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How to increase speed

8K views 43 replies 21 participants last post by  john1badass45 
#1 ·
I'm relatively new to handguns. Like many, I got my concealed carry license, but hadn't practiced much. I did practice at least a little.

When I went to my refresher class, I was appalled by the shooting I saw. We shot 20 untimed rounds first from 21 feet. I was able to keep them all within about an 8" group (not good in my opinion) and that was at least 2x better than the next best shooter.

Anyway, I decided to get serious about training with my carry gun. Now I can put 50 rounds (more if I had time and ammo) in a 4" group. If I shoot controlled pairs, the grouping opens up to about 6" with a few fliers.

So, what I want to know is how to improve? I want to shoot accurately, but with alacrity. I'm of the school that says put two quickly into the bad guy, asses, then, if necessary, two more.

I want those first two to be well placed shots, but speed is a factor. So, do y'all have any drills to help me increase speed with accuracy?
 
#2 ·
just keep working on drawling and firing. at that distance, i know when i drawl my gun from my holster and bring it up to fire with my arms straight out, that i will hit center mass though the whole mag of fire. It doesnt happen over night. They trained us until it was just natural. at 3 yards the same thing, and thing closer was from the hip knowing that with the elbow bent at 90 we would be hitting lower center mass. Try that in a mirror and see where you gun is pointing.

I know you want accuracy, that will come as you practice more. work on your drawl and the rest will follow. It isnt until 15 yards that i start using sights, but at that range its going to be hard to justify using your firearm to the courts if it goes that far.
 
#3 ·
How to increase speed?

There is speed on the draw, the speed of shooting double taps, the speed of shooting transitions, the speed to reload....etc. Increasing your speed means you are decreasing your time, so you will need to have a good shot timer to establish a base line and use your shot timer to check your progress on every shot fired.

Proper technique and good equipment is also essential for speed, so if you have no idea what the proper technique is or the best equipment, you may keep reenforcing the wrong technique which may not allow you to increase your speed. I recommend finding a knowledagble mentor or get instructions from a qualified instructor. Once you learn the proper technique, you can practice the execution of the proper technique on your own. A good mentor or instructor will explain the proper techniques, give ideas on concealed carry equipment such as holsters, belts, mag pouches, and offer various drills to assist in your development.

Speed and accuracy means knowing how much sight picture is required for the given distance and the target presentation size. A "flash" sight picture may be used at 10 yds with a full man sized target, but a headshot at the same distance may require a bit more sight picture. Knowing how much sight picture is needed for any given distance and target presentation is the key to shooting fast and accurately.
 
#5 ·
As RichPetrone said, a good teacher or mentor can help a great deal. If you are using a bad technique, practice only means you are reinforcing bad techniques and harder to fix when you learn the right way!
Go slowly to build the proper muscle memory and lots and lots of practice will make the speed come by itself. Speed is not the main goal. Fast accuracy is.
There are no guarantees that two shots will stop anyone even with center of mass hits. Even head shots are not always a guaranteed stopper. Takes lots of diligent practice and good coaching to become really proficient in shooting no matter what discipline.
There is a whole lot more to it than just putting bullets on a target.
Semper Fi
Rocky
 
#6 ·
Go slowly to build the proper muscle memory and lots and lots of practice will make the speed come by itself. Semper Fi
Rocky
By the way, there is no such thing as "muscle memory"...
 
#9 · (Edited)
In the Military and Law Enforcement we break it down into numbers, and train 1,000's of times doing the same actions till it becomes one fast, smooth, motion.

Standing in a defensive stance, with a cleared weapon and a set target make your first full movement to draw. This could be just bringing your hand to your gun, or clearing your clothing with your off hand. Then do the next movement needed. Clearing the holster is a move. Pointing the gun towards the target is a move. Bringing the gun to the target is a move. Final shooting grip is a move.

Do the draw process over and over for a few days. By the numbers till it becomes one smooth movement.

Move on to the sight picture. Look at a target and bring your gun to the traget over and over. Find where you need to move as far as your head/eyes/weapon. Check your eyes as far as if you use both eyes or one eye. When aimed at a target open and close each eye while holding the gun steady and on target. There will be a shift and it will look like your aim is off. Lear how you aim from that and work on "ID target" and "Sights on target".

