Mozambique

The Mozambique Drill (the ubiquitous "2 in the body, 1 in the head") is a long-time drill of Gunsite graduates. As far as I know the term was first discussed by Jeff Cooper in an article in his "Commentaries," Vol. 1, No. 1, June 1994, which is reprinted here for your enlightenment.

"As time passes we discover that there are a good many readers who have not been to school and who are puzzled by our reference to "The Mozambique Drill."

"I added The Mozambique Drill to the modern doctrine after hearing of an experience of a student of mine up in Mozambique when that country was abandoned. My friend was involved in the fighting that took place around the airport of Laurenco Marquez. At one point, Mike turned a corner was confronted by a terrorist carrying an AK47. The man was advancing toward him at a walk at a range of perhaps 10 paces. Mike, who was a good shot, came up with his P35 and planted two satisfactory hits, one on each side of the wishbone. He expected his adversary to drop, but nothing happened, and the man continued to close the range. At this point, our boy quite sensibly opted to go for the head and tried to do so, but he was a little bit upset by this time and mashed slightly on the trigger, catching the terrorist precisely between the collar bones and severing his spinal cord. This stopped the fight.

"Upon analysis, it seemed to me that the pistolero should be accustomed to the idea of placing two shots amidships as fast as he can and then being prepared to change his point of aim if this achieves no results. Two shots amidships can be placed very quickly and very reliably and they will nearly always stop the fight providing a major-caliber pistol is used and the subject is not wearing body armor. However, simply chanting "two in the body, one in the head" oversimplifies matters, since it takes considerably longer to be absolutely sure of a head shot than it does to be quite sure of two shots in the thorax.

The problem for the shooter is to change his pace, going just as fast as he can with his first pair, then, pausing to observe results or lack thereof, he must slow down and shoot precisely. This is not easy to do. The beginner tends to fire all three shots at the same speed, which is either too slow for the body shots or too fast for the head shot. This change of pace calls for concentration and coordination which can only be developed through practice.

"Mike Rouseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. May he rest in peace!"

The Mozambique Drill was put to song in the late 90s and if you're a Gunsite family member you've probably lost sleep over THAT song. Referred to as the Mozambique Two-Step, it is frequently sung (and sung badly) at the Gunsite Reunion/TR Memorial held at the NRA Whittington Center every October by Ric Wckoff and yours truly. Sung to the tune of Dominique (which was sung by the Singing Nun - "Soeur Sourire") it should keep you awake for hours.

PS- Please note that neither Ric Wyckoff nor I are responsible for any insomnia resulting from the viewing of this page.

THE MOZAMBIQUE TWO-STEP
Believed to have been originated by Jim Sorrentino, et. al.

CHORUS:

Mozambique him, Mozambique him,
If he fails to hit the ground
After two well-placed rounds!
Shoot between the eyes and lips,
No, NOT between the hips,
That should put the goblin down!

VERSE:

With your sights on center chest
Twice you your trigger you have pressed.
If two don't stop the fight,
A head-shot should set it right!

CHORUS

VERSE:

It is best to use a slug
Big enough to stop a thug.
Calibers that start with four
Will better drop them to the floor!

CHORUS

VERSE:

Stop this talk of "failure drills",
For it denigrates our skills.
Failure is a word so bleak,
But I rejoice at "MOZAMBIQUE"!

CHORUS

ADDITIONAL VERSE

In full evening dress you stroll
when accosted by a troll
who seizes your maiden fair.
Three quick shots to save the day,
reload, press-check, you're on your way,
and you've scarcely mussed a hair.

ADDITIONAL VERSE

Mozambique the bloody creep!
For he's been breathing far too long
and you must shut him down.
There's only one way to construe
the way he points that gun at you.
The time to act is now.

or maybe, for the second part of the above

'Tis unmitigated act
that you need now and that's a fact.
Thank Heaven you know how!

And a recently added contemporary verse (thanks to Alan Taylor).

"If on the dusty Arab street,
Foul Osama you should meet,
With his arms upraised, in full jihadi call!
Mozambique without delay,
T'is the order of the day,
And you'll do a welcome service for us all!

Another recently added contemporary verse (thanks to "Nosy")

"In that Pakistani place,
Foul Osama hid his face,
There to plot and plan in secret, on safe ground!
Then SEAL's came, 'cause they could,
Mozambique'd him where he stood,
And then left him where he never will be found!"

In practicing the Mozambique drill it is a good idea to employ a friend to enforce the pause between the body and head shots. After firing the two body shots come down to your ready position until your friend gives the signal and then come back up for the head. A 1 or 2 second pause is appropriate.

A friend of mine rigged up an interesting Mozambique practice device. A weighted target is suspended on a frame by being taped to a balloon. There are two balloons per target, one balloon is behind the "A" zone and the others is behind the head. Either balloon may be attached to a string holding the target to the frame and the shooter doesn't know which one is used. If the shooter doesn't drop the target off the stand with body hits (and the targets seem to pause before they fall) the shooter must the take the head shot to drop the target.

I am not responsible for any psychosis or sleepless nights resulting from the use or misuse of this song.

Mozambique 'Em