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PRACTICE, POWER

and PRECISION

TN STATE CERTIFIED LEVEL II HANDGUN SAFETY SCHOOL # 2-47-18

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was established under the direction of Shooting for Women Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and motivation of women worldwide toward all the shooting sports and personal protection has to offer. SFWA is a Level II State Certified School which offers Instructor Training and Continuing Education Courses for both men and women.

After being held hostage in her house for 5 1/2 hours at knife-point and stalked for 2 years in the early 1990’s, Susan decided to help other women (and a few good men) gain the knowledge and skills to help them if they ever had to defend themselves against an assailant. Since carrying a firearm for personal protection long before Handgun Carry Permits were available, and undertanding the importance of becoming proficient with a firearm, she and her husband Rob have dedicated their time and talents toward quality and effective firearms education—

with an emphasis on providing what women want in an instructor. This course entitled “Practice, Power and Precision” is designed to take shooters to a higher level in skill toward being able to present a handgun in less than 1.5 seconds and

An Inspirational True Story

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accurately place a round on the target in sufficient time to be able to protect themselves from an attack

SFWA is committed to helping instructors provide relevant and thorough firearms training to civiians. Thank you for choosing SFWA U! —Susan and Rob

has invested its resources to compile this material

for the purpose of providing a tool for SFWA University Students

who are intersted in taking their trainingwith handguns to a higher level

with regard to personal protection as ahandgun permit holder.

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Table of Contents 1 THE THEORY

on how to achieve the powerful results you need when precision is key 6

2 THE BASICS OF AN ACCURATE SHOT

and what it takes to make it happen consistently 12

3 DRAWING A HANDGUN FROM CONCEALMENT

from a holster, a purse or other place of concealment 22

4 ADJUSTING HANDGUN SIGHTS

including sighting in a laser 26

5 FIVE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE TRAINING

and some shooting drills 28

6 POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN PRACTICING

real life situations require instinctive reactions which come with practice 32

7 PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

the SMART way to achieve instinctive response 36

8 TOOLS FOR PRECISION AND POWER

tips and tricks to help improve defensive shooting skills 40

9 PRACTICE RECORDKEEPING

the ongoing road to powerful results 42

This material is part of a SFWA continuing education class

Practice, Power and Precision

Copyright © 2011-2013 All Rights Reserved

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“The right to keep and bear arms, shall notbe infringed”

—The Second Amendment

“The right to receive the highest qualitycontinuing education possible regarding

firearms and personal protection shall not be infringed”

—SFWA University

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1 THE THEORY on how to achieve the powerful results you need when precision is key

“I can clear the center out on the target and I will be able to do the same thing if I am forced to shoot my gun in self-defense” is something you hear people who have spent a good amount of time practicing hitting bullseyes or the “x” on a target and can do it well. In a real-life self defense situation things will be totally different than what those people have practiced doing on the range. Effectively clearing the center out on a target in a controlled and safe environment is a false sense of security that you should not bet your life on. Consider these points: #1: Will you be able to see the spot on your attacker that your round hits? #2. How fast will your heart be beating when you have to fire a round when you are in fear for your life? #3. Did you even see your attacker coming? #4. Does your attacker have a weapon; and if so, can you be the one to get off the first shot effectively? #5. What position will you have to shoot from and with what hand? #6. If you are good at the range, does it make sense that you will be able to perform under duress? #7. How many rounds does it take to train well?

The fact is that precision in self-defense is entirely different.

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Levels of Progression

Naturally Hit the Target

Increase Speed

Shooting from Different Positions

Shooting While Moving

Using the Complete Tool Box

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Practice, Power and Precision is based on the theory that you will NOT be able to successfully respond to the things that you will face in a real-life threat to your life unless you practice for it with precision to the point that you will be able to do powerfully against your attacker.

It has been said that “practice doesn’t make perfect” but rather “perfect practice makes perfect”—but how is that possible if you are not aware of whether or not you are practicing perfectly? Remember, the person who has practiced to clean the center out on the target (at any point on the target they may chose to shoot) goes home with a perfect target—can’t get much better than that, right?

In an attack, things will most likely not unfold as you practiced the any number of scenarios you learned, thought about, or heard had happened to someone else. So, why practice if that is more than likely the case—just in case by chance you are lucky enough to have something happen as you anticipated?

