Accuracy is the foundation of all pistol shooting. If you cannot hit your target slowly and accurately, there is no point trying to hit it fast, hit it while moving, hit it in the dark, or hit it under stress. There is a pretty straightforward and obvious reason why instructors with experience in Tier One military organizations tend to stress accuracy so highly.
Every single range session should include at least some fundamental marksmanship practice. Becoming more accurate should be a never-ending goal. There is no such thing as accurate enough.
Improving accuracy begins with all the old school fundamentals like stance, grip, sight picture, and trigger press. If you’re missing the how in “I know how to press the trigger,” it’s worth taking some time with a coach or local instructor to learn those fundamentals from the ground up. Becoming more accurate is all about refining technique, and if your technique is wrong to begin with, that’s going to be a lot more difficult.
I’ve always recommended a 3-part program for improving marksmanship fundamentals:
- The Wall Drill. Developed by George Harris of the SIG-Sauer Academy, this seemingly simple dry fire exercise can benefit even the advanced shooter. It helps tremendously with learning to focus on the front sight and also how to read your sights to detect minor unwanted shifts as you press the trigger. You should work on the Wall Drill until you can press the trigger without upsetting the front sight’s alignment within the rear sight window.
- The Ball & Dummy Drill. Historically, this has been used to correct anticipation and it is an excellent tool for that. But if you are paying close attention to your front sight as you press the trigger, the Ball & Dummy Drill becomes a very good transition after the Wall Drill. It will give you the same exact feedback regarding your front sight’s movement whether it dips down due to anticipation, pushes up because you’re heeling, etc. Just be aware that the Ball & Dummy drill is only useful at a slow pace. If you throw a few dummy rounds into your mags while practicing speed shooting, you should see the muzzle dip when you get to the dummy.
- The 3×5 Card Drill. This drill, or really any consistent walkback drill, is a tool to push your marksmanship skills month after month. When you can hit the target on demand every time at a certain distance, add another yard or two. As soon as you reach your limit and start to have misses, mentally slow everything down and refocus on the basic: sight picture, trigger press, etc. Walkback drills constantly test & challenge you.
When you reach a speedbump with any of these drills, find a better shooter or an instructor to help you out. You’d be amazed how many people overcome seemingly major accuracy issues with simple advice. For example: if you consistently shoot toward your weak side, try putting less finger through the trigger guard and pressing the trigger more towards the tip of your finger.
Finally, in keeping with the pistol-training.com mantra of performance tracking, establish a baseline and test yourself on occasion. I’m particularly fond of Dot Torture for this purpose. While it’s not something I’d shoot every time I hit the range, once a month or so I shoot it to see what’s working well and where I need to refocus some of my marksmanship practice.
Start off trying to score fifty points on Dot Torture at three yards. It’s much harder than it sounds. Once you can consistently ace it at that distance, step back to four yards on your next try. Once that’s easy, take it back another yard and another.
Other great marksmanship-oriented tests include:
- Tom Jones’s Bullseye 1000
- The 700-point Aggregate (aka, “The Humbler”)
As a rule of thumb, you should be able to hit a 3×5 card on demand at seven yards before you start working on speed. It doesn’t take long to reach that goal if you work at it, but trying to go fast before you can achieve that level of accuracy can very easily lead to bad habits that will haunt your shooting for a very long time. And even after you’ve reached that point and seven yards is easy, don’t stop practicing your marksmanship. It’s even better to have the skill to hit a card at 10 yards, or 15, or 25!
From time to time you’ll hear shooters and even instructors say stupid things like “minute of badguy” to describe the accuracy standard they think is necessary. And that’s fine if you’re only interested in hitting giant pieces of static paper, or if you’ve got four hours to teach someone everything he’s ever going to learn about a handgun. But for anyone who wants to be considered proficient, or anyone who wants to be prepared for something other than hulking paralyzed attackers, we need more.
(for more on the subject, see also Tactical Tips: Accuracy at VickersTactical.com)
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
Thanks for this entry. I’ve been working with a coworker, getting him proficient on the index card at 7 yards. He’s looking forward to taking one of the PT classes.
The dot torture drill is supposed to be shot from 3yds? Wow; I was happy to get to the point where I could consistently clean it at 7-8yds and thought that I was “behind” since I can’t do it every time from 10yds (yet).
Great info for new people to training like me and the guys I shoot with. When we first started doing drills we were a little overwhelmed and struggled with where to start. We jumped the gun on working on speed to early for some of us. Also been over using Dot Torture in the past but have fixed those issues recently.
Todd, as always a practical post to help us focus on what’s really important. Many of the drills require a start from holstered. However, there’s not a range within 100 miles of me that allows holsters. What should I substitute as a start position and, for timed exercises, how much should someone add to times for not starting holstered?
“If you throw a few dummy rounds into your mags while practicing speed shooting, you should see the muzzle dip when you get to the dummy.”
I periodically struggle with shot anticipation, and I’ve done my share of the ball and dummy drill to try to cure it, but I’ve never heard this before. Can you elaborate a bit?
