Week 94: The F.A.S.T.

[Mr_White]

Week 94: The F.A.S.T.

Results may be posted until February 12th, 2015.

Starting with a pistol-forum classic, the F.A.S.T.!

designed by Todd Louis Green
Range: 7yd
Target: 8" circle and 3x5 card (see http://pistol-training.com/wp-conten...ast-target.pdf for a downloadable target; this target [i]must be printed on an 8.5x14 "legal" sheet of paper)
Start position: concealed, hands relaxed at sides (see below for alternatives)
Rounds fired: 18

Pistol begins with exactly two rounds in the gun. Draw should be from underneath legitimate concealment (see below for alternatives). Arms must be relaxed with hands at your sides (not on the gun).
1. On the buzzer, draw and fire two rounds at the 3x5 card.
2. Reload from slidelock/empty gun.
3. Fire four rounds to the 8" circle.


Repeat for a total of three runs (18 rounds).

Do not fire extra rounds. Shots intended for the 3x5 that hit the 8", or vice versa, count as misses.

Scoring is as follows:
Total time + 2s penalty for each 3x5 shot missed + 1s penalty for each 8" shot missed

The drill is intended to be shot from legitimate concealment or with a duty/retention holster. Even when shot with a duty holster, start position is arms at sides (not "interview" stance). Score is modified as follows based on carry method:

Concealed: no penalty
retention holster with closed (snap or velcro) mag pouches: 0.5 second bonus (subtraction) per 6-shot run
retention holster with open top mag mag pouches: no penalty or bonus
ALS, SERPA, or Thumb Drive (or similar) holster without concealment: 0.5 second penalty (addition) per 6-shot run
open top holster without concealment: 3 second penalty (addition) per 6-shot run


If your range does not allow drawing from a holster, begin with the gun on a table with no round in the chamber (two in the magazine). On the start signal, pick up the gun, rack the slide, and shoot the drill. Reload from underneath concealment.


Please report the following when you post your results in this thread:
starting position (concealed, duty, open holster, or ready position)
type of holster (if applicable)
time and hits for string 1
time and hits for string 2
time and hits for string 3
aggregate score


Training with firearms is an inherently dangerous activity. Be sure to follow all safety protocols when using firearms or practicing these drills. These drills are provided for information purposes only. Use at your own risk.

[Gio]

I posted this in the FAST drill sticky thread before I saw your post in the other thread about the drill of the week...here's the cut/paste:

I was at the range for a training day and shot some of these with my G26 and G35. I didn't get any video of the G26 runs, but it was much harder to get consistent hits with the smaller gun, and my times were between 4.5-5.2 on average with a lot more variation in the reload speed. Here are 3 of 4 runs on my G35. The 4th was a 4.04 clean that I did not get on video. I realize after making this video that I am starting from more of a classic LE "interview" stance which I was shooting from just prior for agency quals. I will run a couple "hands relaxed at sides" next time out. These are also shot on USPSA targets, not IDPA.

Times are 3.75, 3.78, 3.79 (1 headshot miss just high).

[GardoneVT]

"If your range does not allow drawing from a holster, begin with the gun on a table with no round in the chamber (two in the magazine). On the start signal, pick up the gun, rack the slide, and shoot the drill. Reload from underneath concealment."

Since im using a DA/SA pistol, would it be proper to start with a loaded chamber but a de-cocked pistol? Otherwise , the options are to de-cock after racking but before shooting the drill while on the clock, or shoot it SA from start to finish which wont reflect realistic carry condition.

[ASH556]

Gonna shoot this tomorrow night @ work. I've been trying to work on it from IWB concealment under a t-shirt (that's tough) and about the best I can do it clean is mid-7's. I was getting pretty frustrated, but then I just re-read the instructions and realized I've been doing it on 8.5x11 paper instead of 8.5x14 legal paper. Maybe that will help some.

[Irelander]

Gonna shoot this tomorrow night @ work.

Man, I wish I could say that!

[Mr_White]

I posted this in the FAST drill sticky thread before I saw your post in the other thread about the drill of the week...here's the cut/paste:

I was at the range for a training day and shot some of these with my G26 and G35. I didn't get any video of the G26 runs, but it was much harder to get consistent hits with the smaller gun, and my times were between 4.5-5.2 on average with a lot more variation in the reload speed. Here are 3 of 4 runs on my G35. The 4th was a 4.04 clean that I did not get on video. I realize after making this video that I am starting from more of a classic LE "interview" stance which I was shooting from just prior for agency quals. I will run a couple "hands relaxed at sides" next time out. These are also shot on USPSA targets, not IDPA.

