Photo Apr 23, 10 02 01Here are a few rifle/pistol drills that can be done on the RE Factor IQ target. Some of these drills have par times, others are a “beat yourself” drill – establish a par time at your shooting level, then push yourself to constantly decrease your par time while maintaining accuracy.  Also keep in mind that even though the square, circle, and triangle all technically measure 3″, the square offers the most “shootable area,” followed by the circle, then the triangle.

Rifle Dot Torture

(adapted from Dot Torture by Dave Blinder)

Drill: Shooter will begin with a holstered pistol and rifle in the low ready or high port at the 5-yard line. You will use 10-20 dots.  There is no time limit, this is a marksmanship fundamentals drill.  The strings are shot as follows:

Dot 1 – Hinge and fire one string of 5 rounds for the best group. One hole if possible, a total of 5 rounds.
Dot 2 – Hinge and fire 1 shot, resume ready position and repeat X4, total 5 rounds.
Dots 3 & 4 – Hinge and fire 1 shot on #3, then 1 shot on #4, resume ready position and repeat X3, total 8 rounds.
Dots 5 & 6 – Hinge and fire 2 shots on #5, then 2 on #6, resume ready position, repeat X4, total 20 rounds.
Dot 7 & 8 –  Hinge and fire 1 shot on #7, reload, fire 1 shot on #8, resume ready position and repeat X3, total 8 rounds.
Dots 9 & 10 – Hinge and fire 2 shots on #9, transition to pistol, fire 2 shots on #10, resume ready position, and repeat X4, total 20 rounds.
Dots 11-20 – Repeat drills on other shoulder.

Grading criteria: Begin slow enough that all rounds remain inside the circles/squares/triangles.  Once you can shoot the entire course clean, add distance, and repeat.

Skills:
Optic offset
Draw stroke
Sight picture acquisition
Trigger manipulation
Target transitions
Cross shoulder marksmanship
Reloads

The Dot Drill 2, iHack, and Command drills can be shot with the rifle as well.  Work target acquisition from both the low ready and high port, as both are valid ready positions, and familiarity with both is going to be an asset.  You can also vary those drills by introducing rifle to pistol transitions.  For example:

Dot Drill 2 Variation

Drill: Shooter will begin with a holstered pistol and rifle in the low ready or high port at the 7-yard line. You will use 6 dots.  Set your timer par time to 7 seconds. On the buzzer, shooter will engage the target with 4 rifle rounds, transition, and engage the target with 2 pistol rounds.  Conduct the drill 6 times in total.IMG_8635

Grading criteria: Track the number of hits achieved within the 7 second par time.  Once you can shoot 6×6 in the par time, decrease par time, and push yourself.

iHack Variation

Drill: Shooter will begin in the high ready position at the 5-yard line.  You will utilize 3 dots.  Set your par time to 7 seconds.
String 1: On the buzzer, engage 3 dots with 1 rifle shot each from left to right, then 1 pistol shot each from right to left.
String 2: On the buzzer, engage 3 dots with 1 rifle shot each from right to left, then 1 pistol shot each from left to right.
String 3: On the buzzer, engage 3 dots with 1 rifle shot each, engaging the middle dot first, then the outside dots in any order, then engage with dots in any order with 1 pistol shot each.
Grading criteria: 16 out of 18 shots on is “passing.”  Once you can shoot it clean, try from the low ready/high port.

Give these a try and post up your times to the comments!

About the author

Joel is an 11 year veteran of the US Coast Guard, where he has served at various units including the International Training Division and Maritime Security Response Team. He has held qualifications including Deployable Team Leader/Instructor, Direct Action Section Team Leader, and Precision Marksman – Observer. He has deployed/instructed on five continents and served in quick reaction force roles for multiple National Special Security Events in the US. He is the owner of Hybrid Defensive Strategies, LLC in Chesapeake, VA, and can be contacted on Facebook and Instagram. Any opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the US Coast Guard or the US Government.