What is your favorite drill?

[BayouSlide]

This post originally was going to take a different tack, soliciting drills to help overcome a particular problem I'm facing as a lowly C...literally and figuratively...shooter .

But I thought it would be much more interesting...and valuable...to hear forum members describe THE ONE drill they feel was most significant to their improvement as a shooter, and why.

Curtis

[Kyle O]

I broke in a new 45, shooting 1,000 rounds. All shots were done on 15 yard bill drills.

I started winning after that.

As a standard rule of my practice, I always shoot targets 15 to 20 yards away.

When a match comes up, and most of the targets from point blank to 10 yards, it's like cheating.....almost.

[j1b]

I have a set routine I start every practice session. I admit I don't practice hardly at all anymore, but when I did, I had a standard routine that I started with. It consumed 60 rounds and consisted of one shot draws, double shot draws, Draw shoot load shoot, and strong hand/weak hand. Two targets, one was at 15 yards - the other at 20 yards. Both wide open.

This was what I considered my foundation. What I required of myself to do better. And, because I did it every practice session (the same way, every time) I had a point of reference. I could tell if I was getting better or if I was on my game that day. I could tell how feeling different about something - split up with a girl, pissed at a friend, hung over whatever - I could tell how all of those things affected the base performance.

The other thing I liked about doing this is that it started every practice with something I knew I could do. Challenging to myself, but something that I knew I could bang out. It's like when I got my practice sessions into what I wanted to work on (which may be in the drill but I want to get better at, or may be something like movement or transitions or something) I was "ready." No "practice" runs. I'd warmed up already. It was time to work.

Final suggestion, I think there were three things I did that were beneficial to me with regards to practice. One was the start routine. I feel like that always started me off right and when I started doing that consistently, every single practice session, I started getting better. Second, the BEST thing I did was have goals for practice. Learn to do X better, learn to do Y better. Learn why shooters were gaining on me in Z scenarios. I had a goal everytime. Finally, about 75-80% of my practice sessions were alone. I was out there for me, with no distractions. I was out there because I wanted to be. I was out there with every intention of learning all I could. Obviously there is value in practicing with others, but for me I learned that independent practice prevented distraction and prevented me from confusing my goals with either the person I was practicing with's goals or simply on beating them versus fixing what I needed to fix.

That's my $.02

Have fun - this is a great sport and the people on these forums are awesome!

Jack

Edited January 5, 2009 by j1b

[kgunz11]

I like the El Presidente. It encompasses many fundamentals important in USPSA shooting. The turn, draw, sight picture, trigger control, splits, transitions, reloads, and reacquiring a target after the reload. It's everything but strong hand and weak hand, movement, and awkward positions. You get the things in an El Pres down and the others seem to fall into place. I try to run a few at every range practice. It also allows the shooter to get more comfortable with "facing up range starts". Shoot those in 6 seconds with all A's is my goal. I'm not quite there yet.

[Jman]

Matt Burketts timing drill. I see more every time I do it.

Jim

[Flatland Shooter]

I like the El Presidente. It encompasses many fundamentals important in USPSA shooting. The turn, draw, sight picture, trigger control, splits, transitions, reloads, and reacquiring a target after the reload. It's everything but strong hand and weak hand, movement, and awkward positions. You get the things in an El Pres down and the others seem to fall into place. I try to run a few at every range practice. It also allows the shooter to get more comfortable with "facing up range starts". Shoot those in 6 seconds with all A's is my goal. I'm not quite there yet.

I've always liked a variation of the El Pres called the Mozambique. Turn, draw, two shots to lower A zone on three targets, reload, one shot to each upper A zone.

It places a little more emphasis on accuracy after the reload. The forced change of tempo between the lower A and the upper A seemed to help me in matches.

[BayouSlide]

All good tips...appreciate the ideas, guys

Curtis

[Rocket35]

Shooting groups.

[steel1212]

Shooting groups.

I'm a low A class shooter and to this day I still can not shoot what I would call "good groups" with a pistol. I can do it with a rifle though. Its probably why want2race shoots at master level now even though we started at the same time. Now that I have a tack driver 9mm I'm going to try to go out and shoot more for groups than speed. Some have told me why not a .22, in my mind a .22 just doesn't have enough recoil and with the right bullet is so freaking accurate most of the time anyway I don't get a good feel for it.

I liked to do the Mozambique also but I did it at 15 yards and did the 2 to the body 1 to the head. It makes you go fast slow, fast, slow, etc. If you do 2 to the body 3 times your doing the same speed, then 1 to the head at the same speed. Gotta know when to goa and when to whoa.

[Rocket35]

Another neat drill is an El Prez with the middle target being head shots only. Kinda in line with the speed up slow down theory...

[boz1911]

I tend to do a lot more dryfire than livefire. I use 1/2 size targets and 5" paper plates attached to the inside of my garage doors. I rearrange the targets daily to create some fun in my routine. One of my favorite drills is to shoot an array of 6 targets, reload shoot 6 plates, then move to the opposite side of the garage and finish on 2 targets. For me this forces me to call the last plate before moving (a personal weakness) and also helps me accelerate (another weakness). I try to be as creative as possible with dryfiring to keep the interest up and focus on parts of my game that need improvement. Whether you dryfire or livefire, work on your identified weaknesses more than your strengths.

[JasonC]

Group shooting. I start and end my practice sessions with it. At the start it warms me up, at the end it settles me down.

[HoMiE]

I like BrianW's practice drill. It has all the fundamental things you need to work on. You can always mix it up and add partials and no-shoots, through in some movement if you want, but as it is, it's tough enough.