Times are 3.75, 3.78, 3.79 (1 headshot miss just high).

That's excellent – very nice shooting givo08! Thanks for posting video too. I always enjoy checking out what other people are doing with their shooting.

"If your range does not allow drawing from a holster, begin with the gun on a table with no round in the chamber (two in the magazine). On the start signal, pick up the gun, rack the slide, and shoot the drill. Reload from underneath concealment."

Since im using a DA/SA pistol, would it be proper to start with a loaded chamber but a de-cocked pistol? Otherwise , the options are to de-cock after racking but before shooting the drill while on the clock, or shoot it SA from start to finish which wont reflect realistic carry condition.

Hopefully Todd will give the real answer, whatever that is. He is the arbiter of the F.A.S.T., not me.

For whatever it's worth, here are my thoughts:

Is your Beretta decocker-only? If not, I'd say to rack the slide with the safety on so it automatically decocks, and take the safety off while presenting the gun.

If it is decocker only, then things just aren't going to translate perfectly. To my thinking, you should still rack the slide to load the gun at the beginning, and just shoot the whole thing in SA. I don't like you having to lose the DA first shot, but I think it makes even less sense to load, but then decock when you actually intend to engage immediately – plus I think it will add some artificial time to your score.

If you do it all in SA, there is at least an approximation of you retrieving the gun, making it ready, and immediately engaging something, which I think is plausible and reasonable.

[Up1911Fan]

Gonna shoot this tomorrow night @ work. I've been trying to work on it from IWB concealment under a t-shirt (that's tough) and about the best I can do it clean is mid-7's. I was getting pretty frustrated, but then I just re-read the instructions and realized I've been doing it on 8.5x11 paper instead of 8.5x14 legal paper. Maybe that will help some.

It will. I made that same mistake when I started shooting the FAST a couple years ago. Going from the 8.5x11 target to one printed to scale on the correct legal paper will make the headbox appear huge.

[Mr_White]

I sure am glad to see people participating!

[Mr_White]

I shot this the last few times I've been to the range.

Start position: Gen3 G34 w/Dawson Chargers, concealed under a t-shirt in a Keepers Concealment Keeper



January FASTs 1



Details:

3.66: 1.14, .27 / 1.56 / .23, .23, .23
4.68 (-1B): 1.09, .30 / 1.58 / .23, .25, .23 (Body shots centered a hair too low, one got out.)
5.42 (-1H): 1.07, .27 / 1.44 / .22, .21, .21 (3x5 shot out a half inch low left.)

Aggregate score: 13.76



January FASTs 2



Details:

3.37: 1.01, .26 / 1.43 / .22, .23, .22 (New personal best!)
4.89: 1.05, .27 / 2.90 / .23, .23, .21 (Ouch that reload hurts.)
5.86 (-1H): 1.10, .28 / 1.79 / .24, .23, .22 (Meh reload, 3x5 shot out by about a millimeter.)

Aggregate score: 14.12



January FASTs 3

Camera battery ran out, thankfully after the first run.



Details:

3.31: .96, .26 / 1.44 / .20, .23, .22 (New personal best!)
6.44 (-1H, -1B): 1.06, .28 / 1.45 / .22, .21, .22 (Ok, got wild after that last one/no video.)
4.24: 1.02, .25 / 2.32 / .22, .21, .22 (Blew it on the reload/no video.)

Aggregate score: 13.99

[GJM]

I dug out my Filson vest, and shot this earlier today. CZ SP01, BT OWB, concealed with vest.

First, I shot it as a test, trying to shoot "carefully."

4.74 clean
5.09 - 1H
4.89 clean

Then, I shot it as a drill -- meaning I shot "naturally."

4.04 -1H
4.19 clean
4.06 clean

My reload from concealment still sucked, but I was shooting the first two shots in 1.50 or less.

In that there was no difference in my results shooting carefully versus normally, my take away is that I would need to slow down a LOT to try to guarantee 100 percent runs as opposed to shoot for 100 percent runs.