Once your draw is down, and you sight picture is down, its time to dry fire a few times and see where your sight go with no recoil or sound. When you stay on target after the trigger pull, you should be ready to put it all together, and send real rounds down range.

Problems can be many ranges do not let people draw and shoot.

I do Rock drills, where the gun is grabbed, clears the holster, points at the target, and is shot from the hip. At first this will seem odd, but with practice its fast and as accurate as you might need up close.

Shooting with random spent cases is a good way to see what happens when you think there will be a boom and its just a click. It can show where you push the weapon and make you aware of you bad habits.

There are books written on how to do it, and they are a few hundred pages.

Practice is the key. The range will give you feed back. Your grip and trigger pull will need to be changed to where you shoot and are right back on target ready to hit the same spot.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Watch your front sight... and make sure your fundmenetals are correct(you aren't jerking the gun when coming back for the next shot.

Your front post tells you EVERYTHING about your shooting... If you don't see it/can't get the sight picture you need... don't pull the trigger.

Start off slow, and make sure you can see the front post lift up and settle back down. Only pull the trigger when the front post is back on target/you have an enough sight picture to shoot accurately.

With enough practice you will be able to do this faster and faster.

Just remember, when you see faster shooters take two shots with sub 0.2 second splits, they aren't shooting "controlled pairs" or "double taps"... each shot is its own thing, each shot is aimed, shot, recovered from recoil, and repeated.

Never try to take two shots with only one sight picture.

Oh and lots of dry firing, getting out of the holster and on target fast... this will build speed on all your other things as well as work your fundmentals into gross motor skills.

Mike.
 
#11 ·
Watch your front sight... and make sure your fundmenetals are correct(you aren't jerking the gun when coming back for the next shot.

Your front post tells you EVERYTHING about your shooting... If you don't see it/can't get the sight picture you need... don't pull the trigger.


Start off slow, and make sure you can see the front post lift up and settle back down. Only pull the trigger when the front post is back on target/you have an enough sight picture to shoot accurately.

With enough practice you will be able to do this faster and faster.

Just remember, when you see faster shooters take two shots with sub 0.2 second splits, they aren't shooting "controlled pairs" or "double taps"... each shot is its own thing, each shot is aimed, shot, recovered from recoil, and repeated.

Never try to take two shots with only one sight picture.

Oh and lots of dry firing, getting out of the holster and on target fast... this will build speed on all your other things as well as work your fundmentals into gross motor skills.

Mike.
Best advice so far.

The best way to get "fast" is to get efficient in your technique, not by just getting sloppy and accepting poor control/ results.



"Double taps" are the hallmark of the mediocre. If a target needs to be shot quickly, then you don't have time to miss.

If you needed to fire the second shot so quickly that you couldn't use your sights, why did you use your sights for the first shot?

If you need to shoot a second shot quickly, why are you not shooting a third and fourth just as fast?

I'd recommend reading some books like "shooting from within" "beyond fundamentals" and "surgical speed shooting". That and get out and train with good instructors... there is no substitute for credible instruction.
 
#13 ·
Man you got a bunch of good advice. I shoot USPSA and have learned a lot watching some outstanding shooters shoot accurately and faster than I would believe possible. Have taken several classes, shot about 20,000 rounds, and shot every type of competition I can find. Probably the two most effective practice techniques for me are using a shot timer and dry firing. Good luck, the best thing is you never get there. There is always room for improvement for most of us.
 
#15 ·
Subconscious mastery

No one that shoots well thinks through each step of: break grip, press magazine release, bring gun into your workspace, access new magazine, index hand on new magazine and remove from pouch, bring up, insert into gun, drop slide, reacquire grip, continue shooting.... they think "reload" and the subconscious takes over.
Wow! It took me longer to read how to reload than actually conduct a reload!

I have been shooting USPSA for a long time, and speeding up my reloads to the one second level took time, practce, and proper technique. It does get to a point of subconscious mastery. Also, when you learn to "drive the gun" in USPSA, you're finally getting it!
 
#16 ·
Wow! It took me longer to read how to reload than actually conduct a reload!

I have been shooting USPSA for a long time, and speeding up my reloads to the one second level took time, practce, and proper technique. It does get to a point of subconscious mastery. Also, when you learn to "drive the gun" in USPSA, you're finally getting it!
Yep, that was the point of the analogy.