The theory is that you can greatly increase your odds of protecting yourself with your handgun if you practice with precision with the tools that give you greater odds of success—being able to get the first shot off in less than 1.5 seconds from a concealed place, effectively hit what you intend to hit, and do so instinctively and powerfully. The result is more likely to be that you survive the attack.

The processes are discussed in this course material.

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Let’s address each of the points considered earlier as you begin the process of practicing for the precision you must master to powerfully defend yourself with a handgun:

#1: Will you be able to see the spot on your attacker that your round hits? NO, so practicing shooting at an “x” or bullseye at different places on a target is not really the answer to being able to effectively defend yourself. You must practice being able to put one shot inside the other where the barrel is pointing as an extension from your shoulder (not your forearm) at the level that you will most likely hit an attacker in center mass. But that is only the beginning (see #5). #2. How fast will your heart be beating when you have to fire a round when you are in fear for your life? Pretty dang fast! So will you be breathing differently, and you will more than likely be shaking and develop tunnel vision—and then there is your loss of hearing! So, you must practice shooting precisely under these conditions—but only after you have mastered shooting per #1. #3. Did you even see your attacker coming? Hopefully, YES! The time you will have to respond will be extremely minimal and more than likely only a few seconds or less. So, practicing the drills that help you react in split seconds is essential.

#4. Does your attacker have a weapon; and if so, can you be the one to get off the first shot effectively? Depends on a lot of things! Basically, everything will have to work instinctively for you to accomplish being the first to get a shot off, as well as your grip being such that you will actually hit what you are aiming to hit.

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#5. What position will you have to shoot from and with what hand? During an actual attack you may be knocked down, hiding, running toward cover, hurt or any number of other things could impact your shooting position. Although in a perfect world you would be ready from the time you purchased your handgun for personal defense to begin practicing to shoot from different positions and with different hands, to practice with the precision you will need to actually be good at it requires that you have mastered #1. (Consider riding a bike for the first month or so without using the handlebars to help you balance and keep the bike going straight?) It is not really safe to begin shooting on the move or in compromising or altered positions until you can precisely control the muzzle and where your shot goes.

#6. If you are good at the range, does it make sense that you will be able to perform under duress? Most likely NO, because the range environment is made to be condusive to a safe and non-stressful place for the benefit of the many different level of shooters that use it. There are things that you must do to help you raise your level of adrenaline so that you can practice more proficiently toward the end goal.

#7. How many rounds does it take to train well? More than most have shot to date. However, it is not in the number so much as in the precision that is practiced. Millions of rounds fired on “Xs” that will not be seen in a self-defense encounter (and on multiple hit places on a target) are wasted except to make a perfect target.

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By now you may have realized that there is s LOT that you will have to master to be as ready as possible to precisely place a live round exactly where you intend to in less than a few split seconds. The best way to achieve the level of precision you will need is to master each element before moving on to the next one—the object is that you will build what is called muscle memory each step of the way, correctly. As you continue to practice each element, your brain will be trained to naturally give you the ability to react virtually instinctively and powerfully (with confidence) should you need to defend yourself.

The most important part is to take your practice seriously and do not put off the process anymore than necessary. It truly is a “move at your own pace” program—the goal is to get there faster and better than your attacker(s).

Note: The tool box you will develop to help you be able to powerfully defend yourself with precision comes with more than equipment and know-how. It takes practice to the point that you have developed your skills such that your brain tells your body to perform without you having to breakdown each step from presenting your firearm to landing the necessary shot with precision—fast enough to be the one who survives.

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2 The Basics of an Accurate Shot and what it takes to make it happen consistently

• Understanding the need

• Recognizing the problem

• Becoming pro-active

• Education

• Desire to survive

• Executing a defense

• Overcomming fear with fury

“Accuracy before speed, speed comes with accuracy . . .” —Susan Carrichner Rexrode

The basic techniques that will help shooters to significantly improve accuracy are the basics of an accurate shot. Any

further improvement will require extensive practice and constant learning.

People are different; their body structure, muscle strength, and other physical and psychological variations; but unlike many other things, the basics of shooting must be used by everyone to accomplish accuracy.