Just out of curiosity, what is the difference between the wall drill and just shooting against a blank wall or piece of paper at some greater distance? My intuition says there should be none.
agent smith — If you can clean DotTor on demand at 7yd, you’re literally among the most accurate shooters I’ve ever known. That’s an incredible accomplishment! I’ve done it once at 10yd, and failed to accomplish it probably a dozen times.
Jon — It’s hard to create a simple universal “no draw” standard for a drill with a draw, because better shooters in general have faster draws. But more important than chasing a standard, figure out how well you do now and then work to improve.
ChrisB — Part of recoil management is a (usual subconscious) “post ignition push” that brings the gun back down. This is no different than if someone slaps your hand… you’ll naturally spring your hand more or less back to its starting point unless you consciously try not to. So when you’re working 100% on marksmanship with no recoil management concerns, dipping the muzzle is anticipation. When going fast, dipping the muzzle is anticipation if it happens before the shot breaks and a good “post ignition push” if it happens after. Take the actual shot break away (by using a dummy round) and it’s impossible to know one way or the other.
sirhcton — When the wall is at point blank range, it’s impossible to let your vision float forward of the front sight.
Jon,
On ranges that don’t let you draw from a holster, just start from a ready position (high compressed ready is my choice).
If know how much time differnce there is between starting holstered v. at your chosen ready postition, you can estimate what a holstered start would be for drills you do from the ready.
Example, let’s say time from HCR to 1 shot at 7 yds is .50 seconda, and time from holster to 1 shot at 7 yds is 1.20 seconds. So you merely add .70 second to drills when you can’t start from a holster due to range rules.
Ranges have to stay in business, and preventing lawsuits due to people shooting themselves when drawing/reholstering is one way they mitigate that liability.
All is not lost. You can develop your draw to a very high level during dry fire.
I think when it comes to accuracy and competition shooting one of the best shooting types that ties in both accuracy, some speed and different stances is PPC, police pistol combat really stresses your accuracy skills, especially when your shooting b27 targets at 25 and 50 yards.
while bullseye shooting stresses accuracy there really isn’t the pressure of a timer (for most parts).
Re: dot-torture @ 7yds
To clarify, when I typed “consistently” I didn’t mean on-demand, every-single-time. However, I do feel comfortable saying that I do so often-enough that I’m not surprised. When shooting yesterday I started-off by shooting dot tortures and I cleaned two back-to-back (those were the first two of the day, and I quit dot torture drills when I was ahead).
The shots that do “miss” are essentially always “called”. Of course, that doesn’t mean the misses don’t count, just that I can consistently call my shots.
Of course, as I type this response I realize that this just means that I’ve fallen into the common “trap” of practice what I’m already pretty good at (shooting accurately, slowly) instead of working on what really NEEDS improvement (shoot “accurately enough”, as quickly as possible).
Todd-
I just wanted to say “Thank you.”
Although I have not made it to one of your classes yet, you can bet that is at the top of my list. But even without getting the benefit of your coaching in “real life”, I’ve learned so much and gained so much as a shooter from Pistol-training.com and from your generosity in sharing your hard-won knowledge.
There are a lot of trainers out there, a lot of good ones. There’s a ton of stuff on the internet, heck, you can drown in it. But there’s very little that is practical, pertinent, applicable, quantifiable, trackable, and that contains no bulls**t.
This place, what you do, is a notable exception. Incorporating your drills has made me a much faster and more accurate shooter. But more than the drills is the mind-set, the deep thinking behind them.
Get the basics wired. Aim small. Perfect your press-out. Add time pressure. Track your results over time. Have a purpose to what you’re doing.
Even better than getting better myself is seeing my students improve by working your drills. When I emulate you, I become a better instructor, and they become better students.
The journey never ends, I know that. But sometimes along the way you find something that makes the journey so much better, so much more fun and enjoyable, that is seems to change everything. South Narc’s ECQC was like that for me, integrating so many disparate threads into a coherent whole. Your stuff is of the same high quality. It’s not flashy, it’s not sexy. It’s about doing the work.
Anyway.
Thanks, dude. I owe you big time.
Scott — I’m certainly gratified to hear that. We’re a very small slice of the shooting pie around here, but if it’s helping some folks get a little better, we’ve accomplished something! Thanks for the very kind words.
Different instructors use different drills, but ALL good instructors use some accuracy standard as a yardstick.
At a last pistol class I took the instructor, a retired SEAL, shared the following accuracy standard: 5 yards, 5 shots, all the time you need, all 5 shots should be in one hole. You get 5 attempts, total of 25 rounds. If you can’t get one hole – you don’t proceed with whatever practice plan you had in mind, and keep shooting for tiny groups.
He wanted this done 2 hands, then SHO and WHO.
Seeing how most of us sucked, he made a concession for all rounds touching as long as there was no stringing.
I’ve found this standard to be useful during my own practice sessions.
can you explain the following please? seems like throwing a dummy round into a magazine would make it very easy to differentiate anticipation from a “post ignition push”
” When going fast, dipping the muzzle is anticipation if it happens before the shot breaks and a good “post ignition push” if it happens after. Take the actual shot break away (by using a dummy round) and it’s impossible to know one way or the other.”