Brian William's Drill

[Sean Gaines]

start off dry firing to get warmed up

do a little group shooting make sure gun is still zero'd usually is, but sitll work on trigger control and seeing the sights lift.

triangle box to box drill, Draw on 35yd steel move forward and to the left box shoot 2 targets 10 and 15yds. move to right box shoot 2 targets 10 and 15yds. tape and do over and over and over. get your time down and try to get a perfect score.

far to near, or M drill(Thats what chad Folger calls it) 2 targets at 15yds, 1 at 8-10yds, and 2 steel 30yds. Draw and shoot the left 15yd target, then shoot the right 15yd target, then shoot the 8-10yd target in the middle and then shoot the 2 30yd steel. you can mix and match which order, just get the slow to fast to slow trigger speeds down. you can shoot on the move or stationary.

Work on an aspect that I have been lacking or need work on. ie shooting on the move transitions, etc

End Practice on a positive note (Very Important)

Good Luck

pk

[Ben Stoeger]

But I thought it would be much more interesting...and valuable...to hear forum members describe THE ONE drill they feel was most significant to their improvement as a shooter, and why.

If I had to pick only one drill.. I would say it is the Bill Drill.

Lots of guys come into the sport having shot groups and plinked around a little bit. The bill drill gets you drawing fast and shooting fast. It really helps push you to the next level.

[Sandro]

Bill Drill at 25Y, the best drill if you know what you are trying to accomplish.

DVC,

Sandro

[revchuck]

One I've found that has helped me uses a standard IDPA or USPSA target at seven yards with a 3x5 index card stapled in the head box. From the holster, two rounds to the index card, reload, then four rounds to the -0/A zone. It's even revolver neutral. For IDPA, do it from concealment and reload from slidelock.

Credit goes to: http://pistol-training.com/drills/fast-fun...racy-speed-test

[BayouSlide]

Are we starting to see a pattern/s here?

Curtis

Edited January 12, 2009 by BayouSlide

[Joseph796]

One I've found that has helped me uses a standard IDPA or USPSA target at seven yards with a 3x5 index card stapled in the head box. From the holster, two rounds to the index card, reload, then four rounds to the -0/A zone. It's even revolver neutral. For IDPA, do it from concealment and reload from slidelock.

Credit goes to: http://pistol-training.com/drills/fast-fun...racy-speed-test

Sounds like a winner. I will try this drill & report back.

[Lance Jensen]

I personally dry fire... Use sized down targets and set up a little stage. Teaching yourself to recognize a sight picture quickly will improve you abilities. Hard focus on the front sight, if it's moving alot then fix your trigger press or grip. Let your sub conscious take over... don't press the shot until the sight picture is acceptable

[boz1911]

But I thought it would be much more interesting...and valuable...to hear forum members describe THE ONE drill they feel was most significant to their improvement as a shooter, and why.

If I had to pick only one drill.. I would say it is the Bill Drill.

Lots of guys come into the sport having shot groups and plinked around a little bit. The bill drill gets you drawing fast and shooting fast. It really helps push you to the next level.

That's interesting, I wouldn't have thought that, but hell I'll give it a try..

[buddy_fuentes]

Very good thread, Curtis.

I wish I could say I really practice. I should dry fire every day, but just cannot bring myself to do it. I'll do ten reps or so and get bored and put it away for a month or so and then do it again.

I have just started using a .22 cal. top-end on one of my Single Stacks and I am seeing improvement after two sessions. I draw and shoot for an "A" at ten yards and when it is successful, the next draw I shoot for two. If that is successful too, I'll go for six"A" zones on the next draw. Every string is timed and my splits are checked, too.

This routine holds my interest and it gives me something (timer results) to check my progress. I saw where the Japanese shooters were practicing with Air-Soft all year and then coming here for a big match like the Steel Challenge. They would practice with a real pistol maybe six weeks and all of them shoot well. My thought is if it works with an Air-Soft, then surly it will work with a .22.

Buddy

[DeweyH]

One of the drills that gets me tuned in to doing what I need to do is a plate rack at 25 yards. I shoot it virginia/limited vickers. When my practices get too fast and loose. I then work the plate rack until I am cleaning it most of the time at 25 yards on the clock. I usually throw in a few 10 yard runs just to keep it fun. It can be brutal and humiliating when trying to go fast at 25 yards.

[Glen517]

I am by no means an expert. B lim. Two things that have helped me most. First shooting groups on paper plates from 7 out to 25yds at the beginning and end of each livefire practice. Not afraid of steel now, and better hits on paper. (aim small miss small). And movement drills ( I have access to a large warehouse) I work on getting low and moving in on targets moving away from targets moving past targets both left and right. Keeping good sight picture on targets as I move. The key for me I've found( and probably everyone else ) is getting low. And sometimes I work reloads in, also do this in some of my livefire practices. You can work on everything in dryfire.

[Team Amish 1]

As a dry fire drill I like drawing toward little 1" orange dots I stuck on my "hobby room" walls; that combined with reloads between target transitions.

As a live fire warmer upper, I start every session with 100-200 .22's, accuracy only - no time limit.

After that, I shoot 3 5rd groups in .22 and 3 groups in the caliber I really came to shoot, record the spreads and start the other stuff.

Does anyone here practive with airsoft guns and if yes, how, and what does that do for you?

I did for a while but my wife politely requested that I stop leaving the pellets all over the garage.

So I put the toy up.

Edited January 16, 2009 by Team Amish 1