In
the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of competing in eight
Texas Adjutant General’s Combat Marksmanship competitions. Commonly
known as the “Governor’s Twenty”, these matches identify the
top eight pistol and rifle marksmen, and the top two sniper and light
machine-gun marksmen from all branches of the Texas Military Forces.
These competitions are unquestionably the most fun, challenging, and
rewarding undertakings I have experienced in my four years of
service.
The
difference between success and participation is significant, but
achieving the former is not insurmountable. Competitors, who take the
time to learn proper techniques and practice them until they become
instinctual, have a significant edge over those who simply send lead
down range. The key to success in any endeavor is to do the right
things and to do them so often that they become second nature.
Training, and lots of it, is the difference between success and
participation.
To
that end, I would like to share some training tips that I have picked
up from some of the best military pistol shooters in the country.
Utilize these, and you’ll be well on your way to better defensive
pistol craft and perhaps even a Governor’s Twenty tab on your
shoulder.
STANCE
The
stance is the foundation for your shooting position. It should be
solid, balanced, and allow for rapid movement. Ideally, your shooting
position should be the same for pistol and rifle, allowing for the
most rapid transition between platforms. A “fighter’s stance”
with feet shoulder width apart allows for optimum balance and recoil
distribution. The non-firing foot should be slightly forward
approximately six inches (toe to arch) and pointed in the target’s
direction. The other foot can be turned outward up to 45 degrees to
improve balance. Waist is slightly bent at the torso as if you are
leaning into the weapon. When presenting the weapon, roll elbows
inward and bring shoulders towards your ears, keeping arms
symmetrical. By leaning into the weapon with arms and upper torso
square to the target, the pistol will return to it’s natural point
of aim after each shot, greatly increasing the speed with which
follow-up shots can be made.
PRESENTATION/DRAW
Real
life almost always requires that your sidearm be holstered. As such,
it is critically important to practice drawing your weapon and
acquiring your target as expeditiously as possible. Most competitions
require that weapons be at the “high ready” prior to each stage.
This position has the pistol pointing downrange, slightly downward,
and at the shooter’s chest. This is the ideal starting point for
quickly acquiring targets, since it allows the shooter to press
outward with the pistol while simultaneously acquiring proper sight
alignment. Shooters who use the “low ready” position raise their
weapon to the target, and will often overshoot the target, wasting
precious seconds adjusting to find the target which is now obscured
by their weapon. When drawing from a holster, first bring the weapon
to the “high ready” and the receiving hand that should be
pre-positioned at the chest. Next, press out with the weapon directly
towards the target simultaneously lining up the front sight with the
target. This is a muscle memory type skill that requires significant
repetition. Video taping this movement will provide valuable feedback
to the shooter.
GRIP
Poor
grip is arguably the greatest factor in weapon failure and overall
inaccuracy. With your firing hand, grasp the pistol with the web of
your hand as high as possible on the backstrap of the pistol. Point
your index finger parallel to the bore of the weapon and towards your
intended target. Your index finger should always remain here until a
target is acquired and you are ready to fire. With your off-hand,
rotate your thumb forward so that your palm covers the greatest
amount of exposed surface area on the pistol’s grip frame. Wrap
four fingers over your firing hand below the trigger guard. Place
your thumb alongside the frame opposite your index finger of your
firing hand. The thumb of your firing hand should be placed above the
other thumb, pressing down slightly to lock in place. In order to
isolate your trigger finger and to avoid inaccuracy that comes with
squeezing the grip hand, increase the grip strength of your off-hand
so that it amounts to 60%-70% of the total grip, with the other
30%-40% being attributed to the firing hand. Pinch the heels of your
hands together to get a full grip. If you start trembling or get
white knuckles, you are probably gripping too hard. In my opinion,
the pistol is going to recoil whether you like it or not. If you have
proper grip and stance, the pistol will return to its natural point
of aim, so don’t fight recoil by gripping harder. Rather, provide
just enough grip to control the weapon in order to work with the
recoil rather than fighting against it.
