Core Practice Fundamentals

[Bear1142]

As I have stated in earlier posts on various topics, I consider it critical to my shooting skills to have a core group of fundamentals that I practice at every session, irrespective of my current performance. What core skills do you consider critical enough to practice every live fire session and why? I've listed a few of mine below.

These are done everytime, without fail.

Warm-up & Cool down (first and last shooting drill)

5 shots at 7, 15, 25, and 50 (if available)- no time limit, tightest group possible

- Used to confirm sights, basic fundamentals (trigger control, sight picture,

etc..), and basically to feel the gun shoot and recoil.

Triples

3 shot groups at 10-15 yards, 2-3 targets- normal engagement speeds

- Used to enhance second shot fundamentals (sight picture, tracking, follow-

through, calling the shot)

Bill Drills

6 shot drill- normal engagement speeds

- Used to enhance speed work, overall gun setup, tracking, preventing trigger

freeze.

Strong/ Weak hand

2 shot groups- normal engagement speeds

While this may seem like a lot, depending on what I'm working on they might only be 1 or 2 magazines worth, but they always are in the session. I consider these my core drills that always need to be performed. Which ones do you consider your critical core drills.

Erik

[IPSCDRL]

Well Bear, to be truthfull, I never really HAD a core set of skills that I practice. This may explain why I shoot so poorly.

I think I'll adopt yours if you don't mind. Thanks for posting them.

[tightloop]

I have always done some singles at distances from 7 to 50. Pairs at the same distances. Multiple targets at 15, some speed work, some SHO and WHO to finish up. Lately have been practicing box to box motion and moving reloads.

[Ron Ankeny]

The only core skills that I absolutely practice at every session without fail are the draw and a little group at the very end. I have a lot of routines that I use and there is no way to do them all in each session. Plate rack drills, Devil's Trangle, truning draws, box to box, barricades, close to far, far to near transitions, weak hand/strong hand, and the list goes on and on.

[ErikW]

I always do a version of the El Presidente. Usually without turning. Often with partials, no-shoots, odd spacing, and from 7-20 yards. The three core fundamentals it tests are transitions, splits, and reloads.

[Bear1142]

One of the reasons I didn't specify draws or starting positions is because I wanted to focus on actual shooting drills. I can work on various draws and reloads in my dry fire rountines. I wanted to focus on stuff you can only get when the gun goes bang.

Erik,

Do you have a set way of setting up your partials on the el prez, or do you just use the drill as a base and vary it up. I guess what I'm curious about is, do you vary the partials to make the shots easier of more difficult if you detect a deficiency in your shooting and what is your decision process for making the specific change?

Erik

[ErikW]

Nah, I do it randomly. I'll make the shots harder if I'm practicing with the foo-foo blaster. A lot of upside-down, sideways, and diagonal targets to make me look for the A zone, not index straight across to it out of habit. I tend to put the no-shoot or hardcover on the left side of the second or third targets, which will punish me for being impatient as I shoot left to right.

[benos]

In the formative years, I ended every practice session with slow-fire, offhand group shooting at 25 yds. Shoot five shots on a paper plate, taking all the time you need to shoot the tightest group possible. Shoot several groups and keep your smallest one; then try to beat it next time out.

be

[dogdoc]

These are some things that have worked for me in practice, so take it for what it's worth. These are based on trial and error, and observations about my shooting at big matches.

I agree with benos about ending a practice with group shooting to check sights. I DO NOT see that it is advantageous to start a practice session with "warm-up" shooting. You don't get this opportunity at large matches, so you need to learn to make the first shots you fire at practice count as much as the last shots you fire, be it stages or drills. Don't be too conservative at the start!

Make most of the shots difficult; hardcover, no-shoots, head shots, etc., but be reasonable. Don't do a ton of practicing on open targets at 3-5 yards, it will only make you sloppy.

[Paladin]

Cold shooting 3 8' diameter steel plates at 15 yds twice from draw.. and 2 5 shot groups at 20 yds- 2 secs. per shot. This sets the tone for me and really awakens the dragon. Besides my on-demand shooting ability is the most important since I CC.

On completion I like to just fire 6 shots rapidly aiming at the berm just to loosen up in preparation for going back to the road.

Paladin,

The Way of the Warrior

[Mistral404]

I am still in the early learning stages of this game. Here is a practice routine that has helped me improve.

1. 10 rapid shots into the bearm. This is to get the eye focused on the front sight and watch the recoil.

2. 10 slow fire shots at a steel plate 20+ yards away [any shots miss repeat until 10 hits]

3. 10 1-shot draws at a steel plate 20+ yards away

4. 5 2-shots from a draw at a plate ....

5. Repeat step 4

6. 10 1-shots aimed at the plate and punch the timer to improve reaction time from buzzer to shot. [.2-.34 seconds]

7. 10 1 shots at the steel plate by sighting the pistol at a spot 20 yards to the right of the plate, then move the head to see the plate, punch the timer, swing gun to plate and fire.

8. Then depending on my mood I will vary the next 20-rounds. Sometimes I will use two targets, movement to a box, two shots reload two shots, or draw and shoot.

I like the twenty yard minimum and using steel for immediate feedback. Although lately I am doing it at 24-26 yards. I paint the steel frequently.

A wise grand master told me "if you know where your front sight is when the shot goes off, you can call your shot and not worry about whether you hit it or not-you will know immediately." This will improve your second shot a great deal.

[tightloop]

Mistral404

You might reconsider some of those drills. I see no benefit from just shooting into the berm. I see no SHO, no WHO, no real transitional practice, no practice reloading either static or moving to any great degree, I could go on and on.

The problem with using steel for most of your practice is that you are relying on the auditory feedback from the steel and in a match situation, you are loosing great amounts of time waiting for what you are training yourself to hear in practice. Some steel is cool cause you don't have to tape it, but fully 85 % of matches are on paper and you need to get used to seeing the sights over the paper and not waiting for the ring of the steel. Also with reactionaly steel, you don't have the ability to call the shot when it breaks and then verify your call when you tape it.

The way most matches are setup today, I would shoot lots of accelerated pairs at different distances, do the same thing SHO and WHO, lots of moving reloads and either a variation of the box drill or the triangle drill. Finish off with some distance work from 25 out to 50, singles and pairs.

Remember, practice what the matches are going to show you, and try to refine all aspects of your skill set each time you go. Maximize your efforts and your rounds because you don't have to be ankle deep in brass to have had a great practice.

[SiG Lady]

As a novice, I'm still working on strength-building with SHO/WHO drills, and found that if I do those FIRST, it strengthens up the wrists more quickly for that session and have more control over the REST of the two-handed drills that follow. If I wait until the END of the session to do the one-handed exercises, I'm too tired by that time to do them well or correctly. On other occasions I might focus down and do ONLY one-handed drills for most of the session. Again, this builds strength faster than two-handed stuff.

Just my two novice kopeks.

[Liota]

SIGLady,

You might try one of those gyro hand trainers. The one I have is called Dynaflex. It works your wrists by you maintaining control of the ball with the gyro spinning inside. It does wonders for your wrists and arms.

Liota

[Flexmoney]

I am still in the early learning stages of this game. Here is a practice routine that has helped me improve.

1. 10 rapid shots into the berm. This is to get the eye focused on the front sight and watch the recoil.

I think shooting into the berm to start is an excellent idea. Especially when learning to see the sights.

[SiG Lady]

Liota--

Feel free to tell me more...! Sounds neat. Is this an Internet-available sort of item...? Thanks.

[Paladin]

I concur Flexmoney!!