Basic Pistol Skills Courses

[Guest Matchguy]

In these days of scarce ammo supplies, I've found it makes more sense and makes the ammo count for more if I shoot an established qualification course, rather than to stand there and plink. So I thought I'd pass along a couple of qualification courses I've used in the past to keep my skills up. These won't make you a match competitor or win you the Jeff Cooper Award, but if you're a mortal shooter you'll find them both fun and a little demanding. Here goes:

This is the the Firearms Qualification Course used by the Public Safety Center at Sacramento back in 1994 to qualify registering instructor candidates. This course calls for the NRA B27 target but any silhouette target will do fine. It works for both semiautos and revolvers with speed loaders. You can set up your own scoring system, but remember that it takes a score of 85% to pass it. It's more demanding than it looks. It is a 40 round course that may or may not call for reloading, depending on your magazine capacity, and you may want to increase its difficulty factor by doing so. Semiauto shooters may fire the entire course single action if you want.

Please remember that all courses requiring a change of position open you up to an unintended discharge if you don't do it right, so remember to keep your finger off the trigger while changing positions and you may decock or set the safety at your discretion during this time....check on your range rules if you do this on a formal range. Also remember the rule that the finger always comes off the trigger whenever the gun comes off the target.

1. 25 YARDS, 18 ROUNDS, 75 SECONDS

6 ROUNDS FIRED STRONG HAND SUPPORTED.

6 ROUNDS FIRED WEAK HAND SUPPORTED.

6 ROUNDS FIRED FROM THE KNEELING POSITION.

NOTE: ORDER OF FIRE SHOOTERS CHOICE

2. 15 YARDS, 12 ROUNDS, 30 SECONDS.

6 ROUNDS STRONG HAND SUPPORTED.

6 ROUNDS WEAK HAND SUPPORTED

3. 7 YARDS, 10 ROUNDS, 20 SECONDS.

ALL ROUNDS FIRED STRONG HAND SUPPORTED.

Actually this is a test only of marksmanship skill, without any emphasis on drawing or anything else, just shooting under time pressure. It was set up for the NRA B-27 target, but you could shoot your preferred silhouette targets with your own scoring system as I said earlier.

Now, to switch over to defensive shooting from the holster, I shoot the course I originally set up for some friends out in CA way back in the mid-90's. It goes like this. In this one we fire some double taps at the three and seven yard lines. It is a very basic course, so if you want to make it more demanding, crunch down the time limits.

THREE YARD PHASE - 12 SHOTS- HIP SHOOTING

SEQUENCE: FIRE SIX PAIRS OF SHOTS - ONE PAIR PER DRAW.

TIME LIMIT: FOUR SECONDS PER EACH PAIR OF SHOTS

SEVEN YARD PHASE - 12 SHOTS - STRONG AND WEAK HAND SUPPORTED.

SEQUENCE: FIRE FIVE PAIRS OF SHOTS STRONG HAND SUPPORTED - ONE PAIR PER DRAW.

FIRE ONE PAIR WEAK HAND SUPPORTED FROM THE DRAW.

TIME LIMIT: FIVE SECONDS STRONG HAND, SEVEN SECONDS WEAK HAND.

FIFTEEN YARD PHASE - 12 SHOTS - STRONG AND WEAK HAND SUPPORTED.

SEQUENCE: (1) FIRE THREE SHOTS STANDING AND THREE KNEELING IN 30 SECONDS.

(2) FIRE TWO PAIRS IN EIGHT SECONDS EACH, STRONG HAND SUPPORTED FROM THE DRAW.

(3) FIRE ONE PAIR IN TWENVE SECONDS, WEAK HAND SUPPORTED FROM THE DRAW.

TIME LIMIT: AS SHOWN.

TWENTY FIVE YARD PHASE - SIX SHOTS IN THIRTY SECONDS, STRONG HAND SUPPORTED.

In this course, I shoot it so that all hits in the silhouette's body or head are 10's and outs are zeros. It is a 42 round course. For those new to this type of shooting and who use a DA/SA trigger system with a decocker (Smith, Beretta 92/Cougar, Bersa, Walther, etc. etc.), you must always remember to NEVER NEVER NEVER reholster a COCKED pistol....DECOCK BEFORE HOLSTERING.....and if you are shooting a single action semiauto like the 1911 or Browning P-35, you must set the safety before holstering the gun....same for the CZ double action guns with sear-blocking safeties. Where it says to fire weak hand from the draw, that simply means to draw with your strong hand and transfer the gun to the weak hand.

