Head Shot 21 - New Game / Drill

[dirtypool40]

Mods feel free to move if drills go somewhere else.

A twist on boring group shooting. I'm trying to work trigger control after a long humbling weekend training with Manny. This is sort of a mod on a 'Burner drill with Manny Influence. IPSC fusion you might say.

Anyway, the drill, real easy .

IPSC Robothead target. Standing, hands relaxed start. No real rush or time limit, say ten seconds per string or something long enough you are not rushed but can't take all day either.

Start at 5y. 3 shots at the "upper A-zone".

repeat @ 10y

15

20

25

30

35.

At the end count your hits in the "head" and your A's.

No time pressure. Just hold and squeeze.

Good for confirming zero, detecting a flinch (guilty) and working trigger prep and control(VERY Guilty).

I've been shooting a variation of this for a while, but finally devised a way to "score" it for record keeping yesterday. It's also a way to test that mags hold 20+1 and feed to empty without choking or slide locking.

First run through netted me a 20/14, meaning I had 20 hits in the head, and 14 in the A-box. The other one I jerked down just into the Neck / "C" area. A good run nets a nice, near one hole group at 5 & 10 so you have a good aim point for the rest.

And I don't care who you are, upper A shots at 35y ain't easy. OK, at least not for me .

Tough drill, try it, lemmee know what you think.

Note: While I don't actually look at the times on the timer I do use a beep and make a regular draw stroke so I get used to making a clean, crisp draw, and making a precise shot after a normal speed draw. I also grip the gun tight, and don't limp wrist it like some do when group shooting (which this basically is) so I get a sort of grip work out too. I don't care what the times are, but I don't lolly gag at one shot per minute either.

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[Merlin Orr]

I know you mean well...but why don't you just poke me in the eye with a stick!

I will set this up and shoot it today. Report to follow.

[tightloop]

Why do you stop at 35? Take it out to 50 yds and see how many you can keep in the A zone..

[dirtypool40]

Why do you stop at 35? Take it out to 50 yds and see how many you can keep in the A zone..

Ok, Mr. Helpy Helperton, cuz diagonal on our largest bay it's as far away as I can get from the targets.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand because 50y head shots were deemed crule and unusual by the Geneva Convention.

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[XRe]

And besides, if you start shooting perfect scores, you could always make it harder by adding hardcover to the upper A/B....

Looks like a fun drill... W/ an Open gun, you might need to add 5 or 10 yards, eventually. It will definitely force you to know your drop at close ranges - until you reach the 15y line, the bullet won't be in the dot. Obviously, you still need to have trigger control

Edited April 5, 2006 by XRe

[dirtypool40]

I know you mean well...but why don't you just poke me in the eye with a stick!

That's funny sh1t Merlin.

I used shoot at a paster or an inverted T in the main A zone (something to give a precise aim point) but in the head, this thing is TOUGH!!!!

I may throw up a no-shoot behind it, not to be cruel, but as a witness target to "find" my misses if I start losing some. Just one drill, and I need LOTS more work on it, but it's a toughy and works the trigger finger, grip and eyes.

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[tightloop]

Practice is always a compromise....do some distance, some speed, some accuracy, some hoser, some WHO/SHO and you got it covered...don;t get too caught up on one thing at the expense of another

[Bigbadaboom]

Don't you know that "Head Shot" is not P.C.? You need to change it to "Cranial Engagement 21"

[dirtypool40]

Practice is always a compromise....do some distance, some speed, some accuracy, some hoser, some WHO/SHO and you got it covered...don;t get too caught up on one thing at the expense of another

You're right of course, this is just one I'm using to slow down, hold and squeeze. For me at least, speed comes easy, it's the accuracy that is last to come back and first to defect when I quit practicing. Once I round up accuracy and can hose A's at 15y or so, then I work other stuff, like setting up, moving and shooting on the move.

For me though, the "walk before you run" is groups.

Actually that 20/14 was my first run after dry fire and best of the day. After that concentration suffered and I kept jerking some out. Second run netted 18/15, going clean into the A box back to 25y, which was really good for me. Then focus started to wander and I started spraying them all over the place at 30, and 35.

I use other drills as a "pallette cleanser" and to keep from getting a headache. After six months with no practice I've slid back almost to my baseline, so this is how I start building back up. When I get that 2-stage trigger prep / break down, and can really call my shots, then I'll be ready to work other areas.

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[Bigbadaboom]

I've been doing something similar by drawing a 3" circle in the upper portion of the lower "A" zone. Hits outside the circle don't count plus this gives a large witness area.

See attached photo:

[Ron Ankeny]

I try to remember to end each practice session shooting some groups. At our last club match we added a three target array with no-shoots at one of the positions in a long course just to raise the accuracy bar a little bit. I walked away with 10 points in penalties even though I could have shot a six shot group at that distance that you could cover with a fifty cent piece.

...going clean into the A box back to 25y, which was really good for me

I would think that is more than just pretty good for anyone.