There are five major components of an accurate shot: the stance (the body position); the grip (how the gun is held); the sight alignment (focusing and keeping everything lined up), the proper trigger pull (finger placement, pressure and timing), and the follow through (keeping the shot moving in the intended direction). For self-protection purposes it is important to note that “breath control” is not a component that will be applied. StanceA proper stance provides the following: • Good stability and ability to handle recoil • Natural position allowing as many muscles to be relaxed as possible and reducing shaking and tension while shooting • Easy transformation to moving or shooting in various directions

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There are number of different stances. Popular stances include the Isosceles, the Weaver, and the Modified Weaver, among others. For the purpose of becoming a precise as possible from a “natural” standing position, SFWA recommends what it has coined, “the Tripod Stance.” Here how:• Set your heals directly under your shoulders without stretching, bending or spreading your legs too far apart.• Position your toes on the same line.• Point your toes straight.• Lean the entire upper body toward the target.• Keep your weight evenly distributed on your feet. Do not lean or rest more on one leg or the other.• Keep your chin up at the same level that you look at a person standing in front of you.• Pick up the gun with your strong hand by the grip (see next step for the proper grip and review “finger grab first” grip procedure), place your weakhand around your strong hand and extend both arms in front of you.• Lift your arms straight up and out infront of you with your shoulders in a relaxed and normal standing position. • To begin with, do not bend your elbows or your relax your wrists until you have been able to master placing a bullet in the hole of the previous one. Ultimately, you will learn to relax and slightly bend your elbows to the side (not down). However, never should the arms be tense in the elbows or the shoulders more than it is needed to keep the gun up.• Relaxing your wrists will help them amortize the recoil but doing so before you have perfected your trigger pull will cause you to limp wrist the gun which actually causes you to miss the intended spot. Ultimately, when shooting, the

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gun should move up and down hinged at your wrists. The elbows and the shoulders do not move.

Do NOT:

• Lean backward at the waist too much—you will loose your balance easily; it will take more time to get the next shot aligned; your arms will get tired faster; and after each trigger pull you will have to realign yourself with the target and start the aiming process from the very beginning.• Tilt your head toward your strong arm. This skews your field of view and creates unnecessary tension in your neck.• Raise or roll your shoulder(s) toward your head. It increases the tension in the muscles and prevents you from amortizing the recoil effectively. The gun starts jerking much higher, and your arms get tired and start shaking.• Tuck your chin to your chest. Be sure to keep your chin up and your eyes level. The Grip

A proper grip fulfills the following goals:

• Provides natural position for aiming• Prevents the gun from flying out of your hand• Allows it to move and amortize the recoil• Provides good support for muscles so they don’t tire• Provides an easy access to all gun controls Proper handgun grip as traditioally taught as follows:

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Two hand basic grip:

• Place the gun in the web of your hand as high as possible.• Move your index finger above the trigger guard.• Move your thumb forward and slightly upward.• Squeeze the rest of the fingers around the grip. You should use the strength similar to what you need to hold a hammer.• Put the middle of the weak hand index finder under the trigger guard.• Form a fist with your weak hand, squeezing around your strong hand. Use slightly more strength with your weak hand than you use with your strong hand.• Make sure that the base of the thumb of your weak hand touches as much metal of the gun as possible.

SFWA has perfected a process that works exceptionally well when a handgun is properly fit to a person’s hand that permits precision acquision of the grip which results in the barrel of the gun being in precise alignment with the forearm as it relates to the natural movement of the arm from the shoulder—which results in better placement of a shot fired under diress or otherwise. It is called “Finger Grab First” technique wherein you actually grab the grip of the gun by first rolling the tips of your three fingers (not the index finger which will remain pointed straight at all times until it rests along the frame of the gun paralell to the barrel) around the grip of the gun until the first bend of your fingers touch the inside of the grip. Your three fingers will naturally bend at a 90 degree angle and your fingers will rest directly on the forestrap of the grip. The knuckle of the fingers then bend placing the palm of your

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hand firmly on the outside of the grip. As the “v” of your hand wraps nicely around the backstrap of the grip, your thumb pulls the grip firmly into place so that the barrel is in perfect alignment with the place upper arm attaches to your shoulder and you squeeze firmly enough to grasp the gun effectively.

The interesting thing is that when the firearm fits your hand properly, everything falls into place naturally and there is no time lost trying to place the grip in the “v” of your hand while trying to assure that it is aligned with your forearm as most people teach. Think about it, when you have less than 1.5 seconds to get off your first shot effectively, how much time do you have to properly eye-ball the grip nicely with the “v” of your hand? More importantly, if proper alignment with your arm goes out the window when split seconds count, how accurate will you be when you fire? It is an important step that should not be one of the things discarded when your life depends on it. Try it several times until you get it right. Always follow the important basic rules of safety when you practice!

