On April 11, 1986, the FBI experienced what remains its bloodiest day. Today the incident is referred to as the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout, and it has become one of the most frequently studied and cited events in law enforcement history. The firearms used by both the agents and the criminals on that day are worth knowing not only for their historical value but because they prove a few tactical points we’d all be wise to remember. This is our list of guns and related tactics to learn from regarding the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout.
Smith & Wesson 459
The Smith & Wesson 459 pictured above was owned by Special Agent Jerry Dove, who was killed in the firefight. A bullet hole can be seen in the slide that rendered the gun inoperable. Before his gun was damaged, Dove shot one of the criminals, delivering what the medical examiner would later state was likely the fatal wound. Of course, the 9mm round that penetrated the criminal’s lung was a slow-acting wound, and that same criminal murdered Dove and another agent before he finally succumbed to his injuries. Other elements played into the death of Dove including the loss of his glasses early on in the fight, which rendered him all but blind. He had to ask another agent to turn him in the correct direction to fire.
Two things we can take away from this are the need for a good backup gun and to have a gun chambered in a caliber capable of delivering a devastating wound cavity. At the time of the shooting, 9mm was not nearly as advanced as it is today, and it simply wasn’t up to the task. There are certainly caliber equivalents today, so take care when choosing your carry gun. As for a backup gun, most gun owners don’t bother with them, but it might be wise to consider where you’re going when deciding if it’s a good day for a spare. Of course, a third thing would be to consider LASIK, contacts, or a strap on your glasses if you’re functionally blind without them.
Smith & Wesson Model 60 (among others)
There were quite a few revolvers used during the shootout. Smith & Wesson was largely featured in a variety of models including the Model 60 pictured above. According to the FBI reports, fourteen revolvers were in the possession of the FBI agents, although only five were actually used during the battle. The criminals also had two revolvers. Although the agents’ guns were chambered in 357 Magnum, they were firing 38 Special +P. Their guns had either a 5 or 6-shot capacity depending on the model. The agents struggled quite a bit with capacity and reloads.
Now, this is the part where we discuss what is a legitimate downside to using a revolver for defensive purposes. Revolvers have more limited capacity and reloading them is slower. Those are two of the many reasons law enforcement eventually stopped issuing them to officers as duty guns. If all the agents had semi-automatic pistols, would they all have lived? It’s impossible to say. What we do know is that having a gun with greater capacity in your possession is a definite plus in a firefight. Also, if you’re going to carry a revolver, familiarize yourself with speedloaders, and carry them. The practice of loading rounds into a revolver one at a time is outdated and dangerous when it comes to self-defense.
Should a revolver be your go-to for self-defense? History says no…and also, yes. What it comes down to is, if you’re going to carry for personal protection, don’t you want to tip the odds in your favor? Using a gun with greater capacity than the average revolver gives you that edge.
Smith & Wesson 686
This is where we contradict a bit of what was just said about revolvers. The man who ultimately ended the firefight was Special Agent Edmundo Mireles, and one of the guns he did that with was a revolver. Mireles had a Smith & Wesson Model 686 chambered in 357 Magnum that he used to end it, once and for all. As the two murderers began to exit their vehicle, which they’d been using as makeshift cover with mixed results, Mireles fired six shots from his Model 686. Those shots severed the spinal cord of one criminal, killing him, and delivered the final blow to the other killer (the one who’d been shot right off by Special Agent Dove with a single round of 9mm to his lung).
A revolver in the right hands, meaning someone who is properly trained, can be effective. Aside from proper training, there is always an element of luck in a fight for your life. These final shots were taken at close range. It goes to show that a revolver is a legitimate defensive tool, but yes, it might require an extra bit of luck when it comes to capacity. Edmundo Mireles proved it can be done but it’s ultimately your choice what you use as your daily carry. Whatever you use, take the time to train with it, and be capable of speedy reloads regardless of platform.
Remington 870
The other weapon used by Special Agent Edmundo Mireles to end the shootout was a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun. It might not surprise you to know a 12 gauge played an important role, but there’s far more to it than the gun itself. You see, by that point, Mireles had been shot in the arm. He was down to one functioning arm, and faced with a pump-action shotgun as the means with which to stop a killing spree and save not only his own life but the lives of his fellow agents. To make matters even worse, Mireles had also taken a bullet wound to the head when a bullet grazed him earlier in the fight.
Using the bumper of the vehicle to stabilize himself, Mireles managed to cycle the shotgun’s action one-handed. He fired not one but five rounds of 00 buckshot. Those shots hit their targets, injuring and slowing the criminals, which then gave Mireles the seconds needed to draw and fire his revolver. Yes, when Mireles fired his Model 686, he did it one-handed.
We all know what this shows: Hone your one-handed shooting skills. Be capable of racking slides, cycling actions, or whatever else is necessary, with only one hand. You cannot predict or plan how a fight for your life will go, and there have been many instances of life-saving shots being taken with one hand rather than two. On a side note, years after the shootout Mireles said he immediately switched from 00 buck to slugs in his 12 gauge, because he’d seen what little damage was done by buckshot that day in 1986.
There are countless lessons to be learned from the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout, and these are only a handful of them. In the end, both criminals were dead, but they managed to murder two agents and shoot five others first. Only one agent was uninjured. It was a terrible day, and while some say the incident has been studied at ridiculous length and discussed far too often, there remain many who have never heard of it or know little about it. There’s always value in learning more, and that translates to range time, too. Spend time training with your carry gun. You never know when you might need it.
