In order to use your handgun effectively you will need to practice various drills. Having a concealed carry permit and handgun will no doubt boost your confidence but if you cannot use the gun properly then it may be a false sense of security. You need to reach a stage where using the handgun is second nature and this can only be achieved with practice.
If you have not developed the required skills then when it is time to defend yourself you may fail. If you are serious about defending yourself then you should practice some of the following drills whenever you get a chance.
Dry Fire
Dry fire drills are conducted with an unloaded firearm It is important that you check your gun to make sure it is unloaded before using it for dry fire drills Make sure that you thoroughly check the chamber and magazines and always treat the handgun as if it we’re loaded. Dry fire drills allow you to practice a series of actions such as drawing, gripping, presenting and firing. And of course you’re going to save money because no ammunition is used. You can repeat these drills hundreds of times until you will no longer even need to think about your actions, it will come naturally.
Grip Drills
You will need a consistent firm grip to use firearms effectively. Try this dry fire drill to check if there are any problems with your grip. Have your firearm drawn and ready to fire at a target that is roughly 3 yards away. Have another person tap the bottom of the firearm every time you pull the trigger to simulate the recoil. if you have a firm grip there will be little movement when the firearm is tapped. If there is movement you will need to practice this drill until you have eliminated any movement. This is a basic skill needed to use a firearm but is often overlooked in training courses.
Trigger Drills
Pulling the trigger correctly will give you a much more accurate shot. if the trigger is jerked then your shots will not hit the target. This could be dangerous if you have to use the gun in public as you could end up hitting a bystander. You can test out your trigger Control by placing a coin on top of the handgun. If the the coin remains on top of the handgun when you pull the trigger then you have nothing to worry about. If however the coin falls off then you will need to do some more practice.
Natural Aiming Area Drill
This is another drill that can help with accuracy and hitting the intended Target. A laser trainer is required for this drill although you could use dry fire but you won’t get the same feedback results it’s with a laser. A door knob makes the best target to use. Place the target three to five yards that way. Aim for the target and close your eyes. draw a Figure 8 with the gun Still pointing towards the target Now with the laser system activated pull the trigger and open your eyes to see with the laser landed. Keep doing this until you can hit the target with the laser With your eyes closed.
Drawing Drill
Drawing from concealment can have a few challenges depending on where the weapon is concealed and what position you are in. For example if you were sitting in a vehicle it would be difficult to draw your handgun if it was in your back waistband. Or you could have clothing covering the weapon. To begin place an unloaded handgun in your holster. Conceal the handgun in the location you intend to carry it. Locate a target and then draw your weapon calling out “Threat”. Hold yourself in this position to assess your posture. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable drawing the handgun. You may need to choose another concealment location if you find it difficult to draw. Many training courses do not teach drawing drills but it is something that you will need to practice to be confident you can make a safe quick draw when facing an attacker.
Reloading Drills
The are situations where you could have used all your ammunition and you need to reload your handgun quickly. You certainly don’t want to be fumbling around for ammunition at a critical time like this. Without any training that’s exactly what will happen. You will need plenty of practice on the following drills to become proficient in them. The best way to do these drills is to start off by doing each action slowly while stating to yourself what you are doing. This will keep you focused on the task.
How to perform a drill on a revolver?
- First, push the cylinder release button
- Now swing the cylinder out
- Point the barrel of the gun upwards
- Hit the ejection rod with the palm of your hand
- Using a speed loader place new rounds into the cylinder
- Close the cylinder
How to perform a drill on a semi-auto pistol?
- Hold the spare magazine with your free hand
- Feel the noise of the top bullet to check The magazine is in the right direction
- Hold the Spare magazine in your hand between your index finger and middle finger
- Simultaneously press the magazine release with your thumb and reach for the bottom of the grip Drop the Empty magazine into your hand
- Load the new magazine and then release the slide