There is no such thing as too much practice. You might never be the perfect shooter, but you can always hone your skills. When it comes to handguns, there is so much to learn, from proper stance and grip techniques to accuracy and reloading skills. Whether you are a beginner or a professional competition shooter, it is important to spend time practicing your pistol proficiency. The more comfortable you get with STI guns, revolvers, and other handguns, the better will feel firing every gun in your collection. These six drills can help you master your craft. Next time you head to the range, give one of these drills a try. Stick with it, and you can be an expert shooter in no time.
The 5×5 Drills Tests Basic Marksmanship with Your STI Guns
If you are looking for a simple drill to test and practice some basic marksman skills, the 5×5 is a great option. To start, you set up a 5-inch circle as your target and set it up five yards away from you. Then, you fire five shots and try to land each shot in the target in five seconds. Do it five times and try to pass each drill in under five seconds. This can help you nail the basics of trigger control, recoil management, and overall accuracy. Because you do not need more than five shots each round, you can use a wide variety of pistols for this drill. Grab your Ruger 357 revolver or practice with the STI gun you are taking to an upcoming competition.
Perfect Your Sight Tracking and Recoil Management with the Bill Drill
If you want to master speed without sacrificing accuracy, the Bill Drill is a great way to practice. This method makes use of a target set up seven yards away. The goal is to hit six shots in the scoring zone on the target as quickly as possible. You start with your weapon holstered and start your draw at the start signal. Your goal is to complete the entire drill in under four seconds. This routine can help you become better at staying accurate without checking the results of each shot. After all, you will not have time to do that during the Bill Drill. It can also help you improve your recoil control and sight tracking with STI guns and other pistols.
The Baer Drill Can Push You to Improve a Wide Variety of Skills
The Baer Drill uses a target with two large rectangles on either side and a smaller circle in between. To prepare, load a magazine with ten rounds, then another magazine with three rounds. At the sound of the buzzer, shoot five rounds into the first rectangle, transition your aim to the second rectangle for another five rounds, and finish by reloading and taking three shots at the circle target in the middle. You should time yourself and only count the drill as a success if you hit inside every mark. Because of the different sized targets, you will definitely have to adjust after reloading. Plus, you are also racing the clock, giving you an additional obstacle to overcome. Reloading is an important skill this drill can help you improve as you become better and better shooter.
Test Your Ruger 357 Revolver Skills with the El Presidente Drill
Not all of these drills can be performed with a revolver, but the El Presidente is an excellent overall drill that requires only six shots, a reload, and six more shots. This means you can bring along your Ruger 357 revolver and use it for practice too. Start by standing ten yards away with your back to three targets that you have set up three feet apart from each other. At the signal, you turn, draw your weapon and start firing. Your goal is to fire two shots into the A-zone of all three targets. Then, you reload and fire two shots into each A-zone again. This drill incorporates many different skills that can help you become a better shooter. Drawing, moving, reloading, and shooting multiple targets are all parts of many shooting competitions.
Get Fast with the F.A.S.T. Drill to Hone Your Fundamentals
Another drill that pits you against the clock, the F.A.S.T. drill, is excellent for beginners and experts alike. F.A.S.T. stands for fundamentals, accuracy, and speed test. To perform this drill, you set up a target seven yards away with a 3×5 index card on top and an 8-inch paper plate on the bottom. These serve as your targets. You start with your STI gun or other pistol loaded with two rounds. When the timer sounds, you draw your firearm and fire two rounds into the 3×5 card. Then, you reload and fire four shots into the plate. Novice shooters should expect to clock in somewhere over 10 seconds, while more advanced shooters can get closer to six or seven seconds. Keep practicing to shave off more and more time.
A Mad Half-Minute Drill Improves Footwork and Stance
Being a skilled shooter with STI guns while stationary is one thing. However, being able to accurately hit targets after moving and having to reenter your stance is another skill entirely. The Mad Half-Minute Drill may sound chaotic, but it is simple to set up. Once you have everything set, you have three positions you will move in between. One is ten yards directly in front of the target. The other two are five yards down the line from the first position. To perform this drill, you fire your first shot at the target, run to one of the outer positions, get into your shooting stance, and then fire your second shot. After that, you return to the starting position, fire, and move to the other outside spot. Keep going until you have either fired 11 rounds or 30 seconds have passed. This drill can help you build endurance and master your footwork and stance since you have to adjust every time you move to a new position.
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