Do NOT:

• Place the strong hand too low on the grip of the gun which will make it unstable. The recoil will jerk the gun higher up in your hand to the point it can actually fly out of the hand. (Always get the hand as high as possible on the backstrap, but make sure you are not in the way of the slide when it moves backward during the shot when shooting a semi-automatic handgun.)• Put the weak hand underneath the grip—often called

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“cupping”. While it may provides some support initially, it reduces stability and the ability to handle the recoil after the trigger is pulled, plus it will take you more precious time to realign your sights. Sight alignment

Sights come in different shapes and sizes, but the underlying principle is the same. You need to align three objects: the front sight, the back sight, and the spot on the target you want to shoot at on a single straight line both vertically and horizontally. But remember you can not effectively “focus” on all of these items simultaneously.

Sight picture

The eyes should be focused on the front sight, so that the target and the rear sights appear to be out of focus. You should always know that you are in line with the intended target and pay attention at the same time as to what is beyond and near the spot you plan to hit.

In a situation where you would be switching to the more intuitive “point and shoot” mode, you will actually be focused on the target. It is recommended that you use the sights on the gun (even if you do it in a flash) unless you are closer than 6 feet from your intended target and there is insufficient time to look and concentrate on the front sight.

Many ask whether it is better to close the second eye or leave it open. Usually for competitive shooting it is recommended to shoot with both eyes open, as it allows you to shoot more accurate and acquire targets faster, but for

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self-defense situation it is often taught that it is better to have the second eye shut. The concept is that when moving or under the stress, the human brain is capable of changing what eye is dominant at the moment which can cause you to miss in an attack. So, unless you plan to compete, it is best to train by shutting your weak side eye.

It is important to note:

The ultimate SFWA training goal is to train your upclose dominant eye to focus on the front sight as quick as the blink of an eye—many call it a flash sight picture—then in a self-protection mode your non-dominant eye will naturally focus on the threat (target) so that you will be operating with two eyes open. Then, after perfecting each of the shooting techniques (including using your sights, using a laser, and using a point and shoot method) you will have multiple tools at your disposal to address whatever the situation may warrant with your best chance to defend yourself with an accurate shot.

Trigger pull

Incorrect trigger pull is perhaps the biggest source of inaccurate shots. Even experienced shooters tend to “anticipate” the shot and compensate for the upcoming movement, which results in jerking the gun early and, as a result, missing the target.

Here are the proper steps to pull the trigger:

• Place the middle of the pad of your index finger on the trigger (the area where your finger prints are located)

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• Pull the trigger back while keeping the first joint stiff without bending it, until you have picked up the slack• Continue to pull the trigger, steadily increasing the pressure. Do not make any jerking movements.• Make sure you pull directly backward, without applying any pressure to the sides and do not “snap” the trigger at any time.• The shot should happen suddenly, without you being ready for it to go bang, which will prevent you from jerking the gun in anticipation of the (recoil) movement.

It is important to Note:

Some instructors teach that in a self-defense handgun shooting you should slide your finger farther in on the trigger and place the first bend in your index finger on the trigger. SFWA does not teach this method because it is extremely hard if not impossible to assure that the trigger will be pulled straight back and will more likely result in movement of the gun and missed shots.

Some people Typical mistakes include:

• Jerking the trigger hard• Snapping the trigger at the end of the trigger pull• Applying pressure to either side causing the muzzle to move in the same direction.• Pulling the trigger with either the very tip of the finger, or using the base of the finger. That adds side pressure to the move. Follow through

The main goal of “follow through” is to prepare for the next shot as fast as possible with minimal effort and re-aligning as well as

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keeping the muzzle pointing in the direction that you want the bullet to travel.

As soon as the shot is produced, while the gun is still moving in your hand, release the pressure of your finger on the trigger, until the point where the trigger resets itself. You should not remove your finger from the trigger all the way, just release the pressure you used to pull it forward so that it may return to the point where it is ready to engage another shot when the trigger is pulled again.

