Drills for the Pistol and Revolver

Priority Performance has an article on a drill designed to help you find your level of ability. It uses a special target, which you can download here. The author describes the drill thusly: "Essentially how this works is that there are four, independent strings of fire. The drill is a simple pass/fail. You either get your hits within the PAR, or you don’t. The PAR times reduce each repetition, becoming more and more difficult. If you are able to clean the highest level of the drill, you start adding one round per repetition." Good luck--one of the targets is a 1-inch square. Another drill described at Priority Performance is the Bill Drill 2, which is a take on the classic Bill Drill.

     Sheriff Jim Wilson takes a look at another classic drill, "The Mozambique Drill: A History and How To"--two to the torso and one to the head, in three seconds at 5 yards. See also his article, "Sheriff's Tips: The Failure Drill Revisited."

     Here are a couple articles about the Dot Torture Drill (you can download a copy of the target here):

• "Shoot Better With One Box of Ammo"--Range 365. As the author points out, "if you want to improve your shooting skills, it’s important to add some structure to the routine." The target has instructions on how to run the drill, but the article runs through the stages of the drill as well.
• "Skills Check: Double-Action Dot Torture"--Shooting Illustrated. The author used the Dot Torture to evaluate the new Colt King Cobra revolver. As to the drill, however, he warns:

Now Dot Torture isn’t for the faint of heart. Seemingly easy because it’s only fired at 3 yards, it is deceptively difficult. There are no time limits and the distance is short, but you have to fire a perfect shot every single time for 50 rounds. The temptation to rush is enormous and the slightest break in concentration results in a missed shot, hence the name, Dot Torture. The drill starts with single shots, moves on to pairs and shots on two targets, requires drawing from a holster and even includes reloading.

    In "Hardwired Tactical Shooting Super Test" (USA Carry), the author suggests a test combining accuracy with speed (i.e., you will need a timer). This test uses an NRA B-8 repair center target (you can download a PDF of it here). The standard course of fire for this drill is 10 rounds, but, for those using revolvers or small pistols, the author has put together versions using 6- and 5-round strings of fire. And revolver shooters might also want to check out a couple drills described by Ethan Johns at SWAT Magazine, "Rediscovering the Wheel: Revolver Drills To Improve Shooting."

    Mike Seeklander of Shooting Performance has "Four Key Systematic Drills for Handgun Skill Development" using a shot timer and standard IDPA targets. He explains:

       A bit of advice about technique.  Without the proper technique you will end up spinning your wheels with even the best-designed drills.  The point of performing repetitions in a training drill is to gain skill in the technique the drill includes.   If you are a new shooter, I strongly recommend you take a class or review the some good sources of technique.  One source is my handgun shooting Youtube series (search Mike Seeklander on Youtube).  If you are new to shooting, or simply want a great program that is free to follow, check it out first.  If you want the full Monty, you can check out my Defensive Handgun program too.

       The drills I am going to assign in this article are specifically designed to allow you to work on key components of technique that are fundamental and required to be able to shoot well in a defensive situation.  You will find the drills at the end of the article but I want to introduce them quickly so you understand what you will be working on.   Each drill has a specific purpose.  They might seem overly simple, but I promise you that this is where you need to start, and you can progress from there.   Goals are also listed in the drill sheets, so you have something to set your sights for (no pun intended!).  The goals might be challenging for some of you, but don’t be discouraged.   If you’re a high-level competition shooter and can meet these goals easily, I suggest you reduce the goal time.

 Read the whole thing.

     If you have the right place to shoot, you might try the "Hard Swing Drill." This drill has you engaging multiple targets: one to each side of you, and one straight in front, so that you have to turn a full 180 degrees to engage the targets. The drill is this:

Three IPSC-style targets. Targets 1 and 3 are seven yards to the left and right of the shooting position (use a USPSA-type shooting box if you’re practicing for competition) and one yard downrange, facing the start position. Target 2 is 15 yards directly downrange from the starting position. Start with arms at sides. At signal, draw and shoot targets 1 and 3 with two rounds each. Perform a reload and shoot target 2 with two rounds.

You are supposed to use a timer, but no par times are given in the article. Another multi-target drill (but all three forward of you) is the "15 in 10 Drill", which, as the name describes, is 15 shots in 10 seconds with shots at targets at 5, 10, and 20 yards; 5-shots each, and drawing between each set (i.e., draw and shoot 5 at 5; reholster, and then shoot 5 at 10; reholster, and then shoot 5 at 20) and adding the times together.

     Rather than multiple targets, J. Scott Rupp offers a version of the box drill where the shooter must move while engaging a single target. The drill doesn't use a timer, but you will need cones or something similar to mark locations, as well as extra magazines or speed loaders for reloading the weapon. Rupp describes the drill:

Place an IPSC/IDPA target five yards from the front edge of the box with five-yard spacing between the cones—firing three to five shots in each segment, depending on gun capacity. Begin at the front right corner, raise or draw the gun and move backward, firing with a two-hand hold. Go around the rear cone and switch to strong-hand-only, firing the same number of shots. At the left-rear cone, do a reload and switch to a two-hand hold, firing as you move forward. At the final turn, change to weak-hand-only and move toward the start.

He also suggests that you "[f]ire only while moving, striving for center-mass hits. Concentrate on sure footwork—toe/heel moving backward, heel/toe moving forward—while maintaining front-sight focus. Don’t turn your body on the one-hand sections; walk forward normally, firing arm extended."

     For those times between trips to the range, the post "Suggested Drills" at Rangemaster describes various drills for dry fire practice and links to the animated gifs used for the targets (just be sure your firearm is empty or you will end up with a hole through your monitor).