BUG Pocket Pistol Drills?

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I'm going shooting tomorrow with some very inexperienced casual gun owners.
People who shoot only one range session every few years.
Never took, or will ever take, a formal class.


What are some good "drills" to run to help gauge their skills and hopefully document their progress,
the increase in their skills, by the end of the day?

What kind of targets to shoot, what kind of groups to go for, shooting how many rounds in what time frame?

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I'm thinking that the target should be a full size human "police training" type silhouette,
but instead of using the factory-printed scoring rings, just draw two circles on the target,
centered over the middle of the chest (between the nipples, if it had any nipples).

Smaller circle is 6" diameter. Every hit in there is worth 10 points.

Larger circle is 9" diameter (normal sized paper plate, like you'd use at a picnic).
A hit outside the smaller ring but within the bigger ring is worth 6 points.

Any other hit on the body is worth 2 points.

No points for missing the body, and not even scraping an elbow or ear or anything.

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 5 at a time. Repeated several different times at various distances and with slightly different time limits.

DISTANCES: 15 yards, 10 yards, 5 yards, and 3 yards.

TIMES: The number of seconds allowed to get off all 5 shots is the same as the number of yards in distance to the target.
So, from 15 yards you get 15 seconds, or an average of 3 seconds per "BANG!"
But from 3 yards, you only get 3 seconds to jerk that trigger 5 times while pointing the gun (not aiming and aligning the sights correctly).

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

Here's what FrogMan said several years ago in a similar thread about small pocket guns and training drills with them:

"5 sec 5 rounds 12ft and all have to be on target center mass.
If you cant do that in a controlled environment your likely going to be pretty dangerous in a high tension environment."

So, this sounds like very fast shooting, but on the other hand, gunfights tend to be quick; over in a few seconds.
The accuracy requirement of Frogman's drill isn't very strict-- I assume "center mass" means an oval shaped group that could be 10" wide and maybe 14" tall.

 

[cmshoot]

Ken Hackathorn’s Wizard Drill https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/ken-hackathorns-wizard-drill

The drill requires only five rounds, a shot timer, and an IDPA-style silhouette Target.

All stages begin with the firearm in a concealed holster.

Each string of fire has a maximum time limit of 2.5 seconds.


Stage 1) 3 yards, one head shot strong hand only

Stage 2) 5 yards, one head shot using both hands on the gun

Stage 3) 7 yards, one head shot using both hands on the gun

Stage 4) 10 yards, two body shots using both hands on the gun


At the completion of the exercise, you should have 3 head shots and 2 body shots on your target. Each string of fire must have started with the gun in the holster and must be completed within the 2.5 second time limit. Any misses or shots after the time limit indicate a failure of the drill.

Lots of good info in the link.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

"The time limits were pretty generous, but I threw one head shot with the .380 at seven yards. Ken is right,

**this test is a challenge with pocket pistols!**

Good trigger control is an absolute necessity to pass."

 

[cmshoot]

"The time limits were pretty generous, but I threw one head shot with the .380 at seven yards. Ken is right,

**this test is a challenge with pocket pistols!**

Good trigger control is an absolute necessity to pass."

I’m aware of all that. I’ve read the article, and have been using that course for over a decade. I knew the difficulty of passing the drill with pocket pistols, which is why I recommended it. Shooters need a goal to attain, a standard to meet or exceed.

The course is a challenge with pocket pistols because pocket pistols are a challenge to shoot well. Period.

Instead of giving folks a false sense of security, explain the challenges of self-defense with a pocket pistol, and have them shoot recognized courses of fire (like the Wizard Drill) with the rig they’re actually going to carry.

One of the reasons that I stated there was lots of good info in the link, is because there are recommendations on how to “modify” the drill if you’re having trouble passing it. You can use the drill itself as an attainable goal, and modify the drill so it can be practiced with attaining the goal in mind.

 

[robchavous]

For targets I'd just grab some USPSA targets. Acceptable hits for this type of stuff I'd judge as anything in the A/C.

While holster work is certainly important most of the low hanging fruit there can be done in dryfire off the range. If the shooters lack basic marksmanship proficiency I'd want to focus on that first. If the drill is from concealment you could probably adjust the goal times down. I'm guessing most people can't even do a 3 second draw to fist shot from concealment.

 

[robchavous]

pocket pistols are a challenge to shoot well. Period.

I always try to impress upon newer or infrequent shooters this fact. Yes it's cool you can put that 380 in your front pocket, but if you can't get it out and hit something with it it's more of a liability.

 

[cmshoot]

I always try to impress upon newer or infrequent shooters this fact. Yes it's cool you can put that 380 in your front pocket, but if you can't get it out and hit something with it it's more of a liability.

There's gunfightin' guns, and there's "get the hell off me" guns. Most of the stuff you would carry in your pocket are in the latter class.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

Yeah, and I'm thinking there ought to be some drills out there that are suitable for less serious less experienced gun owners who have "get off me" guns.