If you needed to consciously focus on each individual step of that process, most of us wouldn't be nearly as fast as we are.
 
#18 ·
You learn speed by starting slow, striving for accuracy and consistency in every part of the maneuver, much like learning to play the piano (or whatever). Analyze and perfect each stage of the operation, from clearing the cover garment, to presenting, aiming and firing until you are smooth and consistent. Add to that sideways motion, to make you a harder target and/or to seek cover or concealment. It helps to have a coach to make suggestions and point out your mistakes.

The most common mistake learning an instrument is going too fast for your skill level. You could say the same about shooting. Wyatt Earp supposedly said that gunfighting is "taking your time, in a hurry." He was never touched by a bullet.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Also another thing to shooting fast... is aiming fast.

You need to take each target and its given distance into consideration as to how much sight picture you need.

Remember, you ALWAYS have to aim... "how" you aim... is up to you/the situation.

I can tell that at close targets(say within 10ft) I don't look at the sights specifically but rather the whole gun, and can aim it that way(which is far faster than using sights)... move out to around 7yards, and a flash sight picture of the front post, in the area of the rear notch is sufficient to give me A zone hits on a USPSA target.... move out to say 10-15yds, now I need to really get my sights aligned well to get the hits... etc.

Also the type of target dictates your aim as well... The A zone on a USPSA target is far taller than a steel plate... but a pepper popper is tall, but narrow.. and making a hit anywhere on it with a 200gr will knock it down. Different amounts of "aiming" are needed for each... Some require a more precise aim, which takes more time, others, you can be less perfect and still put the round where it needs to go.... knowing what to use when can speed you up.

I know you aren't a competitive shooter... but a GREAT book to read is Brian Enos's "Beyond Fundementals".

That guy really knows how to "talk and think" shooting. Since you know your basics, you will understand his book, and it will definitely make you "think" about shooting wayyy differently... and examine your shooting to make everything as efficient as possible.

MIke.
 
#21 ·
Thanks for the advice Mike and everyone else. It has been quite helpful.

However, I have a question about this comment:
Remember, you ALWAYS have to aim... "how" you aim... is up to you/the situation.
Do you really always aim?

You mentioned that closer than 10' and you don't use the sights. Is this still aiming? Or would this be considered point shooting?

In shotgunning there is a saying, you point a shotgun rather than aiming it. There is a remarkable difference because your focus is on the target rather than the sights. Is there a time when a shooter should be pointing rather than aiming?
 
#23 ·
When I have enough "aim" the round is sent.

Everything else will come to you in time with sufficient practice and learning.

I try to be 10 round ten yards less 10 seconds into a saucer. You will have a reload) It used to be a dinner plate many boxes of ammo ago.
 
#24 · (Edited)
You don't always have to use the front sight....

Speed and accuracy means knowing how much sight picture is required for the given distance and the target presentation size. A "flash" sight picture may be used at 10 yds with a full man sized target, but a headshot at the same distance may require a bit more sight picture. Knowing how much sight picture is needed for any given distance and target presentation is the key to shooting fast and accurately.
This was stated in the 3rd post. Mikeg1005 said the same thing, and provided more detail.

The closer and the larger the target, the easier it is to get a fast shot off from the draw.

At a full size IDPA or USPSA target, at 1-2 yds, you can learn to shoot from the arm retention position, sometimes called "the speed rock", and still get acceptable hits. The gun is drawn, the strong arm elbow is held down and close to the body, and as soon as the gun is clear of the holster, the shot is fired. This is probably the fastest way to get off a good shot, since the gun is never brought up to eye level, and the gun is indexed using peripheral vision. Proper trigger control is still needed to keep proper aim, even if the sights are not used. The speed needed to release the trigger without disturbing the sight alignment is often developed through "dry fire" practice.

At distances of 5-7 yds, I can still index the gun with out sights and since my trigger control is very good, I can still get a good hit in Center of Mass on the target. I use the back of the slide as my way to judge if it is pointed correctly, and the top of the slide to make sure it is level in the center of the target. With practice, you will be able to index the gun very fast, and use lttle to no sight picture to make a fast shot from the draw.