SIGHT
PICTURE/ACQUISITION
This
can be summed up rather quickly. Watch the front sight. If your
weapon presentation, stance, and grip are where they are supposed to
be, you will quickly discover that your front and rear sights are
lined up in all but the most unusual shooting positions. Therefore,
it is most important that you practice placing the front sight on
your intended target. Remember, if you are presenting your weapon
from the “high ready” you will have a split second to begin this
process before the weapon is fully extended. With practice, your
target and front sight will be aligned the moment your arms reach
full extension. Eventually, the movement from holster, to high ready,
to presentation and sight acquisition will become one fluid motion.
TRIGGER
CONTROL
Two
words…slack out. The quickest way to reduce group size is simply,
slack out. Shooters who stoke through the trigger will invariably go
off target when they meet that final bit of resistance before the
trigger breaks clean. This is particularly true of striker-fired
pistols that have a slightly heavier trigger pull than their
single-action counterparts or single/double action platforms. “Slack
out”, essentially means to take the slack out of the trigger by
pulling it until just before the trigger breaks. Then, simply click
the trigger as you would click a mouse without increasing the grip
squeeze of your firing hand. This allows the trigger finger to remain
isolated and helps to prevent lateral pressure on the trigger.
Furthermore, experienced shooters will release the trigger only far
enough to feel the trigger reset after the weapon has discharged,
thus allowing for faster follow up shots and decreased likelihood of
stroking through the trigger.
SUMMARY
Again, training and practice is key to success. With ammunition prices and shortages being at an all time high, one may wonder how to go about training without breaking the bank. One very inexpensive method is dry fire practice. Dry fire practice allows the shooter to practice grip, trigger control, weapon presentation and transitions. For instance, it is not unusual to find some reduced size 8.5x11 figure 11 targets taped to my living room wall while I practice drawing, acquiring sights, and manipulating the trigger from the opposite side of the room. Additionally, I will tape multiple target and practice smoothly transitioning from one target to another. Why reduced sized targets? Aim small, miss small, is the name of the game. Other training methods include using .22 rimfire kits and even .22 pistols for cost savings. Ultimately, however, it is necessary to shoot full power loads to find your personal rhythm for accurate and fast pistol fire. Once you have mastered these techniques, then you can begin to focus on shooting from barricaded positions, kneeling, prone, unsupported, weak-hand, and shooting while moving. All of these require a substantial amount of practice and a fair amount of dedication. In fact, it is not unusual for me to expend approximately 500 rounds of ammunition per week in the months leading up to each competition. It isn’t cheap, but the satisfaction that comes from earning a Governor’s Twenty tab is priceless.
Again, training and practice is key to success. With ammunition prices and shortages being at an all time high, one may wonder how to go about training without breaking the bank. One very inexpensive method is dry fire practice. Dry fire practice allows the shooter to practice grip, trigger control, weapon presentation and transitions. For instance, it is not unusual to find some reduced size 8.5x11 figure 11 targets taped to my living room wall while I practice drawing, acquiring sights, and manipulating the trigger from the opposite side of the room. Additionally, I will tape multiple target and practice smoothly transitioning from one target to another. Why reduced sized targets? Aim small, miss small, is the name of the game. Other training methods include using .22 rimfire kits and even .22 pistols for cost savings. Ultimately, however, it is necessary to shoot full power loads to find your personal rhythm for accurate and fast pistol fire. Once you have mastered these techniques, then you can begin to focus on shooting from barricaded positions, kneeling, prone, unsupported, weak-hand, and shooting while moving. All of these require a substantial amount of practice and a fair amount of dedication. In fact, it is not unusual for me to expend approximately 500 rounds of ammunition per week in the months leading up to each competition. It isn’t cheap, but the satisfaction that comes from earning a Governor’s Twenty tab is priceless.