[dirtypool40]

Thanks Ron, I was happy, at least with that facet of it...

Daniel

Manny had us shooting similiar targets with a series of dots or circles, I think they were 6" or was it 8.5"? (inside joke ).

Manny ran a great course by the way, highly recommended.

I've been doing something similar by drawing a 3" circle in the upper portion of the lower "A" zone. Hits outside the circle don't count plus this gives a large witness area.

See attached photo:

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[Flexmoney]

Mods feel free to move if drills go somewhere else.

I moved it here to Training Techniques...as it is a drill.

--------------------

This is a good one.

It reminds me of shooting the Bianchi plates. The plates take 48 rounds (on the clock, but the time is generous for IPSC-style shooters). They can be an awareness lesson in tension in the grip and stance. (Also, reminds me of the barricade event, w/o the barricade.)

This drill, being shot on paper, could give better feedback than plates. I would probably want to tape between distance changes (if I didn't know 100% what my zero was at each distance).

The witness target behind the shoot target is a good idea to keep it honest.

I had a shooter doing a step back drill the other day (3 hits in the target, then move back a yard and repeat). The target was the top of a WWB 9mm box, similar to an index card, centered l/r in the (non-head) A-zone with the top an inch below the top edge of the A-zone. Putting the target here, in my mind, helps teach the subconscious where the A-zone is. He reached his limit around 13-15y, where he would start dropping the hits about half-an-inch out...still Alphas though. (Great improvement for this shooter and getting better.) When I would ask him 'what he saw' on his runs...at the distance, he was seeing that his sight was covering up most of the target (big fat Glock sight). All kinds of insights can be learned from these types of drills.

I'm liking the 21-Heads.

[BigDave]

It reminds me of shooting the Bianchi plates. The plates take 48 rounds (on the clock, but the time is generous for IPSC-style shooters). They can be an awareness lesson in tension in the grip and stance. (Also, reminds me of the barricade event, w/o the barricade.)

Funny you mention that, Kyle. I was immediately reminded of Bianchi - period. The sad thing is that the only ones of us who realize that are those who have tried it.

/OFF soapbox

[dirtypool40]

yeah it can be shot in the main A-zone and it does show your misses better, I was just using this as a way to "score" the drill. I use the inverted T in the main A to check zero and flyers too.

Yesterday I used two targets on the last couple runs, to spread things out. I'm no Bianchi caliber shooter, but a 21 round group can get rat holed after a run or two.

But, yes, it's basically a 5y per, step back drill.

Edited April 5, 2006 by dirtypool40

[eric nielsen]

If they turn it into a classifier, the HHF will be 105 points.

Limited and Open.

[shred]

Yeek.. I thought 12" plates at 40M was manly. At least I shoot 'em SHO & WHO as well.

[tightloop]

Shred

you are manly if you shoot plates WHO at 40 meters

[Ben Stoeger]

Do you have to hit them, or just shoot at them? I would vote manly for even attempting it.

[shred]

Do you have to hit them, or just shoot at them? I would vote manly for even attempting it.

Here's the original drill "40 yard US Popper test": http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18637

I use a 12" plate now and usually hit 2 or 3 out of 5 WHO. I rarely get 5/5 SHO..

[dirtypool40]

no joy as to a "perfect" yesterday, but I'll keep trying until I can consistently do a "21" and have it down to "x-count"

[Ron Ankeny]

I just got back from the range. What a beautiful evening. Sun to my back, about a one to two mph breeze, 68 degrees. Perfect conditions. I am really pleased that I haven't lost the touch. So much so, I just had to scan the targets for bragging rights. Here they are:

The first effort was 18 Alpha and 3 Bravo. I stapled up a new target and came over a click. The score was 20 Alpha and 1 Bravo. At times like this I wonder why I am even trying to shoot IPSC. Maybe I should have stayed in the precision sports where I belong. So answer me this, what is being able to shoot a group good for in IPSC when it's all about points per second?

Edited April 9, 2006 by Ron Ankeny

[Kevin Kline]

Eric,

You just had to start again huh??

Yeah, I can definitely Manny's influence on this one, Im still salivating to get back to the range and try the drills Manny gave us that weekend. I was out of town for 5 days due to my grandfather's funeral, but have to get back on the horse now.

Remember, Miguel could be your brother in law someday, HAHAHA, (inside joke).

[38superman]

Okay, I just couldn't resist trying this so I set it up yesterday.

Only made one run but ended up with 7 alpha 8 bravo and dropped 6 an inch or two low in the neck area of the target. The low shots coming at the longer ranges.

Just confirms what I already suspected.

I have a tendency to shoot a little low beyond 25 yds.

I really had to work at slowing myself down.

I ripped the first 3 off like I was racing the timer.

Some habits are hard to break.

I really like this exercise. I think I will make it part of my practice routine.

Tls

Edited April 16, 2006 by tlshores

[Flexmoney]

Nice work Ron. (I'd put an overlay on that 20-Alpha target...it's pretty close.)