At distances of 10-15 yards shots on full size targets, you need to at least get flash sight picture, or perhaps a bit more, to be consistent in hitting the COM. Your trigger control still has to be excellent, but sight alignment is still not as critical as proper trigger control. Proper trigger controls means the shot is fired without disturbing sight alignment, even after the shot breaks (follow through) If the target presentation is much smaller, perhaps shooting at steel 8" plates at 10-15 yds, a bit more sight alignment is needed along with proper trigger contol.

Once you start shooting at 20 -30 yds, both proper trigger control and sight alignment is equally important and required, so your speed will be slightly slower, to get the proper sight picture to make a COM hit.
 
#27 ·
Aiming doesn't mean that you have to see a front and rear sight in relation to each other.
True enough. Not wanting to high jack or drift the thread, but there is a school of thought (in competition circles) that takes the position that being aware of the relationship of the sights to one another (whether they be in alignment or not) takes no longer than shooting from with a pure target focus. Just saying...

If you needed to consciously focus on each individual step of that process, most of us wouldn't be nearly as fast as we are.
I agree, to a point. But there are times when one is faster at performing tasks by shifting their attention from one element to the other as the task is initiated. Take the following drill. Put an IPSC target at 5-7 yards. Starting at surrender position. At the buzzer, draw, fire one round, reload, fire a second round. The goal is two "C" hits or better in under two seconds. Pretty tough to do on autopilot.
 
#28 ·
Sight alignment

Not wanting to high jack or drift the thread, but there is a school of thought (in competition circles) that takes the position that being aware of the relationship of the sights to one another (whether they be in alignment or not) takes no longer than shooting from with a pure target focus. Just saying...
This is purely dependent on the distance and the size of the target. I have shot in USPSA where the first target was about 4-5 ft. away, so I did a "speed rock" drill, where I never brought the gun up to eye level and fired two quick controlled shots from the hip (arm retention method). I don't remember the exact time, but it was extremely fast....I am guessing the first shot was about a .35 draw and I got two "A" hits. There have been some excellent and accurate hip shooters over the years, and the late Bill Jordan was one of the greats.

Put an IPSC target at 5-7 yards. Starting at surrender position. At the buzzer, draw, fire one round, reload, fire a second round. The goal is two "C" hits or better in under two seconds. Pretty tough to do on autopilot.
This may be good for practicing the draw and reload, but accepting two "C" hits for USPSA may be fine, but accepting a "C" hit in any drill might get you killed in a real self defense situation....COM hits are better!
 
#29 ·
This is purely dependent on the distance and the size of the target. I have shot in USPSA where the first target was about 4-5 ft. away, so I did a "speed rock" drill, where I never brought the gun up to eye level and fired two quick controlled shots from the hip (arm retention method). I don't remember the exact time, but it was extremely fast....I am guessing the first shot was about a .35 draw and I got two "A" hits. There have been some excellent and accurate hip shooters over the years, and the late Bill Jordan was one of the greats.



This may be good for practicing the draw and reload, but accepting two "C" hits for USPSA may be fine, but accepting a "C" hit in any drill might get you killed in a real self defense situation....COM hits are better!
May I interject a little bit regarding the sights.

Being "Aware" of the sights?

Let me ask you one question... "Would you rather focus on the bad guys and scan area for threats or stay fixed on your sights?"
 
#30 ·
This is purely dependent on the distance and the size of the target.
Sure if there is only one target. Speaking strictly from a competition perspective, when there are multiple targets available a shooter is usually better off to get behind the gun well enough to make and call the shot on the first target, then immediately get on with the rest of the shooting. A good example is a classifier like the Mini-Mart. Countless shooters could grip it and rip it from under the counter and point shoot the first target in a flash, but there is a reason no serious competition shooters do that.

This may be good for practicing the draw and reload, but accepting two "C" hits for USPSA may be fine, but accepting a "C" hit in any drill might get you killed in a real self defense situation....COM hits are better!
Yup, yup. Just saying the more complex the task at hand, the more one needs to shift their focus and awareness.

Being "Aware" of the sights?

Let me ask you one question... "Would you rather focus on the bad guys and scan area for threats or stay fixed on your sights?"
Are you asking me? The problem I have here is I am addressing some of the references that were made to the square range USPSA shooters, but this is a Tactics and Personal Defense thread. Mixing the two seldom seems to work out very well. I am not speaking of bad guys other than those made of cardboard. :rofl: FWIW, a person can be absolutely "aware" of the relationship of the sights to a target face without being "fixed" on the sights.
 
