Split Bill Drill

Improve transitions by engaging multiple targets as if it were a single target.

What is the Split Bill Drill?

The Bill Drill is a very popular drill, for good reason. It requires excellent accuracy at speed and punishes sloppy gun handling. The Blake Drill is an excellent drill building on the Bill Drill, pushing six shots across three targets with the goal of maintaining a similar time.

The Split Bill Drill enters the picture between those two drills.

The goal of the Split Bill Drill is to maintain even splits across all six shots as if it were a Bill Drill – ideally at the exact same speed of a true Bill Drill. (just like with the Blake Drill)

But the Split Bill Drill simplifies things a smidge by only using one transition. This makes it good for warming up transitions, while pushing harder and harder.

How to Setup

Drill Setup

  • 2 targets at 7 yards, with the shoulders of the targets touching
  • Start position: gun loaded and holstered, wrists below belt
  • 6 rounds required
How to Dry Fire

Drill Steps

  1. At the beep, draw and engage each target with three shots
How to Mod

Drill Modifications

  • To push speed, either move closer to the targets or open up the area of acceptable accuracy to anywhere on target
  • To push for all alphas, turn the targets into “tuxedo targets” where the right and left of the A Zones are blacked out
  • To push transition speed on distance change-ups, move one of the targets farther and/or one of the targets closer
  • Save ammo by only taking one shot on the second target and reducing this drill to a four shot drill

Drill Tips

Fast transitions require leading the gun with the eyes – doesn’t matter if it is a narrow transition or a wide transition. When the third shot breaks on the first target, don’t let the eye hang out and take a fourth sight picture on the same target. Staring at the already engaged target doesn’t speed things up. Move the eyes onto the next target and the gun will follow.


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Drill Diagnostics

Beware under travel and over travel. Watch the sights as they enter onto the target. Does the shot break too early and hit on the inside of the target? What about transitioning too aggressively and carrying the sights past the target onto the outside? Move the gun fast, but only just far enough.


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Drill Author

Brian Purkiss

Brian Purkiss is a USPSA Carry Optics Grandmaster and the founder of Locked Back Training.

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Drill Environment

More Drill Modifications

Modifications to focus on: Conceal Carry

Modifications to focus on: General Modifications

Modifications to focus on: Movement

Modifications to focus on: Push Speed

  • Broaden what is considered “acceptable accuracy” - More info »
  • Decrease the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Increase the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Move targets closer - More info »
  • Put a black dot on the main point of aim on the target - More info »

Modifications to focus on: Tighten Accuracy

Modifications to focus on: Transitions

  • Decrease the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Don’t pull the trigger during transitions - More info »
  • Increase the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Transition from outside targets of an array and work inwards - More info »

Further Training with:

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Blake Drill

Push transitions faster so they sound like splits.

, ,

Split Distance

Improve distance change up transitions by engaging multiple targets as if they were one target.

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