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Thread: Dry draws: a 9 month path to first shot speed

  1. #1

    Dry draws: a 9 month path to first shot speed

    Last December I was issued a new duty pistol and duty holster.

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    Defeating the retention and getting an A zone hit at 7 yards was taking me just shy of 2 seconds to complete. So I set out on the elusive “sub second” first shot on target.

    Five days a week I’ve done hundreds of dry draws utilizing a free shot timer app plus monthly live fire with my dedicated shot timer. It seemed like I shaved a tenth every month but I still couldn’t break the low ones live. I could do it dry.... but something was holding me back.

    Yesterday....in 90° heat..... I started getting these:

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    Then, on the fifth run, I finally did it.

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    Ammo shortage forced me to run more dry draws and it turns out that’s what I needed to get over the hump.

    Dry reloads is next on the list.

    Dry fire was key for bullseye and I should have known to practice draws more in my living room to speed up. My stubbornness is a hard habit to break.

    Regards.

  2. #2
    I use one of the Laserlyte targets for my dry fire practice. I find it to be an excellent addition to my practice. It’s definitely something to check out.

  3. #3
    Sub 1s with the SLS hood sounds pretty sporty! Congrats on meeting your goal.

  4. #4
    Yeah man, SLS hood w/ALS, that's level III. You are smokin' in my book.

    You're on the right track. You've done exactly what should be done to improve. Very good.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter Clark Jackson's Avatar
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    Awesome job. Hard work always beats lazy talent.

    Now onto crushing it from concealment.
    "True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." -Arthur Ashe

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Clark Jackson View Post
    Awesome job. Hard work always beats lazy talent.

    Now onto crushing it from concealment.
    If that's a ALS+SLS honestly I think it would be easier from concealment. I've hit sub second draws from AIWB before but never from level 3 retention (not that I use level 3 retention often).

  7. #7
    Site Supporter Clark Jackson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eyesquared View Post
    If that's a ALS+SLS honestly I think it would be easier from concealment. I've hit sub second draws from AIWB before but never from level 3 retention (not that I use level 3 retention often).
    You're not wrong. Given the right holster, carry position, and concealment garment it can absolutely be easier than any open carry holster with some level of active retention.

    That said, if you carry strong side (OWB or IWB) it can definitely slow you down over an open carry, active retention holster. I tried my hand at the Level III type holster (just for fun) and found it to be easier to maintain a consistent, fast, and unhindered draw compared to the draw from concealment. I did have hiccups, but they seemed less frequent and less catastrophic to those experienced from concealment.

    I'm not big into the sub-second draw thing, but I was able to get close to that with a Level III holster with the Safariland 6354DO using an ALS guard, not SLS hood.

    From strong side OWB concealed (Tenicor ARX SOL or JM Custom OWB2 with a button down shirt), I can get into the low 1.40's on an A Zone or 8" circle @7-yards. But that's about as fast as I go without the wheels coming off. When I was playing with the 6354DO, I wasn't happy with anything above a 1.50 under the same distance/target conditions.

    From my concealment set up, I'm happy with anything below a 1.75.
    "True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." -Arthur Ashe

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