Week 102: Frank Garcia Dot Drill

[Mr_White]

Week 102: Frank Garcia Dot Drill

Results may be posted until April 6th, 2015.

Designed by: Frank Garcia
Range: 7 yards
Target: Six 2” dots – Download here: http://pistol-training.com/wp-conten...in-circles.pdf
Start Position: Hands at sides, facing the target, pistol holstered
Rounds Fired: 36
Par Time: 5 seconds

Start with pistol loaded and holstered. Upon start signal, draw and fire 6 rounds into one dot. Do this for each of the six dots.

Traditionally, this drill is shot from the holster, at 7 yards, with a 5 second par time, and is scored Pass/Fail (36/36 = Pass, not 36/36 = Fail.) Variations are fine if they enable you to participate in the drill.

Suggested variations:

If you aren't allowed to draw from the holster at your live fire facility, then instead start with the gun on the bench with magazine in the magazine well, but chamber empty. Upon start signal, pick up gun, chamber a round, and fire 6 rounds into one dot.

If the time and accuracy standards are unworkable for you, start by moving the target closer. If you are not able to make hits at the 3 yard line, then try doing the drill without a par time.

Concealment is not required, but is certainly optional if you wish to use it.

Please report the following when you post your results in this thread:

Equipment used (pistol, holster, optional concealment garment if one was used)
Any variations used (concealment, starting with gun on bench, reduced distance, no par time)
Time and hits for each of the six strings
Total score out of the 36 possible points
Pass or Fail per the original 36/36 standard

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.

[2alpha-down0]

Equipment: M&P9, Safariland 6360
Variations: 5 yards instead of 7

1. 5/6 in 4.54
2. 4/6 in 4.38
3. 4/6 in 4.32
4. 4/6 in 4.07 (going the wrong way here, need to slow down)
5. 4/6 in 4.65
6. 6/6 in 4.69 (FINALLY)

Total score: 27/36

Fail

[Mr_White]

Shot this cold before teaching basic pistol class. Was really annoyed with the misses on string 2 which I felt came from a bad support hand grip. This drill reminds me well how much better I would like to shoot.

Gen3 G34, concealed in a Keeper under a t-shirt
Shot the standard drill (5 second par, 7 yards) with concealment added
String 1: 4.59 -1
String 2: 4.64 -2
String 3: 4.87
String 4: 4.64
String 5: 4.65 -1
String 6: 4.81 -1
Total score: 31/36
FAIL

[GJM]

I was at the range this afternoon, and thought of the DOW and the Garcia dot drill. This is one of the hardest drills in the world. I know this because I first trained with Frank Garcia in the mid 90's, and have been to Universal a number of times. The morning there starts with shooting dots. I know those dots are more like 2.5 or 2.75 inches there, making this even harder on two inch dots.

I wanted to shoot dots, but I didn't want to be time focused -- I wanted to focus on doing it right (stop/aim/jerk/lock-up). I decided I would ignore the par time, shoot strings of five from seven yards as quickly as I could execute the mechanics, and see how far I could get. After five strings of five, I decided to go for 50 shots. With that accomplished, I kept going. I was able to go 100/100 on the dots, with just one that "needed the overlay." The best part is that I was highly certain of each shot as I fired it. (not that it matters, but G4 Glock 17 with Proctor sights)

[Mr_White]

Going 100/100 on 2" dots at seven yards is some seriously excellent shooting, GJM. Great job!

[EricM]

Ran this a couple times at the range today while trying out some different sights. At my current [lack of] skill level I knew there was no way I'd be able to shoot this in the par time, so I felt it was more valuable to shoot it without the par, see how it went, and track that number over time.

Gen 4 G34, Blade-Tech OWB, no concealment
String 1: 7.68 -3
String 2: 8.08 -0
String 3: 6.95 -1
String 4: 7.20 -2
String 5: 8.91 -1
String 6: 8.35 -1
Total score: N/A
FAIL

Wasn't really feeling the 0.105" front sight I was trying, went back to 0.125"...
String 1: 6.48 -1
String 2: 7.30 -1
String 3: 6.95 -1
String 4: ? (timer malfunction) -1
String 5: 6.91 -1
String 6: 8.41 -1
Total score: N/A
FAIL

First time ever shooting a dot drill, the Garcia variant is probably not the place to start lol. I did feel much better the second string and will be sticking with the 0.125" front sight. Will be integrating more formalized dot drills into my range time in the future...I often stick black pasters in the empty areas on a bullseye target to shoot at 7 yards, so I'm no stranger to this kind of precision, but I've never tried to push speed before or do it from the draw.

Mr_White, 2alpha - I'd be curious to know a ballpark figure on what your draw time was vs. subsequent splits. The draw is a real weakness of mine that I've been working on, my good draws in this drill were around 2.5 and my good splits around 0.75, but I often had one or two long splits mixed in where rightly or wrongly I didn't feel I had a good sight picture and it took a long time to fix it. It would be interesting to have a rough idea of how it "should" look when done successfully.

Also, nice work GJM!

[GJM]

I think a 2.0 draw, .5 splits and .5 left over for some overage on any one shot is the formula. When Gabe was doing the Micro FAST, shot one to the two inch was about 1.3 as I recall, but I wouldn't call his draw typical.

[Mr_White]

I'm no stranger to this kind of precision, but I've never tried to push speed before or do it from the draw.

Complications like more physical complexity, and any level of time pressure, sure make it tougher don't they?

Mr_White, 2alpha - I'd be curious to know a ballpark figure on what your draw time was vs. subsequent splits.

For me, I think it basically breaks down to a ~1.3 draw and ~.7 splits.

[2alpha-down0]

Mr_White, 2alpha - I'd be curious to know a ballpark figure on what your draw time was vs. subsequent splits. The draw is a real weakness of mine that I've been working on, my good draws in this drill were around 2.5 and my good splits around 0.75, but I often had one or two long splits mixed in where rightly or wrongly I didn't feel I had a good sight picture and it took a long time to fix it. It would be interesting to have a rough idea of how it "should" look when done successfully.

I didn't record exact draw times and splits, but I seem to remember draws being around my safe "on demand" time for a 3x5 at 7 yards, so about 1.7 or just north of it. I guess that would make average splits in the .55 area, which was obviously a bit too fast for me.

Keep in mind I was at 5 yards instead of 7. In hindsight I probably should have shot it at 7 and just ignored the par like GJM.

[Mr_White]

Keep in mind I was at 5 yards instead of 7. In hindsight I probably should have shot it at 7 and just ignored the par like GJM.

I think the drill is still good either way, you just emphasize some things at 5 yards with the par, and emphasize other things at 7 yards without the par.