Skills

Find resources to hone handgun skills.

Accuracy at Speed

In practical pistol shooting it is critical to be as accurate as possible as quickly as possible. One without the other is worthless.

Distance Changeup

Shooting is visual - get the sights on target and pull the trigger when sights are on target. The larger and closer a target, the more room available for an acceptable shot. The farther a target, the more precise the visual confirmation will be. Targets need to be given the individual respect needed for acceptable accuracy.

Draw from Holster

The ability to get a gun out of the holster and onto target quickly, efficiently, and accurately is critical for any defensive gun owner.

How to Achieve the Sub Second Draw from a Holster

Grip

Consistent and secure grip is the foundation that enables most other practical pistol shooting skills. A weak grip makes recoil control, transitions, reloads, and virtually everything else a challenge. A strong grip makes everything else easier.

Leans

In defensive shooting, cover and concealment can save your life. Being able to quickly and accurately put rounds down range while leaning is a valuable skill.

Malfunction Clearing

Ideally our handgun will go bang every time the trigger is pulled. But mechanical devices will get gunked up and fail or break and fail. The ability to fix the handgun and get rounds headed down range quickly is an edge case skill but a valuable one.

Natural Point of Aim / Index

A strong index is the ability to look at a target and have the gun sights go straight to that target, be lined up, and just about ready to go. The stronger an index the sooner sights can get on target.

Position Entries

Shooting on the move is great, but it has limitations. Sometimes we have to get stationary in a hurry to take shots. The sooner we're set up, the sooner we shoot.

Position Exits

Practical pistol shooting often starts from a dead still and takes off in a hurry. The ability to get out of position and on the move can make a huge difference.

Primary Hand Only

Shooting a handgun is best done with two hands, but sometimes circumstance doesn't allow for two handed shooting. Being able to effectively put rounds on target with only one hand can can be useful. Sometimes called "strong hand only."

Recoil Control

Shooting is a visual action - are the sights on target, yes or no. Yes? Pull the trigger. Recoil control helps gets those sights on target as soon as possible for fast and accurate follow up shots.

Reload

Unlike the movies, our magazines have limited capacity. Getting a gun reloaded as quickly as possible is a valuable skill that even boosts general gun handling skills.

Shooting on the Move

Practical pistol shooting is not static shooting. The ability to shoot on the move in a dynamic environment is a key skill.

Shot Calling

Shot calling is the ability to know where the bullets went without having to look at the target. Good shot calling skills help boost speed and confidence in shooting.

Stance

A good practical shooting stance must help control recoil, enable fast transitions, and assist in fast entries and exits from positions.

Support Hand Only

Shooting a handgun is best done with two hands, but sometimes circumstance doesn't allow for two handed shooting - and even worse, sometimes the lone hand is the off hand. Being able to effectively put rounds on target with only one hand can be useful. Sometimes called "weak hand only."

Transitions

Transitions are a critical practical pistol shooting skill for engaging multiple targets, and it even helps with engaging moving targets.

How to Transition a Pistol Between Targets

Trigger Control

Trigger control is the action of quickly and smoothly pulling the trigger straight to the rear without disturbing the sights. It is critical for ensuring fast and accurate shots.

Vision Speed

Accuracy at speed requires seeing the sights as quickly and precisely as possible. Developing vision speed to be able to keep up with a recoiling and transitioning handgun allows pushing speed faster and faster and faster.