#33 ·
Practice your draw and first two shots going slow and progressively get faster and faster. The key to quickness is getting the basics and mechanics down pat at a slow speed that way at faster speeds it will be second nature. Hope this helps and good luck!
 
#36 ·
Think this might be germain to the conversation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_memory

Whenever you do something over and over you soon can do it without thinking. I can play stuff on the guitar and bass without actually thinking about moving my fingers, they just go to the frets that they need to be at and the song comes out. Same with drawing and shooting a firearm. Practice enough and you'll soon be doing it without even thinking about it.
Just start slowly so you'll set up the proper pathways in the brain and the speed will come. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. ;)
 
#37 ·
Sights

Speaking strictly from a competition perspective, when there are multiple targets available a shooter is usually better off to get behind the gun well enough to make and call the shot on the first target, then immediately get on with the rest of the shooting. A good example is a classifier like the Mini-Mart. Countless shooters could grip it and rip it from under the counter and point shoot the first target in a flash, but there is a reason no serious competition shooters do that.
I was a very serious competitive USPSA shooter, and the scenario I described where I shot two fast shots from the hip was a "run and gun" stage where you had to hit the first target, and then move to another target array, and I shot the next array on the move...

The rule of thumb in USPSA is get to the shooting as fast as possible! If the first target is less than 6 ft. away, you don't have to use the sights, and an arm retentioin technique will save time! At the time, I saved about one second on that run compared to some Master class shooters that were darn good! I probably saved a half second on the speed rock draw, and maybe another half second on good transitions. My point is...the amount of sight alignment needed is purely dependent on the size and the distance of the target. Sometimes a hip shooting style can be very fast and accurate for close targets, whether in competition or real self defense. Practicing arm retention shooting is a valid technique, and the fastest way to engage a close in target. The experienced shooter knows just how much sight alignment will be needed for the given target presentation, based on the size and distance of the target! Every scenario in USPSA may be different, but knowing how to shave a half second here and there definitely adds up!
 
#38 ·
My point is...the amount of sight alignment needed is purely dependent on the size and the distance of the target.
I agree.

My point is, on an IPSC/USPSA stage the time to the first shot isn't the most important factor. The time to a quality platform that will allow one to shoot at their peak performance level is much more important. But that is cannon fodder for the competition thread.
 
#39 · (Edited)
USPSA and time to the first shot

My point is, on an IPSC/USPSA stage the time to the first shot isn't the most important factor
We can agree on this point....however, if you have a situation where you have one close target, you may be able to shave 1/2 second on your first shot by knowing how to do a "speed rock drill." Shooters at the Master level are pretty good at stage planning, getting quickly in and out of shooting positions, fast reloads and knowing the optimal time to reload for the stage, fast transitions, etc. If the competition takes the time to move the gun up to near eye level, their first shot will be much slower. A speed rock drill doesn't need visual sight alignment at 5 ft., but you need good visual awareness, and good peripheral vision to index the gun, and good technique to keep the gun level near your hip while applying proper trigger control. The speed rock arm retention technique is a valid way to fire fast shots at very close distances to get COM hits. I would embrace the chance to shave 1/2 second off any course of fire in USPSA, at any skill level. Last week at a local IDPA match, I came in second for High Overall Honors, and a SSP Master Class shooter edged me out by .76 of a second....:(
 
#40 ·
i just reviewed a book i got from sinclair that i wasn't impressed with, COMBAT FOCUS SHOOTING. lots of theorys but few examples and how-to's. now, thats just MY impression. it could be the best shooting book ever written and i'm a idiot. point is, can anyone reccommend a book or two that they actually learned from? the stuff we were taught years ago at various LEO academys was obviously just thrown together by an "instructor". now that i'm fixing to retire and will have some time, i'd like to learn to do it right. kind of a speed shooting/defensive shooting for dummies is what i'm looking for. thanks
 
#41 ·
Book to help improve speed

My recommendation is "Practical Shooting, Beyond Fundamentals" by Brian Enos. I have read it many times, and finally got to the point that I knew what the author meant about "driving the gun" when I was "running and gunning" in USPSA style shooting.

Even if you don't shoot USPSA, this book explaians in good detail, how to shoot faster with speed and accuracy....

You can usually find a used copy at an on-line used book store.
 
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