So, these are a couple of pretty good skills-keeper-uppers and I hope you enjoy them. Some ranges won't allow these types of courses so check with the boss man if you're shooting on a formal range.

Jer

[S&WForty]

The last time I went to a range, the lane was free (coupon received after taking my permit class at the place), and I took 50 rds with me. I thought I had a plan in my head on what to shoot and how, but I ended up forgetting it, and I left there feeling like I had wasted 50 rds of ammo and learned nothing. Your post is very helpful, and it is something I will try next time I go to a range!

I have one question. What does "supported" mean when you say "strong hand supported?" Does it mean the strong hand holds the gun, and the other hand helps support it? Or does "supported" mean something like "used?" "strong hand used" meaning the weak hand is off to the side?

[Guest Matchguy]

Hi S&W Forty, I shoot one too....a M4006.

I'm really glad you found the courses useful. "Supported" simply means a standard two hand hold in which the shooting hand is supported by the other hand by wrapping it around the off side of the grip. The fingers of the support hand cover the fingers of the shooting hand in front of the frontstrap of the grip frame and both hands are squeezing the pistol quite hard. Some fellows find it useful to extend the forefinger of the support hand around the front of the trigger guard, which is why so many pistols have squared off trigger guards with the squared off vertical portion checkered or serrated to hold onto this forefinger.

However you want to avoid the "cup and saucer" hold, in which the shooting hand grips the gun and the suport hand "cups" the base of the butt. This allows the gun to flip out of the support hand with every shot.

Also, you never support the gun by resting the butt on the wrist or forearm of the support hand. This is strictly a fictional support technique from the movie "Godfather" and is worthless.

I'd suggest you shoot the first course without time limits on the first goround or so as it is a lot more demanding than it looks, especially at the 25 yard position. You need to decide which six rounds you want to fire kneeling and which you want to fire with your weak hand. You need to decide if you need to reload to complete the exercise, and if so which hand you want the gun to be in when it runs empty and needs to be reloaded. The 75 second time limit is tight and you have to have to have your procedure all worked out in your head or you'll overshoot it. If you're not too experienced, work up to the time limit slowly and concentrate on accuracy first, then work on speed. I guarantee you'll be very pleased with yourself when you can stay within the time limits and score an 85% on this course. And remember to be careful when changing positions....keep your finger off the trigger and keep the gun pointed downrange when doing this. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Jer

Edited April 15, 2009 by Matchguy

[S&WForty]

Thanks for the explanation on supported. Whenever a friend of mine has had me shoot weak-handed, it's that hand alone. Now I understand you loud and clear. I am definitely still at the stage that I need to focus on accuracy before meeting the time limits.

25 yds is indeed intimidating! One reason is I have a hard time seeing where I hit the target. I bought some of those targets that turn color when hit, so that will help. I'm overdue for a range session. At least I finally got my hands on some target ammo that's been so scarce lately!

[Guest Matchguy]

The worst thing an instructor can do to a new shooter is to put him in a position where he is certain to miss the target, and I have given you a course that starts with a very difficult 25 yard phase. So that makes me a real dummy.

If I were you, (if you are a new shooter) I'd start close in and work my way out to the 25 yard line. By way of explanation, this course was designed for those who aspired to be police firearms instructors.....men who had already had a lot of formal training. It was sortof intended to separate the men from the boys, and it is a difficult course. So if you are a new shooter, start at closer range and work your way out. The 25 yard phase is a toughie even for trained cops.

A friend and I are going to give it a try today and I haven't shot the course in a while so I'll prolly flub all over myself. Best wishes.

Jerry

[S&WForty]

No problem. I was going to do it in reverse anyway. It's easier to track my shot placement when I start with a tighter grouping from closer range.

[Guest Matchguy]

No problem. I was going to do it in reverse anyway. It's easier to track my shot placement when I start with a tighter grouping from closer range.

Good deal. Best of luck. Jer