Week 8: Diminishing PAR Reloads

[ToddG]

Please read the rules before participating in this thread.

Week 8: Diminishing PAR 1-R-2
results may be posted until 11:59pm EST on Monday 28-November-2011.

origin unknown; this is a very common practice method for improving speed
Range: 7yd
Target: 6" circle (download a PDF version here
Start position: shooter's choice
Rounds fired: varies

You will need a shot timer for this drill and you will need to know how to operate the PAR function.

Like last week, this DotW is about pushing your speed. It works in a similar but different way.

Start position is up to the shooter but should be consistent throughout the drill. The 6" circle is placed at 7yd.

Begin with a PAR time that you can confidently hit the 6" circle, perform a reload (either a speed/in-battery reload or a slidelock reload), and get two more hits on the circle.

If you're successful, reduce the PAR time by 0.1 seconds. If you are not successful, increase the PAR by 0.1 seconds. Do not make incremental changes greater than 0.1 seconds even if your times are much farther from the PAR.

Continue the drill until you run out of ammo, hit a wall (you keep bouncing back between a few PAR times, getting hits at the slower speed but unable to pull it all off at the higher speed), or you get bored.

For example:

1. Draw and 1-R-2 with 3 second PAR. Got all hits.
2. Change PAR to 2.9, got all hits.
3. Change PAR to 2.8, got all hits.
4. Change PAR to 2.7, missed one or more.
5. Increase PAR to 2.8, got all hits.
6. Change PAR to 2.7 again, got all hits.
7. Change PAR to 2.6, missed one or more.
8. Increase PAR to 2.7... etc.

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

• Start position (ready, open holster, concealed, retention holster)
• Type of reload (speed/in-battery or slidelock)
• Starting PAR
• Best PAR (all hits)
• # of rounds fired total

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.

[ToddG]

Start position: concealed from CCC Shaggy, untucked polog
Type of reload: slidelock
Starting PAR: 3.5 seconds
Best PAR (all hits): 3.1 seconds
# of rounds fired total: 75

This absolutely kicked my butt today. I had so many bad reloads I actually quit the drill and spent a box of ammo just working my 1-R-2 slow fire. Finding the 6" circle in the 8" circle of the PT target was really tough for me today.

I went from 3.5 to 3.1 in about ten runs, then bounced back and forth between 3.3 and 3.5 until I finally decided to rework the fundamentals.

[BaiHu]

Just a quick clarification.
When you say 1-r-2, does that mean 1 shot, reload and then 1 shot again?
I was working this drill for a bit and I went through about 50 rounds and realized I might have been doing it wrong.
I was doing: draw, fire, reload, fire 2 shots.

[JV_]

I was doing: draw, fire, reload, fire 2 shots.

This is correct, 3 rounds total. You fire 2 shots after the reload because it's harder to cheat the grip. You can get a sub-par grip after the reload, and still get off one shot, it's much harder if you're firing 2.

[C45P312]

Start position: Surrender Position with G17 in 6004 Holster
Type of reload: Slidelock
Starting PAR: 6 sec
Best PAR (all hits): 5.1
# of rounds fired total: 33

Did this cold this morning at work. Man, still not use to drawing from retention. Reloads could have been quicker as well.

[ToddG]

When you say 1-r-2, does that mean 1 shot, reload and then 1 shot again?

Nope:

hit the 6" circle, perform a reload (either a speed/in-battery reload or a slidelock reload), and get two more hits on the circle.

[Gideon_459]

Start position: concealed, CCC shaggy, untucked flannel shirt
Type of reload: slide lock
Starting par: 5.8
Best par: 4.8 (4.79; 2.16, 2.40, .23)
Rounds fired: 48

Really enjoyed this drill. After the first few runs I took a sharpie and blacked out the rear sight on my USP. Made picking up the front sight a little easier. This drill will definitely become a part of my regular practice.

[jthhapkido]

Hands at sides, Gen 4 G17 in a BladeTech DOH, CR Speed belt and mag in a CR Speed Versa-pouch (typical USPSA Production rig)
Speed reload (not really "speed" when I do it)
Starting PAR: 4.05 (just shot it comfortably, and used that PAR to start)
Best PAR (all hits): 3.25
# rounds fired: 48 rounds

...blew a couple early on, settled down and got hits, then reached 3.25 and pretty much stayed there. Went down then up then down then up---just bounced around 3.25.

I wish I could use the excuse "It was dark!" because it was, but that wasn't really the problem. My reloads ranged from 1.63 to 1.98, and that was the real problem.

I also was an idiot who printed out several 6" circle targets to use, but forgot them at home, so I used the small inner circle on a standard paper plate. A little small, but close enough to 6" to do the job.

Time to go dryfire practice some reloads on the clock.

[Stuffbreaker]

Start position: Concealed from T-shirt , CB Supertuck at 3:30 - HK P30LS V3 9mm in Condition 1
Type of reload: Slidelock
Starting PAR: 4.5 seconds
Best PAR (all hits): 4.3 seconds
# of rounds fired total: 30

I set out to run 60 rounds with this drill, but lost interest early on as I bounced around my starting PAR. After the DotW, I stepped on the gas for another ten strings of 1-R-2. My best clean run was 3.93 with several 3.8-ish at (-1). Though I didn't enjoy the initial drill much, it nudged me along my way to self improvement. Just two months ago I struggled to break 4.5 seconds in a 1-R-1, but now that PAR is my comfort zone for a 1-R-2. The drills and dry fire seem to be working.

The basic movements of my draw and reload are very fast, but my sluggish press outs are killing my times. This drill worked those areas hard.

[Serpico1985]

Start position: AIWB CCC Looper under a t-shirt, CCC BMC also under t-shirt
Type of reload: slide-lock
Starting PAR: 5.00
Best PAR (all hits): 4.70
# of rounds fired total: 50

Good drill. Helped re-enforced what I already knew. If I don't get a proper grip on the mag before I draw it from the pouch the reload will have a %50 chance of going to $hit. A couple times when I was rushing it I nearly missed the entire magwell, holding the mag in a clam-shell type grip. Then when I do get the mag in I rush the shoots to make par and big surprise I drop'em. Nothing makes you feel better than missing the entire magwell on a reload with a bunch of other shooters standing around.