If you are using the proper stance and grip the recoil moves the gun first up and slightly aside, and then the gun naturally moves down. Catch this movement down and direct it to the new or the same target. Do not use a separate movement, just ride the same one the gun does anyway. Simply correct it slightly so it ends up in a place you need.

As a result of a proper follow through you will finish the shot with your finger on t trigger ready to pull, focusing on the front sight and your aim directed at the target. With practice, the feel of the recoil becomes an automatic reflex laying a good foundation for rapid fire. Once you mastering the five components of a good shot (the stance, the grip, the sight alignment, the trigger pull, the follow through) you will drastically improve your shooting accuracy. Best of all, it will happen fast—usually in a few hours not weeks.

Take each component one at a time, in the outlined order. Do not try to perform everything correctly at once because

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you will not be readily able to determine which of the five you may be doing inconsistently and then success will come much slower, if at all.

So, first, master the stance. Have someone watch closely how you stand, where your feet are, how your arms are located, whether your knees are bent, how your weight is distributed, etc.

Then concentrate on the grip. Monitor the location of the fingers as well as the pressure you apply with dry fire first.

Then have someone watch both your stance and your grip.

Next, concentrate on the proper sight alignment, and so on.

Be sure to continue to assure that you are still accurately performing the prior components properly as you continue to concentrate on the next one.

After you have mastered all five components try live fire. Do not do anything different with the components just because the firearm is loaded—often, shooters start focusing on the fact that the gun is now loaded and they forget the steps they are trying to master. Ultimately, you will see the improvement because your shot pattern will get tighter.

Note: It is important to practice the components slowly and deliberately. Speed will come naturally with time as you master each element. It is also very important NOT to take your eyes off of the front sight and check where each shot hit as it is more difficult to shoot a tight pattern that way—and you will not have time to do that when you are defending yourself.

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3 DRAWING A HANDGUN FROM CONCEALMENT from a holster, a purse or other place of concealment . . . within 1.5 seconds

The LAST time to think about how well your firearm is secured in the place you carry it, is at the hand of an assailant.

Fact is, the highest retention holster that you can proficiently use is best. Do not use a high retention holster if you can not get the gun out of the holster efficiently if you need it—you will be forced to use other means of retention and rely less on the actual holster. Security (high retention valued) holsters can buy time and have saved lives. It is a proven fact that within 30 seconds of a combat situation, your physical abilities can deplete as much as 45%. When awareness has not prevented the attack and you are either exhausted or injured (possibly even unconscious) a security holster can save your life.

If you will practice and train yourself properly, you will be better equipped than most law enforcement personnel or the assailant(s) trying to harm you in the few moments you will have to defend yourself. Keep in mind, it is a number of skills and split second decisions that will make the difference.

There is good reason to practice drawing a handgun from concealment—if you can’t get the gun out and ready to fire as well as get the first round to hit the target in 1.5 seconds, you will be at a huge disadvantage. So, you are working toward getting everything to work together precisely and powerfully.

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Keys to Success:

PRACTICE with an UNLOADED FIREARM. Every time you practice presenting your handgun from a concealed place, you build muscle memory.

Use your daily gun and holster

Wear your normal clothes you wear outside daily

Don’t be frustrated if you are slow to begin with or your pistol gets hung up on clothing

Grab the gun the same way everytime

Practice drawing while moving

Learn to use your non-dominate hand to move obstructions out of the way . . . BUT KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE MUZZLE!

Practice until you can unholster your gun without looking down. Reholstering your gun is safer to do by looking.

Always use the same procedure for unholstering your gun:

1 Place your support hand on your chest 2 Grab the grip of your gun with your strong hand 3 Pull the gun out of concealment (keeping your finger off of the trigger until the next step is compete)

4 Rotate the muzzle up so that it is pointing at the target

5 Bring your support hand up to the grip of the gun

6 Extend both hands forward to the low-ready, or pointing toward the intended target

7 Extend arms forward, or not

To reholster your gun:

Reverse the steps—you should always end with the gun back in the holster and your support hand on your chest.

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The 21 Foot Rule:

When an assailant is 21 feet or less in distance from you, charging toward you with a knife or other blount or sharp object, most people, including law enforcement and

other trained professionals, can not sufficiently draw and efffectively shoot their firearm to stop them before being attacked. You must do the following to survive:

• Practice your draw and shot placement until you can perform both effectively within 1.5 seconds or less

• Add .5 seconds if you will be drawing from deep concealment—under clothing, inside a jacket, or from a carry purse

• Do not use live ammunition until you have perfected your draw and muzzle control to the point that you do not cross any body parts.

