DotW 10: 99 Drill

[JFK]

This is the first time that I did this drill and it is now my favorite. I see this as not only a drill but a real well rounded training regiment for a quick range session. I liked it so much I did it twice. The first was on a 4x6 the second on a 3x6. I know that 3x6 is non standard but all I had with me to draw a box was my ammo box.

Gear: M&P 9mm in C&D AIWB (pink, yes the color makes a difference) from concealment, pull over jacket.
Target: 1st 4x6 head box, 2nd 3x6 box
Score Run 1: -5 all under par
-4 all under par
-2 all hits, two over par
-1 all under par
Total Score: 87

Score Run 2: -9 all misses over par
-4 all under par
-5 all under par
-5 all under par
Total Score: 76

This drill has made it apparent that I am on the cusp of braking a speed / accuracy balance barrier. When I speed up I am dropping shots. When I get good hits I am a bit too slow.

[ToddG]

Gents -- If you cannot break 90 with the 4x6, it's probably not time to try the 3x5 yet.

[DocGKR]

I had never done the 99 Drill before and was curious how this would work out. Because of fading daylight on the outdoor range this evening, I had a very limited time to shoot and was only able to run the 99 Drill and nothing else.

Start position: G19 w/RMR concealed in Fricke Seraphim AIWB under unzipped soft shell jacket
Target used: 4x6 card

Score for each of the four strings of fire:
7 yards, 2.5sec PAR: 23
7 yards, 5.0sec PAR: 26
10 yards, 3.5sec PAR: 27
15 yards, 5.0sec PAR: 8

Total score: 84/99

After tallying my points, I dropped a 3x5 card on top of my target to see how I would have potentially scored using the smaller 3x5 scoring zone...not so good; it would have worked out as 17/22/20/7 for a pathetic virtual score of 66/99.

For me, the most difficult portion of the test was the first subset of 3 shots in 2.5 sec at 7 yds. The farther from the target I got, the more comfortable I became. I suspect I would have not dropped any shots on the 15 yd subset if darkness had not been encroaching. I'll definitely be adding this drill to my routine.

[jetfire]

Once again I find myself getting my ass straight handed to me by the 99 Drill. This was my first practice session with the Gen4 Glock 21.

Start position: Comp-Tac paddle holster concealed under an IDPA vest.
Target: 4x6 card
String 1: 23
String 2: 29
String 3: 27
String 4: 8

Total Score: 87/99

On string 1 I just went bananas against the par time. I was getting three shots off in around 2ish seconds consistently, which would have been great if they'd been hits. I only had three clean reps on all of string one. String 2-4 I managed to settle down and shoot it much closer to my skill level, but damn.

[Pennzoil]

Start position: concealed closed front shirt AIWB M&P FS, Shaggy, BMC
• 4x6 card
• String 1 - missed par 4x missed card 4x
String 2 - missed par 4x
String 3 - Missed card 2x
String 4 - Missed card 2x Rushed and didn't use my time appropriately
• 83

This has been my favorite drill since it first came out even though it kicks my butt everytime.

[chris]

Start position: G19 Concelaed under T-shirt and jacket w\safariland m27 holster.

Target: 4x6
7 yards, 2.5sec PAR: 19
7 yards, 5.0sec PAR: 16
10 yards, 3.5sec PAR: 16
15 yards, 5.0sec PAR: 5

Total score: 53

Well, if this were golf I'd be very pleased. I found a comic strip of Calvin & Hobbes (that i couldn't upload for some reason?) that summed up this drill perfectly-- the jist of it was Calvin decides to remain ignorant to the world around him so that he can lead a life of bliss. The past few weeks i've been practicing my draw and reloads during dry fire and have been noticing a small but definite improvement in my range sessions and had been feeling quite blissful up until I gave this weeks DotW a try: my feeling of bliss vanished immediatley once I realized how long I still have to go before I come even close to reaching the level the majority of the members of this forum are curently at. I'll get there though, eventually I will get there!!

[CCT125US]

* Start position: AIWB Comp-Tac 2 o' clock (yeah I know...)
* target used: 3x5
* score for each of the four strings of fire: S1 28 -2 miss, S2 27 -1 miss -2 OT, S3 26 -1 miss -3 OT, S4 7 -2 miss
* total score: 88/99

HKP30 V3 Heinie S8Q

My challenge was starting with a good press out. If that was solid, the rest fell in place. As a side note this was really the third outing where I used an AIWB for live fire. Up until this session I have done maybe 100 draws to the 3x5 and 100 1R2 to the 3x5 and 8". It is certainly faster than my CBST at 3:30....

[BaiHu]

I feel like some of these drills should have a difficulty rating. Kinda like Mickey Mouse holding his hand at a certain height to see if you're tall enough to 'enjoy the ride'.
That being said, it was dark and I had only 30 minutes to complete half the drill, b/c my range closes at 5pm.

OWB Comptac not concealed (I was prepared for this being hard)
HKP30 9mm V3
4X6 inch card

On the first string I missed 12 and never made par, so is that -24 for a score of 8?
On the second string, I made PAR for all but one (reload error), but I missed 12, so is that a 17?
That being said, I guess I scored a 25 out of the first 60 points and I ran out of light/time and I knew I did not need to challenge myself any further-I had my work cut out for me.
In the end, I'm just not ready for this drill and I need a LOT of 'customization' of this drill like longer PAR times and maybe a shorter distance until I can work up to just getting the first part of the drill down tight.

The most common word I hear about this drill is 'humbling' and that's spot on for me.

[JodyH]

This drill still kicks my ass and I came up with it.
I designed it as a "Value Pack" practice session that would push me from a 5-6 sec. FAST down to a 4-5 sec. FAST.

Some alternatives that you might try depending on skill level are:

• 5-8-12 yard, 4x6, with the same par times
• 7-10-15 yards, same par times, upper half of an IPSC A zone (6" x 6") target.
• 7-10-15 yards, same par times, IDPA -0 (8" diameter) target.

The thought process behind each drills distance/par were:

• The first string is all about accuracy at SPEED, emphasis on speed, no mercy, you screw up the draw or press out and it costs you a point.
• The next string is about a solid draw and a solid reload, get them both right and you have plenty of time to make the hits.
• String three is accuracy at speed again, but the scale is tipped to accuracy. The faster your draw the more time you have to make precision shots.
• String four is pure accuracy, taking plenty of time you should still have .5 to a full second to spare.

Make this drill your own, but always push yourself.
If you're shooting in the 90's every time, ratchet up the difficulty.

If all else fails, borrow Todd's "JodyH voodoo doll" and stab it a few times, You'll feel better, I promise.

[ToddG]

If all else fails, borrow Todd's "JodyH voodoo doll" and stab it a few times, You'll feel better, I promise.

This. Something tells me that after this week, if enough people play with their JodyH voodoo dolls, Jody won't be having any more children again for a good while.

Thanks for explaining the thought process behind each string of fire, Jody. As I've said many times, this is one of the best "practice session plus test in-a-can" drills I've ever seen for demanding pistol shooting.