The 5-Yard Roundup is another low-round-count drill that tests a lot of skills. It is easy to run, doesn’t require much in the way of range facilities, and can be completed in about 90 seconds. Best of all, it will tell you an awful lot about your abilities as a shooter.
Shooting Drill: Old Bakersfield PD Qual
When I first saw it, I realized that the Old Bakersfield PD Qual would become a staple in my shooting repertoire. Within ten rounds you can do a very good assessment of where you stand as a defensive pistol shooter. If I ever teach handgun classes, may very well be the opening drill of the class. Let’s take look at it.
Shooting Drill: I Failed the Old Air Marshals Qual (FAMS TPC)
The old Air Marshals Qual, aka the FAMS TPC (Federal Air Marshals Tactical Pistol Course) is reputed to be one of the most difficult qualification courses in law enforcement. In this installment, I demonstrate…and fail it.
Well-Rounded Shooting Drill: The BATFE Handgun Qual
Today we take a look at another shooting qualification, this one from the BATFE. In my opinion this is one of the most well-rounded shooting qualifications I’ve shot in a while. Close-range, SHO, WHO, 25-yards, malfunction stages – it seems to have a little bit of everything. The qual is the BATFE Handgun Qual and I found it John Daub’s excellent Drills, Qualifications, Standards, and Tests.
Shooting Drill: The Hackathorn Standards
Today I bring you one of the most complex shooting standards out there: The Hackathorn Standards. Infamous for its difficulty and complexity, this one has been on my list to try for quite some time. It requires a fairly complicated range setup, but if you can shoot it, it will test your skill.
VIDEO: 10-Round Skill Check – The Gunsite 250 Drill
The Gunsite 250 Drill is a difficult drill with demanding time standards. It only requires 10-rounds, though, and is a great, low-round-count drill that will quickly assess your skills.
VIDEO: The 700 Aggregate – The Hardest Drill You’ve Never Shot
The 700 Aggregate (also known as The Humbler) is the hardest shooting drill you probably haven’t shot. Okay, okay…some of you have. Certainly it is one of the more difficult shooting drills out there, and one that you should try if you have the range facilities for it.
Shooting Clothed Targets
I have thought a lot about the visual cues we create for ourselves in training. We shoot at targets with clearly defined “A” Zones, bullseyes, down-0 areas, and other clearly marked hits. Are we likely to have these visual cues in a life-or-death confrontation, though? Probably not, and thus the idea of shooting clothed targets.
Planning a Good Range Session
I usually go the range and have a decent session. Occasionally I go and have a horrible session where everything seems to go wrong. Lately during most of my range sessions everything seems to go right – I get a lot done, perform well on drills, and feel great the end of it. The difference between all other sessions and a great one is preparation. Today I’m going to talk about planning a good range session.
MEU(SOC) Pistol Qual: A Very Unusual Course of Fire
Today I offer you a video post of me shooting a very interesting course of fire, the MEU(SOC) pistol qual. This qualification requires the use of a rifle in addition to the pistol. The drill is started by firing a shot from the rifle, simulating the rifle running dry, then transitioning to the pistol. Watch the video to learn more.