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Well-Rounded Shooting Drill: The BATFE Handgun Qual

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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.

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The BATFE Handgun Qual

I retrieved this drill from Drills, Qualifications, Standards, and Tests by John Daub. I have been working my way through the book, and this strikes me as a pretty decent test, at least by law enforcement qualification standards (spoiler alert – they usually aren’t very good). A concealed carry holder who could score 90% or better on this would be pretty damn competent in my opinion. Let’s take a closer look.

This qualification course is supposed to be fired on the ATF’s own target. Since I didn’t have one, I did what Daub recommended and used an IDPA target scored 2/0/0. This means that each shot in a -0 zone is 2 points while rounds in any other zone don’t count at all. Daub reckons this is a bit tougher than the ATF target anyhow. The drill requires 48 rounds. It is mean to be shot from concealment. Unfortunately I didn’t yet have a concealment holster for the Wilson Combat SFX9, so I shot it from my PHLster Floodlight OWB. Let’s get into the course of fire.

Course of Fire

This course of fire isn’t terribly difficult…but it also isn’t terribly easy. This isn’t a super high-speed, go-fast set of drills, but honestly I think it’s very well-rounded and demonstrates a good grasp of a variety of handgun skills.
  1. 3 yards, draw, fire 3 rounds, 3 seconds
  2. 3 yards, draw, 3 rounds 2-handed, 3 rounds WHO, 7 seconds
  3. 3 yards, draw, fire 2 rounds to the head, 3 seconds
  4. 3 yards, draw, fire 4 rounds, 3 seconds
  5. 7 yards, draw, fire 3 rounds, slide-lock reload, 3 rounds, 8 seconds
  6. 7 yards, draw, failure drill (2 body, 1 head), 5 seconds
  7. 7 yards, draw, failure drill (2 body, 1 head)(again), 5 seconds
  8. 7 yards, from ready, 1 shot to head, 2 seconds
  9. 7 yards, from ready, 1 shot to head (again), 2 seconds
  10. 7 yards, loaded magazine/empty chamber, draw and attempt to fire, tap/rack, 5 rounds, 7 seconds
  11. 15 yards, from ready fire 3, drop to kneeling, slide-lock reload, fire 3, 12 seconds
  12. 15 yards, from ready, kneeling position, fire 3, 5 seconds
  13. 15 yards, from ready, kneeling position, fire 3 (again), 5 seconds
  14. 25 yards, draw, fire 2 rounds, 8 seconds

This qual evaluates a lot of skills. There is LOTS of drawing, arguable the. most important skill a concealed carrier can possess. There are compressed time head shots, multiple body shots, malfunction clearances, reloads, long-range shooting, and alternate shooting positions. Again, this is a solid, well-rounded qualification. I would be thrilled if all my friends an family could pass this with a 90 or better.

I can think of many worse ways to spend 48 rounds. Give this one a shot next time you’re at the range!

 

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