JJ Racaza hybrid drill

[GJM]

My wife and I recently attended a class with JJ at Pro Gun near Las Vegas. Before I forget, JJ is moving to Tampa, Florida for family reasons. Our loss out west, but a great opportunity for east coast folks to get more of JJ. JJ is constantly evolving, and one drill he demoed for the class, that I had never heard of, stood out.

This drill is done with a loaded pistol, on the range. How you do the drill is to set up a difficult array, draw and prep the trigger simulating whatever shots would be required based on paper or steel targets, transitioning and prepping through the various targets, until you reach the last shot, at which point you fire that shot, giving you a total time on the timer for the drill. You do that a number of times that way, working on prep and transitions. After that, you shoot the entire drill live fire, and get your time, which should be the same as what you were seeing dry fire, assuming you were conscientiously prepping and seeing a proper sight picture.

JJ developed this drill when he didn’t have enough ammo, since you only need one cartridge per run, and can still get a time. As he got to the point he had all the training ammo he needed, he realized that the prepping and transitioning without live shots masking imperfections in technique, had big training benefits. The loaded pistol keeps you honest with your prepping, since you get an immediate loud noise if you don’t do that part properly.

My wife have been using this drill the last few days and feel it is valuable. See what you think.

PS, for DA/SA pistols, you need two rounds. Fire an initial DA shot on shot one, prep in SA throughout the array, and finish with the final shot on the timer.

[1Rangemaster]

Now that is neat!
What would you consider a “difficult array”, please? I realize limited only by imagination, but suggest would be appreciated.

[GJM]

Now that is neat!
What would you consider a “difficult array”, please? I realize limited only by imagination, but suggest would be appreciated.

Wide open close targets don’t require prepping, since you can slap the trigger on them, and don’t lend themselves to this drill. Our array today included a skunk target at 18 yards and eight inch steel at 15 and 20 yards.

[1Rangemaster]

Thanks-and thanks again for sharing the concept.
Will most probably try it this weekend.

[GJM]

Here is another JJ nugget. When he is working dry fire draws, he uses a par time on his timer. However, he draws to a prepped sight picture, but doesn’t press the trigger until the second beep of the par time happens, at which point he tries to work the trigger as fast as possible without disturbing the sights. That keeps him from making a crappy trigger press as part of “making the par time,” and allows him to evaluate his trigger press without The external time pressure of trying to make a par.

[MGW]

I do a lot of dry fire work just prepping the trigger. I never thought of trying the same concept in live fire.