For us, “Drill Practice” is isolating an individual part of a skill and focusing intently on improving or mastering said skill. The goal with good drill practice is to maximize overall improvement while minimizing overall effort. Success equals consistency over time.
We typically run from what we don’t like to do or do poorly. I’m no different, and for me, that’s shooting handguns from the 25-yard line. The distance in question challenges my technique and requires more focus. Small or subtle errors that go unnoticed at close range are more evident at distance. This is what we refer to as our Pistol Standard Mike drill. It has five stages, all fired from the low ready at the 25-yard line with a 5-second par time. If you struggle with accuracy at distance, try starting at the 15-yard line or even the 10-yard line. Build technique and confidence first. If you are struggling to meet the par time or don’t have a shot timer, then forgo it for now. If you feel you have decent skill, then give this a go as prescribed below.
Here’s the drill:
1. On the signal, fire one round within 5 seconds.
2. On the signal, fire two rounds within 5 seconds.
3. On the signal, fire three rounds within 5 seconds.
4. On the signal, fire four rounds within 5 seconds.
5. On the signal, fire five rounds within 5 seconds.
For the first stage, on the signal fire one round within the 5-second par time. Repeat firing two rounds, three rounds, four rounds and finish with five rounds for a total of 15 rounds fired. Shoot this drill on TRICON Mk4 target, NRA B-8 or similar. The goal is 80 percent or greater, or 120/150 points. For every second surpassing the par time, deduct three points from the overall score.
Scoring 80 percent or greater signifies solid skills at long range with a pistol. The first couple of stages seem simple enough, but as the round count climbs, so too does the difficulty. Don’t sacrifice accuracy for speed; it’s better to take the time penalties.
Concentrate on a precise sight picture for iron sights or the point-of-impact for pistol-mounted optics. Avoid shifting your focus; keep it fixated. Put heavy emphasis on a smooth trigger stroke. Once you start applying pressure, keep it steady—it should be one smooth action from start to finish. Let each shot going off be a surprise. Good luck.
