Accuracy, multiple targets, and tactical reload - three important things to train for all in one drill.
Nice drill! I will try that next time I am at a range that allows steel.
As for your questions, yes, I usually look at the gun when I reload, accuracy on this drill unknown (so far).
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The drill looks great but don’t have many opportunities with steel.
No, I do not look at my gun when I reload. I was in an advanced handgun class yesterday and was told by the instructor that I should be looking at my gun/holster as I drew and holstered my weapon. I told him if there was a threat, my eyes are on the threat, not my holster, gun or reload. And if my gun is coming out of the holster, there IS a threat. After doing his way twice, he said you’re fine, go back to what you were doing.
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Agreed @MikeBKY Eyes on target and weapon drawn until you are 100% certain the threat(s) has been negated. And once you are certain, look down to reholster. Just what I was taught… always watch your reholster.
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@TexasEskimo that’s interesting on holstering.
I’d like to hear an instructor’s point of view @Zee @Dawn @WildRose? Is there a preferred method of teaching this?
In law enforcement, drawing gun, and all other tools, is taught to be able to draw and holster all your tools without looking down. (Gun, mags, cuffs, pepper, baton, light, taser, radio …) The purpose being that even a threat that has been stopped, by submission or by force, always remains a threat. After a gun is holstered, handcuffs take its place. Other than scanning for other threats, my eyes stay engaged on the known threat until the scene is safe. It also helps when it is dark.
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@MikeBKY I teach eyes on the threat until they are no longer a threat, then look your gun into the holster.
That means no looking at the gun when you reload… if you need to reload that means your gun is out of the holster and either you still have an active threat, or you are scanning/assessing during the reload to see if there additional threats, etc. And also, if you are not behind cover, you may need to be moving while you reload (another reason to have your eyes up on what’s around you, not on your gun.)
As for looking at the holster while reholstering, yes look it into the holster. A couple of reasons… as a civilian, I’m unlikely to have to control the bad guy by handcuffing them. You are correct, however, that they may still be a threat but now my civilian choice is to remove myself (escape, evade) or move to cover. Then I can look and reholster.
That doesn’t cover every possible circumstance, but it’s the safest through-line answer I think.
Reholstering is an action where there is a risk of shooting yourself, and if you consider that a civilian in that situation is either in the middle of an adrenaline dump, or the following crash, has just been through an intense and potentially lethal event, may have had to shoot or kill one or more people, may just have had to defend their family, may have been moving in ways that put their clothing in disarray, and is possibly shaking or not processing sensation or vision normally… you bet I want them using everything they have, including their vision, to safely reholster.
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I personally do not look at my mag changes or re-holster. When teaching new or new to me students I don’t mind if they look when reloading or when going back to the holster. For those that don’t look I watch the VERY carefully until I am comfortable that they are safe. There is a certain point in your own level of comfort when you stop looking, IMHO the individual chooses that time.
Cheers,
Craig6
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Great Drill, I like it… Also I 
didn’t know there is a shot timer app for the smart phone, Cool
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I cannot disagree with the theory but I still live in the world where while I do not have statutory power of arrest (limited exception for citizen’s arrest which WOULD apply in a shoot/no shoot situation), I am not going to escape or evade if I have engaged the perpetrator and they are down.
And it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks! 20+ years of knowing where everything is placed and using muscle memory for both the draw and holstering will not likely change.
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I think for me, that decision is going to be entirely driven by the circumstances. I’m going to be moving to safer space, if at all possible, and that might mean adding distance, or it might mean leaving, or it might mean getting behind cover. I hope to never have to find out.
With your LEO experience, your decision making is necessarily going to be different than mine, and will be viewed differently, I think, by the legal process in the aftermath.
Old dogs learn new tricks all the time 
I know, I’ve had old dogs 
Mostly they’re learning them from my young dogs. 
That said, my old dogs are a bit more contemplative about which tricks they learn. 
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I agree @Zee. It really does depend on the circumstances. If I am acting as security at church, my decision making will be much more in line with law enforcement than not. If it is me any without responsibility for the safety of others, that will be very different. My tendencies will alway be to intervene for the protection of others but I also recognize my limitations, ie. no radio contact to a dispatcher and arriving units, generally no armor, not as much ammo or other tools that would be on a duty belt, defensive or for restraint and most importantly, less statutory authority to act and generally no duty to act.
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@Dawn I don’t do this drill EXACTLY but I have one that is similar. It does start with an “On Steel” shot as the steel registers different on the shot timer. From there it is also similar in that it is two rounds center mass on two targets followed by a “Ballzambeque” since the two center mass shots didn’t stop the threat. Pelvis, Chest, Head on both targets and back to steel to stop the clock. Mags loaded @6X to accommodate most revolvers. I also use plain blank B-24 targets (OK, I Trace the silhouette on the back and have a cardboard overlay to score.) I also use the same target for Unknown Distance engagements on precision rifle drills.
Cheers,
Craig6
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As a former LEO, how many reps do you have putting your firearm in your holster without looking? 1000? 10,000? If you’re carrying the exact same way, your body may very well go back to that learned action.
However, if you carry differently today, be very careful to train with your new set up (I’m betting you know this, but for someone who may be new I want to make sure to explain it.)
After a self-defense incident, I wouldn’t go right back to the holster unless I was 100% sure there was no longer a threat. (See my response here: What do I do with my gun? - #12 by Dawn)
That all being said, with newer shooters, I do teach them to look their firearm slowly and carefully back into the holster when we’re training.
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@Dawn you are absolutely right. I’d say well over 1000 reps but wouldn’t even want to guess at a total between daily wear and training. And I have practiced with each holster I use and would say I have several thousand reps between the two main holsters. And I agree the threat is still a threat until the threat has been restrained, searched and/or disarmed.
It takes time to build that muscle memory so i agree that new shooters should watch holstering until it is natural and anytime they change holsters or how they are carrying.
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