Larry Vickers "The Test"

[GJM]

I got an old companion back today: a Colt LW Commander in .45acp that had the slide refinished and a gold bead front sight installed. I maybe bring this old warhorse out once a year for sentimental reasons. I wanted to check the sights quickly in close, so I decided a quick run of the Test in its classic form: 8 rounds from the draw on a B8. I checked hits at 3,5 and 7 yards just to make sure things weren’t way off-gtg. Put the target at 10 yards and let’r rip! All in the black in 10.29 seconds; 95 points scored, grouping slightly right.
I recall Ken Hackathorn would give .30 seconds to account for the buzzer, and I’m taking that today. 230 hardball was a little startling after all the 9x19 over the past year.
A run to finish with my work G45 and a Holosun EPS yielded a 98 in 9 seconds and change, all “in the black”. The 9 in a polymer gun with optic is just easier. Nice to know I can hit ok with both still.

Same test, Gen 5 20 with Underwood hard cast.



It is a tad bit easier with 9mm!

[JHC]

Tad bit????

[1Rangemaster]

Very nice work @GJM! That’s like, what $20+ of ammo in less time than it takes a bill to burn ?!

You recall your score w/the nine?

[1Rangemaster]

…as it’s intriguing to me.
I shot this with a co-worker at lunch time. Pretty sure he had 10/10-the Post-it note flapped, and I had a 9/10-argh! The miss at 3 o’clock, 1/4 inch off, was from a two shot sequence. I just need to tighten up the grip a bit. G45 w/a red 6 moa EPS and a Performance Trigger we are evaluating.
I shot it a little later w/a new G44. All of this is on an illuminated indoor range. Because I was checking zero, I did it at 6 yards and got 10/10. It occurs to me that the G44 might be fun and instructive at 10 yards with the Heinie fiber optic sight I put on.
I’ll get 10 for 10 with everything at some point…

Oops- this should be on the Dyal thread- oh well…

[Crusader]

Big fan of the test, with a Glock 44 it feels like you’re cheating. Getting a 100 in the 7 second range is very doable, 9mm Glocks with a 99-97 in the 8’s is normal. With .40’s I almost always pass but in the 9 second range with usually 2 or three in the 9 ring.

But whatever the reason, I suck with a 45 in the test. Usually don’t pass, either 1 or 2 shots in the 8 or if I get all 10 in I’m over the lime limit. I’m actually dreading trying it with my G41 failing the Test with a long slide Glock what an ego crusher.

[RJ]

I'm always glad to see this thread get topped, the test has been a staple of mine for a while. And Ken even has a version for us boomers:

[RJ]

So out of interest I fitted a closer fit bushing from EGW in my Garrison and reshot The Test today (8). Although my score was identical (74) my group size seemed a little better.

I had been looking at a new video by Rob of British Muzzleloaders on YT, and he mentioned the term "Figure of Merit" he was using as part of his work up on a new Martini Carbine. Apparently, FOM is a measure of the mean radial distance from the center of the group. It turns out Rob posted a link to his "FOM Calculator", an *.xls file, on the video where he goes into this. Anyway, one thing led to another and I populated a FOM spreadsheet using the data from both targets (stock Springfield Bushing and EGW bushing).

I downloaded the file, converted it to *.ods so I could import it into LibreOffice on my Linux box, and entered the X and Y data. (Shout out to @stomridertx for his very useful B-8's, with 1" grid. They make it very easy.)



This is a bit busy, but on the left is the FOM for the gun with stock parts, and on the right with the EGW bushing.

FOM (stock): 1.69", Group Size 5.36"
FOM (EGW): 1.19" Group size 3.12"

The only differences are the left hand target was shot with American Eagle 230 FMJ, and the right with Federal Hi-Shok 230 JHP. Oh and I had a Talon front strap on the gun today, added recently.

I am pretty pleased with the apparent reduction in group size. I can perhaps attribute some of that to more accurate ammo (maybe?) but I don't have a lot of extensive experience with .45 to know. I picked AE as a reliable ball load, and the Hi-shok as a (relatively) affordable standard pressure JHP for Pin Shooting.

Now I just have to figure out POA for my current sights, and I should have 8 in the black.

[Crusader]

That’s pretty neat, what kind of times are you getting. For me to get all eight in the black, I go over the 10 sec time.

I don’t shoot my 45s often, but I looked back over my training log this year at times I ran a 45 in the test. I don’t usually add up my score just look at goes and no goes.

Here’s what I’ve done with 45s.

Kimber CDP pro- 6 goes 2 8’s in 10.15
M&P 45- 9 goes 1-8 10.56
SA MC-OP- all 8 goes, but in a whopping 12.45
SA TRP- all 8 goes, but over the rime 10.66

So only ran a 45 four times this year in the test, but ouch…0 for 4. It really stumps me as with 9 and even 40 I always pass, it’s pretty weird.

[RJ]

That’s pretty neat, what kind of times are you getting. For me to get all eight in the black, I go over the 10 sec time.

I don’t shoot my 45s often, but I looked back over my training log this year at times I ran a 45 in the test. I don’t usually add up my score just look at goes and no goes.

Here’s what I’ve done with 45s.

Kimber CDP pro- 6 goes 2 8’s in 10.15
M&P 45- 9 goes 1-8 10.56
SA MC-OP- all 8 goes, but in a whopping 12.45
SA TRP- all 8 goes, but over the rime 10.66

So only ran a 45 four times this year in the test, but ouch…0 for 4. It really stumps me as with 9 and even 40 I always pass, it’s pretty weird.

I don't have access to a range where I can draw from the holster unfortunately, so I make do at the square range. I've taken my timer a couple times but it has a hard time separating shots from the stalls next to me. So I just do the best I can from low ready, shooting at cadence to finish within "8 seconds." (I think I recall reading somewhere Ken's guidelines for The Test with an 8 shot mag was 8 seconds?) For me it's more about consistency as I'm not a particularly good shooter. Having said that, you raise a good point; I can certainly bring my AMG Commander with me next weekly range session. I go during the week and there's a decent chance not so many people are around me.

Lately I've been shooting this drill exploring the TLG approach to using your sights that TCinVA outlined in his excellent thread below. Basically, if I see the target framed in the rear window, press (don't wait). Funny, my groups are better the faster I shoot, it almost feels like.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ng-your-sights

[breakingtime91]

First test in a year.