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On the urban battlefield there are usually no shortage of locations to seek cover but behind a car is not necessarily the best option, writes Carl Schulze.
You see it in movies, during exercises and even in combat in Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere: Troops are engaged by small arms fire, they return fire and then take cover behind a car, a van, a mini-bus or any other type of soft-skinned vehicle. What works in a Hollywood blockbuster will most certainly have fatal consequences in reality, as soft skinned vehicles do not offer suitable protection against the fire of small arms such as pistols, sub-machine guns and assault rifles. This article aims to make you aware of the reality.
![](http://www.joint-forces.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vehicle02-300x200.jpg)
This shot shows even the more substantial base of the A-pillar is easily perforated by 5.56mm bullets [© Carl Schulze]
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After initial strike bullets began to tumble causing much larger exit holes on the other side as a result [© Carl Schulze]
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Ordinary 5.56mm bullets went clean through bodywork panels as if they were made of thin tinfoil [© Carl Schulze]
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In the vicinity of the engine block the mass of metal has prevented bullets from punching through [© Carl Schulze]
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Bullets went right through the vehicle perforating the nearside door then out through the opposite one [© Carl Schulze]
And do not be a fool and say: “Sure, but that was an automatic rifle, fire from a pistol would be stopped…” The 9x19mm round is a widely used for pistols and sub-machine guns. Regular 9mm ball ammunition fired by these weapons can easily punch through a 3mm thick sheet of steel… and there are much more powerful calibre pistols out there.
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Inside of the cab is strewn with chips of glass that would serious cause damage to your eyesight [© Carl Schulze]
- Do not crouch behind the vehicle, place yourself flat on the ground behind it.
- Try to take cover in the area where the engine and/or axles are situated.
- Rather than lying alongside the vehicle, try to be the smallest target possible and place yourself facing towards the direction the hostile fire comes from.
- Be aware that bullets can pass underneath the vehicle and that an enemy firing from a prone position might well be able to see you.
- If you are armed yourself you can use different prone positions to return fire from underneath the vehicle.
![](http://www.joint-forces.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vehicle13-200x300.jpg)
The wheels took a pasting too but several bullets were stopped or deflected by the steel rim and hub [© Carl Schulze]
Finally, train in the manner you plan to fight so that seeking proper cover becomes second nature.
The bulk of this article was first published in COMBAT & SURVIVAL Magazine in 2017.
{ images © Carl Schulze unless noted }
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Note how bullets have punched straight through even the more substantial material of this door pillar [© Carl Schulze]