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Matt sent this out today to the OWA crew about using a vehicle as cover during a shooting situation. While it does address a decent point of using thicker points of the car as cover, there are some areas I identified as being a no-go. Here's the video:
First things first, the wheel well isn't the best spot on a vehicle to hide behind. This guy in the video is "engaging" a target at the rear quarter of the vehicle (we'll call that the 4 o'clock position) and hiding behind what amounts to thin sheet metal. Provided he was attempting to get behind the wheel which has some fairly thick metal, there is still only thin layers of sheet steel body panels "protecting" him from the remainder, as well as the tires which are relatively unsuitable for stopping bullets. Most rifle bullets can and will penetrate car bodies fairly efficiently and still retain a good deal of velocity to wound you. Now he also has four layers of said sheet steel between him which increases the "stuff" a round fired at you has to go through, but overall, it's not much protection. Also, the entire upper portion of his body was not covered by the tire rim which increases the chances of a center mass or head shot coming through the vehicle body. I'm not sure how much damage a rifle round will do after going through four layers of sheet metal (provided it's a truck) so Matt volunteered to let us use his truck as a target the next training day. :D
So having said that, the engine compartment is probably the safest place on a vehicle to be behind when getting shot at, at least with most rounds you would encounter. Even 4 cylinder alloy engines on small Japanese rice burners are thick enough to stop rounds you would commonly be engaged with and will provide far more protection than standard car bodies. Situation dictates, but always attempt to get behind the engine compartment. It means taking a more oblique shot at the perp, but also means more "stuff" (car body, engine block, interior, etc) between you and him. And changing the angle you might (remembering life ain't perfect) get the rounds fired at you to glance off or ricochet away from your position. If engaged from that 4 o'clock position, change the angle and perspective. Again, I know life isn't perfect, but if running up to a vehicle, the last place you want to be is behind just the body which, again, is unsuitable for stopping rifle rounds and some pistol rounds as well.
Second point of contention with this video, going up and over the body to return first. Your head will appear first which just made the single most important part of your body that needs protecting the first thing a bad guy sees and engages. If returning fire, go to the side or even underneath the vehicle. You would be surprised at how much you can engage from underneath a truck. And if it means shooting the legs out to get a good center mass or head shot, so be it. A side shot does not profile your body like the up and over mentality and you can move back slightly and pie out until you can engage. Lean over a tad and engage that way as opposed to standing up, revealing your entire head and placing your center mass between the aforementioned thin sheet metal. Be unpredictable in your tactics. Bad guys will expect you to come up and over. Surprise them with an undercarriage shot or side shot and win the day.
Also, here's an interesting webpage that shows what damage different rounds can do to car bodies:
Interesting to see some rounds don't perform as well as others (like shotguns compared to pistols) and the lack of cover an auto body provides when using rifle rounds. What wasn't stated was the types of rounds used in the testing, so err on the side of caution and always assume the worst. Modern bonded and barrier blind ammo tends to sail through car doors like they aren't there and offer good ballistic penetration on the other side. And the larger the caliber, the worst damage it tends to do on the other side.
But overall, the interior of a vehicle is completely unsuitable as cover as can be seen from those pages. If inside and ambushed, drive through if possible. Even on the rims if you have to. If your vehicle becomes disabled, get behind the largest hunk of metal you can (the engine) and return fire, but remembering your melon shouldn't pop up first. Using timing and tactics to fire shots from sides or underneath to eliminate the threat.
And as Matt pointed out, don't John Wayne it by standing in the wide open and returning fire. Use that cover a vehicle provides. Covering fire while moving is okay as long as your ammo stores permit (taking into account your CCW and the typical lack of rounds one carries while doing so), but get to the cover as fast as possible before aiming your shots and taking out the bad guy.
First things first, the wheel well isn't the best spot on a vehicle to hide behind. This guy in the video is "engaging" a target at the rear quarter of the vehicle (we'll call that the 4 o'clock position) and hiding behind what amounts to thin sheet metal. Provided he was attempting to get behind the wheel which has some fairly thick metal, there is still only thin layers of sheet steel body panels "protecting" him from the remainder, as well as the tires which are relatively unsuitable for stopping bullets. Most rifle bullets can and will penetrate car bodies fairly efficiently and still retain a good deal of velocity to wound you. Now he also has four layers of said sheet steel between him which increases the "stuff" a round fired at you has to go through, but overall, it's not much protection. Also, the entire upper portion of his body was not covered by the tire rim which increases the chances of a center mass or head shot coming through the vehicle body. I'm not sure how much damage a rifle round will do after going through four layers of sheet metal (provided it's a truck) so Matt volunteered to let us use his truck as a target the next training day. :D
So having said that, the engine compartment is probably the safest place on a vehicle to be behind when getting shot at, at least with most rounds you would encounter. Even 4 cylinder alloy engines on small Japanese rice burners are thick enough to stop rounds you would commonly be engaged with and will provide far more protection than standard car bodies. Situation dictates, but always attempt to get behind the engine compartment. It means taking a more oblique shot at the perp, but also means more "stuff" (car body, engine block, interior, etc) between you and him. And changing the angle you might (remembering life ain't perfect) get the rounds fired at you to glance off or ricochet away from your position. If engaged from that 4 o'clock position, change the angle and perspective. Again, I know life isn't perfect, but if running up to a vehicle, the last place you want to be is behind just the body which, again, is unsuitable for stopping rifle rounds and some pistol rounds as well.
Second point of contention with this video, going up and over the body to return first. Your head will appear first which just made the single most important part of your body that needs protecting the first thing a bad guy sees and engages. If returning fire, go to the side or even underneath the vehicle. You would be surprised at how much you can engage from underneath a truck. And if it means shooting the legs out to get a good center mass or head shot, so be it. A side shot does not profile your body like the up and over mentality and you can move back slightly and pie out until you can engage. Lean over a tad and engage that way as opposed to standing up, revealing your entire head and placing your center mass between the aforementioned thin sheet metal. Be unpredictable in your tactics. Bad guys will expect you to come up and over. Surprise them with an undercarriage shot or side shot and win the day.
Also, here's an interesting webpage that shows what damage different rounds can do to car bodies:
Interesting to see some rounds don't perform as well as others (like shotguns compared to pistols) and the lack of cover an auto body provides when using rifle rounds. What wasn't stated was the types of rounds used in the testing, so err on the side of caution and always assume the worst. Modern bonded and barrier blind ammo tends to sail through car doors like they aren't there and offer good ballistic penetration on the other side. And the larger the caliber, the worst damage it tends to do on the other side.
But overall, the interior of a vehicle is completely unsuitable as cover as can be seen from those pages. If inside and ambushed, drive through if possible. Even on the rims if you have to. If your vehicle becomes disabled, get behind the largest hunk of metal you can (the engine) and return fire, but remembering your melon shouldn't pop up first. Using timing and tactics to fire shots from sides or underneath to eliminate the threat.
And as Matt pointed out, don't John Wayne it by standing in the wide open and returning fire. Use that cover a vehicle provides. Covering fire while moving is okay as long as your ammo stores permit (taking into account your CCW and the typical lack of rounds one carries while doing so), but get to the cover as fast as possible before aiming your shots and taking out the bad guy.
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