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We run a variation on the Tueller drill in Rick Miller's Paladin program. The shooter faces a target at 3 yards. A runner takes a position 7 yards away, which positions him to run toward the shooter from the side, safely passing behind him. The shooter looks at the runner and, when the runner starts to move, the shooter draws and attempts to neutralize the target in front of him before the runner can smack him on the shoulder while passing by. There is time to get the hits, but not much more.
Variations on the drill have the start signal being the runner passing the 7 yard line at a full run (as opposed to a standing start). This cuts into the time available for the shooter to solve the problem. Another variation is to have the shooter start with his pistol in hand, in a low-ready position. This illustrates how much more quickly a target can be addressed when starting with the pistol in hand.
Given that, even with perfect hits, an attacker might not be stopped or his inertia might carry him into you...knocking you ass over teakettle and making you easy pickings for his buddies...one should practice moving off the line of the attack.
The main benefit of all this is to illustrate just how quickly a rather large distance can be closed. If this drill is incorporated into the training for a police department or individual citizen (and documented), it might prove to be helpful if the trainee is ever accused of shooting a contact-weapon-armed attacker at across-the-room distance. Absent this documentable training, the jury might well see things as "YOU had a gun and HE had a knife and he was ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM from you...WHY did you have to shoot him!???". If this drill has been documented as part of your training, then you might be able to have it demonstrated for the jury. Remember, it won't be a jury of your "peers", it'll be a jury comprised of people who draw their knowledge of CQB from "Starsky & Hutch" reruns.
As to Spartacus' good outcome with the hammer-weilder (Thor or Maxwell?); It is obvious that Spartacus was being observant and wasted no time when the threat presented itself. It is also difficult to say whether "Thor" really wanted to press the attack or was just "acting out" in a show of defiance. It also takes a bit of time and unproductive motion to "cock" one's arm while holding a heavy object. Considering that it takes a well-conditioned and alert person about .25 seconds to react to an anticipated stimulus, it is clear that someone at arms length can generally strike or stab you before you can draw and fire a handgun. That doesn't mean that you're not going to draw and fire WHILE he's striking or stabbing you, but he'll get in the first lick while you're drawing or taking other defensive action in most cases. It's a simple reaction-time thing. Keep your distance!
Rosco
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