Need advice: simple range practice drills

NPS,LE · February 26, 2007, 08:25 PM

I suddenly have some time to shoot (literally), have new range membership, nice Sig 228, tons of good reload ammo and want very much to improve simple accuracy. I've done a bit of tactical training including some LE-type stuff, but would really like to get better at the 'ol bullseye shooting. I will be able to go to range about two or three days a week for two or three months and would appreciate thoughts on simple drills where I can both improve and track that improvement. Nothing complicated. Sorry to be so vague but don't want to limit your creative suggestions. Any thoughts, guys? Thanks in advance.

catsofthebase3 · February 26, 2007, 08:47 PM

Practicing with the weapon a lot will make you better in itself. Some things i do is shoot wearing heavy cloths, a jacket, or my neoprene gloves. It becomes harder to move around, hold position, load, etc,etc with that stuff on.

But, it did make me much much much better without any of that stuff on.

If you have em, ask the range officials for advice.

Jeff22 · February 26, 2007, 09:14 PM

If you want to improve your basic accuracy skills, at 50 or 75 feet (25 yards) get the appropriate NRA timed & rapid fire bullseye for that distance. Starting from low ready, fire 5 rounds at a timed fire pace (20 seconds). Do that over and over until you can consistently get a good group inside the 8 ring.

A Sig 228 isn't a weapon one would customarily use for formal target shooting . . . if you're looking for other practice drills, explore the thread "practice drills" above in the "Tactics & Training" section. There are plenty there to keep you busy for the next year or so.

Edward429451 · February 26, 2007, 09:28 PM

Dig out you or your buddy's old issues of G&A and look for Rick Miller's colum. I forget what it was called but he had a different drill each month. I used to follow it before I stopped buying gunrags.

That colum was the best part of the rag. I don't know if he still writes it for them currently.

Jeff22 · February 26, 2007, 10:29 PM

Rick Miller writes for Combat Handguns

I've used his courses of fire a whole bunch of times, either as inspiration for IPSC or IDPA stages, or for courses for fire for in-service training at the PD.

I hope that he someday publishes a collection of all of his courses of fire. There's a lot of good stuff in there.

Edward429451 · February 26, 2007, 10:34 PM

Combat Handguns? I used to get that too. Thanks for the correction.

DonR101395 · February 26, 2007, 10:52 PM

A drill I like to do for trigger control and target acquisition is.........

Items needed
36" X 36" piece of card board
pack of 2" or 3" round stickers

Drill
place the stickers on the card board with 2"-3" spacing
1. At 7 yards slow fire pick a sticker and shoot slow fire. Repeat until you keep all rounds in the circle

2. At 7 yards repeat above drill rapid fire.

3. Increase yardage until you're again outside the circle and repeat drills 1 and 2.

4. At 7 yards slow fire shoot 1 round in every other target circle slow fire.

5. Repeat drill 4 rapid fire.

6. Increase yardage until you are missing targets and repeat until you're hitting.

7. If you have a multi colored pack of stickers and a friend, have your friend call colors for you to shoot. If you have a friend but only one color of stickers use a marker to number them and have them call the number to hit.

8. Repeat all above drills with double taps.

9. Repeat all drills from the holster.

Enjoy

February 26, 2007, 08:25 PM	#1
NPS,LE Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Posts: 65	Need advice: simple range practice drills I suddenly have some time to shoot (literally), have new range membership, nice Sig 228, tons of good reload ammo and want very much to improve simple accuracy. I've done a bit of tactical training including some LE-type stuff, but would really like to get better at the 'ol bullseye shooting. I will be able to go to range about two or three days a week for two or three months and would appreciate thoughts on simple drills where I can both improve and track that improvement. Nothing complicated. Sorry to be so vague but don't want to limit your creative suggestions. Any thoughts, guys? Thanks in advance.

February 26, 2007, 08:47 PM	#2
catsofthebase3 Junior Member Join Date: February 26, 2007 Location: Lone star state Posts: 5	Practicing with the weapon a lot will make you better in itself. Some things i do is shoot wearing heavy cloths, a jacket, or my neoprene gloves. It becomes harder to move around, hold position, load, etc,etc with that stuff on. But, it did make me much much much better without any of that stuff on. If you have em, ask the range officials for advice. __________________ A man who carries with him a weapon states that he can use said weapon effectively, as well as understands the responsibility involved. A man who carries with him a weapon is held to a higher standard of level-headed judgment.

February 26, 2007, 09:14 PM	#3
Jeff22 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2004 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 715	practice drills If you want to improve your basic accuracy skills, at 50 or 75 feet (25 yards) get the appropriate NRA timed & rapid fire bullseye for that distance. Starting from low ready, fire 5 rounds at a timed fire pace (20 seconds). Do that over and over until you can consistently get a good group inside the 8 ring. A Sig 228 isn't a weapon one would customarily use for formal target shooting . . . if you're looking for other practice drills, explore the thread "practice drills" above in the "Tactics & Training" section. There are plenty there to keep you busy for the next year or so. __________________ You can only learn from experience if you pay attention!

February 26, 2007, 10:29 PM	#5
Jeff22 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2004 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 715	Rick Miller? Rick Miller writes for Combat Handguns I've used his courses of fire a whole bunch of times, either as inspiration for IPSC or IDPA stages, or for courses for fire for in-service training at the PD. I hope that he someday publishes a collection of all of his courses of fire. There's a lot of good stuff in there. __________________ You can only learn from experience if you pay attention!

February 26, 2007, 09:28 PM	#4
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Dig out you or your buddy's old issues of G&A and look for Rick Miller's colum. I forget what it was called but he had a different drill each month. I used to follow it before I stopped buying gunrags. That colum was the best part of the rag. I don't know if he still writes it for them currently.

February 26, 2007, 10:34 PM	#6
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Combat Handguns? I used to get that too. Thanks for the correction.

February 26, 2007, 10:52 PM	#7
DonR101395 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Location: NWFL Posts: 3,031	A drill I like to do for trigger control and target acquisition is......... Items needed 36" X 36" piece of card board pack of 2" or 3" round stickers Drill place the stickers on the card board with 2"-3" spacing 1. At 7 yards slow fire pick a sticker and shoot slow fire. Repeat until you keep all rounds in the circle 2. At 7 yards repeat above drill rapid fire. 3. Increase yardage until you're again outside the circle and repeat drills 1 and 2. 4. At 7 yards slow fire shoot 1 round in every other target circle slow fire. 5. Repeat drill 4 rapid fire. 6. Increase yardage until you are missing targets and repeat until you're hitting. 7. If you have a multi colored pack of stickers and a friend, have your friend call colors for you to shoot. If you have a friend but only one color of stickers use a marker to number them and have them call the number to hit. 8. Repeat all above drills with double taps. 9. Repeat all drills from the holster. Enjoy