Decent Time for First DA Shot?

[mongooseman]

I work in the Deep South as an LEO Investigator, which means when I'm on duty it's basically open carry most of the year because of heat and humidity. I use Galco leather gear, carrying my personal V3 P30. I was at the range this afternoon drilling on drawing and firing on a steel target, working on that important first DA shot, from approximately ten yards. According to the timer, from a interview position, I was averaging around 1.15 seconds. Just was wondering is this an average time or do I really need to work on speed?

[ToddG]

What size steel target?

How approximate is "approximately 10 yards?"

How consistent was that in terms of hit percentage and speed (every time, most of the time, some of the time)?

A 1.15 draw is smoking fast for an aimed shot.

[gtmtnbiker98]

That's fast, now move in to 7-yards and replace that steel with a 3 X 5 card.

That 3 X 5 card at 7-yards with a TDA is a Bitch! Some "guy" from Maryland came up with this damn drill that has haunted me since.

[JHC]

A 1.15 draw is smoking fast for an aimed shot.

SMOKIN' FAST is right! Is this a hip shot? Nice.

[mongooseman]

What size steel target?

How approximate is "approximately 10 yards?"

How consistent was that in terms of hit percentage and speed (every time, most of the time, some of the time)?

A 1.15 draw is smoking fast for an aimed shot.

OK. Went to range with measuring tape;
Steel target: 12" by 24"
Distance: closer than I thought, 8 yards and a foot.
Hit percentage; 50 round box, three misses. The times? (about third time using timer, will learn how to use it better!) Mostly 1.1_ something. Two of the misses came when I pushed for speed and one due to a poor initial grip, which threw the whole draw off.

I started my career with a Beretta 92 and have always worked on the DA shot. After discovering the drills and particularly the "Fear Not.." article and Todd's press out videos on pistol-training, the clouds parted and the Angelic choir sang. I have been working on improving draw mechanics and press outs while using snap caps. I'm the only one at my small department (25 sworn officers) that carries a DA/SA pistol (Glock .40s and 4 XD's).

[ToddG]

An 18x24 plate is huge (about eight times the area of an 8" circle). Still, being able to get a shot off in just over a second is very good. I'd suggest getting a substantially smaller target, though.

[mongooseman]

An 18x24 plate is huge (about eight times the area of an 8" circle). Still, being able to get a shot off in just over a second is very good. I'd suggest getting a substantially smaller target, though.

For practicing realistic combat style shooting, what size target would be best? We have pepper poppers, dueling trees, and a few other steel targets. Or would paper be better and at what range?

[vecdran]

I'm going to hazard a guess at a reduced IPSC target, if you want to use steel.

I'm usually around 1.2-1.4 from the draw with my V3 P30 to the -0 of an IDPA target. I can go faster, but to be honest I am no longer using the sights and just relying on my muscle memory index when I do that.

[ToddG]

A mix of paper and steel is best. Shooting at steel is great for working speed, but unless you can easily vary the distance of the target you run out of marksmanship practice pretty quickly. Conversely, it's easy to measure -- and control -- your marksmanship on paper targets but you don't get the auditory feedback that comes with steel and you need to be replacing or pasting the targets pretty regularly during high volume shooting.

If I had to pick just one, it would definitely be paper.

[David Armstrong]

For practicing realistic combat style shooting, what size target would be best? We have pepper poppers, dueling trees, and a few other steel targets. Or would paper be better and at what range?

For combat shooting I've always been a believer in "minute of paper plate" as a good practice target regime.