Indoor range training?

[Atlgentlegiant]

All I have easy access too is indoor ranges. I looked around a bit but I probably need to look farther but what are good training regimes for indoor ranges? I have 1 range where I can draw from holster and I do have a shot timer on my phone. I have USPSA targets I can use as well as 5 bullsye and targets with multiple zones on them. What are some good drills I can start working with?

I am a relatively new USPSA shooter (still a U and started shooting in December) so just looking for things to work on. I shoot L10 with a Glock 35.

[SoonerPast]

Atlgentlegiant,

If you live in the Atlanta area, there are 2 or 3 good opportunities. On Tuesday nights we hold a USPSA match in Fayetteville (Autrey's Armory). There's no better practice than imersing yourself in a match.

If you aren't anywere near Atlanta, too bad.

I think others would also encourage you to find a USPSA or IDPA club and go to their matches. We all love to help new people gain experience, and its fun.

PM me if you need more.

[Atlgentlegiant]

I shoot NAAS matches when I can and plan to shoot River Bend this month as well. I know that is the best training but also looking for some drills and techniques I can use between matches or when I cannot make it to the match.

[feederic]

Dot torture drills are a good one for indoor when you can use a holster.

I tape up two mini USPSA targets side by side and do various drills. Many I do are out of Mike Seeklander's book.

[g.willikers]

You are lucky there's even one public range near you that allows drawing from a holster.

Here's some practice drills you might find useful:

Slide lock reload - fire one round to slidelock, reload and continue shooting.

Regular reloads, (not to slidelock) - fire a couple of rounds, reload and continue.

Table pickup - loaded mag and gun on table to start.

One handed shooting, both strong and support hand.

Practice transferring gun from holster to support hand and shoot.

If you are allowed multiple targets, practice transitions.

If you are only allowed one target, put multiple shooting zones on it and still practice transitions.

Do all these at various distances, out to 25 yds or so.

And so on.

There's lots of things to practice, that will come in handy at a match, besides just shooting targets.

Hope this helps some.

[jackary]

I usually at least try to practice transitions when at the indoor range I will have to start practicing strong and weak hand also.

Looking forward to hearing some more suggestions I am almost in the same boat with places to shoot

[Sin-ster]

Because I have to drive so far for outdoor range practice, I shoot a limited session at the much closer indoor range to supplement.

Though I can draw and do mag changes there, I spend the VAST bulk of that time just improving the mechanics of the shooting. It's hard to give you specific drills, as I typically just make up my own; suffice it to say that you really need to identify shortcomings in your technique and then figure out ways to improve them.

Just an example from today, as it was one of my two indoor sessions before heading off to a Major this weekend...

I've found my index drifting off to the left between the first and second shot-- an old habit that I had broken, that seems to have returned. I didn't know why, so I started by figuring it out...

Brian suggested that I put up a target at 15 yards, acquire proper index and sight alignment, close my eyes and break two shots at the speed my mind could basically imagine the sights returning. The hits would tell the tale IF I paid attention to what the rest of my body was doing in the process. I discovered two crazy things-- first, I kept 95% of my shots in the A-zone with my eyes closed at 15 yards; second, when I got a drift, I could indeed feel the tension and extension of my arms changing...

So I adapted that little test, and started firing one shot and returning the sights to proper alignment. Then I'd look to see where my index was, and compare it to what I was feeling in my arms during recoil. That taught me two more things-- first and foremost, I was indeed altering my hold through my arms; second, and more startling, was that my eyes were fooling me and I was making adjustments that weren't actually needed!

So I spent the last 200-ish rounds doing things to correct that. I started with a few Bill Drills at 7 yards while paying attention to my arm tension. They were very pretty, so I pushed back to 10 and did the same.

At 15 yards, I could feel that my arms were starting to become fatigued-- which I reasoned was the BEST TIME to really focus in on this. I shot pairs at that range and had a few start walking left again; I went back to the one shot, return the sights, check index and pay attention to my arms. I returned to the pairs at 15 and was satisfied. On to 20 yards, then 25-- the distance limit of this particular range.

Tomorrow, I will start with pairs at 15 and see if the lessons learned have really stuck. If not, I'll go back to a combination of the two assessment drills-- Brian's and the one I modified. And on and on, until I'm satisfied.

You can work on the nitpicky stuff like that VERY well indoors. WHO/SHO, tight/head shots, grip mechanics, stance mechanics, some odd shooting positions (including leans around imagined barricades), etc. I find that personally when I get outdoors, I want to do the things I simply CAN'T do indoors-- transitions on multiple targets, entering/exiting positions, shooting on the move, etc. It's VERY easy to overlook the most basic and most important aspect of our shooting in that process:

The Fundamentals.