How to train shooting on the move?

[60167]

Move and shoot? Or move to shoot?

I’ve been trying to implement more “dynamic shooting” during my range sessions. Lately I’ve been devoting a third of my time and ammo supply to practice shooting and reloading while walking in various directions.

A course of fire goes something like this:

Shoot 3-5 rounds while moving back and to the left/right.
Shoot 3.-5 rounds while moving laterally.
Shoot 3-5 rounds while backing.

Sometimes the string will be shot with 5 rounds split between two magazines so I need to reload while moving.

Sometimes I’ll tape some “imaginary barricades” on the floor of my indoor range and practice moving between them while firing, or sometimes moving to them, and then firing. The idea is that I’m moving laterally relative to the target while also shooting from various distances.

I shoot on an indoor range. I’m the only person occupying the space at that time. I don’t have any actual cover or barricades in this space, so I have to tape cover or bring soccer cones. I shoot from my duty gear and I’m typically shooting the P-F.com 6”circle with 1” Square taped on an FBI Q target. I try to keep my hits in the circle (or in the bottle).

We’ve been doing a lot of shooting on the move drills during our monthly swat range sessions, and it’s a part of out state’s qualification course, so that’s a clue someone thinks it’s somewhat important.


My questions are as follows:

How much do you train shooting on the move? Is it a priority to you?
Do you move then shoot, or move while shooting, or both?
Do you have any suggestions for drills?


Thanks

[breakingtime91]

I try to do at least two drills with shooting on the move per range session. I'll do a bill drill on the move from 10-3yards (simulates closing with an attacker). the other is shooting while moving backwards, I usually do 2-3 rounds and then break for a piece of "cover" and shoot the target a couple more times.

[HopetonBrown]

Sound like Hackathorn's Compass Drill.

I believe Paul Howe said he never shot while moving in his career. The only moving while shooting I do is that particular part of the IDPA Classifier. Moving forward from 10 yard to 5 yard line, 2 rounds on each of the 3 targets. I have a hard enough time hitting the target when standing still. I did do Pat Mac's Grid Of Fire last week, but that's move then shoot.

[Duces Tecum]

I would think that shooting while moving results in suppression fire. There's no high probability of a sound hit, but it might keep their head(s) down. If I expected to actually hit something I was aiming for, I'd probably shoot after moving. There will be somebody along shortly to correct me.

[johncorey]

My questions are as follows:

How much do you train shooting on the move? Is it a priority to you?
Do you move then shoot, or move while shooting, or both?
Do you have any suggestions for drills?

Almost every pistol range session I train a shoot on the move. My cold, on demand drill is two 8" plates at 5-7 yards, roughly two people width in between. From concealment, facing down range, but looking over right shoulder, positioned at cone1, draw on buzzer, acquire target, begin 3-4 rounds engagement on T1 while stepping off to my LEFT REAR, reload, 3-4 rounds engagement on T2, coming to a stop on cone2 which is 3-4 yards LEFT, and 1-2 yards REAR of cone1. Time is usually around 4-5 seconds.

This is purely in the context of being a CCH situation. Not LEO and not MIL. I feel it is imperative to change your attackers sight picture he/she/they have on you. The only way to do that is by getting off the X via movement. Mr. Givens has far more solid data points on this.

[Ptrlcop]

I think there is a lot to be learned visually and in trigger control from SOTM.

[Jay Cunningham]

It's a good question, and one which I think hasn't had enough thought applied to it given various contexts. I know what I've been *told* over the years... but a lot of what I've been *told* doesn't necessarily seen to jive with my reality.

One thing I do know is that in various drills and exercises which I've participated in - ones which stress just how important it's supposed to be - the reality is a lot of missed shots.

[Hunter Osborne]

In my practice and training (USMC table 2 and up, various carbine and pistol classes) and competing (IDPA and USPSA plus range games with training partners), what I have gathered is this:

1. I can move efficiently
2. I can shoot efficiently
3. I cannot do both at the same time.

I think that it entirely depends on the accuracy demands of the scenario. If all I'm trying to hit is a USPSA target from 5 yards, with 2 rounds in the scoring zones, then I can move much faster than if I'm going for an A zone head shot on the same target. I can envision scenarios where it would be necessary to move and shoot in a self defense or LE engagement (for instance, if there is no cover available to you or you are attempting to suppress a target with accurate gunfire while you are moving to a position of advantage) therefore it should be something that it practiced. The frequency of that practice, for me at least, is low because I think there are much more important skills to develop and I already know how to jump out of the way of stuff.

As for getting off the X, I really liked what Travis Haley had to say about it on one of the videos he did with Panteo. Basically he emphasized moving offline with not just a step or two, but an athletic side shuffle (think guarding someone moving in basketball) but he mentioned that he will only move as far as he needs to draw the gun if there is no cover available. For me, when I practice this on timed drills, I usually end up 7-10 feet away from my starting position by the time my gun is up and on target.
I was fortunate enough to get to attend the Evolution of Mindset class put on by LMS Defense a few months ago, and I found myself doing a fair bit of CQB in an old office building, with varying degrees of lighting. Long story short, most of the shots I took there that involved moving and shooting were taken while moving forward or at a forward angle to the target (towards a position of advantage) or laterally in an arcing motion around the target, so that's what I end up practicing.

[60167]

The more I contemplate this, the more I can think of scenarios that involve engaging a threat that pops up while I'm already moving. For example, while approaching a vehicle during a traffic stop (holstered) and an armed bad guy pops out of the car. Or when I'm searching a building and a threat makes itself known while I'm mid step.

Maybe the thought process should include drawing and firing while moving as part of the equation.


Thanks for the thoughtful responses.

[johncorey]

Feel free to come out to Mill Creek sometime to shake some of this out prior to going "live".