Pistol Quote by James Barrington
““Before leaving Hammersmith, Dekker and Simpson had discussed what type of bullet should be used. ‘It all depends,’ Dekker had said, ‘on whether you want me to stop this guy dead, literally, or just stop him. If I use a hollow-point or a dumdum bullet, at the ranges you’re talking about, a hit anywhere on the torso is going to kill him pretty much instantly.’ Simpson had shaken his head. ‘If we need him dead, you can put a bullet through his head, right? No, just use standard copper-jacketed rounds, and hopefully there’ll be enough left of him to talk to us afterwards.’ Dekker took five rounds out of the box and loaded the magazine, then pressed it into the slot in front of the trigger guard. The last item was the scope. The normal sight used on the AW rifle was from the Schmidt and Bender PMII range, but Dekker preferred something slightly different. He’d chosen a huge Zeiss telescopic sight that offered variable magnification, and incorporated a laser sighting attachment which would project a spot of red laser light directly onto the target, but he probably wouldn’t need to use that, not at this range.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Long Shot, 2018
Choosing lethal force requires weighing the method, intent, and aftermath; precision and restraint matter.
In simple terms: Decisions on killing consider method, intent, and consequences.
Consider proportionality and alternatives.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- law enforcement
- military operations
- security planning
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What non‑lethal alternatives exist?
- How does weapon choice affect moral responsibility?
Violence may cause unintended collateral damage.