David R
I believe it’s because you see a muzzle dip with both movements. So with a dummy round in during a fast shooting string you won’t have the thrown shot to present as evidence of anticipation if it’s post ignition push.
Am I correct on this Todd?
But you would still be able to see if the “click” preceded the dip. I throw in dummy rounds all the time during rapid fire and I can tell whether or not the click comes after I’ve started to move the gun–in fact, it’s easier.
If I am going at speed I certainly can’t tell if the dip is pre or post. there is a dip.
Color me confused too. Unless transitioning between targets I can both feel my trigger break and see what my sights are doing. Snap cap or live round I can always tell when I pull a shot.
Jeff H explained it perfectly. When I’m firing a multi-shot string at a single wide open target quickly (let’s say faster than 0.20 splits) there’s no way that I can differentiate between movement just before vs. just after the trigger break. At least, not well enough to guarantee, when I hit a snap cap, whether it happened before or after. If other folks are seeing & processing fast enough to do that, all I can say is that I’m jealous as hell! 8)
Thanks Todd. Obviously you’re faster than me so thats probably why I can tell. So whats a good drill to work on developing only the post ignition push?
BrentB — I’m not suggesting that I’m faster at all, unless you’re saying you’re shooting slower than 0.25 splits when trying to go your fastest. I’m perfectly willing to accept that other folks can see & think faster than me.
As for developing the post-ignition push, there’s nothing much to do except practice. Your body will naturally and reflexively compensate against recoil. The trick is not to fight it. Don’t tighten up, that will slow your “bounce back.” Don’t try to time it with a purposeful push, because you’ll mis-time it and anticipate instead often enough to make it more trouble than it’s worth. Don’t fight the gun, just watch it and respond to it.
Thanks Todd.
“Your body will naturally and reflexively compensate against recoil. The trick is not to fight it. Don’t tighten up, that will slow your “bounce back.””
That’s exactly what I do right now. I let the recoil go and rely on my grip/stance to bring the gun back. The result is that I don’t seem to have a “push” if I hit a snap cap even when going fast. I have worked had to develop that and am afraid that if I now work on this type of post ignition push that it will turn into anticipation.
But I am not as fast as you are in the FAST drill so maybe I should try.
BrentB — There is way more to the F.A.S.T. than just split speed or recoil control. That’s not a good way to compare you to me on a distinct thing like recoil management at speed.
If you’re consistently pulling off quarter second (or so) splits and you’re not getting any muzzle dip when you hit a dummy round at those speeds, kudos to you! I’ll play with it the next time I’m at the range, but I am 99.9% sure I can’t say the same.
No. I don’t think I’m anywhere near quarter second splits. My training goals so far have been to 1) remove the shot anticipation and then to 2) get faster. Right now I am still stuck in between 1 and 2 I think. Probably should buy a shot time sometime 🙂
Thanks ToddG. So, has anyone ever thought of using a high-speed camera to aid shooters in developing their technique? The cameras can be had for pretty cheap these days and might point out bad habits before they become too ingrained.
yes, a number of IPSC shooter employ HS cameras to diagnose their shooting. Even just regular cameras can provide you with amazing feedback though, from stationary cams down range, or to either side of you, to helmet type cams, the info gleaned (and embarrassment too) is invaluable.
Todd, you said “for example, if you consistently shoot to the weak side…press with the tip of your finger.” Every “diagnostic target” I’ve seen suggests that problem is CAUSED by too little finger on the trigger. Can you comment?
Thanks for all you do. It has really helped my shooting.
Bob — Which is why I don’t put much faith in diagnostic targets.
The important thing is to press the trigger straight backwards. With some guns, in particular Glocks, a significant number of people seem to rest the first joint crease of the trigger finger along the inside (right, for a RH shooter) edge of the trigger. This puts some outward (toward the left) inertia on the trigger and thus the gun as the trigger is pressed. Basically, folks are “pressing” the trigger from 1 o’clock to 7 o’clock (instead of 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock as is proper).
It’s also certainly possible to put just the tip of the finger on the trigger and then press it in the same skewed direction.
When I see folks shooting left, I look at their finger placement. If they’ve got a lot of finger through the trigger guard, I suggest pulling back and trying to shoot closer to the tip. This covers a significant portion of people. But if the shooter is already shooting with very little finger on the trigger, I suggest going the other way.
Changing exactly what part of your finger contacts the trigger “naturally” is very, very difficult. If that’s the solution for someone’s windage shift, it takes many dedicated slow reps to burn the new position into your system.
Timely post. I’ve been struggling with a flinch that seems to have appeared out of nowhere for the past month or so. Especially frustrating since I check out fine on diagnostic #1 here, but I’m pretty consistently getting the down-left flyers characteristic of a flinch at trigger pull. Dryfire was the prescription when I was first learning for dealing with this, but doesn’t seem to matter this go around.
Time to start breaking out the snap caps and run the 3x5s I was already shooting at way in and see if I can get myself cured here.
Of course, I also haven’t really figured out *why* this problem’s suddenly developed. Nothing’s really changed. Same gun as always; my brain has just decided to forget how to shoot. 🙂