Master the Basic = Advanced Skills

FIRE AWAY!

       

Took advantage of the gorgeous weather yesterday and hit the range with a good friend and shooting buddy, Don Hudson.  Our plan, and when you go to the range you should have plan on what you want to work on, was to fine tune our basic skills.  After all ammunition is still somewhat expensive even though it has come down in price a little.  Don't remember where I heard it, but it makes sense "Don't just Plink, Think"!  So our objective was to practice the basics utilizing multiple repetitions on each.  We did this within certain time restrictions cold bore.  The reason for this is because if you are ever involved in a situation that you might have to use the gun you are not going to have the time to warm up first!

We started out with the very basic skill of shooting one shot from the two handed high ready pistol position,  Time was one second or less. Target a 6" x 12" steel plate @ 21 feet.  ONLY HITS COUNT!  That size target very well represents the size of the area  that you would need to hit consistently in order to accomplish the goal of getting that person who's  intent to hurt or kill you, change his or her mind about doing that.  Remember, the target area should be high center mass on the chest area.  Important, your only purpose of shooting is to STOP the threat!  Placing shots in that area gives you the best advantage of doing that in the quickest and must humane possible way.  Once the threat stops so does the shooting!  It is important to note that you generally shoot as many shots as necessary to accomplish that.  A single handgun round generally does not have the ability to immediately incapacitate a person.  Based on that you need to be prepared to fire what ever the number of shots are required to get that desired effect.  Stopping that person action, NOW!   That is very dependent on the threat.  Each and every threat is different.  Please note, in addition, aiming at the chest area is the largest area of the body that you may have available,but not always. Hitting this area consistently will assure good solid hits rather than misses and the risk of  hitting innocents.

Statistics have proven that the person who get the first hit on something substantial is generally the person that prevails in the conflict.  

Some of the other drills that we practiced were as follow;

7 yards, 6" x 12" plate

2 shots from the high ready pistol Position, 1.25 seconds or less.

1 shot from the holster, from a shooter be alert position, 2.0 seconds or less, preferably 1.5 seconds or less.

2 shots from the holster, from a shooter be alert position, 2.0 seconds or less,

T.R.A.F. drill, (tap, rack, assess, fire if necessary)  Or T.R.B. ( Tap, Rack , Bang) 2.5 seconds

Reloading from slide lock. 3.5 seconds.  Starting out from the two handed high ready pistol position.

10 yards, 10" steel plate  

Diamond drill, start out shooting 1 shot from each of the four points of a diamond.
Then shoot 2 shots from the same points.  No par time, just had to make the hits.

Strong hand and support hand only!  1 shot and then 2 shots

15 yards, shoot the 15 in 15 Drill,  12" x 18" steel plate

25 yards, 25 and in drill, 12" x 18" steel plate

Finished with the 5, 10, 15, & 20 drill, 12" x 18" steel plate

Trigger control, front sight focus and recoil management were the priorities!

All in all about 200 rounds