distances that LEOs are often presented.

We need to train for courtroom defensible self-defense actions!

We also need to train for probabilities rather than possibilities. Oh, it's possible we may have someone shooting at us from 40 yards, but more than likely a 3-7 yard life threatening adventure would be more probable. I train for the latter!

3-3-3 cliche is dogma. Some believe it was started with comments from a NYPD lieutenant and not the FBI.

Tom Givens of Rangemaster Firearms Training kept stats on his students involved in shootings that are worth reviewing. I found this information in an article at Lucky Gunner, "The True Distance of a Typical Gunfight", which lends some support to the 3 yards part of the 3-3-3.

The report indicates out of 67 student involved shootings, 4% of those shootings took place at zero to two yards with minor physical contact occurring in a couple of those. 87% were between three and five yards. 4% were at five to seven yards, and another 4% were all the way out at 15 to 25 yards.

Just some food for thought.

While you are speculating about the high round counts in NYC and Chicago, consider the neighborhoods and buildings officers are policing. Multistory buildings present different problems and that in some instances might require suppressive fire to get to safety. Also, consider that all rounds fired need to be accounted for, and that includes accidental discharges.

I never walked a beat in either of these cities, but I did in a large mid west city and I can attest that it is nothing like the suburb where I grew up.

3-3-3 appears to be a shooting drill rather than a true set of facts. Google 3-3-3 and read a few of the offerings.

Statistics can be bent to accomplish the writer's intent, and they should be judged with skepticism until our own research proves them correct.

We need to train for what is probable. Today, more bad guys are wearing ballistic vests, so... whatcha gonna do?