How you train matters
Out on the range with Gino Giliotti from 1ST IN and started my practice day running the Dirty Thirty Challenge. This drill, developed by Daniel Richardson of Richardson Precision & Training, is 30 rounds in total, using a B-8 or bullseye target. Untimed, you shoot 10 rounds at 7 yds, 10 rounds at 10 yds, 10 rounds at 15 yds, all in the X or 10 ring. You must shoot a perfect score of 300 to successfully pass the drill.
First run was cold (no warm up at all, I just hung the target and ran it), I scored a 298. I ran the drill two more times and scored 300 both times. I ran it three times altogether because I want to confirm what skills I own, and that my skills are consistent and repeatable.
This drill tests technical skills, specifically, vision, grip and trigger press. I use a red dot and what I found interesting in this drill is that, because it was slow fire, no timer, it made it extra important for me to stay target focused and not get sucked into using the dot to aim. And even though it’s untimed, I like starting from the holster because that’s the best grip I get on my gun. I also had to be focused on a smooth, continuous trigger press while maintaining proper grip pressure in follow through.
What can make this drill particularly challenging is spending too much time waiting for the perfect sight picture. The longer you wait to press the trigger, the more things can start to come undone. The takeaway for me was to trust my vision, not over-confirm and to shoot sooner.
I typically train to shoot more aggressively. Learning to control the gun at speed has given me a deeper understanding of vision and grip. So I pivoted to a series of drills selected to hone these skills specifically for defensive and practical utility.
I started by running Bill Drills, finding the mid 3 second range where I could consistently achieve A-zone hits. My split times were in the .3 range, but the problem was my draw, which was consistently in the 2.5 second range. This gave me a new benchmark. Next I wanted to work on doubles and draws to see how fast I could push myself.
I shot a few magazines of doubles and got my splits into the high teens and low .2s, keeping hits in the A zone consistently at 5 yards. At 7 yards, things started to break down. I’m continuing to work on improving vision and grip. I have to keep my eyes locked on the target and maintain proper grip pressure in follow through.
Then I worked on draws, getting my time down into the 1.5s with consistent hits in the A zone. My draw is a weak link in my shooting. And it’s the reason why I struggle to get my Bill Drills under 3 seconds.
And I worked a little distance, getting some time in at 25 yards.
I spend very little time working on slow fire, precision shooting drills. So why was I able to score well on the Dirty Thirty Challenge? Because working at speed and distance builds skills that can be applied to any context, like a slow fire, precision drill. When you learn to shoot aggressively, adjusting the throttle up and down gives you a huge advantage, practically and defensively. But, working just slow fire accuracy drills only prepares you for a staged drill, not real life. A drill like this has minimal application anywhere else. You won’t be able to push the accelerator and go from slow to fast without skills breaking down if you haven't trained to control your gun at speed.
I run a stock Glock 19 Gen 5 with a Holosun 508t. The point being it’s good foundational skills, not the gun and gear, that matter.
Will I be able to score a 300 every time? Of course not. But I do know that I own the technical skills needed to perform this drill at a high level. And I know that the work I’m doing to shoot more aggressively is really paying off in performance.