A primary purpose of going to the shooting range is to improve your capabilities. It is important to select a proper set of drills to support your training objectives. Selecting the drills before you go to the range lets you ensure you are able to have the proper equipment to complete the drills. You will know exactly what equipment you will need to bring, to prevent lost training. If time becomes an issue you can pick from the drills you have selected to mach your available time. When you go into the training session with a plan you will be better prepared when you step up to the firing line.

What Drills are the Right Ones For this Session?

Review Training Log from Previous Range Sessions

As we discussed in a previous  article, the best way to ensure you are prepared to get the most out of your time at the range is to take a look at your training log, this process is where keeping a log becomes key. Your log should have documentation of what went right and where you have room for improvement. This will allow you to efficiently search for training drills. You will be able to learn what types of drills have worked for you in the and address your areas for improvement.

Training Drill Sources

Once you find out these areas it is time to pick some drills.  This can be a daunting task on the surface, but luckily like many topics in the firearms community, there is a plethora of people who have ideas on shooting drills.  Luckily these people write them down and often post them on the internet.  This makes the hard part, picking the drills that support your identified areas for improvement that much easier. Another good source for drills is communicating with a certified Firearms Training Instructor.  Firearms Training Instructors usually have a collection of drills they have used over time to help their student’s progress in many different situations.  You can schedule time with an instructor who would be able to help you select drills and guide you on the range.  This source has many benefits. One being instant feedback on your application of the drills. Instructors would also be able to help you interpret the results of your shooting, help identify any corrections, and allow you to get the most out of the drill you are working on.

I Have My Areas to Work on and My Drills Picked Out, Now What?

Set A Course of Fire

The course of fire is where you actually WRITE DOWN the order of the drills and any notes you need to stay focused and on task while on the range.  This gives you a chance to plan out your warm up shots, and find a logical flow of the drills selected.  You will also be able to ensure appropriate time is set aside in your range session to accomplish the drills of your choice.  With the course of fire established, you will be able to make sure the range you are planning to use for this training session can accommodate your planned course of fire.  You may need to pick an alternate range depending on if your normal shooting range does not allow, for example movement or drawing from a holster.

Pack Your Range Bag

Now that we have the drills, course of fire, and the appropriate range time set to accomplish our training goals, packing the range bag is next.  In this step we will use the information we collected about the drills and locate all of the equipment we will be using at the range.  This is in addition to the basics of eye protection and ear protection. Common equipment that could be included in this step are spare magazines, dummy rounds and any special targets relevant to your drills.  You should have determined the number of rounds for each drill you have selected, and compared that to your available supply.  If you are short, this preplanning step gives you the opportunity to know how many rounds you need to purchase before you start your range session.

Selecting the right drills for your skill and shooting experience will maintain the fun of your firearms hobby. Documenting the course of fire will give you a quick reference on the range to keep your focus and maximize your time on target.  Knowing what objectives, you are trying to accomplish during your range session will also reduce frustration and anxiety while at the rage.  Checking with your range about limitations identifies if your chosen drill activity is prohibited at your selected range.  Ensuring you have the equipment required for all of the drills you have selected will ensure you do not have to interrupt your training session, finding the appropriate equipment, or searching for additional drills. For additional ideas on shooting drills and equipment suggestions keep an eye on www.castleguardtraining.com.  New content is added on a regular basis along with upcoming training courses.

Drill Resources:

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/?s=drills

https://tacticalhyve.com/shooting-drills-the-ultimate-list/

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