Week 246: Skills Check: Concealed-Carry Pistol Drill

[Mr_White]

Week 246: Skills Check: Concealed-Carry Pistol Drill

Results may be posted until January 8th, 2018.

Designed by: Ed Head
Range: 3-10 yards
Target: Two IDPA (or any silhouette target with an 8" circle in the body) PLUS 3x5 added to the head
Start Position: Varies
Rounds Fired: 20

Many thanks to Chris Edwards for suggesting this DotW!

This is a concealed carry skills check designed by Gunsite Instructor Ed Head - see article here: https://www.shootingillustrated.com/...-pistol-drill/

String 1: 3 yards, draw from concealment, 2 shots COM on ONE target only, 2 seconds, strong hand only

String 2: Repeat String 1

String 3: 3 yards, draw from concealment, 2 shots COM, 1 shot CNS on ONE target only, 3 seconds, freestyle

String 4: Repeat String 3

String 5: 5 yards, draw from concealment, 2 shots COM on BOTH targets, 4 seconds, freestyle

String 6: 10 yards, low ready, 2 shots COM on ONE target only, 4 seconds, freestyle

String 7: 10 yards, low ready, 2 shots COM on BOTH targets, 5 seconds, freestyle

Since scoring isn't specified in the original article, let's use pass/fail - if you made all the hits in the 8" circle and/or 3x5, and were under the par time, you pass the string. If you pass all the strings, you pass the drill.

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

Equipment used (pistol, holster, optional concealment garment
Pass or Fail (and which strings failed if any)
Anything you noticed

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.

[retdusm]

Wilson Centurion Tactical, Wilson low profile OWB holster concealed under a jacket.
Pass all strings
Thought the times would be hard for an old geezer but that was not the case. Very practical drill and will shoot it often!

[MVS]

Too cold for my normal CC gear. Used Fricke OWB with an open front down coat as concealment.

String 1) 1.66 seconds
String 2) 1.59
String 3) 2.23
String 4) 2.37
String 5) 2.79
String 6) 1.33 -1
String 7) 3.05

Fail. Called the down 1 on string 6, but it still makes it a fail. Ran the whole things two more times because it was good practice and passed both of those.

Does anyone else have problems keeping a good grip on a Glock when it gets below 40 degrees?

[That Guy]

My, it has been a while since I last publicly humiliated myself, hasn't it?

Part of that is because of my intensive training schedule: in October, I managed to shoot one (1) IDPA low light training session. In November, I got a massive 38 rounds into my first and only pistol training session of the month when I had to stop because reasons. I shot this DotW as the first pistol rounds fired during the month of December.

I used my PX4 full size 9mm in an JMCK IWB holster. My concealment garment was a peacoat type jacket. It is a very nice jacket in many ways - unfortunately pistol shooting is not one of those ways. The cut of the jacket restricts movement a bit and getting the jacket out of the way during the draw can be tricky sometimes. So the jacket does tend to slow me down some, at least when I've tried it in dry fire.

My total score was: FAIL Specifically:

String 1: Jacket got in the way, slow on the draw. Fail.
String 2: Jacket got in the way, slow on the draw. Fail.
String 3: Jacket got in the way, slow on the draw. Fail.
String 4: Jacket got in the way, slow on the draw. Fail.
String 5: Pass.
String 6: Pass.
String 7: Pass.

Observations: This drill got exponentially easier as strings progressed. The time limits in especially the strings that start from low ready are from an entirely different planet than the time limits in the earlier strings. I basically had time to take a nap after shooting the last two strings, while I waited for the timer to beep...

Can we do this again some time next summer? This would be a much easier drill without winter clothing getting in the way.

[BehindBlueI's]

I ran #5 twice, as the first time I failed by putting one round just high on a body shot. Second time was clean. Every thing else was clean the first go.

G17M, Red Nichols OWB, concealed under a GI Gortex.

The Gortex sucks for this, but it was cold. Several times I grabbed the elastic cord that's inside the coat as I grabbed the pistol, which contributed to my fail on #5. It startled me to find the cord and then I rushed to make up that wasted time.

[BehindBlueI's]

Does anyone else have problems keeping a good grip on a Glock when it gets below 40 degrees?

I haven't noticed it with the G17M. I never felt like I had a good grip on the G22 4th gen, period.

[MVS]

I have never put much stock into all of that aftermarket stippling, but I may have to rethink that. Weird thing is, as I get better and faster I seem to notice it more.

[1Rangemaster]

Tried this today on indoor range, the last two strings in low light because I could...
Equipment: Gen5 17 w/Inforce APLc mounted, Safariland ALS holster concealed under “windbreaker” style jacket; audible timer start, ammo was 147 gr. JHP used by local LE.
Pass on all strings, barely on first strings of 2 seconds and one 3 shot string. Targets were IDPA with a circle in center of head.
Notes: Too close for comfort on 2 second times, and pushed shots low in circles mashing trigger(but still in “down zero”). A commendable drill, and worth the effort. Mr. Rehns site allows for longer times, different start positions for training purposes.
Recommended, especially for the nod to “real world” gear and ammo.

[1Rangemaster]

Shot this one more time after Week 247 drill(2 rounds to 3x5). Was on indoor range with turning targets, so used a visual start(but pushed activating button).
Pass on all strings.
I did not feel “pushed” on the 2/3 seconds strings; not entirely sure why. Self starting, maybe, rather than waiting for beep? The longer times and distances were more like precision shooting, as I knew I had time.
Still in all, an informative exercise, and I’ll put this drill in with some of Hackathorns(e.g.,”Wizard”, “Head Shot Standards”) as a quick efficient eval./skill check. Thanks again

[revchuck38]

Ran this this morning, went from bad to almost there to passing.

Equipment used: S&W M681, Dillon Leather OWB holster, my old ESR load of a 158-grain RNL at ~1090 fps, Columbia fleece vest for concealment, IDPA practice target with a 3x5 card centered on the upper -0 ring.

First try: Fail

String 1: 2.00 -1
String 2: 2.03
String 3: 2.84
String 4: 2.88
String 5: 4.25 -2, both pulled low left on the same target. Much blue language ensued.
String 6: 3.09
String 7: 4.67

Second try: Fail

String 1: 1.98
String 2: 1.98
String 3: 2.54
String 4: 2.68
String 5: 4.01 -1 (Missed it by this much...)
String 6: 2.57
String 7: 4.80

Third try: Pass ('Bout damn time!)

String 1: 1.92
String 2: 1.83
String 3: 2.51
String 4: 2.67
String 5: 3.74
String 6: 3.20
String 7: 4.86 (Used my carry load for this string, Remington 158-grain SJHP, recoil was only slightly heavier.)

Things I noticed: Stainless sights on an overcast day are...ah...less than optimal. The "aim small, miss small" thing is true - the dropped head shot was still in the -0 ring. String 5 is NOT hard, but I'm not the only one who messed it up. The impact spread got smaller as I progressed - the hole (singular) in the target I used for strings 1-4 was too big to paste on the third try, and the head shots on that try were centered in the card and about a half inch apart. There's a good chance that it might've been luck, but I'll take it.