Tactical Tuesday: Balance of Speed & Precision

Varying your number of shots and the size of the target can help you find your balance of speed and precision.

How many shots do you fire in a row when you train?

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5+
  • It varies (please explain below)

0 voters

1 Like

Three rounds is what I learned in the US Army, pretty much gives you a good indication of your shot grouping and placement.

4 Likes

I really need to take a picture of targets I make/ use when shooting outdoors. I cut out a box shape on a ā€œvitalā€ area. I make a boxed in ledge, I guess you could call it, to fit the ball. I shoot till I knock the ball out. If itā€™s one shot, great, if itā€™s 16, fine. I try to train my brain for a reaction, not a number of shots.

3 Likes

I was taught to fire three to center mass, assess, three more if deemed necessary. Emphasis was placed on making a quick assessment; essentially, ā€˜is the enemy still standing?ā€™.

3 Likes

I actually got to the range today! (WooHoo!!!). I normally start out squeezing off shots slowly making sure of trigger control and focusing on the front sight. Then after a few mags I start ā€œpoint shootingā€ and squeezing off multiple rounds, usually three shot sequences.

3 Likes

Training with a set number of repetitions can make for bad habits. I shoot whatever number I feel like shooting, then one additional sight picture.

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Iā€™d be interested to see those targets!

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@JKetchem Iā€™m with @James on thatā€¦ pictures!

Number of roundsā€¦ depends on what Iā€™m shooting.

  • Walkbacks itā€™s 5 shots at each distance.

  • First shot accuracy itā€™s one round each draw.

  • Target reacquisition itā€™s 2 rounds, one on the draw and a second round on target, then holster.

  • Multiple targets: itā€™s 1-3 rounds per location, with multiple locations. Sometimes I do that multiple shots on a target then next target, sometimes I do it one shot each target in rotation.

  • Dot Torture itā€™s 10-20 rounds, whatever my mag capacity is.

  • Speed itā€™s 2-8 rounds at the fastest rate I can hit with, the number varies.

  • Mag changes itā€™s 1-5 rounds per mag with a reload, then next mag.

    • If Iā€™m doing emergency reload drills, I vary the number of rounds loaded in each mag and shoot them dry, then reload.
    • If Iā€™m doing regular reloads I load the mags all the way up. I shoot 1-4 rounds then mag change and keep doing that until all my mags are empty.
5 Likes

Depends on the drill. Sometimes one shot drawing from concealment. With timers. Often I put up multiple targets and practice cycling from one threat to another. Sometimes I will fire lot of rounds when practicing firing on the move. At times I will load two mags, or have a friend, load both with a unknown number of rounds but not a full mag. MIght load two or three in one and four or five in another. I dont know when I will hit empty. When it hits slidelock I then have to change mags and continue the fire. Again timed. Also while watching we dont look down at the pistol and lose sight of the threat. I do anywhere from 100-150 per week almost always doing defensive drills

Failure drill: 1,2
ā€¦3