Only Perfect Practice, Makes Perfect!

Here is a series of my favourite drills that many of you have seen in class. I will be adding videos to the drills to show proper technique.

Dot Torture

This is a great marksmanship drill that came from David Blinder at www.personaldefensetraining.com and additional credit also goes to Todd Louis Green at www.pistol-training.com.

This is a marksmanship drill, fired at 3 yards or further. Targets are ten 2″ dots numbered. A total of 50 rounds is needed. You will perform: 22 draws and holster, depending on magazine capacity 5-10 administrative or speed reloads, obtain 83 sight pictures and press the trigger 50 times. You have to get all 50 hits to pass. Once you can shoot the whole drill without a single miss, either increase the distance or add time pressure. For instance, try to finish the entire drill in under 5 minutes while maintaining 100% accuracy.

Dot 1 – Draw and fire one string of 5 rounds for best group. One hole if possible, total 5 rounds.

Dot 2 – Draw and fire 1 shot, holster and repeat X4, total 5 rounds.

Dots 3 & 4 – Draw and fire 1 shot on #3, then 1 shot on #4, holster and repeat X3, total 8 rounds.

Dot 5 – Draw and fire string of 5 rounds, strong hand only, total 5 rounds.

Dot 8 – From ready or retention, fire five shots, weak hand only, total 5 rounds.

Dots 6 & 7 – Draw and fire 2 shots on #6, then 2 on #7, holster, repeat X4, total 16 rounds.

Dots 9 & 10 – Draw and fire 1 shot on #9, speed reload, fire 1 shot on #10, holster and repeat X3, total 6 rounds.

3-Two-1

Designed by Todd Louis Green at www.pistol-training.com

Range: 3yd – 7yd
Target: special (see below)
Start position: holstered
Rounds fired: 30

3-Two-1 is a close range drill focusing on speed and precision as well as the ability to change gears seamlessly. It uses a 3×5″ rectangle, a 2″ circle, and 1″ square. For simplicity’s sake, we have created a target specifically for this drill.

Using a shot timer, give yourself a four second PAR time. On the buzzer, draw and fire six rounds as follows:

• three rounds at the 3×5 rectangle
• two rounds at the 2″ circle
• one round at the 1″ square

Repeat the drill for a total of five runs. This should give you:

• fifteen hits in the 3×5 rectangle
• ten hits in the 2″ circle
• five hits in the 1″ square

For an added challenge, you can begin a string on a different shape. Note that the PAR time becomes more constraining when you have to draw to a smaller target. You can also change the orientation of the target from practice session to practice session so you don’t just build “muscle memory” moving in one direction.

Range can be anywhere from three to seven yards depending on shooter skill level. Start at a distance where you can hit all three of the targets when there is no time limit, and then push yourself to meet the PAR time. Record your results for each target (rectangle, circle, square) and work until you are getting good hits within the PAR time. Then increase the distance.

More to Come…