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Procedure:

1. NEVER practice with someone running AT you.

2. Face the target, have a person stand behind you and without warning take off running away from you—at which time, you will draw and fire a round. When the person running hears the shot, they stop running. Measure the space between you and the runner—if it is 21 feet or less, yes!

3. ONLY Dry Fire until you have been able to complete step two in less than 1.5 seconds. There is NOTHING GAINED by practicing for speed with a loaded gun or to live-fire until you have reached proficiency with the drill.

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4 ADJUSTING HANDGUN SIGHTS including laser sights

Here is a tech tip that can get your handgun sighted in quickly. This technique gives you a little extra confidence to know “exactly” how much to adjust your sights, and this confidence is important in a shooting sport that involves more more mental abilitiy than physical conditioning.

no right answer to this question unless you are very familiar with this particular handgun . . . . so stop guessing.

This is a Springfield Trophy Match 45. It takes 10 clicks of windage to move the strike of the bullet one inch at 25 yards. The sights on a Colt Python require 3 clicks to move

Review the picture (left) of a 25 yard target, how many clicks (to the right) would you adjust the rear sight on this pistol? Most shooters would guess two or three clicks. Actually, there’s

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bullet impact the same amount, and a High Standard Victor takes 5 clicks to have the same effect.

You need to start by getting familiar with each individual handgun, and fire one 5 shot group at 25 yards. I then adjust the sights 20 clicks to either side, and fire another 5 shot group. Find the center of each group, then measure how far the groups are apart (center-to-center). Then divide that number by 20 (the number of clicks you moved the sights before shooting your second group). That will tell you “exactly” how much bullet movement you get per click. The reason for shooting 5 shot groups is to locate the center of your group, not one of the flyers. Your groups need to be tight or you will be wasting your time collecting bad data.

This is especially important information if you own several handguns, because the sight clicks will have a different effect on each gun.

Occasionally, you’ll find a rear sight with an elevation adjustment that provides a different amount of bullet movement than the windage adjustment. A different barrel length also affects the amount of bullet movement that you get from each click on your rear sight. These methods also apply to rifles.

POINT TO REMEMBER: Do not start “adjusting” your sights from the git-go (until you have become an accurate shooter) more than likely it is NOT the sights that are out of whack, it is the shooter!

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5 FIVE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE TRAINING and some shooting drills

Shooting Drills can help increase speed and build energy

Keep inmind that you should always be practicing for precision with repetitive practice to the natural point of aim that connects the barrel to the shoulder in a perfect pointing line when the grip is fit properly to the hand. Repetition is key and using different drills should not change the focus of your practice in building muscle memory for the purpose of self-defense. Using a TIMER to practice is useful and may be added to the routine to create some urgency as well as gauge your time.

Five Components of Effective Training:

• Regular dry-fire practice to get the proper movements engraved to the muscle memory

• Regular live-fire practice at the range to improve accuracy and learn to handle the recoil

• Participating in practical shooting sports to learn dealing with stress and how to move with the gun

• Firearm classes to learn new techniques and correct mistakes

• Force on Force simulations to know what to do when you actually attacked

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Load all the magazines with no more than six rounds. This amount provides nice balance between getting the movement recorded into the muscle memory and ability to catch and correct mistakes without wasting too much ammo.

Warm-Up DrillDistance: 7 yards

For a warm-up slowly shoot one magazine into a target from 7 yards. During this drill concentrate on technique. Carefully check the stance, the feet position, shoulders, head, and the handgun grip. Re-check after each shot. Do not try to get the most accurate shot, instead concentrate on a smooth trigger pull and proper follow up. The goal is to refresh the muscle memory and let the body get ready for the rest of the session.

