Thanks guys!
Now that I've got some good suggestions, what if, say, once the middle part of the 1/2 and 1/2 was pretty much a "pass on demand" for me, I started running it with 3 targets? Say 3 shots on the left, 4 in the middle, 3 on the right for ten shots. Would that be a reasonable "next step up" on the ladder?
As far as "best practices for practice" it is important to vary your practice. Even if you have a set of drills, randomizing them will make you a better shooter. If you have one routine from which you never waiver, you just get good at that routine.
I do like to shoot a quick assessment at the start of practice. For instance, I've been starting my pistol work with 8 rounds of The Test and go from there. The FAST could work as well. Just something low round count and quick.
Finally, most of the improvement you can get can be done through dry practice.
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Personally I wouldn't get to wrapped up in creating "realistic" drills at this point. I would work on drills that focus on a combination of individual skills like controlling the gun during varying cadence drills, and manipulating the gun.
I'd still recommend the 1/2&1/2 drill and set it up so you are required to do a bolt lock reload at the end of each string of fire.
I would also do a 3-Reload-3 drill and don't just do it to work on the reload portion of the drill. Make it a focus of every required skill set contained within the drill and make sure you are performing everything "Perfectly": Presentation, Height over bore off-set, controlling the gun during recoil, accuracy/round accountability, etc, etc. Set it up at 7yds or so which will let you run the gun pretty aggressively as your individual skills improve, but start off slow and deliberate until you "get it".
I would consider something like the RedBack One carbine standards and run it as a baseline. You can then work on each individual skill and track your improvements as you progress.
Last edited by NickDrak; 10-04-2014 at 08:21 AM.
Understood. I usually start pistol practice with a couple 25 yard bill drills, or a version of The Test (10 shots, 10 yarsa, 8 second PAR and holstered) and go from there. I've got a pretty solid dry and live fire handgun program. Translating it to the carbine, while keeping in mind that I'm just not willing to devote as much time to the carbine has been somewhat sticky for me.Originally Posted by John Hearne
My memory may be fuzzy, but for me the Test has always been 10 rounds in 10 seconds at 10 yards from the draw with a score of 100. 1911 users should use a 10 round magazine (even from concealment).
To extrapolate carbine drills from pistol drills, simply double the distance. 10 rounds in 10 seconds at 20 yards is pretty much one component of the 1/2 & 1/2. Keep it all in the black at a bare minimum, preferably 100 points. Do it from the high ready if the low ready is too easy.
There's a difference between "realistic drills" and a "realistic use of one's time and ammunition". The OP gave some rather strict parameters to work within.
Jared, perhaps working in an offset accountability drill would be worthwhile given your defined parameters.
I use a five dot array of 3" dots, and work 5 rounds on each dot from 3 yards back to 25 yards for a total of 25 rounds.
It's important to know your holdover with an AR-15.
I'll certainly give it a shot. I'm taking notes from all these suggestions, and I'm more than willing to vary things up a good bit.
My parameters are rather restrictive, I realize. There is a reason for that, primarily that I spend a good deal of time on handgun practice and I don't want to take even more time away from my other obligations in life to have GM level carbine skills. I have a very supportive wife when it comes to my USPSA addiction, and I also try to incorporate drills for concealed carry and home defense situations. I don't wanna push her patience by adding another half hour a day for carbine work.
Yep, I'm tracking.
Not knowing the OP's overall skill level with a carbine or what his definition of "Home defense" specifically is, it is kinda of difficult to define those parameters.
While many people envision home defense being something that only occurs inside of an average sized residential bedroom or hallway, that certainly isn't ways the case. If the OP lives in a rural area with clear line of sight out to 100+ yards from his bedroom window "Home defense" might mean something completely different to the OP than it does to you or me.
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