Drills

Dry-Fire Practice

Rules

  1. Follow all the firearms safety rules,  Treat all guns as if they are loaded, Never point at anything you’re not willing to destroy, Finger outside the trigger guard unless you are in the act of firing, and Know your target and beyond.
  2.  Always check by sight and feel to confirm that the gun is in fact unloaded.  THERE SHOULD BE NO LIVE AMMUNITION IN THE SAME ROOM WHERE YOU ARE PRACTICING DRY FIRE.
  3. Always aim the gun at something that can safely absorb the most powerful round that particular gun can fire…because one day, it may indeed fire that round unexpectedly.  Thickly packed bookshelves with no airspace, or cartons packed with books or magazines, serve nicely as dry fire backstops; so do body armor and the dedicated Safe Direction dry fire backstop.
  4. When using dummy ammunition, take great care not to allow live ammunition in with your dummy rounds.
  5. After a dry fire session, do not reload and holster for carrying.   Give mind and body time to absorb the fact the “draw gun, pull trigger” practice is over.

 

Dot Torture Drills

Distance: 3yd (9 feet)

Target: Dot Torture

Drill:

  • 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.
  • Dots 6 & 7 – Draw and fire 2 shots on #6, then 2 on #7, holster, repeat X4, total 16 rounds.
  • Dot 8 – From ready or retention, fire five shots, weak hand only, total 5 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.

IDPA 5x5 Classifier

Distance: 10 yards (30 Feet)

Target: IDPA

Drill:

  • Draw, Fire 5 shots freestyle
  • Draw, Fire 5 shots stronghanded
  • Draw, Fire only 5 shots, Emergency Reload, Fire 5 shots freestyle
  • Draw, Fire 4 shots to the body and 1 shot to the head freestyle

The Bill Drill

Distance: 7 yards

Target: IPSC

Drill:

  • Starting with hands above your shoulders
  • Draw and fire 6 shots into the A-zone

If any shots miss the A-zone, the time does not count, so the emphasis is on accuracy before speed.  

Variation Drill:

Target: IPSC

Distance: 3yrds

  • Start in the low ready position
Bill Drill

30 Round Self Defense Drill

Distance: 5yds to 15yrds 

Target: IDPA

Drill:

1. From 5 yards, allowing 1 ½ second, beginning at “low ready” one shot to head. Repeat 3 times.
2. From 5 yards, allowing 2 seconds, beginning with gun holstered, one shot to head. Repeat 3 times.
3. From 5 yards, allowing 2 seconds, beginning at “low ready,” strong hand only, two shots to body. Repeat 2 times.
4. From 7 yards, allowing 2 seconds, facing 90° to left of target, gun holstered, two shots to body. One time only.
5. From 7 yards, allowing 2 seconds, facing 90° to right of target, gun holstered, two shots to body. One time only.
6. From 7 yards, allowing 2 seconds, facing target, gun holstered, two shots to body. One time only.
7. From 7 yards, allowing 4 seconds, while backing to 10-12 yards, three shots to body. Repeat 2 times.
8. From 10 yards, allowing 3 seconds, beginning with gun on target and round in chamber, change magazine and fire one shot to body. Repeat 2 times.
9. From 10 yards, allowing 3 seconds, beginning with gun on target and slide locked back, change magazine and fire one shot to body. One time only.
10. From 15 yards, allowing 2 ½ seconds, draw and fire one shot to body. Repeat 5 times.

Head shots only count if you hit the A zone of the “head” of the target. Body shots count if you hit the A, B, or C zones of the “body” of the target.

It is best to do these exercises with the same sidearm you intend to carry and with the same holster you plan to use. For most of us, this will be a concealed carry sidearm and concealment holster. Also wearing a shirt or vest that properly conceals the weapon is also recommended as the idea is to practice what you will do should you ever need to use your CCW piece in self defense. Assume that all Drills that require starting with a holstered firearm mean a holstered and concealed firearm. Using your star trek mod 1911 and an offset, fast draw holster won’t really teach you much about drawing and presentation which is what these Drills are mostly about. Think real world. Don’t expect to be able to do all of these within the time required in your first few attempts, few meaning less than fifty. While this is not a substitute for proper training, it sure is a good start for many of us.