Target selection should be for the purpose of self defense

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6×6 DrillDistance: 3yd, 5yd, 7yd, 10yd, 15yd

The goal of this exercise is to improve the accuracy. Fire six rounds at the first shooting point from in your pace trying to get the maximum accuracy. Then move the target to the next distance and repeat the exercise, shooting at the next aiming point. The goal is to have all six bullet holes touching at 3 yards, and land inside the 3” black spot for all other distances. If it is too hard or too easy, adjust the distances accordingly. Ball & Dummy DrillDistance: 3 yards or even closer

This drill helps to overcome a problem of shot anticipation and get rid of the trigger jerking. Mix live and dummy (snap-cap) rounds in a box or a bag and blindly load the magazine. You should not know what round you are going to shoot at any moment of time. Fire two rounds at each dot, carefully working on a smooth trigger pull and watching the muzzle. When you shoot a dummy, the muzzle should not move. In this case just rack the slide and continue until you get two shots into each dot. Shoot slow, paying maximum attention to the muzzle movement and the trigger pull. One to Two DrillDistance: 7 yards

This drill has two targets side by side as far from each other as the hanger allows. Fire one shot at each target alternating left and right. Move the muzzle from one target to another while the muzzle is pointing up due to recoil. At the same time pick up the trigger slack. Try to increase the speed until you start missing

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and work on this speed until you have consistent shots inside the 8” target. Switch DrillDistance: 7 yards

This drill’s goal is to get used to shooting one handed. Hang two targets side by side as far from each other as the hanger allows. Hold the gun in your strong hand only and fire at the corresponding target (right if you are right handed and left if you are left handed). Continue to shoot until you hit inside the target. Then slowly transition the gun to the weak hand and engage the second target. Keep shooting with your week hand until you have a hit inside the target. Then transition back to the strong hand.

Making up drills of your own can be fun and challenging. For you to keep your focus on repetition, it is a good idea to stay with one drill for a while until you have mastered it, rather than performing all drills at each practice session.

Practice both dry and live fire with others to give yourself something to compete against besides yourself or a timer. Practicing against a partner naturally increases the stress level.

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6 POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN PRACTICING real life situations require instinctive reactions which come with repetitive practice

Crisp Bullt Holes:

Points to remember when practicing:

• Start out slow, speed will come with time and practice.

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• Concentrate of forming a good grip on your pistol each time.

• Practice your draw stroke the same way each time

• Practice using your combat shooting skills.

• Practice movements prior to live fire exercises with a training pistol, dummy gun or dry fire with your carry gun

• During the stages using the kneeling position remember to: Draw your pistol prior to assuming the kneeling position. After firing from this position do not holster your pistol till you are in the standing position. While moving from one position to another you shall keeping the pistol pointed down range.

• When moving laterally to get behind cover, the shooter shall remain facing the berm and any unholstered pistols pointing down range.

Shooting on the move: Most trained professionals have great difficulty hitting a moving target when firing a handgun. Moving in a lateral direction is the best way to avoid being shot. Practice with dry fire exercises such as:

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• Move toward cover for safety

• Move toward someone you are trying to defend

• Move get a better shot

• Location, location, location—move!

Shooting from different positions:

During an encounter with an assailant, the chances of you always standing squarely on two feet is unlikely. Thus, it is important to practice shooting from different positions which include: standing, sitting, prone and even laying on your back in the event you are knocked over or tackled.

NEVER practice these positions with live fire until you have been successful with their execution using dry fire. Again, there is nothing gained by practicing with live fire until you are proficient otherwise—safety is essential.

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Flash Sight Picture:

Keeping your dominant eye open and your non-dominant eye closed while acquiring and aligning your sights and acquiring your sight picture is essential in developing the muscle memory your brain needs to naturally flash a sight picture when you bring the firearm up to your point of aim. The more you focus only on the front sight repetitively, the more natural it will be when you must act quickly and accurately to save your life. The end result that is desired is to keep both eyes open when confronted with an attacker and let your muscle memory and natural reactionary instincts work simultaneously in an instant to permit you to see the sight picture with your dominant eye as well as keep your non-dominant eye on the threat. It will happen, but continuing to practice acquiring the front sight—faster and faster—is the foundation to successfully obtain and accurate “flash sight picture” when your life depends on hitting the intended tart with precision!

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7 PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE the SMART way to achieve instinctive response

When you shoot with a purpose you can spend less money, and get more benefit from your practice sessions.

Think about it this way; you go to the range, load up, and shoot a box of ammo. You’ve spent about twenty minutes at the range, shot about fifty rounds, and accomplished… what?

Now, lets say you’d like to practice your tactical reload. You take that same fifty rounds, head for the range, and load two magazines. You know the drill; draw fire, reload fire, re-holster. By the time you finish you have about a half hour to an hour at the range . . .

