One of the most common questions I receive from readers or
students is, “What should I practice?” As a matter of fact, I received this
question twice during last weekend’s course. It’s a legitimate question,
especially with skyrocketing ammunition prices. Recently, I was at the local
Wal-Mart buying some Winchester White Box 9mm ammo (the cheapest I can find)
and paid 25 bucks for 100 round!. I noticed that .40 S&W and .45 ACP of the
same brand was another ten bucks.
There is no doubt high ammo prices affects one’s personal
training and the ability to keep one’s skills sharp while paying the mortgage,
car payment, buying groceries, clothing and all the other things necessary for
daily life. Since blowing up ammo needlessly is certainly recognized as
expensive, we need to shoot our limited ammo supply wisely.
I’m a firm believer in essential skills (what most call
fundamentals), and while many shooters get bored practicing basics, these
skills are necessary to prevail in a fight. Bruce Lee said, “Advanced skills
are the basics mastered,” and it is so true. My research into armed conflict
along with my law enforcement experience has led me to believe pistol fights
are not complicated affairs…they are quite straight forward, really. Seldom are
barrel rolls and related acrobatics necessary, they are usually “go to guns”
fast and furious with a bit of movement. Many USPSA matches are much more
complicated. Thus, practicing basics is a great place to start.
Dry Fire
Fortunately, most all
essential skills are mastered without firing a shot. Dry fire is the best way
to improve draw, reload, malfunction clearances (using dummy rounds), shooting
around cover (with a mirror at the opposing side to see how much you expose of
yourself), one-hand manipulation, unconventional shooting positions (kneeling,
prone, on the side, “roll back”, etc.) and any other skill that doesn’t require
actual repeated trigger manipulation. The purchase of a dry fire training aid
such as the Beamhit unit can give first shot feedback via a laser fit into the
barrel of your carry gun. In truth, repeated trigger and recoil control are the
only things that require live ammo expenditure.
Before beginning any dry fire training program, make double,
triple and quadruple sure that your gun is empty and that no live ammo is in
the room with you. As a matter of fact, it is a great idea to make sure you are
in the room alone and lock the door behind you, especially if you have small
children. A capable dry fire pad, such as the one manufactured by Safe
Direction, is a very good idea. An old body armor panel will also work. That
way, if you suffer a “brain fart,” the round will be captured harmlessly and a
valuable lesson learned.
The Real Deal
Now that we’ve narrowed the skills needed for live fire
practice, let’s look at when we do need live ammo. Trigger control is the most important skill
required for accurate shooting and the most difficult to master. In a nutshell,
the index finger on the shooting hand depresses the trigger to the
rear, working independently of the rest of the hand, without interrupting
muzzle to target alignment. Think about
how many times a day you open and close your hand, using the thumb and fingers
in concert with one another. Then you can get some idea of how complex this
action really is! You are actually trying to combat thousands of repetitions a
day of an action with occasional range practice. Taking this into
consideration, is it really hard to understand why shooters squeeze their whole
hand when they shoot, something I call “milking the grip” as it reminds me of
my feeble attempt to milk a cow in my past…squeeze and pull down. Sound
familiar?
Independent trigger manipulation requires intense
concentration and needs to be mastered before all other skills. It must be
practiced regularly, as it’s the most perishable of a skill set that’s already
very perishable. Luckily, recoil control isn’t quite as difficult and is really
a function of upper body position and applying forward force to a pistol.
On the Range
With the previous thoughts in mind as I head to the range, I
start out with a few timed drills to see where I’m at. I like to do these
drills “cold,” as I believe they are a better indicator of performance than
after I have shot for a while. Remember, it’s unlikely you’ll have just come
from a practice session at the range when your gunfight occurs. You’ll more
than likely be “cold” as well.
I shoot these drills at 20 feet on the 6 x 10 inch chest
cavity overlay which you can print off my web site. Only hits in this chest cavity count. I consider live
fire a confirmation of the dry practice drills. I do each drill twice—anyone
can get lucky and perform a single session well. One after another is more
telling.
These are the drills I perform:
• One shot from ready in 1 second;
• One shot from the holster in 1.5 seconds;
• One shot, reload, one shot in 3 seconds;
• Draw, two shots, reload, two shots on two targets in 4
seconds;
• “Bill Drill” of draw and shoot six shots looking for a
consistent split between each shot in 3 seconds or less;
These drills take 15
minutes and consume 50 rounds. You may decide to shorten this test to conserve
ammo. To me, they give an idea of where I am lacking and what to work on. But
don’t shoot any faster than you can hit! A “lucky run” isn’t educational, only
deceiving. These drills should be learning points, not ego gratifiers. Also,
you have just spent around $25—make it worthwhile.
Trigger Focus
I then shoot several magazines focusing on trigger control,
which, as previously stated, is one area where dry fire does not suffice. I
start at 10 feet, shooting 3 x 5 cards, going agonizingly slow, trying to shoot
one jagged hole. I focus completely on what my hands are doing, making them
control the trigger and not milking the entire grip, find the reset point and
then smoothly pressing through the trigger action. I also take note of my body position, making
sure my shoulders are over my toes. I move back 5 yards at a time, shooting 3 rounds
at each distance, trying to stay on the 3 x 5 card, concentrating on “sight,
press.” I work my way back to 25 yards. By this time, I have fired 100 rounds,
give or take, so if the ammo supply is low, I stop.
More Practice
If I have additional ammo available, I then work on
delivering the gun to the target from one of several “ready” positions,
ensuring the delivery is consistent and feels smooth…no bounce at the end. The felt aspects of shooting are grossly
under-rated. I then move to the draw stroke, making sure it’s consistent and
direct to the target. Think of the draw stroke as an upside-down L with the gun
coming up and out from the holster, directly to the target. A good draw is one that arrives where you are
looking.
Lateral movement can be part of this drill and I try to move
until I am ready to shoot…somewhere around 10 feet. I also work on picking up
the front sight in my field of vision as quickly as possible. Make sure you
practice with the same carry gear that you use daily, including a concealing
garment. Add a few drills, which simulate combat conditions, while kneeling or
from extreme close quarters, and you will have a reasonable 200-round practice
session.
No, these drills do not account for all of what might happen
in a gunfight, but understand there’s no way to prepare for every potential
conflict. History has shown that the
person who prevails in armed conflict is the one who can keep his head and
decide which of their practiced skills will solve the problem at hand. The
student that never practices is the one who will fail to decide. Stay safe,
stay alert and practice your skills often. Oh yeah…thanks for checking in!
Nice blog and the details about it really interesting.
ReplyDeleteI liked your blog.
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