You’ve practiced your draw twenty-five times. You’ve practiced your presentation twenty-five times. You’ve practiced your reload twenty-five times. You’ve practiced re-holstering twenty-five times. And you did it all with the same fifty rounds.

The difference is the goal, or the sense of purpose. You went to the range with a specific objective; not just to shoot, but to shoot for a specific reason.

When you’re done you should have a much better understanding of your strengths, your weaknesses, and if

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you are truly working towards your goal you come out on the other side as a better shooter.

Use the S.M.A.R.T. method of goal setting.

It’s a good system because it addresses the fundamentals that separate an idea or a wish from being an actual goal. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym, and each letter represents a step in the goal making process.

The first step in setting a goal is to be Specific about that goal. “I want to be better at reloading” is a fine thought, but it is not specific. A much better goal is, “I would like to be able to fire an accurate shot, reload, and fire a second accurate shot in under three seconds” is much better as it is more specific.

Which leads to the second step, Measurable.

If you intend to reach your goal, you need to know when you have reached it. In other words, your goal needs to be Measurable. If you say you want to re-load fast, then how fast is fast? You need something to measure it against. This not lonely lets you know when you’ve reached your goal, but it will allow you to know that you are making progress towards your goal. When you see the numbers getting smaller on a timer, you know you are making progress. But how much progress?

That leads to the next step, Attainable.

In order for your goal to be valid, I needs to have an

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Attainable end result. Some say shoot for the moon, and if you miss you’ll still land among the stars. The truth is, though, if you shoot for the moon and miss you end up in the vacuum of space. You can not expect to attain perfection in a single practice session.

The worlds top shooters were not born that way, they reached it through a series of smaller increments along the way. Each step on the path enabled them to “up the game” to reach the next goal. If you are a three second shooter from holster to round-on-target, your goal shouldn’t be one second. It should be two and a half. Reach that goal, then go for two. Small increments are attainable, and realistic.

Yes, Realistic. Your goals must be based in reality. To say that you’re going to take your brand new gun, with no shooting experience at all, and break Jerry Miculek’s speed record after an afternoon at the range… well, maybe it is possible but for most people its just not realistic.

Setting unreachable goals only leads to frustration and disappointment.

However, your goals should be challenging. You should push yourself, striving to be better. But you will accomplish this much more effectively by setting a series of smaller goals, as opposed to one big goal.

Break the larger goal into smaller bits, and the ability to attain the goals become more realistic. After some time you will find that you have made some serious progress.

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Yes, Time.

A goal without a deadline is nothing more than an empty wish. A dream waiting to die. Your goal needs to be Timely. You absolutely need to set a deadline.

This will let you know whether or not you’ve actually reached your goal. You want to be fast at reloading? Great. Next year you will still want to be fast at reloading. But that three second reload? Set a goal that you will attain that specific, measurable, attainable and realistic goal within a time frame. It will force you to practice. It will force you to push yourself to achieve what you set out to do. Give yourself a deadline.

The last, and very important, part of setting your goals is in two parts. First, commit yourself to the goal by writing it down. Set it to paper. Your goal will not only be defined, but clearly stated. Second, share it. Tell anyone that will listen. It will hold you accountable when someone asks, “so, how’s your progress?”

Note: Practice always with the same overall goal . . . to be able to present the firearm from concealment in 1.5 seconds and get the first shot of accurately. Self-defense is the reason you need precision—unless of course you just want to compete for fun.

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8 TOOLS FOR PRECISION AND POWER tips and tricks to help improve defensive shooting skills with a handgun

• Keep a diary of your practices and the results you measured

• Practice with a purpose

• Shooting effectively with your strong and support hands

• Acquiring a sight picture asap—if only for the moment before you pull the trigger (flash sight picture)

• Becoming a moving target

• Use a Laser for practice and precision in low light

• Reloading the firearm (use only dummy ammo) in the dark, with one hand, lying down, with your eyes closed, etc.

• Speed and Tactical Reloading

• Clearing ammunition and mechanical malfunctions

• Getting your heart rate up when you practice

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• Review in your mind what you would do if . . . ?

• Recognize your weaknesses and work on them (list below)

Remember, the first one to hit their target in a shooting usually wins—so practice, practice, practice

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9 PRACTICE RECORDKEEPING the ongoing road to powerful results when only seconds count

• Keep a diary of your practices and the results you measured

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